Happy birthday, Mr. Gravy

Tonight is Wavy Gravy’s birthday party at the Berkeley Community Theater, as always a benefit for SEVA. C.W. Nevius writes about Wavy in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. Compassion comes easy to this clown A few excerpts: ….this has been a remarkable run, from making announcements atop the stage at Woodstock to having Ben & Jerry’s … Read more

Saunders-Garcia “Well-Matched”

Fantasy Records has just released Well-Matched: The Best of Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia. I picked the tracks, and Blair Jackson wrote the excellent liner notes. Mystery Train • Lonely Avenue • Merl’s Tune • Positively Fourth St. • After Midnight • Welcome to the Basement • Space • I Second That Emotion (previously unreleased) … Read more

The Projection Party, projecting

Jon Carroll in today’s San Francisco Chronicle: Y’all have probably heard about this dispute surrounding Plan B, the so-called “morning after” pill …. Plan B is a contraceptive, and there are people who don’t like contraceptives…. Janet Woodcock, who is the deputy operations commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, apparently told a group of … Read more

Pombo Must Go!

This is from my friend and colleague Paul Stubblebine: Please join pianist Pete Sears (Hot Tuna, Starship, Flying Other Brothers, etc.) singer Spencer Day (Decca recording artist) Paul Stubblebine (Coast Recorders) for an opportunity to meet and mingle with Steve Thomas, candidate for Congress in the 11th Congressional District. This district is important to all … Read more

Blue Roses?

I wrote the song “Blue Roses” in 1974. The goddamn Grateful Dead (i.e. Kelley and Mouse) created a Blue Rose poster for their 12/31/7 Winterland show. Now, courtesy of Bob Delaney, I have news of an actual blue rose. But: it looks pretty damn PURPLE to me.

Grateful Dead Hour #921

Week of May 15, 2006 Part 1 37:11 Grateful Dead 4/17/72 Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark SUGAR MAGNOLIA-> CAUTION (DO NOT STOP ON TRACKS)-> JOHNNY B. GOODE Part 2 19:09 Jerry Garcia and David Grisman, So What SO WHAT (Take 1, 12/6/90) Donna the Buffalo, Positive Friction FAMILY PICTURE Michael Peter Smith, Live at Dark-Thirty … Read more

Rubber Souldiers 5/13 – audio

Unedited MP3s of the Rubber Souldiers set at the Larkspur Cafe Theater Saturday, May 13. You’ll also find links to two particular highlights: “Baby’s in Black” and “Girl-> Things We Said Today.” The set list: Across the Universe * Nowhere Man * Baby’s in Black * If I Fell * I Should Have Known Better … Read more

New loop work

Recorded yesterday: a new studio performance of “Quarter to Five.” I recently bought some new gear, and now I am able to run two independent loops. My first application of this facility is to create what I call “lenticular clouds”: using an overdrive to create a rich, sustained tone, and a volume pedal, and working … Read more

Rubber Souldiers to perform May 13 in Larkspur CA

The last two days have been blissful because of Rubber Souldiers rehearsals with Chris and Lorin Rowan! Yesterday it was just the three of us, finalizing the set list and working out the vocals, and today we rehearsed with the full band. We’ll have David Phillips on pedal steel, Josh Kaye on keyboards, Josh Zucker … Read more