Noted rock photographer Jay Blakesberg, who has spent much of his career chronicling the members of the Grateful Dead both on stage and off, has announced he will release a new photo book focused on the late Jerry Garcia next month.
Jerry Garcia: Secret Space of Dreams is set for release Oct. 15 and will feature a forward written by Dead & Company guitarist John Mayer, an introduction from Dead historian David Gans, an afterword from Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools, an essay from Trixie Garcia, and quotes from an array of musicians, including Garcia’s bandmates in the Dead, along with Bob Dylan, Trey Anastasio, Carlos Santana, Jim James, David Crosby, Robert Hunter, Jorma Kaukonen, Garcia’s bandmates in the Dead and more. The book promises to offer a glimpse into the life and career of Garcia, “beginning from the middle of his career with the Grateful Dead and covering the last third of his life.”
“I’ve always said that musicians play like they are, and in the case of Garcia, his performances serve as a detailed map of a man, his intentions, his desires, and his impressions of the world around him,” Mayer writes in the foreword. “And going by that map, Garcia was a lovely, mighty soul. I never met him and will never understand the loss of those who did, but the vast archive of his music amounts to the makings of a starry night sky that turns listeners into explorers.”
In his afterword, Schools discusses Garcia’s tendency to “display his own frailty in the service of the song,” and his connection to his fans. “These are just some of the attributes of a human being who led without leading, who conveyed his own truth better through his music than he was able to do through the spoken word…and who lived the majority of his life onstage being part of a performance troupe that went far beyond the sum of its parts,” the bassist writes. “And luckily for those of us who want and need to remember such experiences we have a vast recorded archive of music, millions of words both scholarly and lay, and in our hands now these magnificently telling photographs by Jay Blakesberg so that we can always queue up the memories of our shared experiences with a rare human being known as Jerry Garcia and his equally rare cohorts.”
Signed copies of Blakesberg’s new Garcia photo collection are available for pre-order now here. Check out a PDF preview of Secret Space of Dreams (including Mayer’s foreword) here.
13 Comments comments associated with this post
Jeffersg
September 9, 2019 at 4:48 pmVery well said, SGH. How folks can bash a guy who takes time away from his multi-million dollar career to pay tribute to music that he has had to put a tremendous amount of time into getting right is beyond me. I’m looking forward to Jay’s book AND John’s introduction.
SGH
September 6, 2019 at 10:51 pmI second what Matt Aberbach wrote. I only saw Jerry one time – 03/27/95, ATL, Omni – & immediately got on the bus & never got off & never plan on getting off. This “bus” that so many refer, means different things to many different folks. To me it encompasses superb music, exploration, adventure, trying new things, tolerance, standards, most importantly love, and more. Like most fans, I’ve listened to countless hours of Jerry (plus interviews) and believe that Jerry would fully support and be grateful for Mayer. Unfortunately Mr. Garcia left us roughly four months and change from my personal first and only Grateful Dead show, but Jerry’s allure and the mystical GD got this (at the time) sixteen year old to risk driving up to ATL from Middle Georgia, on a school night, only 7 weeks after getting my drivers license, with two other novice concert attendees and crazy buddies – all three of us are still best of friends and list that fateful and grateful night as being some of the glue to our enduring friendship. I don’t care what others think of this particular show because it was perfect!
How I got on this rant, I’m not sure, but I know that hate or disdain has no place any where in the spectrum of the Grateful Dead, the various spin offs, or the huge family of Deadheads.
I’m going to buy the book. John Mayer rocks, and folks are just jealous of him. Haters going to hate and I’m going to laugh at the assholes that will inevitably bash my comment and their perception of ineptitude with my interior monologue. Negative comments are just laughable! Thank you Jay Blakesberg for putting this together, you rock! Thank you, Jerry Garcia!
One love!
S
Othrr Me
September 11, 2019 at 1:02 amWell said Matt and SGH. The Sugaree that night in Atlanta by the way was beautiful and haunting on some levels during Jerry’s solos. I highly recommend any of you that care to listen. The spacey Playing and Uncle Johns and Days Between were as well. Great first show for you and what a trip it musta been. I was there too. And you are very correct. The hate and disdain is not what the Grateful Dead were about. I challenge any of you “fans” whom of which I am sure at some point got it. Understood it. What the music meant. What it means. I’m glad John Mayer does. Hats off to him for putting up with your bullshit these last few years. But all of you keep being “super heady fans” for hating. This is exactly what caused the drama during the final Deer Creek run. Or might I say night. It was an honor for me to see the shows and to continue to grasp each and every note that I may from the legacy that is Jerry Garcia. Can’t wait to buy this book.
Matt Aberbach
September 6, 2019 at 2:57 pmWow…I am truly disappointed by all the negative comments re John Mayer. We used to be a community. We used to live for the moment, the spontaneity and the amazing times. I, for one, am still on the bus and continue to love the music, no matter who is playing it. And Jay is an incredible talent – get this book, give it to friends and remember what it’s all about. Seems like some have lost their way and I’m sorry you’re so miserable. I’m having a BLAST – Thanks Jay – looking forward to getting many copies as my end of year gift to others.
Jeffersg
September 9, 2019 at 4:38 pmRight there with you brother. My first Dead show was in September of ’72 and I’ve never looked back since then. I’m still of the opinion that any Dead music is better than no Dead music and will eagerly listen to anyone who pays homage to the Grateful dead. Heck – I still have a vinyl copy of the POP O PIES “White EP”. Very much looking forward to spending many hours with Jay’s book.
ken
September 6, 2019 at 2:37 pmI decided it wasn’t for me once I read “will feature a forward written by Dead & Company guitarist John Mayer”. Enough already!
Kenny
September 5, 2019 at 1:12 pmJohn Mayer again,damn, when will this shit with John Mayer and the Grateful Dead end,its a fuckin discrace.
Trixie
September 5, 2019 at 6:21 pmAGREE! He’s never seen Jerry yet he’s writing the foreword? Give this poser the hook. He’s glommed off the Dead too much and it’s a sorry-ass situation.
Charley Ford
September 6, 2019 at 2:35 pmI don’t know if you to noticed…John Mayer doesn’t need the money or fame. He plays because he likes the music. Same reason that Jeff Chimenti (who has never seen or met Jerry) plays with Bobby and Dead and Co. So quit being a hater and let the man enjoy the ride.
Stacy
September 6, 2019 at 3:37 pmAMEN!
Pigpen
September 6, 2019 at 7:41 pmCan Mayer play guitar? Yes, he’s technically proficient. He can mimic Jerry. But he doesn’t have the feel or the gravitas. Is Mayer (solo) asked to play festivals? No. BECAUSE HIS MUSIC BLOWS!!! Weir sold out when he hired Mayer… knowing he would bring in a new audience. It’s almost embarrassing to be associated with the Grateful Dead because of Dead & Co. If you saw and loved Jerry (like me), I do not see how one can possibly like this drivel… It’s whitewashed, soulless, and plain ole shitty. It’s a Vegas act now.. a crappy cover band.
Jeffersg
September 9, 2019 at 4:32 pmYou have the right not to go to Dead and Company shows, and for that matter, not to like Dead and Company, but to run down Mayer, who it is blatantly obvious is in love with Grateful Dead music, shows that you have no idea what you’re talking about. Sure – I like DSO, JRAD, and Phil and Friends better than Dead and Company and really miss Furthur. And having seen the Dead many times in the 70s, miss Jerry more than anything. But to fault Mayer with trying to carry on the Dead tradition is just plain ignorant at best.
Jeffersg
September 9, 2019 at 4:42 pmBobby, Billy, and Mickey seem to be enjoying themselves. Would you rather that they just retired and quit touring? Sorry, but I hope you don’t get your wish.