Gene Sculatti Was There

“I went to most of The Grateful Dead’s early shows, 66 to 68, completely straight if you doubt my take on the band, and I did love them, either I’m a liar or I have no taste whatsoever. I was often told, I liked them because I was high, but I wasn’t high at all!” 

The words of legendary music scribe Gene Sculatti talking to Norman B about drugs and rock ’n’ roll. Gene’s real-time observations and reflections on music and popular culture are all there in his new book, Tryin’ to Tell a Stranger ‘Bout Rock and Roll: Selected Writings 1966-2016. He was there experiencing and expressing his thoughts on Sixties (and post-Sixties) music and popular culture in real time. Gene’s on-the-ground reports on the dawn of psychedelia and the birth of punk, his long out-of-print 1973 John Lennon interview, and Q&A’s with Dion, Ben E. King and Brian Wilson collaborator Gary Usher.

Plus there are more than 60 features, reviews and liner notes on subjects ranging from the girl-group era and bubblegum music to Frank Sinatra, The Sonics, and Walker, Texas Ranger, on Madonna, fake Dylans, and Springsteen imitators. Gene Sculatti joins Norman B for the next edition of Life Elsewhere to recall illuminating moments from his writing career.

Life Elsewhere Show #191 airs:
Sundays 12 noon ET at The Source WMNF HD3