I have decided to post this as my first "blog", it was a response to a comment made on the regional Folk Alliance list serve that I belong to. A comment was made stating that "I've always believed the offering of LSD laced punch at their early concerts was likely a very calculated move". WTF? I had to respond and posted the following.
I got so many nice comments, people were asking if I had a blog. Geez! I'm behind in plain ole emails t my contacts! But, I thought I'd post this and see what I can stir up!
Dear Folks,
It is hard to explain to those who just don't get it, about the Dead and their music. Hopefully someday we can chat about it in person and you may see what a special band this was. THE greatest American Rock Band that is so much more than rock n roll. The Dead did something phenomenal, not by drugging their audience with LSD, but by opening a virtual Pandora's box of musical improvisation. Yes, they were highly experimental times back then and these guys were in uncharted territory.
What they did was grow the biggest music family in the world and do you know how? they shared the music, they focused on being out there performing, giving a great show. I've been to over 150 shows around the country and no two were the same. They got their audience involved, they let us tape the live shows which then would be traded amongst ourselves, NEVER for money, just for other recordings. People like David Gans would play live sets on the radio and the fanbase grew. When they hit the mainstream radio with "In the Dark", they got HUGE but still focused on performance and live shows.
Certainly psychedelics were abundant in those days, it was the late 60's when the band started and well into the late 70's/80's when they got so big that they would sell out every venue in every city, every night. It wasn't the drugs, it became a community, very much like a congregation but without any one thing tying us together but the music.
I could write about this forever byut I gotta go. Couldn't pass up the chance to comment.
Rachel Sedacca
I got so many nice comments, people were asking if I had a blog. Geez! I'm behind in plain ole emails t my contacts! But, I thought I'd post this and see what I can stir up!
Dear Folks,
It is hard to explain to those who just don't get it, about the Dead and their music. Hopefully someday we can chat about it in person and you may see what a special band this was. THE greatest American Rock Band that is so much more than rock n roll. The Dead did something phenomenal, not by drugging their audience with LSD, but by opening a virtual Pandora's box of musical improvisation. Yes, they were highly experimental times back then and these guys were in uncharted territory.
What they did was grow the biggest music family in the world and do you know how? they shared the music, they focused on being out there performing, giving a great show. I've been to over 150 shows around the country and no two were the same. They got their audience involved, they let us tape the live shows which then would be traded amongst ourselves, NEVER for money, just for other recordings. People like David Gans would play live sets on the radio and the fanbase grew. When they hit the mainstream radio with "In the Dark", they got HUGE but still focused on performance and live shows.
Certainly psychedelics were abundant in those days, it was the late 60's when the band started and well into the late 70's/80's when they got so big that they would sell out every venue in every city, every night. It wasn't the drugs, it became a community, very much like a congregation but without any one thing tying us together but the music.
I could write about this forever byut I gotta go. Couldn't pass up the chance to comment.
Rachel Sedacca