gdead.berkeley.edu/gdead.berkeley.edu.tar/gdead.berkeley.edu/pub/gdead/miscellaneous/RocknRoll-Hall-of-Fame

Internet Message Format | 1994-02-02 | 12KB

From [e-mail] Tue Feb  1 16:00:15 1994
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 1994 15:53:50 -0800
From: [e-mail] (mark kraitchman)
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Grateful Dead inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame
Sender: [e-mail]

This is a summary of the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame induction cermonies
held on Wednesday January 19, 1994.  I compiled this information from
a number of sources, and I was not able to confirm all the
information...

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The following people from the Grateful Dead were invited and attended:
Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kruetzmann, Mickey Hart, Vince Welnick, Tom
Constanten, Lisa Mydland (accepting for Brent).   Donna Godchaux was
invited and couldn't make it.  And appearantly no living relative of
Pigpen was interested in attending.  Jerry Garcia was invited, but did
not attend.

The band was presented around 10 pm by Bruce Hornsby.

Bruce Hornsby: Thank You, Thank You. I'm here to talk about and pay
tribute to the amazing wonderful phenomenon known as the Grateful
Dead. A lots been written about these guys, often discussed in
terms of the sorts of sociological or cultural phenomena aspects.
The vast unjulating throbbing tie-dyed masses and the entire
subculture that surrounds and follows the band. But I'd like to
deal with the band's music from the point of view of a fan.
Someone who was a fan for 15 or 20 years, who then ended up
playing music with them. In 1974, as a 19 year old college
student, I went to see the Grateful Dead play in my home town.
At the end of the 5 hour show Bobby Weir walked up to the
microphone and said "We had so much fun tonight that we're
gonna come back tomorrow night, take out all the seats and
play for free." Now when your 19 years old, I mean that was
really for me. That was, that was big. And anyone else who
was there for that matter. I think they instantly converted
anyone. From that point on I was a real fan. And my friends
and I did come back for the second free night, where they
didn't repeat one song from the night before. And still don't,
as some know. The Dead had an influence on lots of people I
knew in those days. Such as the college fraternity of Deadheads
I knew who used to drop acid, paint their faces, and go play
intramural volleyball. True. They never won, not once. At later
shows in those days, those same friends could be seen scratching
their heads as Phil Lesh played his electronic music at the
intermissions, the Seastones records. The Dead has always been
about more than Rock N'Roll, about artistic curiosity and
freedom. And has always been interested in and involved with
the gamet of the music of the world. From Mickey Hart's world
music projects, that were going on long before the current
widespread interest and sort of fadish interest in world
music. To Garcia's bluegrass projects. To their Rex Foundation
a charitable organization that among other things gives grants
to obscure 20th century classical composers, along with such
varied musicians, from other musical areas, like Pharoh
Sanders and David Grisman. They've always been more than just
a rock band. And speaking of world music, picture Mickey Hart,
Bill Graham, and basketball hall of famer Bill Walton riding
around on camels around the Sphinx in Egypt when the Dead
played there years ago. These guys have truely always gone
their own way. But in the end it would always come back to
closing the concert night with a Chuck Berry song, or Not
Fade Away, a Dylan song, or Turn On Your Lovelight. No other
band would give you Olatunji and Lovelight, shades of Luciano
Berro and Chuck Berry, musique concrete and three chords in
the same night. Rock N'Roll has supposedly always been about
freedom. To me the Grateful Dead changed the idea of a rock
show, from something really rather strict and calculated.
You probably knew when Elvis was going to do his moves. When
the Beatles were going to shake their heads and go woo. Or
when Jerry Lee was gonna play the piano with his feet. If you
saw the shows once. To something very loose, unstructured,
antipop, a less formal and spontaneous approach to a rock show.
A rare situation where they play a show, where the music is
always up for grabs. Believe me I know about this, there were
many times when I'd be on stage with these guys when I didn't
know what the hell was happening. Truth. Billy Kreutzmann
would have to give me some sort of sign, some sort of hand
signal. We are going here Bruce, go there with us. (the Dead
give Bruce grief from the side of the stage) There telling me
to shut up over there. Another hand signal. But thats good to
me, that's freedom and spontaniety, and it makes for many more
special musical moments than would occur if you just played
their same rote show every night. I mean how many groups
would ask a musician to come in off the street, namely me,
and let him play all night, everynight, with no rehearsal,
knowing that I only knew about a quarter of the songs to
begin with. That's loose. I mean there's no where else I
know of where in front of the a fore mentioned tie-dyed
masses you can play one song for an hour.

Phil Lesh: Heres to them.

Bruce Hornsby: Once I started playing with them I realized that
they were on the inside just as I had imagined on the outside.
A bunch of really good people, with some great songs, and a
very unique approach. As the bumper stickers have proclaimed
for over 20 years, there is really nothing like a Grateful
Dead concert. The Dead show to me is about the best party you
can go to. The modern day three ring circus, the modern day
tent show, something much more than just a rock show. They're
also unique in the sense that unlike almost anyone ever inducted
into the Hall of Fame, the Dead exists virtually completely
outside of the record business. A very nice place to be,
sometimes. Their own business has gotten to the point where
someone could have shown up tonight to this dinner wearing a
Garcia tie, a Garcia dress, Garcia jeans, and a Garcia coat.
All bought at Macy's or Bloomingdale's. Thats quite a concept
to me. These guys have been together for 28 years, an amazing
feat in and of itself. They've been through an awful lot in
that over a quarter century of time together, and in that time
have been graced with the talent of several members no longer
with us. Who should be remembered for the good years they
spent with the group. Ron "Pig Pen" McKernan, Keith Godchaux,
and Brent Mydland. And also let us not forget the current
keyboard player Vince Welnick, and a guy from the early days
Tom Constanten, who are also here tonight. Through it all,
the tough times and the mostly great times, they've been the
true renaissance band. And frankly I don't understand why they
didn't get into this thing last year, there I said it. Ladies
and gentlemen here's to the Grateful Dead and another 28 years.
Thanks a lot.

(U.S.Blues from the Grateful Dead movie plays as the Dead
walk onto the stage)

Bill Kreutzmann: Hello, Thank You, Thank You. It's nice to be
here. That was a nice thing Bruce, thank you very much. In
Grateful Dead tradition I'm not gonna read this. (he rips up
his prepared speech) I'm just not gonna do that, you know.
I just want to say it is amazing trip to play in the same
band for 28 years, with these guys right here on stage with
me. Thats pretty unusual I think in this business, the music
business. We've gone through a lot of strange things, been
slight hair color changes. Feel good.

Phil Lesh: Looking good Bill.

Bill: So I'm just happy to be here, its an honor to be here.
I'm really doing this tonight cause I like to play music.
Thats where I come from. I usually play for people that
don't have quite this outfit on, usually they're a lot
more colorful, but you guys all look good. This is fun.
Anyway, I want to say one thing very important to me is
I miss Pig Pen, Keith, and Brent. They were 3 keyboard
players, they were really important to the band. Ron "Pig
Pen" McKernan was our first lead player he, before Garcia
had all the spotlights at him, Ron was our boy, he did it
all. So thanks a lot. Thanks for being here tonight. And
its a pleasure. These other guys have something to say too.
Thanks

Phil Lesh: I'd like to thank everybody who voted for us this
year. You, whoever you are. And I gotta say for all our
friends and colleagues, its been long, its been strange,
and its definitely been a trip. We'd like to take this
opportunity however to thank the Deadheads worldwide,
because without them we wouldn't be anywhere, much less right
here right now.  Also, I'd like to say to the thousands of heads
who are currently serving maximum sentances, that there's
still hope for a miracle in America.  And so keep the faith,
keep the change, and keep watching the skies.

Mickey Hart: Ya Phil, I guess its time to talk about the 17th'
century balladeers and the African drummers and singers who's
songs and rythems all came together on these shores to make
that soup that became the music we love. There won't be time
tonight to thank all the great blues, country, and jazz
players who honed this music and then passed it on to us.
But for one of them, Mr. Willie Dixon is being honored here
tonight.

Bob Weir: A few years ago, a few of us had the pleasure of going
to the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco and catching Count Bassie
and his orchestra. They featured a quartet, the core of the band
was a quartet that had been together for 45 or 50 years. And
they swung like angels. Some of the soloists had been around for
a long time as well. And it was such a treat to watch those
hoary heads rocking up and down and back and forth. And then
a couple of weeks later I learned, or We learned that the
Count had gone home, to his home in Florida and put his feet
up and quietly checked out. And to a man we all thought to
ourselves, yes, that`s what I want to be, that's what I want to
do.  And now here we are, and its really great to be here.How
could we not love it. Cause just like him we're doing what
comes naturally.  What we would've done anyway, no matter
where life had lead us.  And the people come from miles away
to hear you play your music, or uh, from miles around to
hear you play your music when the sun goes down. And you
can hear the tune, and you can feel the feel, and you can
hear the tune. Feel the feel. Alright. Thank You.

Phil Lesh: Say Goodnight Jerry.

Group: (while they hold the life size cutout of Jerry wearing a red t-shirt)
Goodnight Jerry.

---------------------------------------------------------------
As for the musical portion of this event,  Bruce Springsteen performed
a duet of "Come Together" with Axl Rose in honor of John Lenon's
induction into the Hall Of Fame as a solo performer.  The Band
(including Robbie Robertson, but without Levon Helm) did "The Weight"
with Eric Clapton.   Paul McCartney announced that the remaining three
Beatles were getting together to record.

Bob Weir was the only member of the Dead to perform.  Weir
joined the all star jam session; he played and sang on "Wang Dang
Doodle" (reportedly with Willie Dixon's daughter) and "Roll Over
Beethoven" with Chuck Berry.  Bruce Hornsby also played during the
jam.

Where was Jerry?   MTV's Kurt Loder asked Mickey & Billy where Jerry
was.  Billy said he thought Jerry had a cold, but then Mickey says
"I thought he was out looking for his sense of humor."  At another
time in the evening when Mickey was asked "Where's Jerry?", Mickey
replied "I didn't tell him, did you?" (to Phil).  Phil replied "I
didn't tell him. You didn't tell him?", and so on.

When Bob Weir was asked  what song they are most tired of after 28
years,  he said "On a bad night, all of them!"

ABC's In Concert show this weekend will have a report on the
whole induction ceremony.