Review: The Grateful Dead - Rich in Fact and Feeling
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 2, 2013
I am a huge fan of James Hoag and his unofficial tributes to the bands and the musicians who comprise them, their lives, quirks, and the incidents that made both the bands and the individuals who they became. I came away from this one with music singing in my ears, a feeling that I knew each of the musicians personally. I soaked up the ambiance of Haight-Asbury during the "flower power" LSD era. I experienced the lightning storm that turned Woodstock into a sea of mud. I could "see" the Hells Angels blocking the Grateful Dead as they tried to check their instruments at the concert at Alamont Raceway. And came away with the experience that I was truly there.Besides the richness of the material and scrupulous, extensive amount of research that went into this well-written book, I love the suggestions and "what to look for" on YouTube, clips that bring the reader even closer to the era, psyche and the sounds. Excellent book. Highly recommended.