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Searching for the Sound by Phil Lesh
#1
FYI (to the uninitiated): Phil Lesh was the bass player of the Grateful Dead.

The title pretty much sums up the focus of this book: it's primarily about the music and being in the band. Although not in depth; it's more anecdotal. Don't expect any soul searching here; he doesn't go into much detail about his personal life, and I don't think anyone is really looking for that anyway. He also says nothing about the rift between the surviving band members right after Garcia's death. (DM can perhaps shed some light on that.) It seemed like he wanted to present himself as a brother to everybody, even using that very word several times. (Well I suppose it's natural to want to look good in your autobiography.)

The story of the earlier years was exciting and well told, and I enjoyed it a lot, but it turned into a tragedy as it went on. Drugs took their toll on the band, of course. And, as he tells it, their unwillingness to handle the business end of things led to both a neverending tour to support their staff, and to larger and larger venues where they couldn't really perceive or experience any connection with the audience. Then Jerry died, and that's pretty much where it leaves off. So now I'm feeling kind of down.

I thought the highlight of the book was the story of how he joined the band and began to learn to play the bass. It would have been a great stand alone magazine article, although maybe a bit long for that, and I doubt anyone except Relix would have published it anyway.
the hands that guide me are invisible
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#2
I have an autographed copy of SftS. It's a great title choice, lyrics from Unbroken Chain, a Phil song and the name of his charitable association. Phil's been the splitter. All the other surviving members have played together (Bobby, Mickey & Billy just last week). I'd have loved to get more insight on that too. Instead, like any of the Dead family books, it fawns over Garcia a bit too much. But I must credit Phil for actually writing it himself.

In terms of books by the Dead, I much prefer Mickey's Drumming at the Edge of Magic because it's about a lot more. It covers Mickey's autobiography, along with the history of drumming all the way back to the big bang. Of course, Mickey had a little help writing it, but it's a very entertaining read. Also McNally's A Long Strang Trip is pretty good. It still keeps its worst skeletons in the closet, but it provides a some more intersting insight about the band from the publicist's angle. I also read Brightman's Sweet Chaos, but I wouldn't recommend that one - it goes off on some odd irrelevant tangents. I'm told if you want to read the dark side, it's in Greenfield's Dark Star. I have that big illustrated history of GD too. It's amusing mostly because of the timeline aspect and graphics.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
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#3
I also wonder what exactly the split was after Jerry died. I remember Mickey whining in the press about Phil, but with no specifics. I assumed it had something to do with the download site flap, since they publicly came out on opposite sides on that.

Since Phil said in the book that he was tired of all the touring, and wanted to spend more time with his family, that is probably part of it. He also named Jerry as the person he had the strongest musical connection to, so that could also be something.

It seems to me that when Jerry died, everyone realized that the cash cow was gone, and focused on the money. So I figure that's money is one of the issues as well.

Probably the saddest manifestation of that was when the organization refused to honor Jerry's instructions in his will to return his guitars to the maker. Even if the company did own them, to reject his final wish was a flat out F-you to Jerry and the supposed ideals of the scene.
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#4
There are several Phil Lesh posts here but I'm posting on this one because... well, no reason really. 

We have two tickets to Phil Lesh & Friends at the Frost (Stanford) on June 4th at 6PM. Stacy is thinking of bailing. The Covid numbers are too high and she didn't enjoy being amongst deadheads again last month when we went for Mickey & Bobby http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=6904

I'm debating. I was so stressed about Covid at Cali Roots. I'm still feeling fine so fingers crossed that I dodged that bullet once again. I might still go. I want to go. If Stacy does bail (and I'd say there's a 90% chance she will) anyone here want to go with me? KB? tg? I can't imagine any other D00Mers that are so dedicated.
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#5
(05-31-2022, 07:35 PM)Drunk Monk Wrote: If Stacy does bail (and I'd say there's a 90% chance she will) anyone here want to go with me? KB? tg? I can't imagine any other D00Mers that are so dedicated.

crickets

Can’t say I blame ya. I’m prolly going to bail now too. Just not feeling it. 

Now I got a pair of digital miracles and am reaching out to deadhead friends…
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#6
Man, I've reached out to a ton of old deadhead friends and cannot unload this Phil tix, even for free.

Gone are the days...
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#7
Just miracled a friend of one of Stacy's coworkers with those tix.
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#8
Huzzah!
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm

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#9
DM - I never saw that. It seems I only sometimes get notifications these days. When I got my new laptop they were going to spam for a while, but now I sometimes don't get them at all.
the hands that guide me are invisible
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#10
Bummer
Would you have wanted those tix?
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#11
I would have like to go, but probably would have said no, because if Christina gets Covid then she can't work.
the hands that guide me are invisible
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#12
Yeah, Stacy cancelled clients and took some time off because she was in contact with me when I got it. 

I haven't heard any rave reviews of it, although I'm sure it was good. More deadheads have been raving about JRAD at Red Rocks (which I listening in on and it was solid - gotta see them live soon) and the Shoreline run, which was ultimately satisfying.
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