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.

[crowman]

Saw him in the Summer of '78 at UCSB outdoors....good sounds....

[deadhead]

Q: Why do deadheads wave their hands in front of their faces during a Grateful Dead concert? "

A: Because we are having fun!

[Alberta's Child]

I'm not old enough to remember the Dead in their early days, but I'm a big fan of classic rock. I just never understood that band's appeal.

I long for the days when they were still around, though. A lot of Dead-heads have taken to showing up at Allman Brothers concerts (especially when the Allmans spend almost the entire month of March doing something like 20 concerts in New York City), and it's kinda sad to see those folks aimlessly wandering the planet like that.

[Fzob]

1978 is very sketchy.

[scott says]

I have over 500 cassettes...mostly 72 thru 87. I have early stuff, not really my thing. After say 1985 I really lost interest. My favorite stuff is 1980--1983, when they were really on top of their game. The early stuff can be too slow and dragged out, after 84 Garcia was drugged out too much.
I have been in the room were he died...Serenity Knolls, Forest Knolls,Ca.
I used to work out with Jerrys bodyguard...cool guy.

[gratefulwharffratt]

The perfect Sugar Magnolia...

[537cant be wrong]

that is a great album. i love bluegrass and this is one classic. david grissam is great on there too.
jerry also played steel petal guitar on
CSN&Y's deja vu album.

been to 5 dead shows. i have a picture i took standing with my gut against the stage at the fox theater in st louis circa about 1967 or 8. its jerry and bob wier leaning towards each other trading licks.

my funniest memory of a dead show was tinley park in chicago
all the freaks were swirling around (apperantly trying to keep the music out of thier eyes ). it had been drizzling the whole show and some guy in just his bvd's was winding through the crowd holding his head saying "oh man i think i hurt myself"

[Thinkin' Gal]

Well, there's a real square cat, he looks like 1974...

[scott says]

I agree and when I was a goofy teenager following the Dead I would tell the stupid moronic hippies that. I would hear them complain about Reagan and would tell them if it wasn't for the military we couldn't be running around goofing off, ect...they were to stupid and stoned to understand that but I knew it all too well.

[HitmanLV]

Tucker Carlson: the Herbie Stempel of MSNBC (formerly the Herbie Stempel of CNN).

[Fzob]

I have over 500 cassettes

Dang, can you still buy cassette players? I was a big fan during the same era, saw maybe 6 shows, but never got tied up in follwing them around.

Too busy working and living to have that much fun.

[Vision]

Deadhead here

[kstewskis]

Many thanks for posting this link!

I'm listening to the May 21st '95 show at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. I was there, one of the last shows before Jerry died.

"Unbroken Chain"...absolutely awesome. What a day it was.

[dead]

That link is the coolest! Thanks so much.

[scott says]

I've had my Nakamichi tape deck refurbished at least three times. I have over 1500 bootleg cassettes...500 just Dead.I have transferred all my best stuff to CD-R.Maybe half of my cassettes. Its actually fun, couple of glasses of wine, roll the tape...the problem is you need to manually track the songs if you want to do it right.I have a lot of awesome Dead stuff, I have always been blessed with amazing connections. You would gasp if I showed you the knuckleheads I get stuff from..one guy has over 5000 Dylan concerts alone..its really crazy. Back in the day I would just get the very best tapes that were around....I have some really amazing stuff. My personal favorite is probably Tempe Arizona August 30, 1981..unbelievable sound quality{audience} and awesome set, its really great. If you want a copy freep mail me and I would be happy to send it to you. :)

[Erasmus]

"Unbroken Chain"...absolutely awesome. What a day it was.

From side 1 of "From the Mars Hotel." One of their best, along with side 1 of "After the Flood."

[jmc813]

What about Phish fans?

I'm a die-hard Phish fan. Saw 30 shows between 1997 and their breakup last year.

[FranklinsTower]

I'm listening to the May 21st '95 show at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. I was there, one of the last shows before Jerry died.

"Unbroken Chain"...absolutely awesome. What a day it was.

One of the very best shows I have ever seen was in Vegas. Santana opened. Hornsby (sp?) was on keyboard. I'll never forget the keyboard driven Sugar Mag. as the sun setting shadows crept across the stadium. It was a beautiful sunshine daydream!

I saw Jerry's last show in Chicago. Box of Rain was the last song -- how ironic and sad.

[Disambiguator]

That goes without saying, doesn't it?

[deadhead]

"That goes without saying, doesn't it?"

Yes, it does :-)