The stylistic development of the Grateful Dead : 1965-1973.

Abstract

The Grateful Dead formed in 1965 and developed alongside the Haight-Ashbury counterculture in California. The band initially consisted of Jerry Garcia (lead guitar), Bob Weir (Rhythm Guitar), Phil Lesh (bass guitar), Ron ‘Pigpen’ McKernan (keyboard) and Bill Kreutzmann (Drums) and remained active until Garcia’s death in 1995. The Grateful Dead were fundamental to the development of the musical style of the jamband, and their influence continues to be observed widely today. Whilst the San Francisco countercultural scene has been studied extensively from a sociological perspective, little scholarly attention has hitherto been given to the music itself, with the exception of Graham Boone’s analysis of ‘Dark Star’ and David Malvinni’s book on rock improvisation. Yet the Grateful Dead developed a unique style that combines large improvisations with influences from many popular, traditional and world musical roots, whose study therefore sheds much light on the emergence of jambands from a profusion of styles, and how such extensive poly-instrumental jams can be created. It is therefore of importance to the wider field of popular musicology that this influential and popular musical genre is subject to academic scrutiny and discourse. This thesis will focus on the musical characteristics that define the Grateful Dead’s early sound from 1965 -1973 through the analysis of selected case studies. It will outline the origins of the Grateful Dead, from their beginnings within the San Francisco scene. Exploration of the historical and cultural context in which their music developed will enable the subsequent analyses to be located within the sociocultural context in which it was shaped.