The relationship between the Grateful Dead and the Hells Angels has been pretty well discussed, though I am sure there’s tons more to say. That’s for others to do.
Here I’ll just note that Garcia also worked with the Angels outside the GD framework. I have made a few posts with Hells Angels content. I don’t have time to work it all out, but I am not going to let that stop me saying something, anyway.
In 2009 I briefly discussed the Hells Angels benefit at the Anderson Theatre in NYC on 11/23/70, NRPS-GD, mostly to update the setlists. In 2011 I mentioned 3/25/72 at the Academy of Music in NYC, including this great picture of Bo Diddley and the Dead (billed as Jerry Garcia and Friends), at least parts of which were released as Dick’s Pick’s 30 (2003).
 |
| Jerry Garcia and Friends, 3/25/72, Academy of Music, NYC; photo by Chuck Pulin, published in Carr, Patrick. 1972b. One Full Week Running With: Grateful Dead. Grapevine (Toronto) no. 14, May 17, 1972, p. 15. |
At some point I’ll write up 9/5/73, on the S.S. Bay Belle, Jerry and Merl’s first east coast performance.
Right now, I just want to pick my jaw up off the floor at the video that has just hit the streets: The Jerry Garcia Band aboard the S.S. Duchess, New York City Harbor, 9/15/76 [Jerrybase] in high quality color video:
(Also of note: video of JGB playing “Not Fade Away” on the Jersey Shore, 7/9/77, also shared to Youtube. I have noted an audio listen to that, as well as the night before at the Calderone Concert Hall. I can’t wait to watch it.)
This show offers awesome triangulation possibilities.
There are posters (IM’s amazing poster site had one, but is no longer updated past 1976).
There are live action stills and other eye candy:
 |
| Pirates’ Ball 9/15/76 photo spread, photogs Craig Silverman, Patricia, Ron Gaiella, Yipster Times, October 1976, p. 24. |
Naturally enough, this being the Garciaverse, there’s also tape. The legendary Ohr Weinberg had a cassette copy of unknown provenance, which Anne Cohen digitized and shared (shnid-86326).
Finally, there’s also a great review:
! review: Moore, Jerry. 1976c. 6 Hours Before the Mast. Relix 3, 6
(October): 14-16. [pdf].
Moore tells us all kinds of neat stuff. This was a Hells Angels party, but adventurous public could join in at $15 a head. That would explain the posters. 2,000, including a couple hundred Angels, took part. By the way, this is the same vessel they cruised in 1973, just rechristened, and it reflects a second triple-crossing of the Garciaverse, Bo Diddley and the Angels (after the aforementioned 3/25/72, and penultimate to the Sandy Alexander Benefit crossing of 6/25/82).
More Jerry color (Sard Thee Well!):
In all that freaky crowd, the Angels were the freakiest. The first thing that hit you was that most of them were pretty big, inspiring awe by size alone. Their garb ran mostly to oily denim and leather, the kind of clothing that makes your nose wish it were in some other state. Naturally, they all wore their colors. Tattoos seem to be almost as popular among the Angels as motorcycles. Scars, missing limbs, and prosthetic devices (hooks and such) were very much in evidence, as were weapons ranging from knives to brass knuckles and chains. One Angel in particular, I wish I had a picture of. He was well over 6 feet tall, and must have weighed over 300 pounds. He was wearing only a·vest over his oily denims, and, wherever he went, his stomach preceded him by feet. He was so festooned with chains that he clanked with every step he took. He was so greasy and ugly that he was beautiful, a veritable human tank.
Moore describes four decks set up with nitrous tanks (free if you could fight your way in), packed bars and food services, speakers everywhere, and TV monitors “with a phenomenal color picture of the performance” (video – check!).
Moore narrates a few things which are confirmed by the video. (Indeed, one wonders if ol’ JM didn’t have a copy of the video? He always did have a remarkably good memory for stuff, though.) He notes “a rather stoned Angel stumbled onto the stage during the Garcia Band set, seizing control of a microphone long enough to drawl out ‘Hey folks some cookin’ music. Get it on with that boogie beat there,’” which we do get on the video. He also says, cheekily, “Jerry has a funny little trick of rotating his ass in circles to cue” the amazing, upbeat gospel “Mighty High” [Allan | deaddisc | Jerrybase], and there Garcia is on video, shaking his tail.
The order was an apparently forgettable Bay Area band called Cheyenne, Elephant’s Memory, then Bo Diddley backed by EM, then, from 11:55-2:05 or so (actually 2:07 am), the Garcia Band. Jerry mentions a hot “Midnight Moonlight”, which is not on the video. I need to revisit that.
I’ll just finish with a few quick thoughts on what I got out of watching this incredible video, bullet-style.
- John Kahn mostly can’t be heard, which would be familiar from later years. This is basically intended as a criticism.
- Nice to see Ronnie Tutt banging the start of “Mighty High”
- Nice to see Donna Jean singing the beautiful stuff she was doing this period behind “Stir It Up”, her groove on “After Midnight”, and her power on “Mighty High”.
- “Mighty High” (Crawford, Downing) was, per Allan, “originally recorded by The Mighty Clouds of Joy and later covered
by Gloria Gaynor”. JGB only played it in 1976, it is my favorite song of 1976, and this video is breathtaking. It cuts out only a minute or two in, and as much as I want to lament the Cut Of Death, I must celebrate the couple of minutes that we do get. It’s not present on Ohr’s old tape, and here we get to listen and watch. Wonderful, amazing, glorious stuff. Thank you, Jay-zuss!
Leave a Reply