Sections

Garcia, Dead should be honored

I'm writing in response to Daily Music Editor Brian A. Gnatt's article on the year in music ("The Best of 1995: Music," 1/18/96), especially his views regarding the death of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead's musical "impressiveness." In summarizing 1995, Gnatt comments, "The one good thing about music in 1995 -- Jerry Garcia finally died. People... realized the Dead's music wasn't all that impressive, and they realized any other second-rate pot-heads like Phish would be sufficient to satisfy all their burnt-out hippie rock needs."

First of all, on a humanistic level, although I realize the Daily thrives on sarcasm, it is simply wrong to describe the death of anyone as "good." This is especially true when describing the death of a man such as Garcia, who both made thousands of people happy with his music and donated endless amounts of time and money to charitable causes throughout his lifetime. I understand that the Daily and Mr. Gnatt like to sound "hip" to the college crowd who couldn't care less about the Dead and also that I may sound corny, but a widely read newspaper is no place to joke about death; it is simply offensive.

On a musical level, Mr. Gnatt wrote that the "Dead's music wasn't all that impressive." I will admit that the Dead were not studio experts and that lately their live performances were lacking a little inspiration. However, Garcia and the Dead's music was not "second-rate hippie rock." They were true musical pioneers, incorporating blues, rock, R&B, jazz, bluegrass, country and even disco into their unique sound. They practically wrote the book on rock concerts based solely on improvisation, and I have yet to hear consistent live performances of any band more intense than the Dead's performances throughout the '70s. Garcia's guitar playing was unique, subtle, brilliant and immediately distinguishable. Additionally musical giants ranging from Elvis Costello to Bob Dylan have praised Garcia as a "musical genius" since his passing.

What Mr. Gnatt does not realize is the fact that Garcia and the Dead's music have influenced many of today's most popular and impressive bands. This is evident when in the next paragraph Mr. Gnatt comments, "The Dave Matthews Band and Blues Traveler finally got the shots they deserved in 1995." Mr. Gnatt forgets that both of those bands replicate the Dead's style of improvisational "jamming" and that both bands would probably be nonexistent today if the Dead never formed. In numerous articles and interviews, members of the Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler and yes, Phish (who actually are not "pot-heads" and don't use drugs onstage), have credited the Dead with being an undeniable influence in the formation and performance of their respective groups.

Finally, I question both how much of Garcia's music Mr. Gnatt has actually sat down and listened to and if he has ever experienced the power of a Dead show. When a writer insults both a man and a band which lasted for more than 30 years while praising bands which probably will be memories in five, I question the thoughtfulness of the article.

Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead produced beautiful music and made many people smile, and these are facts. To praise the passing of Garcia and with him the Dead as the best thing to happen to music in 1995 is both foolish and ignorant.

Michael Goldman