Terrapin Tuesdays – This Week’s Pick – Oakland Auditorium December 1979

This week's guest is John Werner, long time Rock & Roll photographer and member of the Grateful Dead family.  John started working with the Dead in 1979 and has worked with other bay area bands like Journey and the Doobie Brothers, just to name a few.  He had this to say about the first time he heard "Terrapin".

 

"My favorite "Terrapin Station", would, not surprisingly, be my first, December 28th, 1979, at Bill Graham's new venue, the Oakland Auditorium. I had met Mickey Hart and Grateful Dead band members earlier in the year, at Front Street, while they were recording the sound score for "Apocalypse Now," the movie. I was brought in to do photography of those sessions.

 

Growing up in Marin, I had run across them and heard their music, of course, I even worked nearby their rehearsal hall in San Rafael and would hear and see them from time to time… but I had never been to a show! 

 

The New Years Eve '79-'80 run was my second outing to see the Dead. The December 28th, '79, "Terrapin Station", has a particularly sublime and gentle way about… but, it builds, grabs you, as only this song can, and doesn't let go! Unforgettable for me! It immediately became my favorite song, and I sought out more recordings of it!!!

 

That week was also my first New Years Eve run, and wow, there truly is nothing like a New Years Eve run with the Grateful Dead. My photo appears in the liner of Dick's Picks vol. 5.  I had the great honor of photographing for Mickey and the band for the next 15 years and beyond.

 

I'm looking forward to releasing more photos and prints from my extensive archives.  It's been quite a run for me…thanks to the Grateful Dead… for a real good time!"

 

Visit John On Facebook: http://bit.ly/jdwernerfb

Watch the Apocalypse Now Sessions: http://bit.ly/apocalypstt