Mark Harper: The Atomic-Galactic Balladier

During the 70s and 80s I avoided the Grateful Dead like the plague because I thought it was a cult of non-conforming conformists; a group of people all shunning the suit and tie, only to all wear the tie-dye. However, thanks to the Creator of the Universe, thanks to what ever force got a Universe of Spiraling Galaxies all a spiraling, I happened into a Washingon, DC Pub called the: "Grog and Tanker" near Georgetown University, unbeknownst to me that it was a Grateful Dead pub. I was filming as I walked in the club and the first gorgeous person I saw was a 6 foot tall beautiful blond who I fell in love with that night, who ended up turning me on to the greatest musical herd of Human-Beings EVER! This incredible young Dead Head turned me on to the best band on the planet and thanks to her, I was able to enjoy the boys for the 1st half of the 90s before Jerry checked out. Beings that I missed out on so much awesome music during the 70s and 80s I felt a great need to try and do as much as I could do to make up for all the missed good times. One example of how I did this, was to invent a helmut that would light up and then I would put the setlist on this electronic contraption and wear it on my head and walk up and down Shakedown and during the show: plugging in that night's setlist. Among a few Dead-heads, I became: "Setlist-Man." On of the high-lights of my life was at a 94 show in Auburn, Michigan and someone in the family got me thoroughly baked and had me write: "Happy Birthday Jerry" on my light up scroll. Jerry was in his groove, as always and I'll never forget how Phil looked as he was pointing me out the the drummers. I hope I someday get to go to Bonnaroo because I'm sure it's going to give me plenty of wonderful flashbacks to the best days of my life: following the Grateful Dead in the early 90s. Peace! Atomically, Galactically yours, Now and forever and a billion seconds between a second. Mark Layton Harper