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Bailey1138

I found this on rec.music.gdead.
For those who don't know, Dick was the responsible for the Vaults of the Grateful Dead. They released a series of live shows from their vaults known as Dick's Picks, I beleive #23 is coming out soon. I just thought this post carried a real positive message about the love of music that myself and many deadheads have. Enjoy.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

I woke up this morning to the news that Dick Latvala, the Grateful Dead's
tape vault archivist, had passed away [August 6] after a week in a coma. I
am proud to say...

He was a friend of mine.

Dick was one of the oddest, sweetest, most delightful, most twisted people
I've ever had the honor of knowing. His obsessive, insecure, neurotic,
paranoid, self-destructive, hyperidiosyncratic tendancies were only
surpassed by his radiant love for the music of the Grateful Dead. In the
face of this unconditional love all his shortcommings were easily
forgotten. Despite the world of difference in our perspectives, habits and
lifestyles we were able to find common ground in those heavenly moments we
spent listening to and discussing music. The craft of Jerry Garcia and
company brought us many hours of joy, and together we basked in the warm
glow of the love of those sacred sounds.

Dick was one weird dude. Next to Jerry Garcia he was probably the most
heavily self-medicated being on the planet. And I have no doubt he
would've left Jerry in the dust had he the resources with which to do so.

The first time I stayed at his house I marvelled at the way he constantly
altered his consciousness. After staying up with me till 4AM, playing me
jewels from the band's vault till my eyes could no longer stay open, he
arose at 7AM - just like any other day that had ever been. He'd shuffle
passed the guest room straight for the living room table. There he would
start his day by working the bong for three or four phat loads (and the
nugs he smoked were no ordinary ganja - they were the strongest indoor
buds I've ever tasted). Then, he'd go to the coffee machine, load a big
mug with joe and three heaping tablespoons of sugar, before heading
outside to smoke a cigarette. On his way back to the coffee machine for a
refill (with three more heaping spoonfuls of suga), he'd stop at the
living room table again, smoke a few more bong hits, and shove three
sticks of juicy fruit gum in his mouth. This alone would've put me under
the table. Six bong hits, two cups of coffee, six tablespoons of sugar,
three sticks of gum later and it was only 7:15AM! But Dick's day was only
starting. Before running out at 10AM for some sort of Arby's Big Boy meat
sandwhich for breakfast I witnessed him repeat this ritual until 10 cups
of coffee had gone down his gullet. And all the while the bong saw
action, tapes rolled, labels were filled out, phone calls were made, the
cats were talked to as though they were humans, and a dozen or so
outlandishly exagerated points of contention were thrown my way about this
or that version of Dark Star. This is how it went all day long (until the
Heinekins starting flowing in the afternoon, at which point the pace
picked up a bit). Unrelenting, awe-inspiring, even shocking consumption -
and all the while not a glimmer of remorse. Damn! That Dickie sure was a
superphreak! Neal Cassady would've loved Dick.

Dick was also obviously a man in deep pain. Like so many others I spent
uncountable hours on the phone with him trying to boost his fragile soul,
which was wounded from putting up with what he percieved as intentional
psychological abuse all day long (this was back in the days when the
Dick's Picks project was just getting going and he had to struggle to help
manifest the 14 incredible releases we now can buy so easily). But then,
in the middle of marvelling at how trapped this poor guy's mind had
become, thinking how lucky I was to be free of such overwhelming negative
attachments, he'd throw out a shockingly clear zen observation on his
whole dilema, or the plight of humans in general, an observation that
would make me wonder who was truly the more attached/trapped person. Part
madman, part monk, Dick lived by the philosophy of Crazy Wisdom and for
all his suffering there were moments of true brilliance, power, wisdom and
freedom that came along the strange winding path of his life.

Only one balm truly soothed Dicks wounds* - the music of the Grateful Dead
(*well, maybe two, counting Imus). Dick would be a total mess, intensely
distraught over the hassles he'd endure at work, and then he'd put on a
tape from 1968 or 69. All of a sudden that pain would melt. A magical
look would come over his face - a look I'd seen before, when Ram Dass
would sing Hindu devotional songs - it was the look of the inner child
being liberated, soothed, fed, nurtured, loved. Experiencing how he could
use music to transform such suffering into such joy in a mere instant was
truly mindblowing. It was an important reminder for me, when along my own
path I would encounter massive bull****, powerplays, headtrips. Don't
ever forget people - THE MUSIC IS LOVE.

Heaven and hell were not far apart for Dick. He'd visit them both on a
daily basis. And being in his presence as he careened back and forth
between the two was a remarkable trip I am honored to have witnessed.

The bottom line was that Dick wanted nothing more in life than to get high
and help others get high. When all is said and done Dick did important
work on the planet. He was a catalyst for a lot of other people's joy - a
joy that didn't come at the expense of others. That's the beauty of the
music of the Grateful Dead. It feeds the soul without hurting others. And
that is the beauty of Dick Latvala. He helped liberate the music which
brings us joy.

Dick, I hope you're finally at peace. If there's a heaven, I hope you're
there at Garcia's feet as he's pickin' away and laughin' with Pig Pen,
Janis, and Bill. That's what you'd want and I wish it for you. Thanks,
old friend, for the music and the good times.

In Light, John Dwork

(feel free to pass this on)

__________________
"All you do is head straight for the grave, a face just covers a skull awhile. Stretch that skull cover and smile."--Jack Kerouac, Visions of Cody

 

dedbr

Thanks,Bailey.I hadn't heard this piece before.

__________________
"Two roads divereged in a wood- and I, I took the ono less traveled by- and it has made all the difference.......Robert Frost

No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding.
Plato


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SmokedupSouth

Holy ****!!! That really sux that Dick died man. I love Dick's Picks, me and my buddies sit around for hours listening to that stuff instead of working and doing homework. Good times Good Times.... O well, its cool that hes in a better place now, with everyboy from days gone bye...
the archive-ist may die, but the music never will man
~peace~

__________________
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

deadhed

Now that the archivist is gone, where will I go for the archives?

Bailey1138

actually, he died a year ago, this wasn't recent. I forget who's in charge of the vault now, but Dick's Picks 23 is coming out the near future. And no, I don't think it's been announced which show it is yet.

wouldn't that have been just the coolest job? You get paid to listen to nothing but high quality grateful dead tapes and decide which ones are the best. Maybe one day, that's be me, and you'll all be listening to Bailey's Picks, one day........

 

deadhed

I was just making a play off of Robert Hunter's words upon the death of Jerry, "Now that the musician's gone, where will I go for the music."

deadhed

Correction: The quote was "Now that the singer's gone, where will I go for the song."

Bailey1138

I have that on a shirt I picked up at Phil at Polaris. It's like a tie dye with a collage of things on that front that add up to Jerry's face, and then on the back it has that quote.

I also have a book which has every rolling stone interview with Jerry. It's great to flip through every now and again, I must've been through it about 5 or 6 times at least. Some really amazing quotes from not only Jerry but Hunter and Phil and Bob and everyone. It's also real good for rolling joints on. There's a picture of jerry on the front, and you always feel like he's looking up at you, "hey man, lemme get a hit of that when you're done, thanks brother."

SmokedupSouth

woops, since he died on august 6th, I thought that it was this august 6th. maybe I should read and learn more about the bands I like...
~peace~