tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post6635356754008794616..comments2024-03-16T07:13:50.487-07:00Comments on Lost Live Dead: "Hartbeats" Family Dog On The Great Highway, San Francisco, CA August 28, 1969Corry342http://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-11705470432375092692021-03-25T05:56:36.023-07:002021-03-25T05:56:36.023-07:00Thanks for that. What a great read.Thanks for that. What a great read.Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-83227797440499563372021-03-24T21:39:31.094-07:002021-03-24T21:39:31.094-07:00The link changed....it was Jerry's intro to &q...The link changed....it was Jerry's intro to "Grateful Dead Comix." <br />Currently at https://sites.google.com/a/nerdtoyourmother.info/www/Home/9th-art-patron/jerrygarciatalkscomics Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-53432920617013123782021-02-03T13:45:59.377-08:002021-02-03T13:45:59.377-08:00Man, that link is Dead and isn't even on the W...Man, that link is Dead and isn't even on the Wayback Machine!Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-9832632222042980542021-02-03T09:54:42.241-08:002021-02-03T09:54:42.241-08:00Wait, there's a tape of this 28 Aug 1969 show ...Wait, there's a tape of this 28 Aug 1969 show in the vault? Has that been confirmed?Frothyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06001211544773136172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-27437890344048360862016-04-09T13:37:53.811-07:002016-04-09T13:37:53.811-07:00"tight from the get-go" - let me just re..."tight from the get-go" - let me just re-emphasize my own point here. It sure sounds like these guys had been playing these tunes, a lot.Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-84777087232253643032012-03-04T16:20:11.118-08:002012-03-04T16:20:11.118-08:00Pecy, Brian. 1969. Grateful Dead. Unknown publicat...Pecy, Brian. 1969. Grateful Dead. Unknown publication details. {jpg} review of GD 10/4/69<br /><br />In an interview in Boston on Saturday, 10/4/69 (mm/d/yy), Garcia lays out a groovy plan for making and selling music without suits making a profit. And we get the following:<br /><br />"The Commons, as they [Garcia/GD] call the growing association, already includes the Airplane, It's A Beautiful Day, and Head Lightshow."<br /><br />So, even in October, the idea of The Common was still percolating ...Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-78256647822387118182012-01-31T05:14:51.735-08:002012-01-31T05:14:51.735-08:00That is so cool.That is so cool.Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-15900411435602508982012-01-30T23:20:42.332-08:002012-01-30T23:20:42.332-08:00Most of the stuff I had were Marvel comics that we...Most of the stuff I had were Marvel comics that were on the more obscure side. I had complete runs of Dr. Strange,Captain America, the Avengers, Thor, the X-men and Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a few short runs like the Silver Surfer, Captain Mar-vell and the SubMariner. A few abscure DCs as well, The Haunted Tank, The Losers and Sargent Rock. Jerry bought them all...Terry Nailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345507785365865531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-6150147993638207762012-01-30T02:42:59.878-08:002012-01-30T02:42:59.878-08:00Your comic book collection!
True, Jerry was a com...Your comic book collection! <br />True, Jerry was a comic-book fiend, among other things. The Rolling Stone review of Hooteroll back in 1971 mentioned that Garcia was on the hunt for old EC Comics from the 50s, which he was especially fond of - apparently one of the first things he wanted to buy when the GD finally became financially stable was a complete EC Comics collection. <br />(Garcia even wrote a little about EC Comics in '91 - http://www.nerdtoyourmother.info/Home/9th-art-patron/jerrygarciatalkscomics )<br /><br />This is off the beaten track, but were there particular comics he sought from you, or did he take anything indiscriminately?Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-64034606063468607282012-01-30T00:54:44.969-08:002012-01-30T00:54:44.969-08:00Yes, you are correct. Aside from selling Jerry my ...Yes, you are correct. Aside from selling Jerry my comic book collection later on, almost all my dealings with him were related to being around Bob. I do have to tell you this though, Jerry was one of the nicest, kindest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.Terry Nailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345507785365865531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-61506337795382464642012-01-30T00:48:06.885-08:002012-01-30T00:48:06.885-08:00As far as I remember, the guys who played with Bob...As far as I remember, the guys who played with Bob did a couple songs before he joined them on stage. But whether it was an actual separate set I can't say, sorry...Terry Nailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345507785365865531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-63077190629256619702012-01-29T13:43:19.961-08:002012-01-29T13:43:19.961-08:00Hmm, isn't mid-June 69 a little early for Daws...Hmm, isn't mid-June 69 a little early for Dawson & Nelson to be playing separate "New Riders"-type sets? <br />But who knows - they're known to have been at that show, as part of the "Bobby Ace" band. <br /><br />I assumed that was why Terry saw NRPS as being an offshoot of the Bobby Ace project, since it sounds like he would've been more familiar with the shows Weir played than with Garcia's non-Weir country-music side-group. <br />That's just a guess, though... A few good memories from someone who was there can make hay of our current theories!Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-14816205489283180792012-01-28T22:36:42.441-08:002012-01-28T22:36:42.441-08:00Terry, thanks for adding all your fascinating memo...Terry, thanks for adding all your fascinating memories. Do you recall if at the California Hall gig the "New Riders" (who probably weren't called that) played a separate set? That has always been my assumption.<br /><br />Our knowledge of the setlist from California Hall comes from a Deadhead who took careful notes, but I don't think she would have written down the setlist for a proto-New Riders set.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-48220381469977376772012-01-28T18:21:28.399-08:002012-01-28T18:21:28.399-08:00Good to hear a bit more about the California Hall ...Good to hear a bit more about the California Hall show! Most of the Dead apparently played at that one & the Bobby Ace shows in April 70; but any gigs Weir did with other players, or acoustically with Jerry, have been totally unknown. <br />Given the amount of jamming some of these guys liked to do, I'd imagine there wasn't always that much distinction between onstage & offstage jams!<br /><br />JGMF, I haven't written anything about Rancho Olompali. <br />It would be great to read memories of the Olompali or Family Dog scenes, though, even if not Dead-related, since many of the folks at this blog are really into behind-the-scenes stories of 60s bands in general. <br /><br />As far as the Family Dog - though lots of stuff wasn't taped of course, there are quite a few Dead jams with guests from the summer of 69 - this "Hartbeats" show with Howard Wales on 8/28, a show with unidentified sax & fiddle player on 8/3, Garcia & Hart jamming with the Airplane on 9/6, and a strange Dead/Airplane oldies jam thought to be from 9/7 (and the Airplane, I think, almost never played the Family Dog, so it's a little mystery why they were playing with the Dead there); and a little rehearsal of Easy Wind with guest guitarist dated 9/11, thought to be maybe from an afternoon rehearsal. <br />In general the Dead's shows there were a lot looser & more laid-back than, say, at the Fillmore or Winterland... <br />But usually Jerry's little sidebands (or the Hartbeats) would show up at the Matrix. We know about some of those Matrix shows because so many were taped (or at least announced) - but casual band jams at the Family Dog (by the Dead or any other bands) are harder to trace, so it would be good to know more about those.Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-30927532363223380512012-01-28T17:11:48.193-08:002012-01-28T17:11:48.193-08:00I remember the California Hall gig fairly well bec...I remember the California Hall gig fairly well because I went there with Bobby and you are correct that they did mostly country covers. unfortunately however, I've never been much of a country music fan so I didn't really pay much attention to what they were playing. I know this is treading on sacred ground for some of you guys here, but if the truth be told I was never really a Grateful Dead fan back in those days. I've come to appreciate them so much more since then. I was much more of a fan of the hard blues rock was coming out of England at that time.<br /><br />I remember Jerry being at the California hall gig because of an amusing incident that happened backstage. Neither Bob or I smoked pot, but we always rolled our own cigarettes. We both used to smoke target tobacco. I had just finished hand rolling a cigarette when Bobby came off the stage. I had just lit it when he asked me for a drag of it. ( it was not uncommon to share a cigarette with somebody back in those days)anyway, Jerry stepped up and intercepted it before I could hand it to him and thinking it was a joint took a huge hit off of it. Needless to say he wasn't particularly happy when he found out it wasn't a joint. at the time I felt pretty bad about it, but in hindsight it was pretty funny.<br /><br />I do remember Jerry playing steel guitar during that period and the banjo playing that I remember may have been at the matrix. Since I happen to spend a lot of time backstage with those guys some of the stuff that I remember may have taken place while they were warming up before going on stage. Plus, being a musician myself I did sometimes pick up an acoustic guitar and jam with those guys when we were sitting around though never on stage. I found myself in a similar situation with James Gurley and Sam Andrew from big brother and it was because of James Gurley that I became a bass player. I later went on to help found the Bay area band Tommy Tutone and work with many other artists such as the pointer sisters, Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Jones of the sex pistols. I would not of been able to do any of this if these guys hadn't been kind enough to let a 16-year-old kid sit in with them from time to time...Terry Nailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345507785365865531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-91826281278306587532012-01-28T11:34:47.488-08:002012-01-28T11:34:47.488-08:00JGMF, I have two pieces about Rancho Olompali, but...JGMF, I have two pieces about Rancho Olompali, but they are about the 1969 commune, not the time the Dead stayed there in 1966.<br /><br />Here<br />http://lostlivedead.blogspot.com/2010/04/march-17-1969-winterland-san-francisco.html <br /><br />and<br />http://rockarchaeology101.blogspot.com/2010/04/winterland-san-francisco-monster-jam.html<br /><br />the link was their friend Don McCoy, who was fairly well off and lived across from the band at 715 Ashbury.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-62511667988422903622012-01-28T10:29:28.034-08:002012-01-28T10:29:28.034-08:00LIA, yeah, it's an interesting point about the...LIA, yeah, it's an interesting point about the Jerry-Bobby acoustic set. We always imagine that at that 12/19/69 show, when Phil was late, they just picked up and started playing the acoustics. Doesn't Jerry say something like "Me and Bobby Ace here are gonna regale you with some old favorites."? And they are tight from the get-go.<br /><br />It's quite possible that the acoustic duet was more planned, more rehearsed, than maybe we have imaged before it comes into public view (and historical memory) on 12/19/69.Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-73920174917877923982012-01-28T10:27:12.222-08:002012-01-28T10:27:12.222-08:00"I had been one of the Teenagers that had liv..."I had been one of the Teenagers that had lived up at Rancho Olompali next to Micky's ranch in Navato and I somehow found myself hanging out with them quite a bit."<br /><br />Terry, I am doing some writing about Olompali. I'd love to hear any recollections, just engage some conversation! You can email me directly at jgmfblog@gmail.com, or I am sure these guys would love to see Olompali memories, too.<br /><br />Is there anywhere in the suite of Corry Arnold or LIA blogs a "placeholder" entry on Rancho Olompali?Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-26738142636420451692012-01-28T10:20:09.097-08:002012-01-28T10:20:09.097-08:00Even these distant memories are very illuminating,...Even these distant memories are very illuminating, thank you! <br /><br />The "firing" of Weir was in Sept/Oct 68 (though he didn't actually leave the band), and that was when the Hartbeats got started as a jamming project without him or Pigpen. It seems like the Bobby Ace thing got started a little later, when he was feeling more secure in the band! <br />We know of a couple Bobby Ace shows - one at the California Hall in June 69 (with John Dawson & David Nelson, later of NRPS), and then there were some shows at the Family Dog in April 70 which were billed as both the Hartbeats and Bobby Ace, where NRPS also played. <br />From what we know, these shows seem to have been mostly country covers & stuff that was later done in the Dead's acoustic sets. <br />Yes, it definitely would be hard to trace more of these types of shows if they were just listed as "special guests"! But it figures.<br /><br />The memory of Jerry playing banjo is very valuable - we don't have any record of him on banjo during this period, except for a bluegrass show with High Country at the Matrix in Feb 69. So it's quite a surprise to hear about him playing it at an acoustic show with Weir - I'd have expected him to be doing more pedal-steel stuff in late 69/early 70.Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-20951419600134271192012-01-27T21:59:33.566-08:002012-01-27T21:59:33.566-08:00As far as I can remember, the Bobby Ace project Co...As far as I can remember, the Bobby Ace project Could at times be called the hartbeats when they played. The same general lineup of musicians could go under either name and sometimes under no name at all but simply be listed as 'special guests'. One of the things we have to remember is that these guys all loved to play gigs and they found that it was sometimes easier to do so if people didn't know they were The ones doing it. <br />I've seen articles about the supposed firing of pigpen and Bobby during that period of time, which may explain the Bobby Ace gigs, but it honestly doesn't make much sense to me since even at the first Bobby Ace gig, Jerry was there, though he didn't play. I do also remember a 1 or 2 gigs/jams? that were strictly acoustic were Bob played guitar and Jerry played banjo with one or two other guys, at a couple of very small venues, though for the life of me I can't remember where they were. Don't get me wrong,I'm by no means a Grateful Dead expert, I wasn't really that involved with the band itself. It was just that Frankie and Bobby were friends of mine and I had been one of the Teenagers that had lived up at Rancho Olompali next to Micky's ranch in Navato and I somehow found myself hanging out with them quite a bit.Terry Nailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345507785365865531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-59477929606249656782012-01-27T19:07:20.312-08:002012-01-27T19:07:20.312-08:00Very interesting, Terry. The Hartbeats seem to hav...Very interesting, Terry. The Hartbeats seem to have been an ever-changing concept.<br /><br />I'm particularly intrigued by this: <br />"Bobby Ace and the Cards from the Bottom of the Deck originally consisted of Bob Weir and friends and later Bob and Jerry together until Bob dropped out and the project eventually morphed into the New Riders." <br />We know a little about Jerry playing with others in '69 (though a lot is still a mystery), but almost nothing about Bob & what he was up to. There seems to be a whole story there that's been completely lost since none of those "Bobby Ace" shows were taped. The idea of a non-Dead "Bob & Jerry" act playing in '69 is, for instance, news to me! It may have leaked not only into the New Riders, but into the Dead's acoustic sets the following year. <br />More details about the various groups/projects the Dead members played in are always welcome!Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-77993825092491641802012-01-26T20:17:26.163-08:002012-01-26T20:17:26.163-08:00I worked at the Family Dog on the the Great highwa...I worked at the Family Dog on the the Great highway from just before it was open to the public in june 1969 until it closed in late august, early september 1970. The Hartbeats were not well known to the general public as it was sort of a cover name for several different groups that centered around members of the Grateful dead. The same is true of Bobby Ace and the Cards from the Bottom of the Deck who originally consisted of Bob Weir and friends and later Bob and Jerry together until Bob dropped out and the project eventually morphed into the New Riders. I know all this because I was a frequent house guest of Bob Weir and his girl friend Frankie during that time. As far as the issue of bands jamming during the day at the Playland location goes, it did happen, but not that often and it was never announced to the public. Most of the ones I remember took place after we were done with the commons meetings. I also remember that some bands would occasionally rehearse there as well.I hope that helps a little bit...Terry Nailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345507785365865531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-1220608048030554732011-03-24T23:55:14.405-07:002011-03-24T23:55:14.405-07:00JGMF - What was the question about the Hartbeats, ...JGMF - What was the question about the Hartbeats, and what was the context? Were they talking about the current scene, or the past?<br /><br />One thing that puzzles me, and may be unanswerable, is how many fans in SF knew about the Hartbeats name? Though we just see the name in a few newspaper listings, was it common knowledge who they were? <br /><br />It's interesting that Jerry left out Billy - also interesting that we have no confirmed "me and Mickey and Phil" shows after 8/69.<br /><br />I still think there's merit in the idea that "Hartbeats" were sometimes billed just due to the contracted dates with Bill Graham (those April '70 shows were definitely not just "me and Mickey and Phil")- but admittedly, with Fillmore/Winterland dates every two months in 1970, that would pretty much cover the whole year.Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-49316204095323837222011-03-24T18:21:28.622-07:002011-03-24T18:21:28.622-07:00Maybe we have the Hartbeats all wrong. Maybe every...Maybe we have the Hartbeats all wrong. Maybe every time they are listed it's just Jerry, Phil and Mickey, with whatever guests are willing to sit in, and not a "stealth name" at all.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-8312827384497610202011-03-24T15:57:50.474-07:002011-03-24T15:57:50.474-07:00Not much, I know, but Jerry's 6/22/70 intervie...Not much, I know, but Jerry's 6/22/70 interview in Hard Road has him saying this: "Mickey Hart and the Hartbeats is me and Mickey and Phil."Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.com