Garcia

by Rolling Stone Magazine, Sean Dahl

A comprehensive collection of articles, photographs, and illustrations provides an affirmation of the lasting legacy of the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia, including essays by Ken Kesey, R. Crumb, and Robert Hunter on the musician. Reprint. 40,000 first printing.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Collections, History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Rolling Stone is a U.S.-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner (who is still editor and publisher) and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.

Reviews

[Chip · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book full of articles from Rolling Stone mag over the life if the Dead (oxymoron)...
Some of the reads had interesting history, antidotes & comment, but the articles are written to a generation that wasn't really schooled and mostly stoned. Reading these now made me realize how trite Rolling Stone was/is. They were just in the right place at the right time.
Anyway, if you are/were a Dead fan (differs from a Deadhead), then these articles will be a diversion. Like the Dead's music they are all over the place, but have, at times, insight & soul.

[Brennan Donnellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of Rolling Stone articles and interview from the 1960s to the 90s is essential reading. Digging into these archives, you get a real sense of Jerry's musical passion and deep understanding of the roots of Grateful Dead music. No other book provides these insight so organically, as they come from Jerry, spoken in various periods of his life.

[Nog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check it out for the photos and the interviews with Jerry, but skip the rock critic overviews, which aren't very illuminating.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great set of tributes, all the coverage, and photos. I loved this at the time. And it was great to revisit.

[Randall Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to read this because you are a musician, then you will get some good nuggets of wisdom on music making and no info on equipment. this book is much more for people who want to know about the many times jerry had problems with drugs or the well known history of the band and jerry's different girlfriends. if you read this book, hidden away are a few things that might make you glad you read it all. every three pages there's something to underline for future reference. but compare that to noam chomsky where every page will be covered in markings because the info is stuff you can actually use to make thew world a better place, not stuff to help kill time reading boring personal details about an incredible musician (who here is remembered more NOT for the notes and the actual playing, but for living on heroin - stuff unrelated to his music).

how did jerry become jerry? how did he chose his notes? how did he learn pedal steel? this book won't tell you. most experts put in 10,000 hours of practice time - like mozart or tiger woods. if jerry put in 10,000 hours, this book won't tell you squat. once again heros appear out of thin air, like rosa parks (who had a life of activism before the famous bus incident - but most books won't tell that either). i expected a much better book by rolling stone. however this book is much better than neil young's waging peace. that was a snore fest that said nothing...

i expected much more...

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garcia by Holly George-Warren (Rolling Stone 1995)(780.92+/-). This is a compendium of Garcia and the Grateful Dead by the editors of Rolling Stone Magazine. It's an impressive volume, but it definitely takes a back seat to books by his bandmates, the Deadheads, and pretty much anyone else who ever came under his sphere of influence. My rating: 7/10, finished 1996.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Jerry Garcia is in this book. It's very detailed and an interesting read. Includes lots of great photos and artwork, along with a discography (record of albums by Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for Garcia fans

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garcia has always intrigued me this is a fascinating look at his life.