A new biopic based on the life of Grateful Dead star Jerry Garcia is set to be filmed later this year.
Jerry Garcia might not be the most fashionable name to drop in a Hoxton bar, but The Grateful Dead leader touched countless fans. In their three decade career the psychedelic star turned the band into a counter culture institution.
Formed in 1965, The Grateful Dead began as a psychedelic pop band, playing songs which stopped after three minutes. However after absorbing jazz influences the times stretched on, until trademark song 'Dark Star' reached dizzying lengths.
Jerry Garcia began life as a folk musician, but often pointed to a car accident in 1961 as being the turning point in his musical career. After this, the guitarist practised ceaselessly developing the skills which would turn the group into stars.
After the psychedelic era passed away The Grateful Dead enjoyed an unusual second life, with their heavy touring turning them into a beacon for the fading counter culture.
Sadly passing away in 1995, a new biopic aims to shed light on Jerry Garcia's early years. The film will use a script based on the celebrated book 'Dark Star' which the journalist Robert Greenfield compiled.
Using interviews from his family and friends, 'Dark Star' is as close to the truth about Jerry Garcia as we are likely to get. The Grateful Dead have of course been studied on film before, but this is the first movie to be based solely on Garcia.
Amir Bar-Lev is set to direct the biopic, which will be produced by Eric Eisner and Bona Fide partners Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa. Speaking to Variety, Bar-Lev said: "Topper Lilien's daring script does justice to Garcia and steadfastly resists cliche".
The film is just one of many music related projects due for release over the next eighteen months. There are two separate biopics in the works based on the life of Janis Joplin, while riotous girl group The Runaway were immortalised on the silver screen.
The Jerry Garcia biopic is due to be released next year.