More Cultural Milestones
Posted by Steven Hayward
Of course, my other not-so-well-known guilty pleasure was this band, which came to an end 10 years ago today with the death of Jerry Garcia. Fellow rocker (and NRA spokesman) Ted Nugent supplied the obvious lesson in a bit of doggerel that goes something like this (I quote from memory):
Jerry did drugs
And Jerrys dead.
I went hunting,
And Im still Ted.
10:14 AM / August 9, 2005
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A sure sign of sobriety is when the recovering patient pops in a previously much-loved Grateful Dead CD and realizes that it is pointless and boring.
The Ramones rule.
:)
I dont think Im sober yet--at least, not sober enough for the Ramones. Im still following the successor/imitator bands, like moe, String Cheese Incident, etc.
A near sobering moment, however, came when I chanced upon the recent "South Park" episode making fun of "hippie jam-band fesitvals." Dead on rip: almost enough to make me give up Bonnaroo.
Sorry, wm.
Im with Dr. Hayward on this one. Ill take a pass on the Ramones. And if you think only a lack of sobriety makes the music of The Grateful Dead sound good, Id invite you to listen to this, this, and this.
Interesting, Dr. H, that you continue to follow the torch into the next generation, whereas Ive moved backwards, digging into the roots of this music we both enjoy. If you get the opportunity, try and take a listen to Duke Ellingtons Orchestra with Django Rheinhardt (11/10/46). Duke sits in for 4 songs, and theres a stretch where you definitely feel as if youre in the midst of one of those Darkstars!
On a side note - today also marks the 10 year anniversary of Netscapes IPO, and the genesis of the so-called Clinton Surplus.
Mr. Anderson:
Thanks for the links. My whole day is now shot.
Dr. Hayward
Glad I could help!
NB -- Of course, my previous post was incorrect. Django sat in with Dukes Orchestra for four songs that November night in 46. I got it backwards.
Well, Steven, Heiders Balance Theory would predict that since (a) you and I disagree on nearly everything, and (b) I love the Grateful Dead, that (c) I would feel a great deal of cognitive dissonance upon learning of your affection for them.
Heider was right!
One of my few "brushes with greatness" involved serving as security for a Dead concert while in college in 1977. Our job was to prevent the crowd from reaching the stage, and we were so effective that we ended up sitting on the stage and facing the crowd from there. I was placed right at Jerrys feet, and not far from Donnas feet, as well. So, now I tell my friends that I have been on stage with the Dead.
While I did not meet her for 5 more years, my future wife was part of that crowd, too.
So, now I feel like a Union picket, exchanging cigarettes with the Confederate pickets on Christmas Eve.
Party on, brother!
Dear Fung:
You should have seen the cognitive dissonace on the moe. listserv after I blogged about moe. on The Corner earlier this year. I think there are now bouncers on the lookout for me at Club 9:30 in Washington, where Im usually conspicious as the oldest person in the crowd.
Jerry Garcia is dead (anyone surprised?)
I like Ted, PETA member, i.e. People Eating Tasty Animals. Hes a straight shooter. No pun intended.
My wife and I relax to a little modern Jazz and Glenn Miller. But we are not that old.
A music thread on NLT?? Im starting to like Mr. Hayward more and more each day. The Nuge, however, stays stagnant for me. I cant get into those neo-Dead bands, either. Hendrix jammed; Phish and the String Cheese throw beachballs into the crowd and try to "link" with their movement while they play. Thats needless hippiness in a modern age.
The couple of time a young nephew of mine played the Grateful Dead for me I found it very boring. Give me The Doobie Brothers, Bachman Turner Overdrive and Foghat over those old hippies anyday! Ted Nugent seems like he doesnt care about morals, if you ask me. As for country music, its got to be Lee Greenwood, Charlie Daniels, Alabama, Oak Ridge Boys and George Jones of course!!
I actually attended a Dead show back in the early 1990s. It was kind of fun as a sociological study of the subculture, but musically I thought it was a real yawner. Frankly, it didnt seem as though most people were paying much attention to the music.
Can I add my vote for the Ramones?
Andrew,
If your looking for bands that jam, and jam with soul, I suggest Van Morrison (start with album "Astral Weeks"), Led Zeppelin, CCR, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Eric Clapton. Just thought Id throw in my two cents.
I first saw Phish 15 years ago before they started to get widely popular, and they were great (no beachball or trampoline nonsense), but they slipped badly starting in the mid-1990s. It is good they have hung it up. Same with the String Cheese Incident; they are showing signs of major slippage. Maybe its middle age, but Im wandering more and more to jazz standards as several commenters have recommended.
If you like Zydeco, check out the Pete Cantino Band (I saw them recently in Las Vegas--no website, sorry), and if you like Irish folk-rock-all-chick bands, see Killians Angels. (Full disclosure: Im pals with the base player, Ginger.)
Also, for you Ramone fans out there with a soft spot for the Emerald Isle, check out Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys.
I guess what really ruined Phish for me was their constant covering of Zappas stuff -- the last thing he wouldve wanted was "Peaches en Regalia" covered by a drug-laced New Grateful Dead.
Dropkicks? Id say pre-1999, before that new, lame vocalist. Try Naked Raygun for some real "class heroish" post-punk.
While were on the music topic, Ill just say that while I do enjoy Phish once in a while, theyll never come close to be as cute and wonderful as Clay Aiken!
The best Celtic punk rock will always be the Pogues, though. My wife knows Shane McGowans godmother. She told me once, "Dont let Shane fool you. He was thrown out of all the best schools in London."
wm
Naked Raygun!!! My mind is blown. "A country that even persecuted the Weavers. You ever heard of the Weavers?"