You are walking around a parking lot full of almost clown like dressed people with long hair. The smell of patchouli oils cannot be escaped everywhere you turn. There are men and women with gray hair and young teens mixed in together. Volkswagen buses seem to be the vehicle of choice for many of these people. Every aisle you walk down people are selling clothing, food, pictures, bumper stickers, and an assortment of drugs. “Where am I?” you ask. There is only one place like this in the world, a Grateful Dead concert. This band started acquiring a cult following in their formation in the 1960’s and that following is still strong today. The Grateful Dead saw many happy times, as well as, many sad times. Jerry Garcia, the lead guitar player, died from a long life of drug abuse and accompanied bad health in 1995. The band also saw three keyboardists die while they were playing. Two died from drug abuse and the other died in a car accident. In this essay, I will give biographical details of this incredibly successful, popular band and their musical influences and roots. I will also talk about the many aspects of this band which make it different from other bands. I will

The 1960’s was a time when youth questioned authority and they also embraced the use of drugs. The term “hippie” became a household word and the Grateful Dead emerged as an icon symbolizing these times. In their early years, the Dead lived on Haight Ashbury Street in San Francisco. This part of town was known for its social dissidents and hippies. The band became friends with a writer named Ken Kesey who took part in the LSD acid tests of the early 1960’s. Members of the Dead attended parties with Kesey where marijuana and LSD where the main course. They also became friends with an infamous bus driver named Neal Cassidy who would inspire many of the bands lyrics. Neal Cassidy was a member of the Merry Pranksters who traveled the country in a bus attending concerts and parties. The Grateful Dead often joined the Pranksters and LSD trips were always a staple (Schneider 13-16). This was the time of free love and the quest for world peace. Haight Ashbury was the location for many peace rallies against the Vietnam War. The Grateful Dead would often play in the streets for free during these rallies. The Grateful Dead were true products of the 60’s and these ideals followed them the rest of their career.

The album I chose to critique is called Terrapin Station. The Dead are known for their live performances, not their studio work, but this was an incredibly successful album for them. The recordings on this album resemble their live music in that the songs are very long and intricate. The albums signature song is the title track “Terrapin Station”. This version of “Terrapin Station” is often considered to be better than the live version. This song is full of sounds and jams that only the Dead could produce. Jerry Garcia’s voice is at its finest, carrying tunes with melody and inspiration. The album includes a cover version of “Dancing in the Streets” which is a perfect song for them to cover because their concerts are full of writhing bodies grooving to the beat. Bob Weir is the lead singer in a song called “Sampson and Delilah” in which there is a very rhythmic drum beat throughout the song. This album also features the vocals of Donna Godcheaux who was the wife of the keyboardist at the time. She adds melody and harmony to the background vocals. Overall, this album is a good example of what makes this band so great. It has studio sound quality and it includes long complex guitar jams by Jerry Garcia.

The Grateful Dead is a very unique band. They are known as a concert band and never received much radio play or hig

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