Jerry Garcia's Conservative Children

The New York Sun ^ | 8/9/05 | John P. Avlon

[qam1]

Think back to the ringing guitars, the spinners, the patchouli oil and the haze of pot smoke hanging over an arena - the psychedelic country rock of Grateful Dead concerts seem like an unlikely cradle for today's conservative commentators.

And yet, 10 years to the day after Jerry Garcia's death on August 9, 1995, no less than three of Generation X's most high-profile young conservatives remain dedicated Deadheads: Deroy Murdock, Tucker Carlson, and Ann Coulter.

[Hank Rearden]

Yo! 60+ Dead shows and conservative libertarian over here!

Like, wow man.

[Hank Rearden]

What about Phish fans? Or Dave Matthews?

Suck and suckier.

[Proud2BAmerican]

Funny story...

I used to catch this Dead cover band called Cubensis that plays in L.A. and Orange County (southern Calif.). They're real big in the area -- excellent sound, very closely mimics all of the Dead's tunes.

Anyway, I was talking to the lead singer during a set break, and he was telling this story about how he was on a flight up to Oregon once, to see the Grateful Dead play. Who should sit down next to him but, seriously, Jerry Garcia.

This guy says "Hey, I play in a Grateful Dead band." and Jerry says, "Oh yeah? Me too!"

[Hank Rearden]

That being said, the day Jerry Garcia kicked the bucket was the day when I FINALLY got internet access. Yes kids, today is Clemenza's 10th ANNIVERSARY ONLINE!

That's a good Deadgeek link.

Here's another one for ya: in the early 80's I was the guy who repaired/aligned Robert Hunter's Osborne computer on several occasions - the beast on which a number of Dead lyrics of the era were composed.

True story. Like, wow man.

[Hank Rearden]

I remember hearing it on the radio, getting ready for work. We had "The Dead" playing for...probably the next 3-4 days 24/7 around here.

Played "Black Peter" 3 or 4 times straight when I heard; seemed about right.

And the next cat was named Cassidy. Bald eagle carried her away last year, poor little critter.

[Hank Rearden]

You're talking about the "space" portion of the shows, no? ;)

Space was always a great opportunity to pull out your lighter and crawl around on your hands and knees on the grass in the dark, looking for the shrooms you dropped.

[highlander_UW]

Tucker Carlson: the Herbie Stempel of MSNBC

Has anyone ever seen Tucker Carlson and The Fonz at the same time? Makes one wonder, no?

OK.../sarcasm

[Fzob]

You are welcome and bump

[martin gibson]

IMO one of his best...

Huge Peter Rowan BUMP!!!!

[Tribune7]

Kerouac was a close friend of Buckley's.

I never knew that. Thanks.

[the invisib1e hand]

ben and jerry are conservative capitalists, though they sure talk like liberals.

[Dane]

Never really got into the Dead thing.

Went to a Dead concert around 1990.

Bunch of smelly losers wearing tie-dyes. And the local news had a field day, with pictures of deadheads urinating in peoples yards, the selling of LSD from car trunks, deadhead females talking like they were akin to the manson family.

Tucker Carlson being a Deadhead explains alot.

[Dane]

I take exception that the Dead should be an X'er icon.

They are purely an example of Boomer selfishness and excess.

[Paulus]

Sometimes, I almost think Anne is attractive and then I think of this photo.

[wagglebee]

I've got several hundred bootlegs. I don't listen to them as much anymore because my car only has a CD player. The very best live stuff in my opinion was from the mid to late 70's. A lot of the stuff they played when Keith and Donna were still alive just couldn't be played without having a woman on vocals.

[t_skoz]

FR-mail me to be added to or removed from this ping list

[scott says]

I rarely listen to them anymore...but, once in awhile...it brings back happy memories of being a carefree teenager...running around without a care in the world...sigh. Hey send me your "normal" email, I probably have all your favorite "mid to late 70's" stuff transferred to cdr. I'm not kidding when I say I have connections,try me...I could send you some of your favorite shows, probably in real good quality. : )

[Ditter]

The bowtie makes him look like a wuss.

[kstewskis]

Played "Black Peter" 3 or 4 times straight when I heard; seemed about right.

[adam_az]

" There never was, or will be another player like Papa Jerry."

Thank goodness... I never could stand the guys noodling that started nowhere and ended nowhere.