LOVE

The indispensable starting point for anything Dead-related. The research is deep, the writing is engaging, and McNally finds a great balance between insider details and scholarly objectivity. He also errs on the light side of the later-period darkness. In comparison to, say, Robert Greenfield's "Dark Star" (which chronicles the tragic banality of Jerry Garcia's heroin addiction) this turns out to be a totally right-on approach.

A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead by Dennis McNally (Three Rivers Press 2003) (780.92). Author Dennis McNally has the inside scoop here on the old hippie boys' club. My rating: 7/10, finished 2005.

I once met a fellow who told me he had just read the worst book of his life and I quickly zoned out as he explained why. When he got to Chapter six, 45 minutes later I finally snapped "Why in the hell are you making me suffer through every horrible detail? Can we talk about a book you did like?" I feel this book was a little like that. There was an incredible amount of detail about their bad performances, while major events, incredible shows, deaths and important pieces we didn't know about were mentioned as an aside, if at all. There was no mention of Jerry's performance on 10/1/94 where he killed every single song, and late in the game changed the lyrics of So Many Roads just this once to Heal My Soul. No mention of Jerry's 50th birthday, and only little hints at the eerie "coincidences". For instance he did confirm that the Grateful Dead were playing Fire on the Mountain when Mt. St. Helens erupted but failed to mention Compton Terrace '94 when Jerry brought back Here Comes Sunshine for the first time since 19 and 74 and litcherally as he hit the first chord the black clouds, torrential rains and cool air were instantly replaced by sunshine and oppressive heat. He portrayed Bobby as a kid with an inferiority complex who became a bitchy, prima donna who held resentments worse than my third ex wife. He portrayed Phil and Mickey as perfectionist, virtuoso's who expected the same from everyone else and split most of their time between micro-pretension and macro-aggression. He said Jerry was the leader who would not lead as if anarchy were a dirty word. If he had "led" there would have been resentments that he was a controlling, power hungry, ego driven megalomaniac. He portrayed the fans of the 80's as consumer driven, Deader than thou, narcissistic, Nitrous Oxide sucking, arm swinging gate-crashers. Okay, so he nailed that one but really it was only a few jokers. Besides, every generation thinks they're better and more wise than the next. It's not like we stabbed people at Altamont, killed a pregnant movie star to start a race war, killed a president, his brother and Civil Rights Heros like your generation Dennis. For the most part things don't change that much, however we did start becoming inundated with twenty four hour news in the 80's so it appeared as if bad stuff was happening more often by the weaponized media to scare people back into submission after the revolution of the previous generation. It must be inherent in western society to feel the need to feel better than, terminally unique, and make invidious distinctions. I've seen it in every sub-culture I've witnessed including but not limited to business, social work, Mormons, Baptists, 12 step recovery fellowships, athletes, dudes and all their "conquests" and mean girls who for years I thought were giving me the elevator eyes until I realized they were looking at, judging and snarling at the eye candy holding my hand and laughing (most likely at my incredibly witty, relevant, and unique humor). To be honest I've rarely seen any of the boys since Brent died and just a handful since Jerry did. I guess I understand there was not much personal detail in this tome because I wouldn't want everyone to know every detail of my life. I'm sure it was a tremendous burden for Jerry. I have a hard enough time showing up and being "on" at work and home everyday and I don't have 50,000 kids watching, expecting me to blow their minds every night. I think he also left out the most important point so I actually wonder who he had access to and who spoke to him and how much truth they told him. I've heard Jerry and Phil say they set out to create a new form of art that relied heavily on audience participation. They wanted to co-mingle music, lights and dance and sister did they succeed at that. For one or two moments, many decades ago, I was able to combine my heart and soul with a band beyond description and 15,000 outcast, freaky friends into one blissful, tribal, soul-melting dance. I had no idea I'd still be alive, let alone deconstructing their songs, shows and lives 30 years later. It's like I tell my super aggressive power, sculpt, cardio, core, yoga instructors, "If I knew then I'd be in this class at 5:00 am I would have taken much better care of myself and not smoked so very, very many drugs." Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter anyway.

It took me awhile to make it through this one, but I enjoyed every page immensely. Easily one of my favorite books about the Dead I've ever read. It helps that it comes from an insider, but one with a bit of distance and a critical eye to comment on the downs and the ups. I also loved the interludes that really fleshed out the experience of a tour from the crew's eyes - cool stuff.

Dennis McNallyn "A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead and the Making of Modern America" (Corgi, 2003) on kattava bändihistoriikki amerikkalaisen musiikki-instituution mittavaan uraan. Grateful Deadin "pitkässä, oudossa matkassa" riittää kertomista ja kirjoittamista, ja bändin palkkalistoille kuulunut kirjailija suoriutuu urakastaan varsin hyvin: käsitellyksi tulevat mitalin molemmat puolet. Negatiivisia puolia ei unohdeta, mutta toisaalta monia rockhistoriikkeja nykyisin vaivaava skandaalinkäryisyys loistaa poissaolollaan.

Amazingly well done chronicle of the greatest rock and roll band in U.S. History. Clever approach to timeline and capturing many perspectives on the history of the band and the music.

This book is fine but I would not say that it definitive. I really enjoyed the writing style but felt annoyed with the pacing. It is very top heavy in that like half of the book is the 1960s. The 1970s get some attention and then 1980-1996 is just a couple chapters at the end. While all members are discussed the focus is obviously zeroed in on Jerry Garcia and his relationships. I find this to be kind of silly. I also do not believe I agree with the male author on his premise that they are misogynistic, though he reiterates this time and time again throughout. This shows a lack of perspective to what misogyny in other music scenes looks like especially as experienced by real living breathing women. Anyways whatever it was an all right book about the grateful dead, lmao.

Wonderful detail, quotes and storytelling. It seems balanced, and per the quotes from members of the organization, they seem to think so too. ...but, I'm a fan.

Mostly, I've been re-reading this whilst listening to a lot of Dead shows in roughly chronological order (73-74 and 77, finishing returns IMHO thereafter). It's a compelling, tragic story that covers the last decade of the Dead in about a tenth of the space the first decade gets. But perhaps that's entirely proportionate. McNally was deeply embedded in the band's infrastructure as both historian and publicist for about 15 years but his perspective is unflinchingly warts and all. Garcia's daughter, Annabelle, sums up a great deal with her remark at his funeral - "Jerry was a great man and a shitty father."

LOVED it! If you're a Deadhead, and like to read, do it. This book covers EVERYTHING!

As a son of the West Coast, the Grateful Dead are part of the soundtrack of my life. Written by their longtime publicist, this book does justice to just how original they were, both in their music and in the life they attempted to lead.