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From: tierney@fortune.UUCP (Charles Tierney)
Newsgroups: net.music.gdead
Subject: Re: Bill Graham
Message-ID: <5270@fortune.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 20:16:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: fortune.5270
Posted: Mon May 13 20:16:37 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 15-May-85 00:30:24 EDT
References: <588@columbia.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 36


With regard to the article on the Bill Graham fire:

The Bill Graham Presents (BGP) offices were definately firebombed.  
Two Molotov cocktails were thrown in through the front window.  
Bill has returned from Switzerland (two days into his first vacation 
in 20 years) and was *extremely* upset about the incident.

BGP has moved to new offices near the Fisherman's Wharf area.  
Luckily, many artifacts and photographs did survive the fire.
Others will be replaced by the groups photographed (Grateful Dead,
Jefferson Starship, etc.)  Some pictures had been loaned previously
and were not damaged.  But many, many irreplaceable Objets D'Rock'n'Roll
will never be seen again.

Bill places the blame on anti-semitic groups ("New Nazi's)".  
It is his contention that had Reagan not done the trip,
that the bombing never would have happened.  Bill Graham personally, 
not BGP, had set up a rally in Union Square in San Francisco to 
protest Reagan's trip to the Bitburg cemetary.

Bill Graham was born in Germany in the early 1930's.  His mother and 
one of his sisters were lost in the concentration camps.  Bill felt 
very strongly about Reagan's trip, which is why he organized the rally.

In an interview the next day, Bill said he was saddened that some
of his staff were put at risk by the attack, and if the attacks 
continue, he will *get out of the concert business* rather than
risk his employees lives.

Now I never was Bill Graham's greatest fan, but I recognize and 
applaud his conviction of purpose, his sense of decency, and his 
sense of humanity.  			Stay Cool Bill Graham!!


Charlie Tierney