Headline of the Day (Granted It's Not Even 10 O'Clock): "Surviving members of Grateful Dead rock for Obama"

The full article includes this shlocky showbiz-style endorsement from Mickey Hart:

"I believe him enough to be able to get up in front of my constituency, these people out there," Hart said, pointing out the door to his dressing room, "and tell them 'I believe.' That's really important. The Grateful Dead does not take this lightly. We've never really done something quite like this."

More here.

Remember back when the Grateful Dead whooped it up with Al and Tipper Gore (late of the Parents Music Resource Center, which saw Satan everywhere in rawk music)? That might not have been hell in a bucket, but it was a real load of horseshit.

Love or hate their music, the Grateful Dead have always been great hippie capitalists. Read why in this great essay by reason's own Brian Doherty.

Comments

[SugarFree]

“Surviving members of Grateful Dead rock for Obama”

There’s a fine reason not to vote for him right there.

[the innominate one]

drop dead, aspartame

Jerry and Pigpen must be rolling over in their respective graves

[t. j.]

maybe voting for and liking jim webb in ’06 makes me a hypocrite but no self respecting capitalist hangs with gore and obama. and fuck tipper gore. i can’t say that enough.

[Episiarch]

In college, I created a sign that I put up in my room, which said:

NO DEAD
NO BAND
NO CAT STEVENS

Deadheads are like Scientologists, except that instead of wanting to talk about Thetans all the time, they endlessly pressure you to “put on some Dead, man” when you are getting baked with them. No. Hell no. Fuck no.

[Warty]

YOU ARE NOT RELEVANT HIPPIES DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE

[Hogan]

I dislike the Dead as much as the next guy, but I definitely like the Band.

[Lefiti]

How do hippie capitalists feel about nationalizing banks? Are we saving capitalism so market fundamentalists don’t have to pull their heads out of their asses or forcing them to push their heads further up their asses? How can we tell?

[Alan Vanneman]

Nick, Nick, bo-bick, even in a black leather jacket, you ain’t as cool as the Grateful Dead.

[Episiarch]

Well, Edward Lefiti, you are the recto-cranial impaction expert, so why are you asking us?

[SugarFree]

“Hey, let’s listen to American Beauty for the nine-millionth goddamn time.”

[SugarFree]

Epi,

Leave poor Patrick alone, he switched to silver this morning and it’s left him a bit cranky.

[Lefiti]

Episiarch

Do things look smaller through your belly button?

[Episiarch]

“Hey, let’s listen to American Beauty for the nine-millionth goddamn time.”

Don’t even say that, NutraSweet. You are bringing back painful memories.

“Let’s listen to the dead!”

“No.”

(5 minutes and a few bong hits pass)

“Hey, let’s listen to the Dead!”

“NO.”

(repeat endlessly)

[Episiarch]

Do things look smaller through your belly button?

I don’t know; is your capacity for put-downs really that small? If so, then the answer is no.

[SIV]

Episi,

I assume you went to college in the late 1990s? a NO CAT STEVENS sign was necessary?
I haven’t had to listen to Cat Stevens since I was 10 or 11 and my big sister was in high school. If I whined and yelled enough she would play Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin just to shut me up.

[Episiarch]

SIV, early 90’s, and it was the principle of the thing. I should have put NO DON MACLEAN too but that would just get too wordy.

[Winthorpe]

Maannn, I’ve had a long day and I really hate the fucking Grateful Dead.

Seriously, the world needs to stop sucking off Obama.

Anyway – Obama’s still going to lose? Why? Because Biden is going to come out about three days before the election and say he was kidnapped by UFOs, probed for information, fed telepathic ice cream and then returned by the overlords with a mission to re-define politics.

Say what?

[Winthorpe]

Question – am I allowed to like Steely Dan?

I’ve picked up a few of the albums and, hell, I really like a lot the tunes. I just cant get the fact out of my head that I’m getting seriously close to jazz exploration / scientology / organic jam / naming-my-children after-fruits territory.

And please – no advice along the lines of ‘ dude, just like what you like’. I am neither sufficiently mature, rich or good looking enough to navigate life hanging on to that particular cliche’s coat-tails.

[Hogan]

I’m by no means a hippie or jam band enthusiast and I think Steely Dan kind of kicks ass. Just watch yourself and don’t go overboard.

[SugarFree]

You are allowed to like Steely Dan, but it should be treated like a shameful secret. Think of Steely Dan like masturbation: Your friends all know you do it, but most of them don’t want to see you whipping your skippy at a dinner party.

[Episiarch]

Question – am I allowed to like Steely Dan?

Sure, Steely Dan is groovy. Just don’t overdo it, and try to resist buying Donald Fagen solo albums.

[nobody]

Steely Dan = Yacht Rock = Gold

[Billy Beck]

“…am I allowed to like Steely Dan?”

Only when stomping down the avenue in bad sneakers with a pi?a colada, my friend.

Skunk Baxter, however, is permitted at all times. Make the most of it.

[Winthorpe]

Intersting. Looks like The Dan are musical kryptonite. The potential for great strength needs to be tempered by the potential for gruesome harm. Well I can’t say I haven’t been warned.

By the way, my girlfriend’s not talking to me at the moment because her dad is a Bee Gees fan and we had the following conversation on the weekend at a BBQ.

Dad – Have you heard Bee Gee’s ‘The wedding’?

Me – Nope.

Dad – Why don’t you download it?

Me – Becuase I’m not retarded.

I’m good with the parents like that. Social tonic.

[Lamar]

The Grateful Dead have done a lot of things over the years. Rocking has not been one of them.

[Mad Max]

I don’t actively dislike the Grateful Dead. They’re background noise. It’s the fans I dislike, because they bring local traffic to a complete halt.

[t. j.]

“jerry garcia is an alright guitarist for someone from california” – lou reed

[Another Phil]

Question – am I allowed to like Steely Dan?

Of course. What the hell is wrong with Steely Dan? You cretins. Larry Carlton’s guitar solo on Kid Charlemagne is brilliant.

try to resist buying Donald Fagen solo albums

The Nightfly and Kamakiriad are very good. Morph the Cat, not so much. And parts of Walter Becker’s first solo album are great.

I’m not that fond of the Grateful Dead. However, in the early 90’s, I went to see them at the old Boston Garden with a hippie-ish friend while dropping acid. It was fantastic.

“jerry garcia is an alright guitarist for someone from california” – lou reed

“Lou Reed shouldn’t be criticizing other people’s guitar playing” – me

[James Ard]

Sure, Steeley Dan is allowed. They know the name for the winners of the world. and Skunk Baxter is not only an excellent guitarist but he’s an expert on missle defense and once entertained running for office as a Republican. As for the Dead, if they were still the highest grossing touring band they may have second thoughts about Obama. No way Jerry would have signed on for this.

[James Ard]

You should, however, avoid listening to Peg in public

[Winthorpe]

What’s your beef with Peg?

And does it extend to ‘Any Major Dude will tell you’?

[James Ard]

I don’t like foriegn movies. Any major dude is ok. H&R should adopt Only a Fool Would Say That as its theme song.

[Billy Beck]

“When Black Friday comes
I’m gonna dig myself a hole
I’m gonna lay down in it
‘Til I satisfy my soul…”

[Johnny Nowhere]

Episiarch,

no Dead, no Band, no Cat… ok, that I understand.

But you were willing to allow James Taylor?

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that was a necessary evil to get laid.

[Winthorpe]

Timely introduction of James Taylor.

Yes, I have definitely put on Fire and Rain and started stroking female’s hair in a vain attempt at sexual fulfillment (all the while having a raging boner that just wont quit and Run to the Hills playing in my head).

[Bob Dobbs]

I have seen the Dead about 90 times. They are third in my list of my all time best shows, right behind The Exploited and Dead Can Dance. I think that James Ard is right that “No way Jerry would have signed on for this.” I wish someone would tell Mr. Heart about the evil that is Joseph Robinette “Joe” Biden, Jr. P.s. “when you are getting baked” try some Tribe Called Quest or PSYCHIC TV ;).

[Episiarch]

But you were willing to allow James Taylor?

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that was a necessary evil to get laid.

I allowed Taylor because he is somewhat talented. I did not need his Carly Simon-antagonizing assistance to get laid, however.

Yes, I have definitely put on Fire and Rain and started stroking female’s hair in a vain attempt at sexual fulfillment (all the while having a raging boner that just wont quit and Run to the Hills playing in my head).

Now that is funny. Iron Maiden, bitches!

[T]

Yes, I have definitely put on Fire and Rain and started stroking female’s hair in a vain attempt at sexual fulfillment (all the while having a raging boner that just wont quit and Run to the Hills playing in my head).

Now that is funny. Iron Maiden, bitches!

You were trying to score with the wrong women. Say what you will about metal/industrial/goth/punk women, at least they loathe JT just as much as you do.

[gmatts]

The Dead, and those others involved with them, have always had pretty strange political leanings in light of how most people might tend to view where their sympathies may lie. I remember reading once that some of them were big Goldwater fans back in the day. Also, one of their main lyricist was Dick Cheney’s campaign manager when he ran for Congress. This same guy, John Barlow, also helped found the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

[jasno]

I’m surprised there isn’t more love for the dead around here. With all of the talk about burning man, you’d think people would realize that nearly everything going on at the playa was incubated in the womb of the grateful dead’s parking lot.

It’s been said before but I’ll say it again – Jerry (and probably Pigpen too) would never have gone for this. The dead were never a hippie band, guys. Ask a real (1965-1970)hippie (not the drug users who get called hippes nowadays). A lot of them were scared of the dead, who in many circles dismissed as a biker band.

[Daze]

I like the Dead and plan to vote Obama, but this is embarassing.

[kevrob]

Question – am I allowed to like Steely Dan? – Winthorpe

I’ll allow almost anything, but I’ll reserve the right to sneer at your taste.

As the 70s were turning into the 80s, my punk & newave loving self cracked that “Steely Dan is elevator music for the terminally hip.”

I was never into the Dead, either, but I enjoy bluegrass, country, folk and trad enough to give them a pass. Sort of a “The Dead are OK, it’s the `heads I can’t stand” attitude, especially when you run into those who don’t know who wrote Not Fade Away.

Kevin

[CFroh]

Who care’s whom the Dead support. We libertarians can despise the choices, and still love the Dead, which I do. And the Dead are not just “American Beauty”. Check out any of their LIVE shows, and you may change your tune on how rockin’ they are. Click here, for example, and see how the mood changes:

http://www.archive.org/details/gd90-12-30.sbd.wiley.11669.sbeok.shnf

(click VBR…) to listen

Yes, that’s Bruce Horsby on piano – he joined them for a few years on and off: god was he incredible.

To experience what it was like to hear the Dead from the audience, here’s one of those infamous “audience” tapes, from one of the classic 1990 Madison Square Garden shows. Listen to the rockin first song, “Jack Straw”:

http://www.archive.org/details/gd90-09-19.bk.sacks.9988.sbeok.shnf

For real fans, click here to listen to any of their shows:
http://www.archive.org/browse.php?collection=GratefulDead&field=year

Ahhh, the memories….whether as a post William & Mary grad waitin tables at the Arms, or cutting work as a Capitol Hill staffer, in ’94, to road trip up to see the Dead at Highgate Vermont. (But the best shows were the RFK shows, in which we partied and walked down from our Capitol Hill houses – what trips)!

Enjoy…