Grateful Dead

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,We're finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio. Gotta get down to it Soldiers are cutting us down Should have been done long ago. What if you knew her And found her dead on the ground How can you run when you know?

The memory of Kent State sends a chill up my spine. Peace Now. If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. William Blake

A real example of history repeating itself? The four students gunned down during the Vietnam-Cambodia war protest held in Kent Ohio, on the campus of Kent State University. I remember it vividly, being a high school senior 30 miles away. I compare this memory frequently with the current administrations efforts in the Middle East. One interesting difference today is that there is little student protest. Toss on some Crosby, Stills, and Nash to honor those who have died, not just for all of our freedoms, but especially for the freedom to express ones views. He's gone.. ..and nothin's gonna bring him back...

Swiss chemist without whom many of our lives would be quite different passed away in his home in Basel this week. Article here.

Hey folks.It's about 5am and I can't sleep. Feeling a little sentimental. A weird thing happened the other night; I went to this loft / art space / gallery on the fifth floor of some old rundown building downtown Detroit, and the minute I walked in, I'm thinking, man, I've been here before. As I made my way in and looked around, I was sure of it. I had been there, about 15 years ago now, when my friend Jason and a bunch of other folks were living there just after high school. Anyone who went to shows from 92-95 might remember Jason - he stuck out in any crowd, even a lot full of freaks (and I use that term in the most endearing sense). Tall and skinny, always wearing big ol' clunky army boots as he swaggered around, gesturing wildly and talking loudly and enthusiastically to everyone about everything. He was constantly coming up with stupid sayings that would make the rest of us shrug and roll our eyes, though in retrospect I think it was certainly some form of wild-eyed Zen. And we'd always laugh. Some people didn't like Jason, not at first anyway; they'd get turned off by his loud and often obnoxious behavior and mannerisms. But anyone who took about 5 minutes to get to know him loved him. He really had a heart of gold. This was a guy who'd give anything he owned to anybody he thought needed it, or even just kind of liked it. He gave me my first instrument, back in high school, practically demanding I take his bass when I showed an interest in it. It lived with me for over a year while I got a handle on it. Jason's ten years gone now, though sometimes it feels like we were still palling around just yesterday. Other times it feels like several lifetimes ago. I guess the car he was in (as a passenger) slid off of a snowy Colorado mountain road and wrapped itself around a tree. Man, I sure do miss that guy.

My friend Duke passed away this week: a service in his memory is 3/29 in McPherson, KSHe and I enjoyed plenty of good shows in and around the midwest USA. He may have gone to Europe in 1990, as well as to a few 60's shows out in California. Take out your Live Dead album and put the needle on Death Don't Have no Mercy, will ya? R.I P.

Our beloved family member from Atlanta has passed away.Known to many in Atlanta and Detroit as Todd.Please say a prayer for his family.Erin if you read we all love you and we are with you in spirit at this very sad time.

Chad you enlightened us with your free spirit and you will continue to do that with the ones you have lost.Chad at the young age of 30 left this earth to be reunited with family and friends he had lost but now has found. We love you and will miss you and you will be forever in our hearts and our souls. 1977-2008

Hey everybody, I just wanted to mention Johnny toast even though he has been gone now for 15 years. It was important to him for people to never forget him. He was a hard person to forget but time does weaken the memory. He was full of so much life, crazier than ever. And one of the greatest people I ever knew.

Merry Christmas to my sister Patty amd my Mom! Peace, I love & miss you both!