Jerry Garcia We miss you

[Vortex]

Jerry died 10 years ago today. For those of us who we fortunate enough to enjoy the ride.... Your in our thoughts.

 

[ChileMass]

Bob - you beat me to it.

10 years ago today my brother called me in my office where I was having a typically frantic day, and asked me if I'd heard a nasty rumor going around that Garcia had died. I told him to shut his mouth, that I'd heard those rumors for years, and I didn't appreciate hearing it again. But then about 15 minutes later I went out to my car to go get some lunch and every radio station in Boston was playing nothing but Dead (which of course, never happened when Garcia was alive), and I knew it had to be true. Bummer. It's over.

I knew he'd been sick for a long time, and I had only seen the Dead a couple times in the past 12 years, but it still hit hard. I was a HUGE Deadhead from age 15-25, and I still know every tune they ever did by heart (well, except the last album perhaps). I just knew immediately that there would never be another band like them, and it was OVER. I mean, if the Red Sox plane went down (God forbid) at least there would still be baseball. But when the Dead went, there was no guarantee that sound would carry on, and I was really bummed at the time.

But, the good news is that the remaining members got back together and still tour, and the whole genre of "jam bands" caught on in the mid/late 90s to keep me tapping my toe. And, I can buy or download crystal-clear Dead shows today, whereas back in the day we had to listen to audience recordings on cheap cassettes that had enough hiss to drive you out of your mind. So that's good.

But I still miss the shows and knowing that he's still around......

 

[Vortex]

I have alot of memories and still see some shows, just can't come up with much to say. Time really sometimes does not heal everything.

 

[SkiDog]

who could ever forget that sound he made that guitar make......unbelievable....will never be matched again...true genius.

M

 

[ChileMass]

who could ever forget that sound he made that guitar make......unbelievable....will never be matched again...true genius.

M

An excellent point - Garcia sounded like no one else. I loved the way his guitar sounded like a bell or sometimes like a horn. He certainly didn't sound like Jimmy Page or Eddie Van Halen or a lot of the more-popular guitar gods of the period. To me, the guy that sounded the closest to Garcia was perhaps Eric Clapton, but even then, they had very different styles.

And, if you were "in the right frame of mind" at a Dead show, he made all sorts of weird squonks and blatts and shrieks sometimes that were pretty weird. Remember, "if you get confused, listen to the music play......."

 

[Vortex]

I liked Steve Kimmock's sound, but he will not be back in the mix. Phil and he are well....

 

[BeanoNYC]

How did I know there would be a Jerry thread up? RIP Jerry. FYI guys, I'm still on vacation (Currently in Dublin) and have taken lots of pictures. I'm traveling to Amsterdam tomorrow and will be returning back on the 14th.

Rich

 

[Vortex]

How did I know there would be a Jerry thread up? RIP Jerry. FYI guys, I'm still on vacation (Currently in Dublin) and have taken lots of pictures. I'm traveling to Amsterdam tomorrow and will be returning back on the 14th.

Rich

I would have commented by pm, but did not want to take you away from positive thoughts. Best to the rest of the trip.

 

[ChileMass]

How did I know there would be a Jerry thread up? RIP Jerry. FYI guys, I'm still on vacation (Currently in Dublin) and have taken lots of pictures. I'm traveling to Amsterdam tomorrow and will be returning back on the 14th.

Rich

I would have commented by pm, but did not want to take you away from positive thoughts. Best to the rest of the trip.

Beano -

Thanks for checking in and thinking of us. Have a great trip.

Now Dr. Chile sez go immediately to the nearest pub and get yerself a pint of plain Guinness and lift it for Jerry Garcia.

 

[madman]

Wore my DEAD shirt to work today. The boss started makeing comments till I brought up all the Red Sox shirts last fall.I was on the AT ten years ago for a six day trip so iI didnt find out till a few days after . Ten yrs ! Hard to beleve! RIP Jerry :beer:

 

[SkiDog]

An excellent point - Garcia sounded like no one else. I loved the way his guitar sounded like a bell or sometimes like a horn. He certainly didn't sound like Jimmy Page or Eddie Van Halen or a lot of the more-popular guitar gods of the period. To me, the guy that sounded the closest to Garcia was perhaps Eric Clapton, but even then, they had very different styles.

Paige and Halen are "hacks" compared to garcia.....but different generes toooo sooo......if I had to pick someone "close" I might say Hendrix...he made that guitar make some odd sounds too.....Garcias gift may have been the missing finger on the picking hand....less to get in the way and allowed his fingers to roll through those strings....

Anywho...sad that hes gone, but i'd bet that at this point he'd have been gone anyway hard life that of the rock star...

M

 

[marcski]

Jerry was certainly the most melodic guitar player I've heard. The Dead are still my favorite band...out of the 6 cd's in my car stereo....at least 4 are usually grateful dead and/or JGB.

Bob R., I agree that Steve Kimmock is great and definitely has a very Jerryesq sound...but what is the situation between Phil and Kimmock? (I saw Kimmock play with Bruce Hornsby's band a few years ago and it rocked).

SkiDog, while I'm certainly more of a Jerry fan than Jimmy Paige...I stil don't know how you can call Jimmy Paige a "hack".

 

[SkiDog]

Jerry was certainly the most melodic guitar player I've heard. The Dead are still my favorite band...out of the 6 cd's in my car stereo....at least 4 are usually grateful dead and/or JGB.

Bob R., I agree that Steve Kimmock is great and definitely has a very Jerryesq sound...but what is the situation between Phil and Kimmock? (I saw Kimmock play with Bruce Hornsby's band a few years ago and it rocked).

SkiDog, while I'm certainly more of a Jerry fan than Jimmy Paige...I stil don't know how you can call Jimmy Paige a "hack".

Only a hack when compared to Jerry....and Eddie...I dont even like him at all....darned whammy bar...again though totally different sounds..

M

 

[marcski]

Yes i'm not really a VH fan either..but Jimmy did cover a heck of a lot of ground.

 

[SkiDog]

Yes i'm not really a VH fan either..but Jimmy did cover a heck of a lot of ground.

I was just this minute listeneing to the Black Crowes with Jimmy Paige playing Hey Hey what can I do...

Jimmy and Zepplin are great too, just I dont think anything can compare to what Jerry did with a guitar..aside for Hendrix who is a CLOSE second IMHO...

M

 

[Vortex]

Kimmock quit after the 1st night of a Phil and Dylan tour. Left Phil in a big bind, Jorma and Derrick Trucks came to the rescue each playing shows to fill the void.
Reasons are all rumors and I won't add to them.

 

[jstarks188]

long live jerry !

HEY GANG,
here it is 10 years ago today, jerry passed.
Ii've read the posts so far and a lot of respect has been given to a lot of great players.
I write this post as i listen to a bootleg version of one of the CREAM reunion shows, can't wait for the official release's !
jerry has his place in history, i love jerry don't get me wrong, but he may have not been technically correct every time he played....but nobody will ever sound like him !
I personally love lots of music,jerry introduced me to a lot of it......anybody heard of django rienhardt? one of his biggest influences?
i hope this post may start a music thread here...when i'm out on the trail i enjoy the solitude but when i finish a hike, early R & R is the best !
happy trails to all
jack