Jerry Garcia during a recent live performance.

Jerry Garcia died sixteen years ago today from being an overweight drug addict, and the anniversary interests me mostly because I remember exactly where I was when I heard that Garcia was dead, and, holy shit, I can’t believe it was sixteen years ago.

But Shadows Fall front man Brian Fair is an actual Grateful Dead fan. And so he has commemorated Garcia’s death not by pining for his youth (and possibly scarfing down a tub of Cherry Garcia, Cathy-style), but, rather, by writing a guest blog for our friends over at Metal Insider, in which he basically seeks to answer this question: “Why should metal fans give a poo about Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead?”

Here’s a sample:

“When I was a young little skate punk going to hardcore shows in Boston, I was as anti-hippie as anyone else in the scene. It didn’t matter that I never bothered to listen to them, I just chalked them up as ‘old guy rock.’ Then something changed. I discovered weed.”

You’ve got my attention, Brian! Go on…

“Now being high didn’t make me suddenly ‘get’ the Dead’s music, but it did set up the events that lead me onto ‘the lot’ and into the world of The Dead. In the early 90′s, hardcore shows were not the best place to party. I loved the music but never got into the PC, Straight Edge lifestyle that came with it. In my search for better herb, I stumbled across this magical world of high quality drugs and beautiful dready girls that is a Dead show. This was a HUGE step up from sweaty guys in long sleeve Morbid Angel shirts or overly aggressive straight dudes at hardcore shows as far as partying was concerned. Great drugs, hot chicks down with free love and no one preaching at me from the stage!! Sign me up.”

Fair’s argument actually extends beyond sex and drugs and goes into Garcia’s music, too, but I’m a dick, so really all he had to say was “tits and weed” to win me over. I mean, he could have saved himself a whole lotta time just by typing those two words and calling it a day. Magic! He just sold me the entire Grateful Dead discography.

Read the rest of Mr. Fair’s post here.

-AR