FARE THEE WELL

THERE IS A FISHING REPORT AT THE END OF THIS ENTRY, FEEL FREE TO BYPASS INITIAL MUSINGS, AT YOUR PREFERENCE:

THE FIRST TIME THAT I EVER SAW WHAT WOULD BECOME THE GRATEFUL DEAD WAS AT PENINSULA SCHOOL, AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL EFFORT, IN 1967. I WAS AWARE OF THESE GENTLEMEN ALREADY AS SEVERAL OF THEM EITHER HUNG OUT OR WORKED AS INSTRUCTORS AT DANA MORGAN MUSIC ON BRYANT STREET IN PALO ALTO WHERE I, AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INMATE, WENT TO TAKE TRUMPET LESSONS. I WOULD SEE THESE GUYS AROUND THE SHOP WHEN BETTY DROVE ME THERE AND PARKED IN THE ALLEY BEHIND THE STORE. SHE WOULD PATIENTLY READ A BOOK, WAITING FOR MY LIP TO IMPROVE. THESE 60'S COWBOYS LOOKED AND ACTED OUT TO THE LEFT END OF THE BELL CURVE, BUT WERE PLEASANT AND FRIENDLY FOLK, CLEARLY BOUND BY THEIR INTERESTS IN MUSIC. MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS BORDERED AT THE BACK BY SAM MATEO COUNTY PROPERTY, AND ONE OF THE STREETS THERE WAS PERRY LANE, HOME TO SOME OF KEN KESEYS' EARLIEST EFFORTS AT SELF EXPRESSION, AND SOURCE OF MANY WARNINGS FROM OUR FACULTY TO AVOID THOSE "WEIRD COLLEGE STUDENTS" AS THEIR CHOSEN AND UNIQUE COURSE WAS CLEARLY AND INTENTIONALLY TACKING ACROSS THAT WHICH HAD BEEN PLOTTED FOR US BY POST WORLD WAR II MIDDLE CLASS AMERICA. THE GROUP NOW OFFICIALLY TITLED THE GRATEFUL DEAD WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN PROVIDING THE RHYTHM TO KESEYS' CEREBRAL EXPLORATIONS. I ENCOUNTERED THESE MUSICAL DENIZENS NOW AND THEN AT THE ODD(!) PIZZA PARLOR, PROVIDING BACKGROUND NOISE WHILE MY DAD WAS WAITING FOR THEM TO BOX THE MELTED CHEESE, AND THEN AT FIFTEEN YEARS OLD SCUTTLE BUTT HAD IT THAT THERE WAS TO BE A FREE CONCERT ONLY BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL, AT PENINSULA SCHOOL, SO MYSELF AND OUR GAGGLE OF MINOR MISCREANTS WENT TO CHECK'ER OUT. "HEY, I KNOW THOSE GUYS". THEIR EARLY EFFORTS AT PLAYING JUG BAND, FOLK, BLUE GRASS ETC. ARE THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED AND OVER SCRUTINIZED, SO FAR BE IT FROM ME TO CONTRIBUTE. HAVING ACHIEVED DRIVERS' LICENSES THE FILLMORE WEST WAS THE PLACE TO GO, AND OFTEN THESE FUN LOVING FOLK WOULD BE ON STAGE. THEY WERE ABLE TO PROJECT LOOSENESS AND OPEN MINDED BEHAVIOR, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DISPLAYING OBVIOUS DEDICATION AND DISCIPLINE TO THEIR TASK, ALONG WITH A CONSIDERABLE LEVEL OF BUDDING TALENT. THE EFFORTS AND LATER CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THEY AND OTHERS, PARTICULARLY MR. GRAHAM, WOULD MAKE TO THE AUDIO PRESENTATION OF LIVE MUSIC, CROSS POLLINATING WITH THE BURGEONING AMERICAN HIFI/STEREO SCENE, IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE A QUALITY CONCERT EXPERIENCE, WERE AT THE CORE OF MY INTEREST. YOU NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN PICTURES OF THE FINAL BEATLES LIVE PERFORMANCE AT CANDLESTICK PARK, 1968, WITH THE TINY PA SPEAKERS, SOUNDING LIKE LARGE AUTOMOBILE AM RADIO SPEAKERS, FAILING TO SONICALLY CONQUER THE SCREAMING HOARDS OF UNRIPE FEMALES TO SEE WHAT IT USED TO BE. THE NEXT LEVEL BECAME LARGE AMALGAMATIONS OF HORNS AND WOOFERS, LOOKING LIKE THE COVER ART OF A DR. SEUSS BOOK. A VAST IMPROVEMENT IN BOTH FIDELITY AND VOLUME, BUT STILL PRIMEVAL AND CRUDE IN ITS' COMPLEXITY. THE DEAD SPENT FORTUNES ON ROLLING THIS PARTICULAR BALL OF DUNG FORWARD, ASSEMBLING SOME TRUE GENIUSES AND SETTING THEM LOOSE BUDGETARILY TO CREATE AND PERFECT. THESE PIONEERS, ALONG WITH OTHERS WORKING ON SIMILAR LINES, CREATED SYSTEMS LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF THOSE ORIGINAL SUESSIAN CREATIONS. THE SOUND SYSTEMS OF TODAY PROVIDE A VIRTUALLY DISTORTION FREE LINK BETWEEN THE BANDS EFFORTS TO SHARE THEIR CRAFT WITH THE AUDIENCE. AND WHAT WAS THE AURAL OUTPUT OF THESE MOUNTAINS OF AUDIO LEGERDEMAIN? THE DEAD SOMETIMES PLAYED HORRIBLY, THEIR EARLY EFFORTS AT VERY AGGRESSIVE AND EXPLORATORY MUSICAL IMPROVISATION TIPTOED ALONG A CHASM OF SELF INDULGENT NOODLING, BUT WHEN IT WORKED, 1+1= 17. I REMEMBER SEEING THEM ON NIGHTS WHERE THEY WERE AWFUL, IN FACT ONE NIGHT WHEN THEY STOPPED AFTER 1/2 HOUR OR SO, APOLOGIZED FOR THEIR INABILITY TO CREATE ON COMMAND, AND RETURNED THE TICKET MONIES. ON OTHER NIGHTS WE STUMBLED OUT INTO THE RISING DAWN AWARE THAT SOMETHING OF SIGNIFICANCE HAD INCLUDED US. KINDA LIKE FISHING, IF YOU'RE FAR INTO IT, YOU WEATHER SOME HORRIBLE DAYS AND AN ABUNDANCE OF GOOD ENOUGH DAYS TO EXPERIENCE THOSE DAYS WHEN ALL CLICKS INTO THE BIG STREAM, WHEN THE FORMERLY PARALLEL LINES MEET, AND YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AN EXPERIENCE BEYOND YOUR PREVIOUS HORIZONX. I CAN REMEMBER SEVERAL OF THOSE NIGHTS. THEY WERE REVELATORY, AND FORMATIVE.
THIS BAND, WHILE NOT AN OBSESSION WITH ME AS THEY ARE TO SOME OTHER RUDDERLESS FOLKS, WAS A THREAD THAT WOVE ITS' WAY THROUGH MY LIFE, SOMETIMES CENTRAL AND CRITICAL, OTHER TIMES DISTANT AND FAINT, BUT ALWAYS DISTINCTLY THERE. MUSIC WAS IMPORTANT TO MY PARENTS, AND THEY TAUGHT THAT TO ME. THANKS DOC, THANKS BETTY. WHILE OTHER BANDS AND PERFORMERS ARE AMONG THE INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE THE DEAD PERFORMED THE BASIC SOUNDTRACK. THEY PASSED THROUGH MANY ITERATIONS ALONG THE WAY, SOME NOT MY FAVORITE, OTHERS RIGHT UP MY MENTAL ALLEY. ALWAYS UNIQUE, ALWAYS ATTEMPTING TO SUM UP THE TRAILS THAT SO MANY HAD BROKEN BEFORE. LIKE GREAT CHEFS THEY WERE ABLE, AT THEIR BEST, TO TAKE THE SOMEWHAT NORMAL AND EVERY DAY INGREDIENTS THAT ALL HAD USED BEFORE AND COME UP WITH DELICIOUS, UNIQUE AND INSPIRING COMESTIBLES.
FROM THIS HISTORICAL VANTAGE I VIEWED THE EVENTUAL RETIREMENT OF THIS GROUP AS INEVITABLE WITHIN MY LIFETIME, AND CORRECT IN A SENSE. WITHOUT JERRY THESE MEN ARE EACH ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIANS, FULLY CAPABLE OF INCREDIBLY CREATIVE MUSIC, AND TOGETHER THEIR 50 YEARS OF PLAYING WITH EACH OTHER IS SOMETHING YOU JUST DON'T GET WITHOUT INVESTING 50 YEARS. BUT WITHOUT THE WIZARD MAGIC IS DIFFICULT. JERRY WORE THE POINTY HAT LIKE NO ONE ELSE BEFORE OR SINCE.
MY WIFE AND KIDS, ALWAYS THOUGHTFUL AND GENEROUS, ROSE TO NEW HEIGHTS OF BOTH IN BUYING AIRPLANE AND CONCERT TICKETS FOR ME AS A 63RD BIRTHDAY PRESENT. I HADN'T REALLY BEEN THINKING OF GOING...TOO FAR....BUSINESS TO DO, BUT THE IDEA WAS A GOOD ONE. ONE LAST TIME, FOR THE VIBES, FOR ME, TO THROW MY SUPPORT BEHIND THE COMMUNAL EFFORT TO SUMMON THE GENIE ONE MORE TIME. AND IF THEY WEREN'T GREAT, WELL, I WASN'T RUNNIN' UP THE STAIRS AT SOLDIER FIELD LIKE I MIGHT HAVE ONCE DONE EITHER. "SMART PHONE MAN", AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE FROM COLLEGE (HUSBAND OF "SHE WHO CLIMBS POLES") WAS RETIRING JUST DAYS BEFORE THE CONCERT, WAS MY TRAVELING COMPANION SO WE HAD MATTERS ON SEVERAL FRONTS TO CELEBRATE. I WON'T GO TO DEEPLY INTO THE TRAVELING EXPERIENCE AS I WANT THIS TOMB TO BE UPBEAT, BUT SUFFICE IT FOR NOW TO SAY THAT I LEFT LA PAZ AT 7AM AND ARRIVED IN THE WINDY CITY AT 9:30 PM. COMING HOME WAS ONLY 7-6:30. I MUST INCLUDE A BRIEF INTERLUDE IN HOUSTON, WHERE A MAN THAT I DON'T KNOW, WEARING GLOVES, MANIPULATED MY NETHER REGIONS, FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A BIT TOO LONG, IN THE NAME OF NATIONAL SECURITY. STANDING THERE, A BIT EMBARRASSED, I GAZED UP AT A PICTURE OF GEORGE BUSH II, SMILING AT ME, LABELED "WELCOME TO GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT". IT WAS STARTING TO MAKE HORRIBLE SENSE AT THAT POINT. ALL THE THAT FOR ONE LONG DAY IN CHICAGO? YOU BET! WENT TO LUNCH ON THE RIVER AT A RESTAURANT RECOMMENDED BY FRIEND NONCHEESY MAC, TAXIED TO THE CONCERT, SAT BACK AND SOAKED IT IN. THE RIVER, THE BOATS, THE SUNSHINE, TIE DYE SHIRTS VERY PRESENT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THEIR FREQUENCY RISING TO A SEA OF COLOR BY THE TIME THE STADIUM HOVE INTO VIEW. PEOPLE WERE HIGH, ON THE OPPORTUNITY, THE VIBES, AND MANY ORGANIC SUBSTANCES CONSUMED IN A VARIETY OF HIGH TECH METHODS WITH WHICH I WAS NOT, AM NOT, AND WILL NOT BECOME FAMILIAR. JOY AND OPTIMISM WERE THICK, LIKE THE SMOKE. WITH A BRIEF INTERLUDE IN THE 90'S, MIRRORING AMERICA THAT FAILED ON SO MANY FRONTS DURING THE SAME PERIOD, DEAD CONCERTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GATHERING OF THE TRIBE. PLAINS PEOPLE, MOUNTAIN FOLK, HILL BILLIES AND THE URBAN URBANE TREKKING TO OUR OWN STONEHENGE FOR SOLEMN AND JOYOUS PURPOSES. THESE OCCASIONS HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH FISHING. THERE IS A REASON THAT WE ARE ALL THERE, A REASON THAT SUPERCEDES SUPERFICIAL DIFFERENCES, SOMETHING FOR US TO SHARE AND ENJOY TOGETHER. THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF MOST CURRENT "ENTERTAINMENT", THE SOLO AND PRIVATE PUSHING OF BUTTONS AND STARING AT TINY SCREENS. SHARE AND ENJOY WE DID, ON A GRAND SCALE. 70,000 PLUS FOLKS, MASSIVE SOUND AND LIGHT SYSTEMS, MUSIC THAT EVERYONE COULD, AND DID, SING ALONG WITH. THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN WE TOGETHER SURPASSED THE REALITY BASED SUM OF OUR PARTS, AT LEAST IT SEEMED THAT WAY TO THE COLLECTIVE US, BASKING AS A HUGE AND COLORFUL PLEASURE BORG.
THESE GUYS HAVE WRESTLED WITH AND CARRIED SOME HEAVY TORCHES OVER THE DECADES. STRIVING TO PROJECT A FEELING OF CULTURAL OPTIMISM BASED ON PAST SUCCESSES AND LESSONS LEARNED BY FAILURES, STRIVING TO INCREMENTALLY ROLL THAT BALL A LITTLE FURTHER FORWARD, TOGETHER AS A VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY. THAT'S THE FEELING, THAT'S THE MESSAGE. THANKS AND LOVE TO ALL WHO TOGETHER MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO ENJOY THE MOLTEN CENTER ONE LAST TIME.

THE FISHING REPORT
FISHING HAS NOT BEEN GREAT, SURE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME VERY NICE FISH, MARLIN AND WAHOO IN PARTICULAR, WITH A SMATTERING OF TUNA, BIG DOGS HAULIN' FOLKS INTO THE ROCKS, ETC. BUT THE EL NINO CONTINUES AND WITH IT THE BELOW AVERAGE FISHING. REMEMBER THAT BELOW AVERAGE HERE IS BETTER THAN MOST PLACES MOST DAYS, AND LIKE THE CONCERT, WHERE THE FISH ARE THE SONGS, THE MUSIC AND SHARING IT WITH THOSE WHO ARE DRAWN TO IT ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE THAN THE WEIGHT OF DEAD THINGS.

I'LL BE BACK SHORTLY,
DAVID