Jerry Garcia is the perfect example of a person who perfectly captured the psychedelic and counterculture revolution of the 1960s. As the primary force behind The Grateful Dead, a pioneering blues psych rock group, Garcia opened up new creative and influential avenues for rock music. Therefore, Garcia could have been excused for taking a back seat and losing interest in the rapidly evolving rock and pop music scene, but he always seemed to have his ears to the ground.
From their early days in the 1960s, when they formed out of acid tests and hippie rebellion, The Grateful Dead immediately established themselves as a band unlike any other. That may help to explain why Garcia and company accumulated such a devoted following during their time in office. If you can remember a Grateful Dead show, chances are it was bootlegged, recorded, and thoroughly documented by the Deadheads—which is surprising, considering that drug-addled hippies aren’t exactly known for their organisational prowess.
Even though the Dead got their start in the 1960s, their fame only seemed to grow over time, especially in the US. In a way that most of their counterculture peers were unable to, the group appeared to transcend musical fads and the rise of new genres. Jerry Garcia was a little surprised that the Grateful Dead were still drawing sizable crowds around the world during the early 1980s new wave revolution.
During a 1981 tour to the United Kingdom, Garcia discussed his enduring admiration for the contemporary music scene. He cited in particular the work of English musicians like Elvis Costello and Gary Numan. The tour included four nights of performances at The Rainbow Theatre in London. During this period, Garcia was especially fond of the electro pioneer Gary Numan. He said to NME, “I like Gary Numan a lot.”
Although Numan’s synth-driven new wave songs appear to be very different from The Grateful Dead’s blues- and jazz-influenced rock, Jerry Garcia did not seem to mind. He said, “I think he’s got a real thing. I think his stuff is really interesting.” Individuals with genuine conviction in their work are appealing to me. Convinced that they have a valid point to make and a genuine method of making it.
This unanticipated admiration for Numan raises intriguing “what-ifs” regarding a possible partnership between the two artists. After all, the Grateful Dead were famous for frequently covering and working with the musicians who served as their inspiration. Garcia brought up his love of Elvis Costello in the same conversation. He said, “These guys all seem so much more together than I feel”. But added at the time that “I’d be intimidated by him.” I have the impression of someone who is continuously on the edge of losing it or making a mistake. I am really insecure right now.
Later, expressing amazement at Costello’s creative ease, he said, “I admire Elvis Costello for his amazing output.” The guy is so damn prolific, goddamn it. A successful year is comparable to me penning three songs. I have trouble coming up with songs.
Garcia may not have wanted to practise psychiatry. However, his heavy reliance on psychedelics throughout his musical career may have contributed to his insecurities and uneasiness. He remarked, “It’s hard for me to understand how they do it when I see people perform with such style. “I admire those guys,” the speaker said, “because it takes tremendous balls and tremendous nerve.”
