Amazing Things Found While Cleaning

Back in May, I got a phone call from my friend's mother asking for some help for my friend.  I never heard anything from them, so I forgot about until I cleaned out my voice mail.  It seemed that I had let them build up for way too long.  I found the original message, and I called her asking her about him.  She told me that he was now living near me.  I called him up, and we got together today.  He appears to be doing so much better than the last time I saw him.  I was very happy to see him.  He feels really good about being where he is, and he has some tangible goals in front of him.  This is a very good thing for him.  I know how he feels because I had been in his place.

I bought a new hard drive (what else is new?). I am going to put my others in to storage, so I don't lose any shows or anything else off of them.  I was talking to someone recently about that, and they said I should make a list of what is on each drive.  That way I wouldn't have to hunt through each drive to find what I am looking to burn off of it. This person is way too wise beyond their years.  This way I will finally have a list of all my shows. Hmmmm? Not bad if I do say so myself.

Music for today:
Dark Star Orchestra
June 25, 2010
People's Court
Des Moines, IA
listen here

A New Recording Device

 I got a long needed new recording device yesterday.  I have yet to take out for a spin, but I have some upcoming shows that I will want to record.  My last recorder's display faded, so I couldn't tell what I was doing.  It was truly recording in the dark.  There are two features about this recorder that I really like.  The first is that it will record straight through without stopping.  This means I will be able to get the whole set of a show with out any breaks at all.  The second is that it takes two different sets of batteries so that I can continue to record with power with out having to change batteries.  This means worry-free recording.  I have waited so long for this.  I am truly happy with it.



Music for today:
Grateful Dead
September 4, 1980
Civic Center
Providence, RI
This show has been commercially released as "Download Series Vol. 7: 9/3 & 4/80"
info about show listened 

Just Another Thing

When I first started this blog, I got hit with a very nasty virus that put my PC out of comission for a little while.  I strated this back up, and I got hit with more bad news.  My modem went down in a blaze of glory.  Actually, it just pettered out on me. I would love to say that it was still unde warrenty, but that would be wishing for to much.  I have to pay for another one.  I do get to spread the payments out over a few monthes, so it won't take too much of pinch out of my bank account.  I hate to say that I need this to survive, but I really do.  I got my palm read years ago while I was in Key West.  The guy there said that my future was to be in computers.  I really didn't believe him.  That could be said for almost everyone at that time.  This was back in the early 1990s when this happened, and since then, computers have taken more of a prominence in our culture then in anytime before this time period.  You didn't need to be a psychic to see it coming.  So for the next few days, I will hanging out at my favorite coffee shops and spomging on their wireless connection. Iced Coffee and free wireless! What a combination!

Music for today:

Rush
September 9, 2007
Xcel Energy Center
St. Paul, MN


Grateful Dead
February 9, 1973
Roscoe Maples Pavilion
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA
listen here

Jerry's Birthday/Back For More

Today is the anniversary of  the birth of Jerome John Garcia better known as Jerry Garcia. His legacy as the leader and lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead established them as the cornerstone of Hippie counterculture in San Francisco in the 1960's.  From party band to record setting band, the Grateful Dead had come one of the most attended concerts.  After his death, the band's music still finds new fans.  The remaining members still perform to sellout crowds.    Jerry Garcia found massive success before he passed away, but as success does has a way to put a schism between his remaining family members.  Jerry's ex wives had to go to court and drag his name through the courts to settle his estate since he didn't leave a will.  I still listen to all the incarnations of Jerry's music from the bluegrass, R&B, Bob Dylan covers, and of course the Grateful Dead.


I had a falling out with some people over a personal matter.  It cut straight to the bone.  I had to step back and take stock of what was important in my life.  I was very fortunate that I didn't have to spend  any time in places where is not fit for man nor beast.  I did however avail myself the useful tool of Facebook.  I have actually had great success with it, and I plan on continuing with this.



Music for today:

Grateful Dead
 May 18, 1977
Fox Theatre
Atlanta, GA
listen here 

Rhythm Devils
July 23. 2010
Howelsen Hill
Steamboat Springs, CO
listen here

GD 5/15/77 & 5/17/77

The shows for today are a continuation are the Spring Tour of 1977.  This tour is considered one of the best.  The first show (5/15/77) features the very first Iko Iko.  The next show (5/17/77) has the finest version of  Jack-A-Roe ever performed.  In a year that has so many great performances, it truly is hard to pick out the shiny examples.  This is what I would like to focus on instead of my shortcomings.  After all, it really is about the music.  This is my lifeblood.


Music for today:

Grateful Dead
May 15, 1977
St. Louis Arena
St. Louis, MO
listen here
The copy that I have is a Charlie Miller remaster.  Since it is not available at LMA, this recording will come close to the sonic quality.

Grateful Dead
May 17, 1977
Coliseum
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
listen here

The Time Has Come

A major change will take place as of today.  It is high time that I no longer bother you with my personal (or lack of a personal) life. I will continue to tell you about the shows that I am listening to though.  I do want to share the following poem that summarizes my life as I leave it on the sidelines.

The Men That Don't Fit In by Robert William Service

There's a race of men that don't fit in,
A race that can't stay still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin,
And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and they rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain's crest;
Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don't know how to rest.

If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they're always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.
They say: "Could I find my proper groove,
What a deep mark I would make!"
So they chop and change, and each fresh move
Is only a fresh mistake.

And each forgets, as he strips and runs
With a brilliant, fitful pace,
It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones
Who win in the lifelong race.
And each forgets that his youth has fled,
Forgets that his prime is past,
Till he stands one day, with a hope that's dead,
In the glare of the truth at last.

He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance;
He has just done things by half.
Life's been a jolly good joke on him,
And now is the time to laugh.
Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost;
He was never meant to win;
He's a rolling stone, and it's bred in the bone;
He's a man who won't fit in.

These songs should tell you where its at: "Turn Out The Lights."  The next is "The Song is Over."  And lastly, the song to finish it all up "When the Music is Over." 

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
 May 9, 1977
War Memorial Auditorium
Buffalo, NY
listen here

Grateful Dead
May 13, 1977
Auditorium Theater
Chicago, IL
listen here

The Bridge

Last November when I started this project, I was not in my right mind.  I had a real bad thought go through my mind that could have been fatal.  It consisted of going out in a blaze of glory.  I was to go on the trip to great beyond.  My goal was San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.  The sense of being grandiose is something that I didn't think I had until this came along to bother my mind.  I had heard of a documentary that a film make had made about this phenomenon.  It is called The Bridge.  The fact that I have bipolar disorder is the key to all this misery.  Here is another that has this kind as well.  Yeah, I know I am beating a dead horse with all this morbid talk.  This is the "why" people don't like to deal with us.  This includes major religions as well.  We are the scourge of the world.  The hungry of the world can be fed, but the mentally ill will always be ill. There is no real cure.  Patients wears extremely thin when dealing with us.  How many telethons or major fundraisers have you ever heard of for the mentally Ill? Zero!  There are no major concerts scheduled anytime soon either.  I am not asking for vibes or prayers, because that would be asking too much of any one.  We are just on the edge.  It is like the old question that is asked often, "Am I threat to my self or others?"  At this point  the answer is "No." So it is onward and upward out of one abyss and on to the next.  The song that comes to mind is "China Doll."  Here are the annotated lyrics for the song.  The other song that comes to mind is one that actually helps through the bad times.  It is called "Stone Blue" by Foghat.  Then of course, we have the the quintessential song by The Beatles "Help."

Music for today:

Grateful Dead
May 8, 1977
Barton Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
listen here