On Friday night, guitarist Steve Kimock participated in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit. The Grateful Dead subreddit hosted the Q&A in which Steve shared an amazing story about Jerry Garcia.
Redditor Post_Crash_Earnheart asked, “Garcia regarded you as one of his favourite guitar players. You are certainly one of mine as well. Can you recall a special moment you shared with him either personally or while on stage? Something that sticks out as a special memory?” Kimock came through and responded:
So this was I don’t know how many years ago, maybe 30 or something, just gotten off the road with Little Women, me and Jerry Joseph. We were in Manhattan and we were barefoot. The Dead were playing at Madison Square Garden. We couldn’t get in because we didn’t have tickets. I walk past the Kit-Kat Club and I guy gives me a flyer. A van pulls up, and, bam, the Dead get out and start pouring into the hotel. Jerry’s not looking at me, he’s looking at my feet and I’m barefoot, and I give him the flyer, and he looks up and says, “Steve, what are you doing here?”
I just said we got off the road and are in town. I ask if he can get us in, and he says sure. He says yeah, meet me here tomorrow at 5 o’clock we’ll go to the show. Five comes, then 5:30 then 6, and we’re like this guy’s not coming. Then he shows up, and it’s just Jerry and me and Jerry Joseph and we drive right up to the stage.
It’s just me and Jerry and [GD crew member Steve] Parish hanging out, smoking a cigarette. He’s got a new guitar, the second Travis Bean. It’s sitting there. I say how does it sound. He flicks it, like he’s flicking a booger, he just hits the side of the neck with his fingernail. He just grinned.
”
Another interesting question referred to the Fare Thee Well – 50 Years Of Grateful Dead concerts in 2015. “Steve, mad props to you for a lifetime of wonderful music. My question is, “how did you feel about the Grateful Dead Fare The Well shows in 2015? Based on comments Bob Weir has made, it seems that you would have been playing guitar on that stage if you were also a vocalist. Personally, I thought Trey was fantastic, but your playing would have fit in and stretched that music so well. I am curious (nosy?) about your personal journey through that time, if you care to share,” redditor blissboy asked. Here was Steve’s response:
I’m glad they did it. I was actually surprised they did it in Chicago. It didn’t make any sense to me. It took me a while to work out the logic, but it worked out beautifully for the guys.
They could hire me to play guitar. You can hire singers. They hired Trey and let Phil sing, you know what I mean? That might have been like the picture in Bob’s head: If Kimock could sing it would be perfect.
Hanging out on the periphery of the whole Grateful Dead thing is unusual. It’s like being a character in someone else’s dream. I think it’s good when all the surviving members play together. It’s good for them. It’s good for the fans.
Head here for more of Steve’s responses.
