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Ask the Author: Peter Richardson

“Today is the official publication of "Savage Journey," my book about Hunter S. Thompson. Would be happy to chat or answer questions about it. ” Peter Richardson

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What are you currently working on?
Peter Richardson I'm currently writing a book about Hunter S. Thompson, who is a minor character in the Grateful Dead, Ramparts magazine, and Carey McWilliams books. I just finished an article about McWilliams for the California Supreme Court newsletter.
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Would you have any time in the near future to chat about Ramparts? I've been asked to do an article on it for Real Progressives, as it seems many if not most of the current crop of independent journalists have never heard of it. Needless to say, I found your book invaluable as a basis. You can reach me at blueiriseditor@gmail.com.
Peter Richardson So glad to visit with you. Good luck with your work!
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Dear Peter: There is a quote attributed to Carey McWilliams in several books where he said that, in the 1930s, at least one member of every liberal non-profit organization in Los Angeles was a police spy. Can you tell me where that quote came from -- in a book, op-ed, etc? Thanks so much -- Josh Getlin
Peter Richardson I've already been in touch with Josh, but if anyone else is interested, the quote he has in mind--a bit different than it appears here--is in Southern California: An Island on the Land (1946), p. 291.
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It was a moment in time then and they were there right time right places right music and good people. Anyone now compares to them?
Peter Richardson Judy, no one comes immediately to mind, though of course the Dead influenced many groups, both musically and organizationally. Many of my colleagues in the Grateful Dead Scholars Caucus (yes, there is one) are very interested in Phish. There are many points of contact there, but also significant differences. (One difference is that they don't have a Robert Hunter churning out lyrics.) Peter Conners wrote a whole book (JAMerica) on the jam band scene, which he argues was essentially created by the Dead. I won't list all the relevant bands here, but there are a good many. In my book, I describe a concert I attended, the last one in the AmericanramA tour. It included My Morning Jacket and Wilco, both of whom invited Bob Weir out to play, and a little Grateful Dead concert broke out. (They also played Dylan and Springsteen together.) There was obviously an affinity there, but I wouldn't want to force that comparison. I also mention a Furthur show I saw at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. That was superb, but I don't expect Phil Lesh and Bob Weir to play together regularly again. In short, I guess we should take it wherever we can get it!
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Peter Richardson I served on an advisory panel at the Oakland Museum, and when we convened, I sat next to David Gans. David hosts KPFA's "Dead to the World" and has been writing about the Grateful Dead since the 1970s. I realized I should include something about the Dead in my class at San Francisco State University, and I asked David for reading recommendations. That led to a five-year reading and writing project.
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