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“Growing Up Dead” by Peter Connors
by Beverly Paterson in Reviews
Growing Up Dead – The Hallucinated Confessions Of A Teenage Deadhead” (Da Capo Press) by Peter Connors
I heard the songs, attended a couple of concerts, and to this day, wear tye-dye shirts on a regular basis. But I am not a Deadhead. Never have been and never will be. Although I recognize their importance and applaud their uniqueness, I just can’t wrap my noggin or heart around the music of The Grateful Dead. But I can certainly relate to those who harbor an obsession with the band. After all, there are a number of bands I’m extremely passionate about and would crawl through dark caves and climb high hills to score their records or see them perform live. That said, I understand what it’s like to be totally into a band. Music has the power of changing one’s life and that’s exactly what The Grateful Dead did for the author of this fun and fascinating book.
Born in 1970, Peter Connors was turned onto the band in 1987, and for the next five years they became his whole world. Traveling about in a van with other Deadheads, he went to gigs, smoked tons of weed, gobbled acid, danced his fanny off, didn’t bathe and ultimately dropped out of college. But Peter was no mere bandwagon jumper as so many latter day Grateful Dead groupies tended to be. He sincerely loved and felt the music. The band’s philosophy and laid back approach resonated strongly with Peter. He didn’t worship or follow them blindly. A keen observer of the human psyche, Peter examines the relationships between Deadheads and what makes them tick. He also provides a fairly in-depth history of The Grateful Dead, recollections of shows and plenty of personal revelations. Drug busts, scalpers and mismatched roommates (a heavy metal nut armed with hunting knives, switchblades and brass knuckles and a cocky basketball recruit with a shaved head and an affinity for rap music) are part of the scenario as well.
Peter was a man on a mission, hungry for new adventures and The Grateful Dead are credited for opening his mind to the alternative. He refers to Jerry Garcia as his teacher, and it’s obvious he gleaned a good education and much experience from being a Deadhead. Peter eventually started playing guitar, penning poetry and latched onto contemporary jam bands such as Phish and Blues Traveler. The Grateful Dead clearly encouraged and influenced Peter to exercise his divine spark, leading “Growing Up Dead – The Hallucinated Confessions Of A Teenage Deadhead” to project an almost spiritual vibe. Written with intelligence, insight and humor, here’s a book that music buffs of any and every stripe can enjoy and appreciate.
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