Something To Laugh At

Humor is very important in tough times.  You need some good yuks to brighten up your spirits.  I know this is to be true.  When I was a junior in high school, I did a talent show that consisted of me doing a monologue from play that I  had a lead.  It was some old time acting that was called "Spartcus to the Gladiators" in which I wore a toga for this performance.  It was so dry and boring, and it needed a big finish.  When I was done, I had the MC land a plate plied high with shaving cream  into my face.  This was a salute to Soupy Sales.  There was a moment of pure bliss.  The entire audience of over 500 went completely silent then erupted in laughter.  Here are a few great examples of comedians in tune with their craft: "The Moose"; "Baseball vs Football"; and "Prison."

Music for Today:

Grateful Dead
April 3, 1970
Field House
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
listen here

Grateful Dead
May 1, 1970
Alfred State College
Alfred, NY
listen here

Grateful Dead
June 7, 1970
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Grateful Dead
May 14, 1970
Merramac Community College
Kirkwood, MO
listen here

Standards From A Bygone Era

In this have it new get it quick world in which we live, it would be nice to go back to simpler days.  I know that the choices that I have made concerning the msuic for this part of the blog so far have been from the 1970s.  this was time to shine (sort of.) The selections are from an earlier generation, but they are standards in the music industry as well as great unto themselves.  The first selection is by Peggy Lee doing "Fever" (It was covered by Bob Weir.  It was also covered by Madonna.  This might explain why Bob chose to wear a Madonna t-shirt in concert with the Grateful Dead.)  The next is from the movie Guys and Dolls; it has Marlon Brando singing "Luck Be a Lady." (We did  this musical when I was in high school.  I was in the chorus playing one of the crapshooters.)  The last is Bobby Darin doing "Mack the Knife." (It's just plain Cool.)

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
March 24, 1970
Pirate's World
Dania, FL
listen here

Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders
January 24, 1973
The Boarding House
San Francisco, CA
Early Show
listen here (look up under garcia jgb)

Grateful Dead
April 15, 1970
Winterland Arena
San Francisco, CA
listen here

War Is Hell

With the buildup of troops in Afganistan and the bomber with explosives in his underwear, the world has become a very different place this new year.  War is an industry with incresing business model that will only lead to the very bad end for us all.  I have realized for the past 25 years that the terrorists were a scary bunch out for martyrdom for their cause.  This is why this war is so unconventional.  I am though reminded of past voices that spoke of a peaceful world in which war would be eliminated.  Here are some songs that speak in a different voice than the one in which we hear today.  The first song is Country Joe McDonald's "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die." The second is Phil Och's song "I Ain't Marching Anymore." The next song is from Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms."  The last song is by Blue Oyster Cult "Veteran of the Psychic Wars."

Music for today:

Furthur
December 30, 2009
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
San Francisco, CA
listen here

Furthur
December 31, 2009
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
San Francisco, CA
listen here

This Emotional Life

There was a three part series on PBS about emotions. If you couldn't tell by know, I have some issues concerning this area of my life. I have gotten better in the last few years through the help of therapy and medications. Here is the link to the show and the blog that contains some great writings by many Psychologist and Medical Doctors. So, this is a counterpoint to this show; it is not to say it is bad just slightly unrealistic. The first is from Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen "Seeds and Stems Again Blues." The next is a regular staple on Doctor Demento's show that goes back to 1966: Napoleon XIV "They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha Haa." The last one goes back to 1970 by Black Sabbath "Paranoid."

Music for today:

Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders
September 24, 1971
The Lion Share
San Anselmo, CA
listen here (search under Garcia -jgb)


Garcia & Cage
December 7, 1971
Jetty's Theater Music Hall
Washington D.C.

Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders
1971
The Matrix
San Francisco, CA

Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders
January 15, 1973
Inn of the Beginning
Cotati, CA
listen here(search under Garcia- jgb)

Backup Needed

At Christmas time, I was out shopping, and I bought a hard drive for a laptop as a gift. I was thinking that it would be something if they came out with a 1 TB hard drive. Lo and behold, they did. This was very surprising to the point that comments were made to others about this. So what did I get as a gift? I got a 1TB hard drive for the laptop. I am backing up both the PC and laptop. I need to strengthen what I have. These songs came to mind today both from King Crimson: "Epitaph" and "21st Century Schizoid Man."

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
April 9, 1970
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
listen here


Grateful Dead
April 11, 1970
Fillmore West
San Francisco, CA
partial show
listen here

Garcia & Saunders
May 11, 1971
The Matrix
San Francisco, CA
partial show
listen here (search under Garcia-listed under jgb)

Hart, Garcia, Cipollina, Crosby, Lesh, Hopkins, & Saunders
August 21, 1971
Mickey Hart's Barn
Novato, CA
listen here (under gd1971-08-21hartjam.asx

From the nearly forgotten to the Almost Famous

I was pondering the movie Almost Famous' band Stillwater to the first band to play at Woodstock which was called Sweetwater. I had the opportunity a couple of years ago to hear Nancy Nevins tell her story on her rise, fall, and triumph over a serious accident and illness. She was the lead vocalist for Sweetwater. The six disc set that just came out this past summer celebrating Woodstock has some of their music. I bring this up because it was news to me that they even played there. The greatest festival of all time had let this gem slip through their hands for many years. Here is video of them playing at Woodstock.



This of course brings us to Almost Famous. The struggles the band had to endure to make it to the top were the very forces that tear most of them apart. My first concert was in 1977 at the ripe old age of 13. If I were born any earlier, I would have been into the music scene just as early. Through the late seventies, I went to many concerts. There are many I can't remember because of the ingestion of alcohol and chemicals. If heard the old expression, SEX, DRUGS AND ROCK & ROLL, In my case, it was two outta three during that time. So, let's here it for the show with this snappy little number. This should have been on the soundtrack CD for the movie but was omitted, "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters." Since Elton John got brought up, I had to add the song "Funeral for a Friend/Loves Lies Bleeding."





Music for today:



Grateful Dead
January 2, 1970
Fillmore East
New York City, NY
Late show (partial)
listen here


Grateful Dead
January 30, 1970
The Warehouse
New Orleans, LA
listen here


Grateful Dead
January 31, 1970
The Warehouse
New Orleans, LA
listen here


Grateful Dead
February 4, 1970
Family Dog at the Great Highway
San Francisco, CA
listen here


Grateful Dead
February 11, 1970
Fillmore East
New York City, NY
listen here

First Deep Freeze of the Year

As this long cold snap continues in this part of the world, I ponder that just a few days ago I was in a place that was 95 degrees warmer. We brave and hardy souls of the upper Midwest pride ourselves about living in the coldest metropolitan city in the USA. Some have a passion for the great outdoors, but I for one only get that way when I am forced to by way of extreme cabin fever. I will endure the cold so that I don't go crazy. I learned a poem way back in my youth that deals with the problems of the cold in winter. The poem by Robert Service is called "The Cremation of Sam McGee."

Today was the last day of the regular season for football. My team had to win and another team which I despise also had to win so that my team could have a better position in the playoffs starting next week. For the next three weeks, it will be overabundance of football. If I was with someone special, this week is can be considered a widow maker.

Music for today:

Sting with Jerry Garcia
June 26, 1993
RFK Stadium
Washington D.C.
listen here (look up Sting in search engine. It is at bottom of list)

Warren Zevon
June 8, 1980
Folsom Field
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO
opening for Grateful Dead