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From: jtm@syteka.UUCP (Jim McCrae)
Newsgroups: net.music.gdead
Subject: Re: Are they political?
Message-ID: <518@syteka.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Apr-85 13:47:31 EST
Article-I.D.: syteka.518
Posted: Wed Apr 17 13:47:31 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Apr-85 03:13:34 EST
References: <765@unmvax.UUCP> <1388@druny.UUCP> <771@unmvax.UUCP> opus.1147
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"New Speedway Boogie" always seemed to me to be the epitome
of the Dead's political stance. Of course, we're really talking
about Robert Hunter (they're his words, after all), but the
whole band surely set the mentality, and if Hunter's not part
of the Dead, who is? "Speedway", to me, clearly defines the
Dead's political interests to lie in that netherworld once
called the "counter-culture", the real world where mind-set
is more important than income and life-style dominates to an
extent paralleled only by the starving artist community.
Of course, Jerry's got an ocean front house in Marin and can
afford some nice cars, but the concern for the well-being of
that fringe culture is still there. 

Speaking of "New Speedway Boogie", I haven't heard the Dead's
most recent recorded stuff, but I've never heard anything
surpass "Workingman's Dead" or the "first" live album, the
one with the definitive version of "Dark Star". Those two
albums are as good as vinyl gets.
Jim McCrae / Sytek / Mountain View CA / {hplabs,decvax}!sytek!jtm