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List Price: $25.95 | | Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Salesrank: 108242
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| Our Price: $1.99 |
| Used Price: $0.36 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
The bass player for the greatest improvisational band in American history tells the full, true story of his life, Jerry Garcia, and the Dead.
Description of Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead:
Right in time for the Grateful Dead's 40th anniversary, eccentric bass player extraordinaire Phil Lesh has delivered fans a most welcome gift: his autobiography. There are many books out there about the Dead told from the perspective of roadies, journalists, third party observers, and fans. However, with the exceptions of Jerry Garcia's ramblings in Garcia: A Signpost to New Space and Conversations With the Dead, Lesh's Searching for the Sound is the first time a founding member of America's favorite band tells their own story of what it was like inside the Grateful Dead. And what a wonderful, strange tale it is.
Phil Lesh, considered the most academic of the group due to his avant-garde classical composition training, literate mind, and passion for the arts, decided to write his story himself. Written without the crutch of a ghostwriter, Searching for the Sound might be considered disjointed in places, but overall it comes across as conversational, intimate, informative, and candid (particularly regarding topics of drug use and death). If you are familiar with the band and their extended family, their history, the sixties' musical milestones and influences and all the band's famous tales (the Garcia/ Lesh "silent" confrontation, being busted on Bourbon Street, the Wall of Sound), you may be a little disgruntled there is not much new here in the way of content. However, what is "new" and totally satisfying is Phil's warm, optimistic perspective on the many events that helped shape his life. As described by Lesh, his life's journey, much like the Dead's music, is "a [series] of recurring themes, transpositions, repetitions, unexpected developments, all converging to define form that is not necessarily apparent until it's ending has come and gone." For the many fans who enjoyed the fruits of his life pursuit of sonic explorations, Searching for the Sound is a welcome addition to their Dead library. --Rob Bracco
Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead Reviews:
The Best Book On The Grateful Dead So Far 
2008-09-11 - My first review on Amazon; so, you know it must be imporatant. This book is terrific. I've read several other books on the Grateful Dead. The other books do not "flow" like this book does. Phil is less concerned with specific dates and more concerned with the overall feeling or "vibe" that was going on at the time. Its easier to read because it doesn't get bogged down in "which people were present at a specific meeting on what date." Its the only book written by a band member (so far). Because of that, it gives the inside perspective on events that others missed. Get into the "PHIL ZONE" and buy this book!
Luuuvv U Uncle Phil!
2008-07-17 - Other than Sting & Sir Pauley, you're the greatest to ever touch the instrument!
XXXJer
The Best Book Written About The Dead
2008-06-09 - I've read at least 10 different books about the Grateful Dead. While many of these books are very informative, nothing comes close to Phil Lesh's book. It reads more like a day-to-day encyclopedia of Phil's perspective of his life before, during and after the Grateful Dead. No detail seems to be left out. His memory of the minutia of his life is staggering. If you really want to know what was going on with Phil before, during and after the Grateful Dead, this book is highly recommended. It is not a quick read but it is very informative: more so than any other book regarding the Grateful Dead. Budget between 15 and 20 hours to read this book even though it does not appear to be that long of a book. Phil, job well done! Bravo!
A beautiful and poignant story.
2008-03-15 - I truly enjoyed this account of Phil's life and his experience with the Grateful Dead. The audio ,which was read by the author, was beautifully written and entertaining!
Great Insider's Perspective
2008-02-22 - I've read a few Dead books and this is by far the best insider's perspective. Phil was there from the beginning and vividly recounts what it was like growing with the band. Everything from the acid tests to the untimely death of their front man is covered in great detail. Surprisingly, through all the chemicals, Phil has a great memory of events and leaves nothing out. I was too young to experience the Dead first hand, but after reading Searching for the Sound, I listen to them as if I had been there.
