European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Bazine on the Road in Europe Jerry Garcia Lead guitarist for the grateful dead during a press conference in Dusseldorf Germany. The grateful dead still alive and Well after 25 years a sometimes the lights Are Shinin on me other times i can barely see lately it occurs to me what a Long strange trip its been. A a Quot trucking Quot grateful deadly John Millar staff writer death is no stranger to the grateful dead. It came in the form of alcohol and claimed the Rock a no Roll bands first keyboard player Ron Quot Pigpen Mckernan at age 27 in 1973. Keyboardist Keith Godchaux was killed in a car Accident in 1979, shortly after being asked to leave the band. Godchaux a replacement Brent mydland was found dead in his Home july 26 of this year the victim of a drug overdose. Vet despite the cruel hands Fate has dealt to the dead the band has managed to survive and continue to thrive after 25 years playing to sold out audiences around the world. A the dead has once again taken its ageless act on the Road this time through Europe. The tour a the groups first Here in 10 years a coincides with the release of the new triple live album without a net. New keyboard player Vince Welnick formerly of the tubes has joined the band and pianist Bruce Hornsby provides additional support. Continuing the tour after mydland a death Quot was hard it was real hard Quot Lead guitarist Jerry Garcia said during a press conference in Dusseldorf Germany earlier this week. But he added the band has been on what might be termed an endless tour since it was formed in 1965, Quot so this is another twist in the  and its been a Long Road for the dead. The group was born in the san Francisco Bay area during the height of the City a psychedelic and drug influenced music scene the dead a music a mix of Bluegrass blues Folk and Rock was further influenced by so called mind expanding drugs when band members joined in the Quot acid tests Quot a series of experiments in which participants used Ltd a then Legal hallucinogenic. Gaining popularity in san Francisco s Haight Ashbury hippie culture the band performed an almost never ending string of free concerts and paid performances. The dead has released More than 20 albums Many of them live. Quot playing live is what we do a Garcia said. Quot we make records As sort of a sideline. We do it because the music business insists that we have to not because we love  Early recording contracts were troublesome for the dead in the late 60s, the band members went into debt with Warner Bros. Records. Quot that got us in the Hole and we actually had to release a couple of records that we probably would t have otherwise released Quot said rhythm guitarist Bob Weir the dead consistently played sold out concerts to a growing cult following that came to be known As Quot deadheads Quot but the group s records never did Well on the charts. It was t until 1987 that the dead had its first top 10 hit with touch of Grey from the album in the dark. Quot usually we re on sort of an emergency status when we make a record so it s usually the first thought that goes out not the Best Quot Garcia said about the band s studio albums. The dead also survived personal crises. Throughout the years band members were arrested under charges such As Possession of drugs and inciting a riot. Garcia underwent treatment for drug addiction in 1985, and hit the Road a year later free of drugs. The touring Trail proved to be a Strain however and the Lead guitar player went into a diabetic coma for several Days. After Garcia recovered the band released in the dark. But even with the albums Success and the band s increased popularity Weir said Quot tilings did t get All that different. Nothing changed that radically we just got a lot of  the band members look older these Days and Garcia and drummer Bill Kreutzman have More than a touch of Grey around the ears. But during the press conference they acted As though they were still the Young hippie musicians of the Haight Ashbury Days. The conference on tuesday fell on Weir s 43rd birthday but Quot in a 16,&Quot he quipped. At one Point amid questions from the Media Garcia Kreutzmann drummer Mickey Hart and Bass player Phil Lesh started tapping out a tune on their water glasses. And when asked How san Francisco had influenced the bands music a a question that has undoubtedly come up thousands of times Over the years a Garcia closed his eyes and Laid his head on Hart s shoulder As if he were falling asleep. Despite the frivolity the band members take a critical View of their performances. Though the group s show in Stockholm Sweden a the opening show of the european tour a received Good reviews in the local papers Garcia was not too pleased with the concert. Quot from our Point of View it was a really terrible show Quot he said. Quot so id like to apologize to the people who were there especially those who liked it a they May not like our Good  but he admitted Quot we re capable of Way worse  that a Why he said no live album was made of the band s three performances at the great Pyramid in Cairo Egypt in 1977. Quot unfortunately like most of the big events we play we played very poorly there. We had a great time but we did no to play very  asked Why they took so Long to return to Europe Garcia said Quot actually we probably planned to come Back every two years or so. There s this huge false alarm that goes off in Waves across Europe and then we Don t show up. But that s the Way things have been going for us. It s not so much Europe it s us. We Waffle  Quot the whole idea behind this tour Quot Weir added Quot is to build an audience in Europe. Hopefully Well get a lot of excitement generated and maybe even come Back this  a special feature on the dead s european tour is the appearance of pianist Bruce Hornsby. Both Hornsby and keyboardist Welnick will continue playing with the dead Quot until one of them really gets sick of it Quot Garcia said. Quot this tour you la be seeing both of them Quot Lesh added. Quot we did it in new York and it worked out Well. To had two keyboard players and they stay out of each other s Way and they complement each other. Everything s working out just  saturday october 20, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 13