• 734 replies
    marye
    Joined:
    Gather here and tell us your stories! And thanks to TigerLilly for the suggestion!

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • deadkat
    Joined:
    The only Deadhead in Plumstead?
    I might just be that person...LOL Plumstead is in SE London. It's a well known fact that I only got to see the boys once, Bickershaw 72-05-07 but what a show that was. A sublime Dark Star that will long live in my memory. I'd been listening to the Dead since Aoxomoxoa caught my eye in the Co-Op. I took an instant like to the album cover and had to have it. Up to then I think I had caught a couple of miscellaneous tracks on the radio but after that I had to have more. Since then I've been buying, d/l and editing shows,and there just isn't enough time in the day to listen. I'm backed up with sweet music that should see me through to my retirement and beyond (yes there might just be an afterlife). And Mr Witcher, who is our resident Spanish correspondent, there will not be a matrix of the Charlies from SOLparty emminating from this direction. It's just too much of a chore. We have the aud (my favourite), the sbd and the video. Isn't that enough for a grown man :-) Mick
  • marye
    Joined:
    Hi Dermot!
    Are you still in London? My great-grandfather came from County Cork to help build the Union Pacific Railroad back in the day.
  • Dermot
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Greetings from Ireland
    Could I be the first Irish person in here? That would be a new experience! Anyway, briefly... Moved to London after I finished school in 1970 and remember buying American Beauty and Astral Weeks (Van Morrison) on the same day that autumn (Fall!). I don't think I'll ever do better than that again. Got to see the Dead at the Lyceum in 1972 and then somehow fell away from all that until the 80s when I was in the States and someone (thanks Bob Hapgood if you ever hit this Forum) turned me on to the great taping tradition. Got lots of stuff from very generous US traders (I didn't have much to trade at the time). One of my favourites is the Warfield concert. I later found it on the Reckoning CD. STill I have Dead besotted periods and have only truely come to appreciate Gerry as a guitar player in later years. Good luck to all here and many thanks to the people who have totally revitalised the old web site. Finally a thumbs up to Bob Hunter. I am a semi regular reader of your diary Bob, thanks.
  • joakim84
    Joined:
    marye
    I´m from the woods of Karlstad quite close to Norway. But I worked a summer in Uppsala actually, very nice place! Have some friends there as well.I know Uppsala were one of the most interesting places in Sweden in the early 70s, with all their musicforums and stuff. A lot of great experimental bands came out of that place, like Samla Mamma Manna, and others. Linköping is almost a blank spot on the map for me though.. Oh, those nice ladys on the countryside.. I think they are angels in disguise, they have saved me in similar ways as your story. Nice to see a story from Sweden, Thanks.
  • Sunshine-daydr…
    Joined:
    Barry Melton and Deadicace in Paris 8th Septemebr
    This was posted on Eurotraders some of you might be interested Paris celebrates the Summer of Love June through October with a series of exhibitions in Montreuil. It gets live on Saturday 8 September with a Deadicace gig and, though not announced on the site, Barry Melton will be there too. All you need to know and other links at http://www.ridethewind.org/Deadicace.htm Really hope some of you can get there. Barry fans may already know he's also performing amidst an eclectic line up in France at the Rochefort festival sometime around 24 August, with French backing band and Deadicace members Jamasutra. Details of Rochefort are at: http://www.anythingmatters.com/rochefort/index.html "Try on your wings and find out where it's at Hey, hey ....." Bill - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Spanish Jam
  • marye
    Joined:
    Joakim! where in Sweden are you?

    When I was a student doing the summer-in-Europe thing, I took my student railpass and took the overnight train from Copenhagen to Uppsala, because I really wanted to see Uppsala. Long story. But anyway, I have the loveliest memories of the place.

    Except there's this Bergman movie in which there's a scene of a particular corner with yellow stone buildings and cobblestone streets, and it gave me intense physical flashbacks to dragging my no-sleep self and excess luggage past that very corner looking for someplace to sleep. Wound up at what seemed to be a private hostel out in the country. It was full, but the lady took pity on me and let me stay in the attic. The view was incredible...

    And the sound of the train conductor calling the stops. Linköping is the one I remember.

    Of course, this was in 1971. But in my mind, it's still lovely.

  • joakim84
    Joined:
    Sweden!
    Pretty sure this is my first post on this site.It´s so nice to read all your anecdotes and thoughts concering the Dead. Big thanks to you all. Your keeping these nights, when i really should be sleeping, interesting. Me myself lives in Sweden, with our long winters, and my name is Joakim. I´m in to ecological lifestyle, and doing my best to live as eco-friendly as possible, with plans of beeing self-sufficient as soon as possible. Wonder if there any fellow swedes here? But Im not that hung up on nationality or geography, we are universal people us ´heads it seems to me. The Love connects us. I havent seen any GD-show, I was only eleven years old when Jerry left the earth to join the places where only his music had been before. So I have not that much to contribute with when it comes to that. But I´ll do my best.
  • Sunshine-daydr…
    Joined:
    Deadheads in England
    This might be of some use for you to contact like minded folk. There are lots of Deadheads in the London Area. You could see the Cosmic Charlies who regularly play London, The next show is in August for Jers Birthday http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/eurotraders/ http://www.cosmiccharlies.co.uk/ Bob W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Spanish Jam
  • Mats62
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Greetings from a London
    Greetings from a London deadhead...got switched onto the Dead by an old girlfriend while living in the US in the early 90's but, alas, never got to see them live...my only live experience is the post-Jerry Dead at Jones Beach, PAF at the same venue and RatDog when they played the Astoria a few years back...still, have managed to d/l numerous live shows via archive.org (before they stopped sbd recordings) and bt.etree.org with my favourite years being 1974 and 1977...it's great to have this forum because being a deadhead in the UK is a somewhat strange existence...you have this huge connection to this amazing world of GD music that somehow creates little resonance with most of your compatriots...I do my best to proselytise among my group of friends...put on some GD when they're round for dinner or something and wait for them to say, "this is good, what's this..." (a frequent reaction)...anyway, good to see there are some likeminded folk here in Europe!
  • hanuman
    Default Avatar
    Joined:
    Deadhead in France/Denmark
    I moved from the US to Grenoble, France in 1999, and unfortunately the only deadheads I meet here are the ones the old friends that come to visit me here. I'm about to move to Copenhagen for about a year and then return to Grenoble. Anyone out there in either of these cities...I'd love to get together and share some music and show memories over a cold beer or bottle of wine. Most of my european friends just don't seem to get the music. I'm sure there are some of you out there. I'd love to hear from you.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Gather here and tell us your stories! And thanks to TigerLilly for the suggestion!
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Friends - I am writing the liner notes for three of the shows in the Europe 72 box: Jahrhunderthalle 26 April, Radio Luxembourg 16 May, and Lyceum 26 May. Is there anyone among us here who attended any of these shows, or heard the Radio Luxembourg show over the air? I'd be interested in a brief email conversation with an earwitness or two. For that matter, I suppose it would be good to talk with someone who hit one of the other shows, for a sense of how the Grateful Dead were presented to the European market. What had you heard of them before they arrived? How were they received? And of course, as these things go, I need it yesterday. I will check back here later, but it would expedite matters if you sent your stories to me at david@gdhour.com or david@trufun.com Thank you! Gans/GD Hour blog
GD Hour station list
user picture

Member for

13 years 7 months
Permalink

Hello Friends, At the end of April 2011 I am going with my girlfriend to Annan in Dumfries to visit her family. I have never been to Scotland and I thought it was be really fun to meet you Scottish Deadheads. My name is Larry and I live in Manhattan. I have been into the GD since '69. My girlfriend, although very open minded, is not into the GD - so any help with info or anything for the trip would be much appreciated. Thanks...Peace....
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

you probably want to get on the yahoo group "eurotraders" and in particular contact with "workingman's deed", the scottish dead cover band.
user picture

Member for

13 years 9 months
Permalink

Hey all ~ good vibes from SW19 London, roots in South Africa, family left for California in 87', first show Great Western Forum 1989-02-10, live and work in London, going to California eventually someday. Nice to have the Cosmic Charlies here, seen them just once and if I could I would see them more. They sound great. peace Gman ~ Hits River Junction at seventeen to, At a quarter to ten you know it's travlin' again ~
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

3 months left? then you should definitely go to "Playing In The Band", the premiere deadhead event in germany.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Our annual SoL party is coming up for its fifth year, and this year's party is looking to be the best so far. We've got Deadicace on Saturday and Sunday, and an NRPS covers band (the Blue Devils) coming on before them on the Sunday, plus Nick Harper (son of Roy), Roger Wootton and Glenn Goring from the legendary Comus, Martin Stephenson of the Martin Stephenson and the Daintees, The Higher State, and loads more. Check out our Summer of Love party (www.solparty.org.uk) if you're in the UK in July. It's the best Deadhead party this side of the Atlantic (and maybe even both sides).
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

For anyone interested or who plans to be in Germany in June.Steve Kimock will be playing some dates with his old buddy Billy Goodman. June 25th - Biermichel (Kehl a Rhein) June 30th - Jazzhaus (Heidelberg) July 1st & 2nd - Weisses Ross (Immeldorf) July 3rd - Turning Point (Herrenweis) this is the guy once referred to as Jerry's favorite guitarist. excellent chance to see a master in a really intimate setting.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

LOOKING FOR SPIRAL LIGHT EDITORS, PUBLISHERS, CONTRIBUTORS ... anyone who is in contact with the wonderful folks who published Spiral Light magazine, the European Deadhead periodical, please get in touch with the Archive at GRATEFUL (at) ucsc.edu ... and thanks for any help! ~ Grateful Dead Archive
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

and SPAM!********************************** I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde
user picture

Member for

13 years 9 months
Permalink

Hello, London Deadhead 'for the moment' that's been all around this world ;) and has re-planted roots in California SD from South Africa, it's a long story. The only thing I ask for is to get a message to Billy, Mickey, Phil and Bobby and ask them from the fondest of my heart to travel to London next year. peace. Easy wind going cross the Bayou today....
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

The people who put on Jam In The Dam (march 2012 in Amsterdam) are looking for street team volunteers to put up posters in major european cities (live music clubs, jamband friendly record stores, etc..) if you are interested, please send an email to info@jaminthedam.com (sorry, no free tickets, but there is JITD merchandise to be dispensed)
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

that's a tough one-sleeping cheap in Amsterdam. I stayed in a youth hostel once, a bazillion years ago-will see whether I can dig up the address for it.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

no worries, the only smoke free policy at the Milky Way is for tobacco. marijuan legislation has not changed in the netherlands. there now exists a "weed pass" only available for local residents, but this is not at a national level, rather it is only implemented locally by towns which have a problem with people coming just to stock up (principally the border towns with germany, where long lines and traffic jams are the result with no real boon to the local economy). this policy has not nor will be in the foreseeable future implemented in Amsterdam which relies heavily on coffeeshop tourism. there has also been talk of reclassifying high intensity marijuana, but that is pretty much a no goer, because there is no practical way to test samples for THC content without dragging it off to a lab. so for those of you who are enticed by the idea of 3 nights of jam music while freely toking away, rest assured, at JITD it's possible. as for cheap digs, can't help there, but it's a city frequented by international tourists and more than its share of hippies, backpackers and college students, so i imagine there is a grand variety of lodging options.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

12 years 11 months
Permalink

Clearly I'm not a 'Head' as such...bit of a late arrival to the scene. Trying to remember the title of a track that has the sound of a jet aircraft in the background. Short of buying up the entire catalogue I don't know which album to start with! Anyone help me out there? duncanbinks@yahoo.co.uk Thanks. D
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

it's morning in California and all I can hear is Paul McCartney singing Back in the USSR. And I know that's not right.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Anyone out there know where I can find a European retailer of decent GD T-shirts? The designs on DJTees (UK) are awful and Amazon.co.uk has a very limited European retailer choice (Loud Distribution) but loads of US-based stuff (Liquid Blue, nightmare for delivery time and surcharges). I'm in Italy but any European info would be massively appreciated (gotta get that Xmas gift list started!) Geedus71
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

a jet aircraft? the dead?my closest guess is the album In The Dark, which used liberally sound effects. motorcycle revving and whip snaps on the song "Hell In A Bucket", a steam locomotive on "Tons of Steel" and a helicopter on the bonus track "Brother Esau". but i don't remember any jet plane sounds.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

i recommend posting the question on the yahoo group eurotraders, recently someone was talking about t-shirts sizes. anyway, lots of longtime euroresident deadheads who would know.also suggest dancingbear.dk which is an online shop based in denmark. in theory as they buy in bulk for reduced shipping costs, etc. it works out allright, although some people on eurotraders have questioned that. you might also try and get a shipping quote from dead.net directly as they ship a lot of stuff to europe (to wit, the latest europe 72 boxed set seems to have been bought by every head i know here.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

just in case any folk out there wern't aware, Dark Star Orchestra is playing a London show on March 18th when they plan to recreate a historic London show in its entirety from the GD Europe '72 Tour...can't wait!
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

remember folks JAM IN THE DAM is from 14 to 16 March in Amsterdam at the Melkweg.DSO - Mike Gordon - moe. - Keller Williams - Lotus every band plays a full long set every night. also, german GD tribute band COSMIC FINGER will be playing a pre-JITD party on that tuesday night at maloe melo.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Hello It’s 41 years since the invitation ‘Dead Freaks Unite’ appeared on the sleeve of the Skull and Roses album. This formalised the whole Deadhead phenomenon. I live in the UK and have been a dedicated follower of the Dead since “Anthem of the Sun” and have seen them on each European tour. A colleague and I have been invited to write an article about European Deadheads for a forthcoming edition of the academic journal “Popular Music and Society” dealing with themes relating to “fandom”. To help us to understand the band’s continuing importance to its European fanbase, we will very shortly be issuing a questionnaire. Initially, this will seek to gather basic information from respondents, such as age, gender, occupation, number of shows attended, etc. More importantly, we would also want to explore the overall significance of the Grateful Dead to its followers – the ‘meaning’ of the band (and its music); the place it occupies in the lives of Deadheads; the opportunities and constraints that come with Deadhead activity; the benefits to be derived. These responses will provide much of the material for the article. Respondents will not be identified by name, and anonymity and confidentiality will be guaranteed. We would also hope, where possible, to interview a representative selection of Deadheads about their experiences. The article will be published in late 2012/early 2013. If you would like to receive the questionnaire and/or would be willing to be interviewed (in person or by telephone) please e-mail me at pandagos@yahoo.com .If you have any questions, please contact me at the same e-mail address. And please do forward this to others who might wish to participate! Best wishes, Pete Smith
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

12 years 8 months
Permalink

Hi everybody, I'm new to the forum and therefore was looking around for the right place to introduce you to my version of "Loser" that I recorded at home during a decisive period in my life. I got to know the Dead through my neighbor when I was about 15/16 years old and still living in a small village in the middle of Germany. He played me all those wonderful songs when I came around to see him to hang out, play guitar or whatever. One of the songs he had played me was "Loser" and it's still one of my faves of the "Dead Set" record iand in general. I especially like the beginning of the guitar solo...a moment of beautifulness and drama. And the singing....it would make no sense at all to do a one-to-one cover So " it's about time", I told myself, to record my version of that song. I invented a new guitar part and, in turn, picked up on that part to write my very own song out of it eventually...So the Dead were inspiring, at least twice. Here it is, hope you enjoy "Loser" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUc5EpHgsws ...And here's the song a wrote later on...:called "Spring Cleaning in the wintertime" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN8xen-7Nq0 Cheers and keep on growing!
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Hallo Kenneth_Minor Where in the middle of Germany? I am in the middle of Germany too.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I live in France... I bought one on allposters.com. Fast and not too expensive...
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I tried to order All the Years combine through the deadnet store, but.Shout (the company that is producing the set) won't ship to France. Duh. You can get it on Amazon for $25 more. What do they always make it such hard and expensive work for us foreigners? Eeeesh.
user picture

Member for

15 years 1 month
Permalink

I completely agree with you, cosmicbadger. Some things are hard to get in Europe. But you even cannot imagine how it's hard to get here in Belarus... We live in somewhere outside Europe.Maybe someone out there wish to trade this DVD set for DVDRs w/ GD shows....
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Estación Terrapin (http://estacionterrapin.blogspot.com.es/), the only Spanish program about Grateful Dead, tomorrow celebrates the 40th anniversary of the second concert at the Olympia in Paris on May 4, 1972, with a special program four-hour which will play the entire concert. In the tuning HomeGrownRadioNJ (http://www.homegrownradionj.com/), 7 to 11 AM East
user picture
Default Avatar
Permalink

Any Deadheads in Scotland? I moved here from the States ten years ago and still haven't met anyone that are into them. I know there's the Workingman's Deed cover band near Edinburgh but I'm over on the west coast. Cheers, Patrick
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

12 years 3 months
Permalink

me .iain from irvine .
user picture

Member for

17 years 1 month
Permalink

We are alive & kicking in Peebles, Scottish BordersSkip & Mary
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Rosie McGee just posted about this.... This guy took some of the great rock-star pix, including the boys, back in the day. Plenty of ooohing and aaahing just looking at the web page, but one suspects the prints will be better: Baron Wolman Paris/ (Go to the photographers page)
user picture

Member for

15 years 11 months
Permalink

Paying a short visit to Spain in April. Any cool folks out there want to give me some advice on fun places to see?
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

11 years 7 months
Permalink

Well hey there, So, I am a 26-year old guy from the famous country of Belgium. Have been introduced to the magic of the band by a Californian deadhead residing in Spain, his name was James, about 5 years ago. He ran/runs a hostel in there, appropriately named "terrapin station", where i stayed at for a few months and we spend countless evenings/nights/days listening to mostly '90s dead shows (he was present at most of these shows). How blessed was I ("that's some good stuff James", " GOOD? GOOD? It's a fuckin' religious experience!!"). I have been totally hooked ever since and am by now, after 5 years, deem myself worthy of the label deadhead myself. Have been through most of the eras (though i 'm generally not very interested in post-77 stuff, I prefer 71/72/77), and all I can say is: they're my favourite band, and i'll think they'll always be. After five years of lonely listening; I have never, and i mean never, met a single person around here who so much as knew about this band (well yes, there are two guys, and one of them PROPERLY gets it, but both of them are friends that have been introduced to the dead by me). So i inscribed myself to this forum. Hoping there'll be some other Belgian just like me. So i can finally share my love for this band :) So that's why i inscribed to this forum: any Belgians out there? :)
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

11 years 7 months
Permalink

I don't know wether this hostel is still up and running, but the owner is a massive guy and a total deadhead. The town itself, Granada, is a hippy-heaven. If u go there, make sure to say hi to James, from Marnix. Tell him i still love the dead :)