Two episodes in one: we meditate on the harmony tracks and metaphysical overtones of the hymn-like Attics Of My Life, before David Crosby and Steve Silberman return for extended look at how the American Beauty sessions flowed into Croz’s masterpiece, If I Could Only Remember My Name, where Jerry Garcia and the Dead served as supporting musicians and friends.
Attics of My Life supplementary notes
By Jesse Jarnow
“Attics Of My Life” is a nondenominational hymn and--like the Dead--our episode is a blend of voices.
Erik Davis is the author of several excellent books, most lately the extremely heady High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies, available from MIT Press. Lately, he’s been publishing the engaging newsletter called The Burning Shore. Though it’s not active at the moment, Deadcast listeners might also enjoy the archive of his podcast, The Expanding Mind.
William Tyler is a musician from Nashville who makes expansive instrumental guitar music. His discography is available on Bandcamp (and elsewhere), and pedal steel heads might enjoy the Lost Colony EP. His version of “Attics Of My Life,” recorded on a benefit CDR for Jeff Conklin’s Avant Ghetto on WFMU, can be heard via Aquarium Drunkard. Jeff now hosts The Trailhead on WKVR featuring much great modern psychedelia.
Ira Kaplan is one-third of Yo La Tengo, an American institution, whose work spans the gamut of American music. Their latest releases are We Have Amnesia Sometimes, an EP of improvisations, and Sleepless Night, an EP of covers.
David Crosby and Steve Silberman’s limited edition Freak Flag Flying podcast from Osiris is well worth a listen if you want more of Croz and Steve.
This Jerry Garcia interview from a 1971 issue of Guitar Player has fascinating discussion of his pedal steel playing.
David Crosby spoke about his Dead fandom in Rolling Stone in the summer of 1970, just before If I Could Only Remember My Name got rolling.
