Pigpen, top center, wasn't holding his gun aloft. The guy in white though -- the one who appears to be zieg-heiling and goosestepping may be holding a handgun. Looking anew at that post, I decided to republish it on Father's Day.
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| Bob Weir, standing top right |
Weir--in case you didn't know--was the teenaged founding member of what became the Grateful Dead. This is a pretty well-made documentary and tells a complete story of the band's history using interviews and personal photos and film. Even if you’re not a fan of their music, you might appreciate their musicianship a little more.
Highlights: Weir revisits his childhood home in the tony suburb of Atherton CA. He shows us the music shop and the exact spot in Palo Alto where he first met Jerry Garcia. He revisits 710 Ashbury St., the more or less famous house which the Dead all shared (pictured above). The story is mostly told from Weir's Marin Co. house with plenty of rolling fog.
Other Highlights: There is archival footage of the Merry Prankster days—some of which I’d never seen. And I learned more about the effect that the early beats -- especially Neal Cassidy -- had on Weir.
I was less impressed by Weir’s personal quest to find his own birth father. Especially since we learn that Weir was the go-to groupie magnet in the band. It’s just inconceivable that after so many countless couplings there aren’t a lot of little Weirs in the gene pool, potentially perpetuating the "problem." But that all goes unsaid. We’re supposed to be touched that Weir found his real dad in the end after losing Jerry. I was reminded somewhat of Lemmy and his own father problem which I mentioned here. Always daddy issues driving things, aren't there?
I could say more but it’d be a spoiler.
11 comments:
That there's whatcha call Queen Anne Archy tecture. Same as Baker neighbor around here.
San Francisco real estate must have been a lot more affordable back then for a bunch of kids to occupy that house. Nowadays I'd imagine it's beyond the reach of even a 1%er. Probably have to be a 1/4%er to afford it.
I liked the documentary. Weir is interesting. Garcia just devolved into a junkie, and not a very compelling person.
ricpic, We were in SF last month and took Uber to dinner. The driver was from Costa Rica originally. His father divorced the guy's mom, moved to the US, bought a house in SF back in the 50's for 39k. It's now valued @ 4.2 million. The guy said he is going to sell the house this year and move to Costa Rica where most of his relatives still live. I'm thinking to myself, that story won't get you many tips. But, I duked him a couple bucks anyway.
I forgot to mention, the dad died a few years back and left the house to the Uber driver.
Never liked the Dead particularly. Weir has collaborated with Josh Ritter and Leslie Mendelson (to name just two), and I like their stuff. Just no Dead, please. Odd how a musician I don't care for has a hand in projects that I do.
Even if you’re not a fan of their music, you might appreciate their musicianship a little more. Yeah, exactly what I meant.
I lived w/ 2 Dead Heads for a year in college. I was Deaded out for a decade or so. For a change, the Dead Heads would play New Riders of the Purple Sage!
I saw the Dead twice -- once in Madison and again at Red Rocks. Yet, I'm not a Deadhead.
Not a gun. Just a finger.
San Francisco real estate must have been a lot more affordable back then for a bunch of kids to occupy that house. Nowadays I'd imagine it's beyond the reach of even a 1%er.
@ ricpic
I lived in SF at that time for several years. My apartment near Deloras Park was a one bedroom, full kitchen, one bath for $125 a month. I recently looked the property up. The same apartment now rents for $3200 a month.
It was rent controlled even back then. If I had stayed in the apartment I would still be paying $125. Or....more likely would have had a mysterious accident fall down the laundry chute so the landlord could rent for $3200 a month instead of my measly $125 :-D
Bill Walton, the Hall of Fame basketball player from San Diego, has been to over 800 Dead concerts. That is a Dead Head.
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