GOOD OL’ GRATEFUL DEADCAST

Skull & Roses 50: Closing of the Fillmore West

Date: June 24, 2021
Hosts: Rich Mahan & Jesse Jarnow
Theme: A deep dive into the Grateful Dead’s legendary July 2, 1971 “Closing of the Fillmore West” show, reflected in the expanded 50th anniversary edition of Skull and Roses, and the broader context of the band’s era, culture, and myth.

Episode Overview

This episode marks the last in the Deadcast's series on Skull and Roses, focusing especially on the “Closing of the Fillmore West” performance from July 2, 1971. The hosts unravel the significance of this concert, how it shapes the mythos of the Grateful Dead, and the broader context of the world—and the band’s own internal changes—at this pivotal moment in rock history. Through archival commentary, special guests like Alan Trist, Rosie McGee, and others, listeners are transported into that transformative year, the making of a live album, and the end of an era at one of rock’s holiest venues.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Context: 1971 in Music & Society

• 1971 as a Landmark Year
  The year is described as a time when music “changed the world” (03:03). A rollcall of seminal albums (Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Jethro Tull’s Aqualung, etc.) frames Skull and Roses within a broader musical revolution.
• The War on Drugs
  Nixon’s declaration of a “war on drugs” (04:52) launches a new era. The irony: “It generally had a good soundtrack, though” (05:06), setting the tension between counterculture and the mainstream.

2. Recording & Production of Skull and Roses

• The Shelved European Tour
  The Dead intended to tour Europe and play Glastonbury; delays caused by the unfinished album and lack of Warner Bros. support cancel those plans (05:31; 08:57).
• Alembic Studio: An Experimentation Hub
  The band’s acquisition and transformation of Pacific High studio into Alembic gave unprecedented creative freedom (14:32).
• Overdubs and Album Innovation
  Organist Merle Saunders’ contributions (“played Hammond B3 on three songs,” 11:25) and subtle overdubs are discussed, including mysteries around added piano parts (13:20).
• Mixing & Remixing
  Discussion of the technical and artistic challenges, including Bob Matthews and Betty Cantor’s pivotal roles (13:23-14:32).

“It was a result of doing the overdubs concurrently live ... It confuses the phase and it doesn't sound as good … it all gets together to quality, to a master tape which captures the real live sound of the Grateful Dead on stage.” – Bob Matthews on challenges of mixing (13:46)

3. Life Beyond the Band: Side Projects & “Garcia’s Alligator”

• Garcia’s Musical Ventures
  Jerry plays with Merle Saunders and the New Riders of the Purple Sage during this off-tour period (10:20).
• The Story of the “Alligator” Guitar
  Garcia’s now-iconic Alligator Strat comes from a session with Graham Nash—exploring its evolution and symbolism (20:03-23:27).

4. The Band in Europe: The Chateau d’Hérouville Episode

• First Continental Landfall
  A planned gig in France transforms into a surreal, rain-drenched party at a château after a festival gets washed out (24:02-36:07).
• Stagecraft Innovation: Alembic & Tie Dye
  Introduction of Courtney Pollock’s mandala tie-dyes, with insights into the evolution of the Dead’s visual aesthetic (31:17-35:43).

“Those early years were everything was tie dyed ... They were lovely, joyous free days. You know, life was simpler and more innocent.” – Courtney Pollock (35:43)

5. The Fillmore West: An Era Ends

• Venue Memories
  Evocative recollections from staff and fans (39:02-42:55) capture the unique vibe—“it was not theatrical. It was like hanging and watching the show.”
• Bill Graham’s Farewell
  The business side of the Fillmore’s closure is bluntly discussed by Graham himself (37:34).

“It cost $12,000 a week to run Fillmore west, whether I had a show or not.” – Bill Graham (38:05)

6. The Last Fillmore West Show (July 2, 1971)

• Setlist and Performance Highlights
  Garcia’s on three different sets: with the Rowans (pedal steel), New Riders, and the Dead (44:22-47:52). The expanded album edition features this show’s music.
• Pigpen’s Glow and the Looming Future
  Pigpen’s “wonderful good lovin’” performance is highlighted; his health issues would soon force changes in the band (48:45).
• Dedication to Owsley Stanley
  Phil Lesh’s on-air tribute to their jailed soundman and LSD chemist kicks off “The Other One” (50:11).

“We'd like to dedicate this next one to our former soundman Owsley, who's now in jail, and I hope he's listening out there tonight.” – Phil Lesh (50:11)

• Jamming Evolution—The Other One
  Contrast between the “chaos of the Other One” from Fillmore East and the “deep introspective space” of Fillmore West (51:11).

7. The Culture of the Dead: Nitrous, Mailing Lists, and Skull & Roses’ Identity

• Nitrous Parties & ‘Deadhead’ Community
  Anecdotes about the “nitrous culture” provide insight into the offbeat, communal Deadhead world—tales of nitrous tanks at mixing sessions, with Garcia’s infectious laugh echoing (54:27-56:38).

“It was just basically a nitrous party. There must have been maybe 30, 40 people in the room. It was awesome and very organized.” – Steven Barncard (56:06)

• Naming Controversy: “Skull Fuck” vs. Grateful Dead
  The band’s original intent to name the live album Skull Fuck is recounted with humor and rebellious flair, but Warner Bros. pushed back, leading to the famous untitled cover art and the ‘Skull & Roses’ nickname (60:20-62:07).

• Iconic Cover Art’s Origin
  Alton Kelly and Stanley Mouse’s adaptation of a 1900 E.J. Sullivan skeleton drawing (from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam) becomes the band’s most recognizable symbol (64:29-68:57).

“It was like they were practically the in-house artists ... They got the idea, you know, they got the feeling of how the art could express the music perhaps better than anyone else.” – Alan Trist (65:36)

• Birth of the Deadhead Mailing List
  “Dead freaks unite…”—the insert changed rock promotion, building a direct community. The newsletter and its relation to Jerry Garcia’s vision is discussed (73:12-75:28).

“It gave one a feeling that the energies of the band were in touch with other energies out there ... a sense that the band was in touch with the times.” – Alan Trist (75:28)

8. Legacy & Reception of Skull & Roses

• Critical and Commercial Response
  Skull & Roses reached #25 on the Billboard chart and went gold. Lester Bangs’ and Lenny Kaye’s contrasting reviews are cited (80:14).

“Not only great American music but a total personification of the American west, both as a musical genre and, more importantly, state of mind ... I'm a Grateful Dead fan.” – Lester Bangs (80:14)

Memorable Quotes

• Alan Trist on Band Dynamics:
  “He's some kind of cosmic diplomat … There’s no way you could dislike him. He never disturbs any karma, ever.” (07:03)

• Courtney Pollock on the 70s:
  “Those early years—everything was tie dyed … They were lovely, joyous, free days. Life was simpler and more innocent.” (35:43)

• Sam Cutler on Mailing List Riff:
  “Deadheads unite. You have nothing to lose but your brain was a sly dig at the Communist Manifesto … workers of the world unite…” (73:43)

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 03:03 | The landmark year 1971 in rock, global context | | 07:03 | Jerry on Alan Trist’s role and personality | | 09:47 | Alan Trist reads his unpublished liner notes | | 13:46 | Mixing challenges, studio innovations (Matthews) | | 20:03 | The birth of Garcia’s Alligator guitar | | 24:02 | French adventure and Chateau d’Hérouville party | | 31:17 | Tie-dye history and stagecraft with Courtney Pollock| | 37:34 | Bill Graham on closing the Fillmore | | 44:22 | July 2, 1971 Fillmore West show details | | 50:11 | Phil Lesh dedicates song to Owsley Stanley | | 54:27 | Nitrous parties and studio shenanigans | | 60:20 | The Skull Fuck album title dispute | | 64:29 | The story of the Skull & Roses cover art | | 73:12 | Launch of the Deadhead mailing list | | 80:14 | Critical response (Lester Bangs, Lenny Kaye) |

Conclusion: The Golden Age and Its Echo

The episode weaves music-making, cultural upheaval, and the idiosyncratic family of the Grateful Dead into a vivid tapestry. The “Closing of the Fillmore West” is not only a historic event but also a metaphor for transition, community, and an enduring creative spirit—emblematic of the Dead’s continued resonance with both the committed and the curious.

Fans new and old will find much to savor in this episode—a heartfelt, exploratory tribute to a pivotal moment in the Dead’s journey and the culture they created around themselves.