The Beatles: things really interesting at Rubber Soul. And of course The Grateful Dead.
I'm old enough to remember watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Listening to their albums took up a lot of time starting when I was a kid. Waiting for the next album to come out was a singular pass time. And I so clearly remember listening to Rubber Soul for the first time. Oh my, a friend and I were stunned. We knew something was coming, something was new. We used to listen over and over and pretty much had nothing to say except wow. That wow grew and grew with each of their subsequent albums. Abbey Road is still my favorite.
That kind of burning star of creativity couldn't last, so the eventual Beatles breakup wasn't a surprise. I do believe that no human can sustain that level of creative genius beyond a certain time frame. If they do; well the outpouring is astounding but it can break the human. Maybe it's something about flying too long and too near the 'ether' as the Jungians say.
For the past three days I've been immersed in listening to the Beatles. As usual, I'm astonished by just how good it all is. And how good it makes me feel. As I type this I've got the second part of The White Album blasting over the Bose sound dock. I remember waiting in line at the Harvard Coop in Cambridge, album in one hand, my father's Coop card in the other. There was a steady cacophony as the other people in line pondered the music and the band.
Members of the Grateful Dead have talked about how seeing and listening to the Beatles opened the doors for them to become what they. . .er, were. Certainly the Beatles opened the doors for me to be receptive to the Dead. Music really did save me in every way possible.
Below is the link for the Wenner Garcia interview on his archive site. Re-reading it reminds me of how aware we were of what was happening in the San Francisco music scene as it was happening. I might have been about ten years old but we were watching what was going on and I wanted to be there so badly. I guess one might say I got there in the end. Even if it did take me until 1977 to start going to Dead shows. The whole point of this nattering on is that the Beatles were my gateway music. Listening to their later albums cracked my head open in just the right way.
http://www.jannswenner.com/archives/jerry_garcia_part1.aspx
This following quote says a lot to me because of just how happy the Beatles made me. Even the sad songs. Several vinyl copies of Abbey Road gave their all as they were played over, and over, and over. Oh man, my poor parents must have gone spare. Sadly I cannot find the exact quote from Jerry about the aftermath of the Beatle's show in 1966.
"REICH: How much were the Beatles important to you?
GARCIA: They were real important to everybody. They were a little model, especially the movies – the movies were a big turn-on. Just because it was a little model of good times. "
The thing about 'good times' is that it's a concept that has so many layers and real existential thinky thoughts attached to it. What makes for good times varies, but I'm pretty sure it involves a human brain and heart immersed in vital music. I'll never take for granted the fact that all of my beloved albums can be carted about on an iPhone or iPod Touch. Really, so much music to have at my fingertips. Bigger on the inside as the saying goes.
PS. I've always wished that Jerry Garcia would have played 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. That would have been quite something indeed.
PPS. And for ease of access I'm adding a few other links about what influenced Garcia so I can find it again later.
http://deadessays.blogspot.com/2013/08/garcias-record-collection.html
That kind of burning star of creativity couldn't last, so the eventual Beatles breakup wasn't a surprise. I do believe that no human can sustain that level of creative genius beyond a certain time frame. If they do; well the outpouring is astounding but it can break the human. Maybe it's something about flying too long and too near the 'ether' as the Jungians say.
For the past three days I've been immersed in listening to the Beatles. As usual, I'm astonished by just how good it all is. And how good it makes me feel. As I type this I've got the second part of The White Album blasting over the Bose sound dock. I remember waiting in line at the Harvard Coop in Cambridge, album in one hand, my father's Coop card in the other. There was a steady cacophony as the other people in line pondered the music and the band.
Members of the Grateful Dead have talked about how seeing and listening to the Beatles opened the doors for them to become what they. . .er, were. Certainly the Beatles opened the doors for me to be receptive to the Dead. Music really did save me in every way possible.
Below is the link for the Wenner Garcia interview on his archive site. Re-reading it reminds me of how aware we were of what was happening in the San Francisco music scene as it was happening. I might have been about ten years old but we were watching what was going on and I wanted to be there so badly. I guess one might say I got there in the end. Even if it did take me until 1977 to start going to Dead shows. The whole point of this nattering on is that the Beatles were my gateway music. Listening to their later albums cracked my head open in just the right way.
http://www.jannswenner.com/archives/jerry_garcia_part1.aspx
This following quote says a lot to me because of just how happy the Beatles made me. Even the sad songs. Several vinyl copies of Abbey Road gave their all as they were played over, and over, and over. Oh man, my poor parents must have gone spare. Sadly I cannot find the exact quote from Jerry about the aftermath of the Beatle's show in 1966.
"REICH: How much were the Beatles important to you?
GARCIA: They were real important to everybody. They were a little model, especially the movies – the movies were a big turn-on. Just because it was a little model of good times. "
The thing about 'good times' is that it's a concept that has so many layers and real existential thinky thoughts attached to it. What makes for good times varies, but I'm pretty sure it involves a human brain and heart immersed in vital music. I'll never take for granted the fact that all of my beloved albums can be carted about on an iPhone or iPod Touch. Really, so much music to have at my fingertips. Bigger on the inside as the saying goes.
PS. I've always wished that Jerry Garcia would have played 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. That would have been quite something indeed.
PPS. And for ease of access I'm adding a few other links about what influenced Garcia so I can find it again later.
http://deadessays.blogspot.com/2013/08/garcias-record-collection.html