Why Deadhead Culture Is a Pure Strain of American Noir
Yes, Deadheads came for the music, but also for the possibility of a life outside the bounds of straight society; something vaguely criminal and very American noir.
the grateful dead
How the Beatles Hindered American Folk Music
For many American musicians at the time, the Beatles and the British Invasion of 1964 detrimentally slowed the creative evolution of American folk music.
The First Step in a Long Strange Trip: ‘The Grateful Dead’ at 55
More than 50 years since the Grateful Dead’s debut, how is it imaginable that they are still touring and the “jam band” scene has mushroomed? This is where it started.
The Beat Goes on with ‘Kerouac on Record’
These essays explore the connection between Kerouac and the music he loved -- Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Miles Davis and others -- and the musicians who loved him, in turn.
Watkins Family Hour: Watkins Family Hour
The long-running L.A. musical variety show yields a slight but enjoyable album without pretensions to being anything more than slight and enjoyable.