HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

'Long Strange Trip' Film Shows the Grateful Dead's Anti-Authoritarian Streak

Views:963
@ReasonVids

The Grateful Dead, a band forged during the Bay Area Acid Tests of the 1960s that grew to become one of the most popular live acts in American history, is the subject of a new 4-hour documentary by Academy Award-nominated director Amir Bar-Lev. Armed with a trove of archival images, "Long Strange Trip" follows the band over three decades, delving into the group's history, music, and fans.

---
---

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/reasontv
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason
Subscribe to our podcast at iTunes: https://goo.gl/az3a7a

Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.

---
---

"There is sex, drugs, and rock and roll," Bar-Lev told Reason. "But also a different attitude towards fame and the relationship with fans that I think people–whether you like the band or not–are going to find informative and interesting."

At the heart of the Grateful Dead's unique connection with fans was founder Jerry Garcia's emphasis on community over hierarchy. During a 1981 interview with New Musical Express, Garcia explained that "a combination of music and the psychedelic experience taught me to fear power. I mean fear it and hate it."

"I think Jerry was radically anti-authoritarian." says Bar-Lev. "All the guys are in the band. So when people began to elect them to be authorities, they had a natural concern and skepticism around that. I think that's healthy. I wish more people in power were concerned about power and wielding power."

Bar-Lev sat down with Reason to discuss the film, why he considers the Grateful Dead "the musical Statue of Liberty," the implications around the band's decision to allow bootleggers to record and trade their music, as well as his thoughts on conservative Deadheads Anne Coulter and Tucker Carlson.

"Long Strange Trip" is now playing in theaters and will become available for streaming through Amazon on June 2.

Produced and edited by Meredith Bragg. Camera by Austin Bragg, Paul Detrick, and Alexis Garcia.

For full text, links, downloadable versions and more, visit: https://reason.com/reasontv/2017/05/27/long-strange-trip-the-grateful-deads-rad

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
    Thumbnail for Is Nick Bilton's Book on Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road a 'Media Lynching?'26:13
    Is Nick Bilton's Book on Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road a 'Media Lynching?'
    ReasonVids
    914 views
    Thumbnail for Obama’s 2015 SOTU: Magical Pain-Free Prosperity For Everyone!1:33
    Obama’s 2015 SOTU: Magical Pain-Free Prosperity For Everyone!
    ReasonVids
    937 views
    Thumbnail for When Can You Film The Cops? | Law By Mike0:49
    When Can You Film The Cops? | Law By Mike
    invidious
    149 views
    Thumbnail for MonkeyPox is real0:59
    MonkeyPox is real
    bestofupgoat
    219 views
    Thumbnail for Fox News anchor doesn't realize she's live on air when a guest refuses to admit Joe Biden won the presidency0:24
    Fox News anchor doesn't realize she's live on air when a guest refuses to admit Joe Biden won the presidency
    AOU
    1499 views
    Thumbnail for Reminder:  cops are not your friends.1:00
    Reminder: cops are not your friends.
    bestofupgoat
    423 views
    Thumbnail for 3 Takeaways From the Iowa Caucuses2:17
    3 Takeaways From the Iowa Caucuses
    ReasonVids
    911 views
    Thumbnail for Thank You for Vaping: Libertarians vs. New York City's E-Cig Ban3:13
    Thank You for Vaping: Libertarians vs. New York City's E-Cig Ban
    ReasonVids
    895 views
    Thumbnail for Why McCain Won't Talk About Ideas2:06
    Why McCain Won't Talk About Ideas
    ReasonVids
    898 views
    Thumbnail for SATAN in the sky, not the ground1:21
    SATAN in the sky, not the ground
    bestofupgoat
    77 views
    Thumbnail for Cosplay as a dead nigger0:14
    Cosplay as a dead nigger
    bestofupgoat
    55 views
    Thumbnail for Should the Government Break Up Big Tech? A Soho Forum Debate1:24:26
    Should the Government Break Up Big Tech? A Soho Forum Debate
    ReasonVids
    796 views
    Thumbnail for French Motorcycles0:07
    French Motorcycles
    bestofvoatxyz
    580 views
    Thumbnail for RaceJam13:21
    RaceJam
    murdochmurdoch
    1410 views
    Thumbnail for Do Studies Show Gun Control Works?16:13
    Do Studies Show Gun Control Works?
    ReasonVids
    1003 views
    Thumbnail for Aaron Ginn on the 2014 Reboot Conference and Conservatarian Millennials5:24
    Aaron Ginn on the 2014 Reboot Conference and Conservatarian Millennials
    ReasonVids
    978 views
    Thumbnail for How To Talk Like a White Supremacist10:23
    How To Talk Like a White Supremacist
    bestofvoatxyz
    639 views
    Thumbnail for Marijuana Advocates Light Up at D.C.’s First National Cannabis Festival1:11
    Marijuana Advocates Light Up at D.C.’s First National Cannabis Festival
    ReasonVids
    905 views
    Thumbnail for How 'Price Gouging' Helps Consumers During the Coronavirus Pandemic1:02:09
    How 'Price Gouging' Helps Consumers During the Coronavirus Pandemic
    ReasonVids
    760 views
    Thumbnail for Impeaching Bad Presidents Should Be No Big Deal5:48
    Impeaching Bad Presidents Should Be No Big Deal
    ReasonVids
    975 views
    Thumbnail for I Built a Death Star Trench Run Using the NEW Flying Update! | kAN Gaming12:38
    I Built a Death Star Trench Run Using the NEW Flying Update! | kAN Gaming
    invidious
    344 views
    Thumbnail for FC Barcelona 1 vs 2 Atlético de Madrid | Game Highlights ⚽ | LALIGA EA SPORTS0:54
    FC Barcelona 1 vs 2 Atlético de Madrid | Game Highlights ⚽ | LALIGA EA SPORTS
    invidious
    118 views
    Thumbnail for The Two-Million-Dollar Teacher: An Online Marketplace Empowers Educators & Lets Them Earn Big $$$2:46
    The Two-Million-Dollar Teacher: An Online Marketplace Empowers Educators & Lets Them Earn Big $$$
    ReasonVids
    822 views
    Thumbnail for Stossel: Let Charter Schools Teach6:17
    Stossel: Let Charter Schools Teach
    ReasonVids
    924 views
    Thumbnail for The Dangerous Toys of Christmas: Debunked!3:31
    The Dangerous Toys of Christmas: Debunked!
    ReasonVids
    850 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle