tely became mesmerized. His parents bought him a violin, and could immediately play this instrument. Phil was in symphonies and performed and played trumpet at parties and so on, through college he was known as a composer, and very talented also. He also excelled with digital instrumentation’s, like the keyboard and the mixer. Working for a local radio station, he arranged to have Garcia’s band play live on a program called “The Midnight Special.” Garcia recommended Lesh to pick up Bass guitar, so he could play with them and they could get rid of Morgan. They started to appeal to kids everywhere, and their shows seemed to be a great time and place to get stoned. Word got out the Warlocks shows were incredible and they were and experience of their own.(Piccoli, p.19-35) They soon became the house band at Ken Kesey’s Acid Tests, the idea of having a big party, where everyone would get stoned and listen to the music. The first one was in San Jose, right after the Rolling Stones concert, that same night. It was huge, the equipment nearly filled the room they were in, and there were just people everywhere, swarming the house. Their music was very loud, and there were hundreds and hundreds of people around. They came up with a better idea for their “acid tests” they would move around each time. It was the beginning of the “free” stage in the sixties. There were thousands of people, all stoned in different rooms, and they all just chilled, “It was magic,” says Jerry. They only played acid tests for six months, and completely fell out of the music scene.(Gans, p. 41-42) On the afternoon of October 6, 1966, the day LSD became illegal in California, some thousand people came, to see Grateful Dead, and Big Brother, and The Holding Company perform. Nearby, the Pranksters...
