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  • hendrixfreak
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    Okay, Hunter S. Thompson story.....

    It's the early 90s (I think) at Denver's old Stapleton Airport. I'm in line to lovely Newark, NJ, where my parents lived. (They were died-in-the-wool New Yorkers, RIP. I was born in Manhattan.) The guy in front of me is bald(ing) and his head has a slightly familiar shape. Discreetly, I glance at the tag on the attache case in his hand: "Hunter S. Thompson, Doctor of Divinity."

    A couple nights prior, HST had been on David Letterman (whose assinine schtick I never liked, but HST is on, you know?) and HST talked about covering the Pulitzer divorce trial in Miami, where high caliber fireworks apparently are readily available.

    HST comes out, unsteadily, with his lit cigarette in its holder and a small colorful box in his hand. He settles in, Letterman asks something stupid and HST manages a mumbled grunt, then something akin to "I've been up for days, not entirely here, not well..." Letterman leans in theatrically, as HST's mumble is not made-for-prime-time. And HST places the maybe four-inch to a side box on Letterman's desk, within HST's reach. That's when I notice the fuse. While HST mumbles under his breath, Letterman is hamming it up for the camera, like "Can you believe this wack-o?" Meanwhile, HST slowly, casually, extends his left hand, with the cigarette, to the fuse. The distance between the lit cig and the fuse is closing. Letterman looks over just in time and uses his Johnny Carson eraser-at-both-ends pencil to scoot the box just out of HST's reach. Maybe, at this late date, I'm only imagining a subtle smile creeping over HST's face. Maybe, more likely, he's completely deadpan.

    Fast forward a few days and HST must have flown from NY to his home in Aspen, Colorado, then appears in front of me in line to go to Newark. I say, "Pardon me, Mr. Thompson, I'd just like to say that your appearance on Letterman was pure genius. You were so close to lighting that fuse. And Letterman is such a phony schmuck." HST turns, again that almost undetectable smile plays over his mouth. "Yeah, Letterman's a dick," he mumbles. Or something like that. So I said, "Whatcha doin' now?" "Pulitzer divorce trial for Rolling Stone in Miami," he says under his breath. "That's cool," I say. "Why are you flying to Newark?" "NEWARK!?" he says, "GODAMMIT! I'm going to Miami." I said, "Oh, over there, that's the line for Miami."

    HST mutters "Thanks" and shuffles off to another line as we began boarding for lovely Newark, NJ. And I'm left to wonder what it would've been like to be seat mates with HST for a several hour flight. (I was holding materials for use in the airplane bathroom.) May lightning lay me low if I lie. Best I can do ~30 years later.

    Ah, the beauty of random encounters!

  • proudfoot
    Joined:
    What are the risks of eating...

    Sheperdz pie?

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Shopping at Tesco's

    Nick1234 - your'e lucky you've still got one - that is one of the shops that has closed round here over the last year or so. Come to Lowestoft - an emptying town center full of boarded up shops. Book early.
    I think the risks associated with eating Shepherds Pie are a bit exaggerated. Unless of course you happen to be a lamb. In which case you're screwed.

    Thinking of American poets over the last 50 years makes me realise how old fashioned I have become. Both Raymond Carver and Denis Johnson have written poetry, but it tends to be their short stories or novels that I have enjoyed more.

  • Nick1234
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    Poets and pickers?

    Any recommendations for American poets from the last 50 years? I love American fiction but I'm not too familiar with much relatively recent poetry.

    Acoustic guitar, piano, bass, drums, a nice flowing, picky electric guitar style, Jerry McGee or David Lindley say, and a vocalist that can actually sing. Any suggestions?

    DaveRock, I shop at Tesco's, is there something I should know, does that mean I haven't got long left? I do like a decent Shepherd's Pie though, but having a vegan wife it's a rare treat.

  • billy the kiddd
    Joined:
    Drink all day /..

    and rock all night!

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Keith Richards

    He also had access to the best Shepherds Pie. He wouldn't have lasted this long if he'd shopped at Tesco's.

  • proudfoot
    Joined:
    The pleasures of GD69

    2 11
    5 23
    etc.

    We all need more GD69, Dave. MORE.

    Liiiike..

    MORE.

  • proudfoot
    Joined:
    Great image, HF

    YAAAAHHHHHOOOOOO!

  • LedDed
    Joined:
    Elegantly wasted, indeed...

    I believe Keith Richards is still with us for a number of reasons, one, good genetics.

    Also, by his own admission he had the cleanest of drugs, the finest Merck pharmaceutical cocaine and ultra pure, clean heroin. Not sure about all the dirty Jack Daniel's and Marlboros though.

    Plus, he has lived like royalty for the past 50 years. He's Keith f-ing Richards! He calls the shots. Other than that Toronto bust, I doubt he stresses very much. Always seems like the genuine real rock n' roll article to me.

    God Bless Keith Richards, Jack Nicholson, and Hunter S. Thompson. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

    \m/

  • hendrixfreak
    Joined:
    KR is certainly 'well preserved'...

    Formaldehyde, proudfoot, formaldehyde....

    Imagine the scene, a few billions years on, when the Earth plunges into the Sun, and KR is the last man standing, waving his hat like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove as he rides an H bomb to its target....

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3 years 6 months

....I would pay a pretty penny to see them if they ever reunited. And you can take that to the bank.
Zenatta Mondatta was one of the first records I ever bought with my own money because I liked the cover.
The music is good too.

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10 years 2 months

In reply to by Vguy72

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Really sad news, for me. He apparently died two days ago. He may not be well known in the States-he was the guitarist for Dr Feelgood when I first saw him - supporting Hawkwind in 1974. No hippy baggage here though-mean and tough r&b that carried on from 1964 as though the intervening years hadn't happened. A clean cut, razor sharp telecaster and the some of the best stage movements by any guitarist I have ever seen. Possibly the best live rock and roll band in England in the mid 70's .

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3 years
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The last Viola Lee Blues was played on 10/31/70 at Stony Brook N.Y. The first version was played on 2/23/66, it was a song that really improved with age. The Dead played alot of great versions, but 5/2/70 is pretty hard to top. The Dead played it 30 times. I wish they would have brought it back when Brent was in the band.

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14 years 11 months
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68 and still playing, doesn't take Grateful Dead tune requests anymore, he has plenty of his own music, but he may weave a few bars of "Loser" or "Whart Rat" into a nice jam. Always thought he was a great addition to the band. Noticed Vguy mentioned the Police, great band and always put on a great show. Saw them several times, once at Disney World rising up out of the floor of the stage at the Tomorrowland pavilion before Andy Summers joined the band and then the best time I witnessed the greatest light show outside of a dead or pink floyd show, Ghosts in the Machine tour. Stewart Copeland (AKA Clark Kent) is on tour now and if you get the opportunity to catch him live, enjoy, he plays a phenomenal kit. Yes MaryE is the best.

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4 years 3 months

In reply to by PT Barnum

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to musicians who played with the GD they would have "the curse" thereafter...at least one Deadhead at their future shows making a Deadhead of themselves.

Or something like that

I feel like Julie Andrews today because

"Iiii am Coooviiid neeeegatiiiive!"

Hooray for my 59 year old a$$!!!

Happy Birthday Bruce the Bruce!!!

Viola Lee Blues
5 2 70 indeed
11/10/67

Love that

Dr Feelgood was a great group, full of energy. If you don’t remember Wilko Johnson from there perhaps you saw him as the executioner who (Spoiler Alert) removed Ned Stark’s head in ‘Game of Thrones’. RIP.

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12 years 1 month

In reply to by daverock

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Happy Thanksgiving to all you good folks.

The Last Waltz will be playing throughout the day.

Enjoy.

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11 years 7 months

In reply to by billy the kiddd

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Thanks BTK, one of my most fave primal tunes... there's some snippets of them rehearsing VLB, then a nearly 16 minute run through available for streaming on the archive: Grateful Dead Live at The Questing Beast on 1966-02-05. Fascinating historical stuff. Instead of Macy's, will be viewing the live footage/film of Jimi at Royal Albert Hall, February 24,1969.

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17 years 5 months
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Happy Thanksgiving to all of the rabble rousers in the comments. I say that with genuine with appreciation and respect. These comments have continued to be a great place to come to almost daily for me. If the fates would ever allow a meet up of sorts, I think it would be a wonderful thing. Regardless, the world continues to be crazy place, so I hope all are well.

A quick comment on Viola Lee Blues: This is one of those tunes that like Mason's Children, Mountains of the Moon, New Potato Caboose, and the Eleven had short stints in the band's rotation, which is a shame. I wish these songs would have been revived before Jerry died. Thankfully, and for what it is worth, since the Other Ones in 1998 these songs have had second life. This is one of the reasons why I appreciate the post Jerry bands because they put these tunes along with St. Stephen and some others back into the rotation.

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10 years 2 months
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Adopted two boy cats yesterday. It may be awhile before I can post an icon like Mr. Ones but that image is pretty close. One is still kind of scared to be in a new place so he's a bit camera shy. They were buds at the shelter in Ridgway so they will give each other comfort and companionship. Phoebe would have liked them I think. She liked all the boys and chased some too. Wishing you all comfort and companionship today too.
30 Days-o-Dead keeping me too busy to do shows this week but all the research in DeadbaseX had me reading some of Dick Latvala's finest recommendations so DaP23 from 1-22-78 and the RT Vol.1 No. 4 From Egypt With Love 10-21,22-78 are on deck.
Cheers

.... at an average of 75 mph, and never left the state of Nevada.
Take that for what you will.
Some may call it boring. I'm just bobbing my head.
Drove to see my girl/wife.

The highlight of the drive was 11/23/73 El Paso. Great show, only my second listen, the last probably ten years ago.

As for Viola Lee Blues, what a swirling, churning whirling whimsical living piece of performance art. Time slows up and speeds down in this song. How do they do it and why did they stop? An unsolvable riddle perhaps. What a great song and one of my primal favorites.

Got all the way to where I was going, my 83-year-old dad came down with covid so our together holiday plans were scrapped, and we had to break down into smaller tribes. Dad's immunocompromised, has a rare slow growth cancer.. so there's more than a touch of concern. Oh well, all we can do is keep on keeping on.

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4 years 8 months
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Anyone have any ideas as to why Dave's Picks aren't being re-issued by Real Gone? I have filled a few gaps in my Road Trips series via Real Gone ... I inquired as to why they don't have Dave's, but do have a slew of Dick's Picks & Road Trips. They said they'd love to reissue, implying that it's not them, it's the GD (corp?) ..... I'd certainly be happy if it came to be! Perhaps Dave could shed some light on this ??

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13 years 4 months

In reply to by topchinacat

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Dave's Picks are not going to be re-released by real gone because they are a limited-edition series. Road Trips and Dicks Picks were not marketed as such, so they can print more copies if they choose.

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12 years
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Woke up at 7:45 and realized it was RSD. Record stores are 20 miles from here. Jumped up and dashed there. No traffic all the way there. Store was opened already and no lines!!! Parked right in front and grabbed the two I wanted.
JGB - Hampton, 11/91 and Europe 72 release of 4/7/72. Back in car and home by 915 and a cup of joe.

Still in shock at how smooth it all went!

Hope everyone had a nice bird.

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16 years 1 month
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That's two fall '73 shows! That's not too bad at all.

Jim sorry to hear about your dad I hope he makes a full an speedy recovery. Hang in there brother!

Yesterday, in order played:

Last Waltz
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Church
Long Strange Trip

All on BluRay.
Sat through LST, the other 2 were playing while I was doing stuff on the computer and cooking.

Is there more video for Last Waltz that didn’t make the movie?
Would be nice if all the video that exists were released.
The Last Waltz DVD that came out in the late 90’s/early 00’s (I borrowed someone’s to watch back then) had bonus filler of a jam with all the musicians that was recorded until they ran out of film. That jam is not included on the BluRay that I have.

Well done Dennis, early bird gets the worm.
I haven’t left my house, I’m more of a believer in “second mouse gets the cheese”.
I’ll wait and see what they cost in a few months.

Ice Cream - Rhino released a limited edition (2,500 copies) Last Waltz a few years ago - the 40th Special Edition - which I bought, with the massive Scorsese script included, as well as an extra Blu Ray of interviews, but I cannot remember if it had extra music footage. I know guys like Ron Wood and Stills etc hung around for jams, and I know I have those on one of the audio releases, but I’ll have to pull this edition out to revisit the Blu Rays.

Jim - Best wishes for good health for your Dad.

Dennis - Nice job on getting Garcia Hampton. If memory serves me right, Bruce sat in with the band on that one. Coincidentally, I was paying GarciaLive 19 this morning while doing some paperwork, and the version of Deal on this release is probably the most muscular one I’ve ever heard. On fire. Something I always wished Jerry would do a bit more of - such a talented guitarist, I personally wouldn’t have minded if he turned it up to 11 once in a while. He was a rock and roller, at heart.

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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....from Vegas to Elko. I've driven that route so many times I could do it with my eyes closed. Spun GD 11.17.73 Pauley and Phish 11.25.94 Chicago. Had an hour to spare, so I threw in some Oingo Boingo at the end.
#bringbackcdplayersincars.
P.s. it's cold up here.

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10 years
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Finally arrived. Mystery solved. Thank you Marye for reaching out to me.
I look forward to your next Marye Drew Mystery, “Marye Drew & The Hidden DaP 45 In The Staircase”

....that was a good one lol.
Shes the mother hen to all us bozos.
I bet she sits back and reads some of these conversations and just shakes her head and laughs.
I've never had to call on her, but good to know I have a savior if needed.

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10 years 2 months
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Doesn't seem to matter how, or under what tab like "shows", I input a date I get the same mixed media results. Envelopes, photos, and god knows what-all. Then you may get a date near what you asked for or maybe the same year mostly but completely random for 55 pages. Sometimes in a group of 1970 shows they'll throw in some completely different years decades apart. Is there a way to parse with commas, dashes or something?
And while I'm asking what other sources do you folks use for setlists that don't exist in my trusty old Deadbase?
30 Days is killing me!
Thanks and cheers

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10 years 2 months
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Bam! Took me right there.
And I'm not the only one today it seems.
Mystery solved and no surprise, Deadbase is incomplete.
Thanks again and cheers

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9 years 1 month

In reply to by 1stshow70878

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What Deadbase version are you using?

Deadbase 50 is the most up to date version for set lists.

I have IX, XI, and 50 (which includes a copy of XI).
I used IX for tape trading, and it helped immensely back then, but it’s missing or has inaccurate set lists for some of the early years.

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17 years 5 months

In reply to by icecrmcnkd

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I have X and 50. I use ten to write in and document stuff, 50 only gets taken off the shelf to check on things that are wrong in ten, or for things that aren’t in ten I.e., solo bands and post Jerry stuff.
When searching I don’t go to archive, I just type in a date and usually an archive thing that rhymes with stink is one of the responses?

So this time of year has often been a mixed blessing, and this year the worlds been conspiring to make it extra interesting, which has put me in a bit of a funk lately. But fortunately, sometimes we get shown the light…
Long short, I don’t care what anyone says Jeff Smith is awright! A kind and righteous dude to be sure!
Out of nowhere left field, he basically miracled me with the equivalent of a shaft of glorious light, that may not have completely shook me blues, but has helped me up out of the mire, to keep on keeping on, like a bird that flew…
I only wish the gd postal service was as good as him, so the circle will be unbroken.
Thanks cannot describe…

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10 years 2 months
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I'm discovering its limitations the more I do 30 Days.
Joey's tip will help a lot I think.
Still no clue how to effectively use The Archive for research.
But it is easy enough to listen on.
I have not ever downloaded off it yet. Don't have the system to utilize them.
Thanks to all and keep those cards and letters coming.
Do T-Day leftovers have an expiration date?
Cheers

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11 years 7 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

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50 is available as a free download PDF, just gotta poke around.

To navigate directly to The Dead's music in archive, this works for me:
GDYEAR-MN-DT

So letters GD, no space, the four digit year, dash, two digits for month, dash, two digits for date. This works from search engines in browsers for me, no need to go to archive first, just that much will bring the archive listing up to one click.

There's a local story here, author John Scott first saw the Dead as a student when they played at Dartmouth in 1978, soon after he began developing early Deadbase while still an undergraduate. He moved down the road to Cornish, NH after graduation, home of another famous author, J.D. Salinger. Also home to artists Maxfield Parrish and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The longest covered bridge in the world (now second) ran between Cornish NH and Windsor, VT across the Connecticut River. And of course, our very own Doc11 was at Dartmouth too. Mr. PC must be off somewhere with Don Juan's Reckless Daughter.

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3 years
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Today were cooking salmon and rib eye steaks. Were drinking Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. First music up, T Bone Walker The Complete Recordings 1940 - 1954 Mosaic Records. T Bone Walker influenced everybody who's anybody, check him.out. Beautiful day here in the Bay Area, rain is comming, we need it.

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13 years 4 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

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Setlists.net makes for easy searching during 30 days of dead too. Type each song you are looking for in the songs lookup box and it gives you the shows they both appeared in.

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16 years 5 months
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Mornin', rockers!!

The debate of 11/16/70 vs 11/23/70 has been around as long as those tapes have circulated. Which means, since the dawn of time. Just one man's opinion, but the best evidence indicates that the true date is November 16, at the Fillmore East. For me, the best indicator may be Bill Grahm's intro before Casey Jones. Pretty unlikely he would do intros at a competitor's venue. In addition, Traffic tour information indicates they were scheduled to be in Buffalo on the evening of November 23, but they were in New York City for scheduled shows at the Fillmore on the 18th and 19th, with the 16th being an "open date".

It does include one of the absolutely greatest versions of Hard To Handle ever, with some otherwordly playing by Bob Weir.

Every journey into the past is complicated by delusions, false memories, false namings of real events.....

Up too early, not enough coffee, time to walk dogs........

Rock on,

Doc
No memory is ever alone; it's at the end of a trail of memories, a dozen trails that each have their own associations.....

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2 years 3 months

In reply to by 1stshow70878

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Sometimes i just poke around herbibot for the hell of it, its amazing to think a deadhead made that!

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12 years
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Got a little package in the mail yesterday,,, it was soft and from "bob dylan. com". I was "huh",, opened it up and it was a red rain poncho with bob dylan printed on the back.?

Anyone else get one? I assume it came because of the latest bootleg.

It was one of those garbarge bag style you'd buy at a venue if it started raining.

No idea why I got one.

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10 years 2 months
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For the Hard Rain reissue?
Too early for that. Wasn't that a '75 tour?
Just a wild guess.
Cheers

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10 years 9 months
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Jimi's music always seems fresh to me, in that it doesn't seem to age. In the sense that no one has ever come close and it remains cutting edge. Sure, the early hits can seem like a throwback (Purple, Foxey, Fire), but 80% of his recorded legacy -- an astounding legacy for 4-5 years of tapes running -- is still better than most music of the past 50 years. I got into it in summer '69 and, 53 years later, I'm blasting LA Forum April '69.

I feel the same way about the Beatles' songs and those by The Band, and the best of the songs and jamming by the GD and ABB.

Sure, I still go to shows, particularly local bars, sometimes theaters and, of course, Red Rocks (though I'm down to interest in like one band per summer, musically and financially). Huge dichotomy between listening to recorded music in the comfort of home and raging at The Rocks, as we all know. But with several hundred CDs of Jimi I think I'll make it to spring.

So, hats off to Jimi's birth. I wish that everyone would celebrate the dearly departed by birthday and not by death day, though the latter are difficult to forget.

On a wholly different note, wishing JimMD's dad a full recovery.

Paxlovid is wonderful stuff. As far as we can tell, dad is on the rebound and almost back to his crotchety old self, back to yelling at hippies to get off his grass and prancing around like a cracker version of Fred Sanford. My biggest complaint now is that I did not get my expected amount of Thanksgiving leftovers. First world problems I guess....

Thanks for the concern folks..

I could be wrong.. but if my sleuthing skills are intact, those folks at 30 days of the dead are messing with us. Putting out crisp and clean soundboard nugget of a tape that seems to currently only circulate as an audience.

It must mean there are new reels floating around Burbank that have yet to be released and are not circulating. There is only one solution to this quandry.. we must storm the vault and free the reels. Who's with me?

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17 years 5 months

In reply to by JimInMD

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JM, glad your pops is on the rebound!
Quote of the week “prancing around like a cracker version of Fred Sanford”
Proper!

Long live Jimi!

This Oscar Peterson Xmass CD we recently acquired is Dope!

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11 years 7 months

In reply to by JimInMD

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especially if we get to use your time machine to find out where the keys are stashed. Do believe there's stuff in the vault that's never been out. Happy Birthday Jimi. Not that I watch much football, but at the end of the first quarter of the Bucs & Browns game today, the fade music was Jimi's version of All Along The Watchtower. Coincidence? Synchronicity?? Are You Experienced was a mind blowing thing for fifteen year old me summer 1967 heard on a massive pair of Altec Lansing speakers.

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17 years 5 months
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And all those who share today as their birthday. Like me, for instance.

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