When great talent gets together and rehearses until it's perfect.

[moniss]

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. He was a master at surrounding himself with great musical talent.

Album after album after album. They gave him the platform to express his style.

[2naSalit]

3. He's very talented...

And also a self absorbed asshole.

I have heard a number of first hand stories about what a jerk he is to his fellow musicians and the audiences! These days he ambles around like an overweight troll, still a great product in the end but clouded by his penchant for expecting people to be something they aren't and not being able to deal with it.

Still makes good music all the same.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. I have my own story of Van, in Boston....at the Purple Onion or the Black Rose, early summer in 73, I think.

I was in line for a beer and this entourage of bouncers were creating a path for this little guy to get to the front. Total rudeness, but he did say "sorry mate" or some-such as he passed on. Word got around that Van was in the house.

[2naSalit]

5. Yeah...

He's got a rep.

Man, we used to go to Boston all the time, short drive for So. NH, and go to all the music stores and night clubs. Those were the days.

[OAITW r.2.0]

6. In 1972, I bought a Grateful Dead "Skull and Roses" t-shirt at the Harvard Co-op.

I wore it all of the time. When I went home, I think my mom trashed it.

[2naSalit]

7. The Coop!

It was a mandatory stop! We hit Copley Sq., Kenmore Sq., Harvard Sq., we used to take one of the color lines, red maybe? We'd drive down to Liechmere Station and get on there. That was one of the cool things about the city, mass transit that actually got you there, cheap, no parking problems or traffic or accidents.

[OAITW r.2.0]

8. Green Line. Across the Charles, the Red Line, to Alewife.

[2naSalit]

9. Right...

I forgot that part, Green line from Liechmere to Red. It's been decades.

[OAITW r.2.0]

10. When I was living in Stoughton, we used to take the Red Line from Braintree into Boston.

[2naSalit]

11. Might have to go to the city this summer...

Just because.

[OAITW r.2.0]

12. It could happen.

[Jvp]

2. thanks!!!