A weekly audio postcard from the wide musical world of America’s best-loved band!
Donna Jean Godchaux Band at Gathering of the Vibes 7/23/09 Jeff Mattson had surgery a few weeks ago to correct a long-time problem with his lungs. He seems almost like a new man now; he has always been a powerful guitar player, but there was an exuberance in his playing last night that I found … Read more
I invited Tom Davis to join me at the Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport CT this weekend. He was particularly interested in seeing Donna Jean Godchaux, who he met in the ’70s and hadn’t seen in a couple of decades. Davis and I arrived at the hotel Thursday afternoon, and Donna Jean and her … Read more
Rita making music in the Light Portal at the Fire Arts Festival in Oakland. Freddy “Are We Really” Hahne, who is among many other things the president of the Rex Foundation board. Here he is as a member of the Mind Shaft Society, just before their Flame Thrower Shooting Gallery opens for business. More photos … Read more
These photos of Al Feldstein were sent to me by Dan Hull. He added a beautiful note to the original memorial post; I’ll paste it in here as well. Al and Luke at the Lomita house circa 1991 Al at my wedding day 1980 I believe that Al was the happiest when he was playin’ … Read more
We don’t get a lot of rain in the Bay Area in July. A light rain in Oakland at 8pm, with the sun shining brightly through a clear sky toward the western horizon, gave us this breathtaking sight. Friends all over the Bay Area reported seeing it.
I’m logging in from the Courtyard Marriott at Cleveland Hopkins Int’l Airport, but that’s not so strange. The strange part is that I ran into some fellow Bay Area musicians in the waiting area: Big Lou’s Polka Casserole – four of ’em, anyway (although none of ’em was the one I know best, pedal steel … Read more
We went to Colorado in October 1996 to play Steve Gayle & Mary Carol Cabibi’s wedding. Steve lined up a gig for us at the Boulder Theater on October 4 to help pay our travel expenses. Great wedding, great gig. Here are some highlights: Scene of the Crime 3:34 Cassidy-> Black-Throated Wind 12:37 An American … Read more
I’m going through Al‘s posts in the WELL, my online hangout for the last 20+ years. Al was there for about ten of those years, and I am finding lots of fun stuff to post here. The first Dead tape I ever heard was in Al’s apartment – Cow Palace ’74, a couple of weeks … Read more
“Fifty Miles from the Past” – The Bobcats at San Francisco State 7/5/74 – guinea pigs for a recording class. Not sure who’s on this other than Al (acoustic guitar and vocal), me (electric guitar), and bassist Ernie Yoshioka. “See the Light” – Bobcats at SF State 7/5/74 again. As soon as I find the … Read more