Library of Congress & The Dead

“The Grateful Dead just touched a nerve, and it’s still relevant in many ways today,” Hart told the AP. “It’s American-based music, but the combination of it, I guess, was the chemical that ignited, the energy that ignited the spirit of the people for many generations." Read Article

1974 - Truckin'

1974 - join us this week on Shakedown Stream for another featured Grateful Dead show from 1974. Last week we were in Roanoke, VA and this week we go up the east coast to the DC beltway of Landover, MD. 

I have discovered what many may have already known - some of the best versions of Truckin' are from 1974. We will be treated to a very serious version of that autobiographical transport song that defined the lifestyle of deadheads on the road. Just like the literature of that time period, we traveled On The Road to find our identity, cruisin' through the veins and arteries of America pumping new red, white & blue blood through the heart of a new USA.

Also, we will hear more from The Mickey Hart Band and other nuggets of the Grateful Dead. 

Happy Memorial Day
Shakedown Stream
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Got My Chips Cashed In

"Dawn of the Dead"

Dawn of The Dead tells a pretty fascinating story. The newly released DVD mainly concentrates on the first five years of the band, and of the San Francisco sound in general during the mid-to-late '60s. If any group epitomizes the whole flower-power, light show, and free-flowing music scene of that era, it is the good old Grateful Dead.

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Where's My Hog?

Need some gear for your Hog? "For years, River Road Gear has been known for making high quality cruiser luggage and fine leather jackets, chaps, vests and pants. So when they partnered up with the Grateful Dead to put the Dead logos on their motorcycle jackets and vests, I knew they would start with superior garments before the embroidery went on. "http://motorcycling.speedtv.com/article/gearbag-grateful-dead-color-logo-leather-jacket/

Mickey - the Noisician

The Grateful Dead music continues. Jerry Garcia may be gone, but not forgotten - not by a long shot. Mickey Hart, one of the drummers of the Dead has just released a new album/CD and it is pretty damn good. Check out his interview with Blair Jackson: "I have a part of me that’s a “noisician”—that’s someone who really likes noise. Jerry and I both really liked noise; it was one of our greatest pleasures. Phil was also into noise, and of course Kreutzmann plays the drums, which is a noise instrument. We were noisy guys. Bob a little less so, I think, though he likes to get it going, too, sometimes. [Laughs] "

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Jerry's Guitar - Sold for $62,500

Believe it or Not, but Jerry's acoustic guitar and other stuff still have value - monetary value. Deadheads, I suspect collectors too, recently bid on items that were once Jerry's or belonged to his family members. Some of the things are unique, for sure. For instance, this Skull & Roses banner was used in the actual Grateful Dead Movie. I would love to have this, but I could never afford to buy it. I would not even know how to get to the Bonham's auction house. Nonetheless, it is interesting that things that were once Jerry are still finding their way out in public and being sold at auction houses for a fairly decent amount of money. 
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Phil Rambles Levon Helm

"The idea for this kind of informal musical base close to home came from the "Midnight Rambles" the Band's Levon Helm hosted in his barn in Woodstock, N.Y. Two years ago, Lesh played at one of the Rambles with his sons, Grahame and Brian, and became sold on the concept.

"It was absolute magic," he recalled. "Everyone was there to experience the music, and that's what we're trying to get going here — to have a place where people can lose themselves in the music, where all they want is to be there with the music and with their community."

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"Most of the Time"

Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Furthur played at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA. 

“The National made me learn this song. They’re a band I highly recommend,” according to Weir, and he launched into Dylan’s heart-tugging “Most of the Time.” The spell was broken when the sound quit, and the house lights went up, accompanied by blaring fire alarms. Weir acted surprised and directed the audience to the exits. Amounting to an early set break, everyone had to wait outside until the quick-responding Pittsfield Fire Department gave the all-clear. No one seemed upset or overly concerned. It was determined that someone took a smoke break in the hallway and set off the alarms. The venue management was very gracious and implored the audience not to smoke inside. Can’t blame them with a recently completed 21 million dollar theater renovation.

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Just Like a Dead Show

"It was an absolute blast. The lights go out, and it has the look and feel and smell of a Grateful Dead show. People were dancing in the aisles; people were clapping; people were singing along. There was a certain vibe that was always at a Dead show, where you felt the crowd was sort of at one with each other, and that was very much how it felt there in the movie theater for two or three hours -- even though Jerry (Garcia) hasn't been with us for 17 years. In this day and age of everybody sort of being alone behind their computer or with their phone, to have an opportunity to get together with 500 or 1,000 people and enjoy the opera, or Ira Glass or the Grateful Dead is an invaluable experience. You talk about the social network -- this is the real social network. Read Article