Where were you seven years ago today?

[scottieking]

I had gotten up unusually early that morning as I had a day off (I was working in Grand Bend at the time) and I decided to boogie up to my old stomping grounds, Sauble Beach. In the car for the ride down, I had selected an old, old mix tape that a friend had made for me years before which contained a mix of live and studio tracks called "Steal Your Face *WARNING* May Turn You Into A Crazy Deadhead" (Interesting side note, it did!)Anyway, the tape contained a few songs that later that morning would prove somewhat ironic, more on that later.

So I get to Sauble, and one of my first stops is into the restaurant I used to work at. I walk in, say hi, only to find a message pinned up on the staff bulletin board saying "Scottie, I can't believe you're still getting messages here but Jerry called" Strange I thought. I did have a friend named Jerry but why would he call. I called him and work and received the news that Jerry had passed.

Now I'm not going to pretend to have the wailing torrents of sorrow that many longer term heads went through. After a bowl and a thought on the beach, I did shed a tear for Jerry, and for the fans and the scene. I continued my visit but having found most of my old friends moved on, I decided I was needed back in the Bend.

I hopped back into the car and the mix tape started again. And I couldn't believe it. The previous song, Mr Charlie, finished up and right on cue, He's Gone starts. What a drive. GDTRFB, Black Muddy River, Morning Dew, I found painful meaning in them all.

I got back to see my friend Heather on a park bench in her JGB t-shirt, crying away. I gave her a hug and told her we'd have a fire and it'd be alright. That night, a group of like minded individuals gathered and sang tunes and hugged and cried, wondering what was next for our people.

It's seven years later. I listened to many more shows. I have gotten into MANY more bands. The live music experience lives on. The family lives on. It was simply just time for Jerry to move on. On a happy note, that girl Heather is getting married tonight and I'll give her two hugs and have to make a request of the DJ to throw something on we can groove to.

Fare thee well, Jerry.

[Indica]

Seven years ago today is the day I got my mail order tickets to Boston Gardens show..

shortly after I found out that, that show is not going to happen.. Doh!

Tear! Joint, then a bottle of Vodka

up all night listning to dead vith wacamole.

Grum seems to have gone into hiding in his appartment.

[bouche]

I believe I was at home, and I called Andre at TOYS R US to see what was up for lunch. I heard that he had left work and I axed why. I was told that he left because Jerry Garcia died.

I thought it was a joke. I called Pauly at Blaker and Son's, suppliers of fine office furniture for businesses and the poor student, and I was told that he left work because Jerry died.

It was no joke now. I turned on the tv and flipped around and saw the confirmation rather quickly. Pauly showed up with 2 40's of whisky at the door, barret and andre showed up shortly after. I was living at Paul's place at the time, and we all hung our jerry tees and any dead shit we had on the front porch the rest of the day, while we listened to tunes and polished off the whiskey over many tears. There were more people there with us, it was a very powerful day.

The next day or so, there was a vigil held at a park on the water in Kingston and we went down and met with a ton of Kingston heads and played jerry tunes all night on our GEEtars.

[Booche]

So, I am doing my usual shift at Toy R Us when I get a call from one of the kids who isnt in that day and he is laughing. Honestly, laughing. Proceeds to tell me the news, which of course I REFUSE to believe based on his actions. Something seemed weird though, why would someone do that.

"No no no, it cant be true."

I am walking around work asking people, calling people, no one is around. The next thing I know, I am walking down one of the corridors of our stock room and I can see one of my female co-workers hanging up the phone.

"I'm sorry Andre (and she called me by my first name too), its true."

I thought I was going to pass out. Everything was going out of focus, coming into focus, objects were getting larger and smaller, colors were blending into one and other, ironically, much like when I was at a show.

I spent the next eternity hiding myself from EVERYONE at work and just pacing back and forth. "I gotta to call Barrett, I gotta call Mike, I gotta call Paul, oh my lord, Pete is at golf school trying to get his professional license."

I held the tears in, and started making those dreaded calls. Barrett had found out and was out for a walk, Paul wasnt around, Mike was in bed. How do I get in touch with Pete?

My girlfriend at the time called and I answered "I am coming to get you RIGHT NOW!" I had only said "Umm, hello?"

I was staggering, avoiding people and VERY much in shock. Paul called balling "What are we going to do Booche, what the hell do we do now?" I held my composure as much as possible and told him I would meet him at his place in a bit.

So, my girlfriend shows up and is leading me out of the building to a number of cat-calls "I cant believe you are leaving, he was just some junkie anyways".....can you believe that? I was more understanding at that moment that ever in my entire life. 'She has NO idea'

The tears are welling, make it to the car, turn on the radio and boom, Truckin' is on. I start WAILING! I had to turn the radio off. I was completely lost.........

Get home, get the news to Indika, get a hold of Grum and we all meet at Paul's who showed up with 2 freakin' 40's for 6 of us. Honestly, I had never felt closer to all these people. We stayed there for 2 days straight as I dj'ed the tapes (didnt I always though?)

We went through every emotion and at points, I couldnt believe how beautiful it all was. I still remember that day as if it happened yesterday, and I will always cherise it. Today is Jerry Day and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

I COULDNT listen to Jerry sing Black Peter for at least 6 months. Mike played it at this little Kingston gathering of the heads on the waterfront a few days later and I still recall this girl off in the distance balling. People tried to go hug her, but she wanted to be alone.........

"One more day I find myself alive.

Tomorrow maybe go beneath the ground"

[Indica]

Yes Mike it was a very powerful day.

thanx for everyone that was there (Mike, Paul, andre, dave, netty etc..) for lending each other a shoulder to cry on.

I will never forget the tear in Andre's eyes that day when I first got the news from him.

[Giggles]

I was at the start of a week long bender of depression and wobbly-pops...

May the blessings be,

Giggles "Gawpo"

[Booche]

I wont forget it either Indika.

I wont forget Netty 'not' being there.

You are thinking of Julia or Gill.

[jay sanislo]

well to tell you the truth i just got into the dead maybe 6 months before jerry's passing, and i just thought to my self damn i wish i knew about tese guys earlier so would have the privilage to see them in action. I have seen the rest of the boys at further in 97 and the vibe of jerry was definatley there, bobby even mentioned something about it. But anyway when i did find out that he passed we got together at a downtown festival got everyone together and shared tunes and memories of theeeee man.

[Thumpin]

Walking down bloor towards futures wearing a space your face shirt and this dready guy comes out of nowhere and gives me a hug. It was nice and all, I mean, rare is it that people you don't know come up to you on a busy street and hug you for what at the time appeared to be no reason. He was really devastated and eventually told me Jerry had died. After leaving him I had a coffee, a toke and a smoke and gave a beautiful woman a copy of the lyrics to Ripple which I had written out just days before. I also thanked my personal version of god that they did so much recording and that although I'd never see GD live again, I'd still get to hear them.

[CautionClown]

I was working at the McMichaeal Canadian Collection as the chef de cusine. In the middle of lunch rush, I heard the news on q107. My entire staff, all of who knew of my deaddication to this band stood silent. The radio was turned off and the rest of the day continued in a somber mood without a word being said. My assistant told me that they could handle the clean up and perhaps i should go. I changed and headed out but didn't make it to my car. The maintenance guys guys had to litterally pick me up off the pavement.

By the time I reached my "home" my friends we're painting "We love you Jerry" on the side of the Big Green Bus. My Mother and Father called to make sure I was okay. As people started to arrive we stepped onto the bus and slowly drove through Toronto on our way to our drinking hole:Grossman's.

The thing I remember the most was all of us sitting out on the patio singing GDTRFB. We had been given the voices of angels for that brief moment. It was so beautiful, so sad, so tragic.

The bus made an appearance in a park along the beaches within the next few days as people had organised a vigil. We played, we laughed, we cried.

My commitment was made to play every October on the 3/4 (now changed to whatever weekend is closest) in memory of the shows that didn't take place in T.O..

The Jerry Garcia Tribute shows are free and a reminder that what we wish to be forever may be gone sooner than we think.

Seven Years Later...

I sit at home and cry...

I miss his guitar playing...

All those people who will never hear him...

I wish I could hear him sing Stella Blue just one last time.

I still love you, Jerry.

[King Toot]

I had been in Tofino for a week. Stayed at the youth hostel Aug 8 PM due to rain. In the AM, 2 deadhead girls from Univ. of Guelph told me the Dead were going to play the Skydome. We didn't know Jerry had died a few hours earlier.

Anyways, I walk out of town, pick up my tent, and proceed to hitch to Victoria. It took all day, and 13 rides, but nobody mentioned a thing, I don't think anyone had the radio on either ! I get to Vic at about 3 AM, go to my friend's house, and he tells me Jerry had died the previous night, and there had been vigils at Beacon Hill Park.

[MarcO]

I was working at McMaster University when my buddy Mark (not a Deadhead) called to tell me he had heard about it on the lunch-hour news.

I was 21. It was the end of one journey and the beginning of another for me.

I remember the concerned sympathetic looks on the faces of my co-workers. My father instictively hugged me and told me we could talk about it if I wanted to. I can't remember if we did or not. That night I ended up at Amigo's in Hess Village in Hamilton (now the Funky Monkey) where an impromptu drinking vigil was taking place. They played Dead tapes. It was sweet.

In the year or so that followed, I stopped listening to the Dead for a while. I had listened every day since I was 17, and had been listening before that even. Those formative years, they were marinated in the sounds of the Dead. It was over. A chapter had closed, at least for a while.

I just started actively re-acquainting myself with the Dead over the past year or so. I'm not nearly as obsessive about it as I used to be. I feel like I can appreciate it even more, funny enough. I've gotten some space, emotionally, and gained some perspective, musically.

Jerry Garcia is dead and gone. There can never be another Grateful Dead.

Rest In Peace, friend. I never met ya, but you sure helped me at a time in my life when I needed it the most and you'll always have a place in my heart. Thanks for taking it all just a little bit furthur.

[bouche]

Sorry Indika. I forgot who was all there. I was trying to piece together the details. Now I remember you were there too, and Gill and Julia. Who else shed tears over the whiskey?

[Booche]

(I should get to work, but I have been lovin' this Skanc today)

Barrett

Paul

Indika

Grum

Gill

Julia

Rochelle

Booche

Bouche

I think there were a few stop bys as well.

and the numerous people on the phone all day. Remember some of them that tracked us down and we were utterly shocked? Friends from way back when that werent even into the Dead? Gary Somebody? Scott Somebody?

(this is terrible that I cant remember those names)

"How did you find us?"

I am starting to think it was 2 - 60's for some reason.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

It was two 60s and Andre had the Harshest discovery of the fact that I have heard to this day. It made me mad at the time... but damn what a mixture of emotions.

I remember Wackamole told me over the phone (I was at work), I had to leave, people I worked with just didn't understand (surprise surprise).

It was a turning point in so many ways. It was like the Lighthouse Beacon had gone out and we were adrift in the flotsam

[Greg Hemmings]

hmmmm, I was in my VW camper in saint john NB, I was taking a gurl on a Pea Soup date on top of a huge hill that over looks saint John New Brunswick..we had just bought some of those yummy steamed Irving Gas station Hot Dogs, when we heard the news on the radio. At that point we continued to cook up the soup and talk about and listen to the dead, when a bunch of kid came over and peeped into our window yelling "Are you having sex in there?" so thats my memory of that day....

[Indica]

I mean netty was there in sprit!

[Dennis]

I was working at the Book Mark (Laurier next to the Oak). After finishing my shift, I went next door to the Oak for a pint and some eats. The waitress sees my Steal Your Face tshirt and says "You must be very sad." "About what?" I ask. I then find out about Jerry's passing. My pint and eats turned into a 3 day drink/smoke fest.

RIP Jerry!

[PhishyK]

Wow, what an interesting question. 7 years ago today would be August 1995?

That was a VERY trippy time for me. Aug. 95 was my last month living at home with my Dad and Stepmom before moving away to the "big" city of Victoria. I was working in a crappy restaurant on Salt Spring Island and most likely hating every minute of my life.

I was also making trips to Victoria (which terrified me - it was so big back then!) to find a place and ended up renting the crappiest shitehole basement suite which I immediately got evicted from.

Months later I was to start trying acid and listening to Phish...

phishyK

[puddles]

Working at the Banff Springs Hotel as a bellboy making about 200$$/DAY!!!...fell in love...yada yada...moved to BC....yada yada...got hooked on smack...yada yada...now I an sitting on chair...

[Chewie]

i went to a friends (not a deadhead) house for lunch and he said wow you must be really disappointed...

sure enough we saw it on cnn.

on a related note...i was probably even more sad on oct 3 & 4 when the boyz were supposed to play skydome... i just kept thinking what if...man to have them play my hometown...what a great experience!!!