Grateful Dead lyricist as well as Electronic Frontier Foundation and Freedom Of The Press Foundation co-founder John Perry Barlow has died today at age 70. The sad news was first passed on by filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev, who featured Barlow in his 2017 Long Strange Trip Grateful Dead documentary, and confirmed by the EFF. John Perry Barlow had been dealing with one health issue after another in recent years and died in his sleep.
Sad to report that @JohnPerryBarlow passed away last night in his sleep. Nothing to tell now/ let the words be yours/ I am done with mine. — Amir Bar-Lev (@amirbarlev) February 7, 2018
Barlow was born on October 3, 1947 in Wyoming. He attended the Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Colorado starting at age 15. There, he met fellow student Bob Weir. John Perry Barlow and Bob Weir forged a friendship that lasted through Barlow’s death. Weir went on to become a founding member of the Grateful Dead and in 1971 recruited his old friend as a writing partner. The Barlow/Weir songwriting team yielded dozens of iconic songs including “Cassidy,” “Throwing Stones,” “Hell In A Bucket,” “Lost Sailor,” “Saint Of Circumstance,” “Black-Throated Wind,” “The Music Never Stopped,” “Lazy Lightning/Supplication,” “Looks Like Rain” and “Mexicali Blues.”
JPB became fascinated with the online world following his joining the WELL in 1986. Four years later he founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a non-profit digital rights group. Mitch Kapor and John Gilmore were Barlow’s co-founders of the organization, which to this day works to preserve civil liberties on the internet. The organization also provides tutorials and other services designed to promote safe online communications. John Perry Barlow more recently was part of the 2012 formation of the Freedom Of The Press (FPF) Foundation. The organization’s mission includes “promoting and funding aggressive, public-interest journalism focused on exposing mismanagement, corruption, and law-breaking in government.”
Barlow switched between associations with the Democratic and Republican parties. Other credits include Fellow Emeritus at Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, poet and essayist. John Perry Barlow survived a massive heart attack on May 27, 2015 but has been struggling with one health issue after another ever since. He faced enormous medical bills and benefits were held on both coasts to raise funds for Barlow.
John Perry Barlow is survived by his wife Elaine and their three daughters. The JamBase Team sends its condolences to the Barlows as well as JPB’s friends and family.
7LeagueBoots on February 8th, 2018 at 04:23 UTC »
Barlow was an old family friend, one of my dad's best friends. As a kid I spent a summer on his old ranch and he married my parents on his ranch as well.
He was a crazy fellow who got himself into all sorts of troubles and escapades (I remember one 4th of July party when he set his beard on fire and was so drunk someone else had to point it out to him).
Not only did I see and experience some of his madness, I grew up hearing all sorts of stories of the craziness he, Bobby, and my dad used to get into (Example: all of them riding in the back of a pick-up, drunk and on god knows what else, when a rabbit ran by the road they were on. Barlow pulled his gun, pointed his beer bottle at the rabbit, and shot a hole through the floor of the pick-up bed).
After he sold his ranch and his plane (his flying was so erratic everyone called him "barf bag Barlow") he got into some really interesting things and got heavily involved in copyrights and freedom of information. Defended Steve Jackson games against the government, helped to found the EFF, was one of the first people to interview Jaron Lanier, "inventor" of virtual reality.
Despite all the things he did, his losses and triumphs, his rabid self promotion (his "Barlow frenzy" parties were all about marketing himself) he maintained his friendships and helped out those he could.
My folks are quite upset, my dad had been close friends with him since they were in undergrad at Wesleyan back in the late 60s.
Rest in peace you odd bird.
fuckingname on February 8th, 2018 at 00:51 UTC »
I started listening to the grateful dead about three years ago. In that short time, they've become my favorite and most listened to band by quite a bit, and Barlow's words played a huge part in that. I wish I could thank him for all he's done for me, his words have helped me through some hard times.
Principles of Adult Behavior By John Perry Barlow 1977
1 Be patient. No matter what. 2 Don’t badmouth: Assign responsibility, not blame. Say nothing of another you wouldn’t say to him in the same language and tone of voice. 3 Never assume the motives of others are, to them, less noble than yours are to you. 4 Expand your sense of the possible. 5 Don’t trouble yourself with matters you truly cannot change. 6 Expect no more of anyone than you can deliver yourself. 7 Tolerate ambiguity. 8 Laugh at yourself frequently. 9 Concern yourself with what is right rather than who is right. 10 Never forget that, no matter how certain, you might be wrong. 11 Give up blood sports. 12 Remember that your life belongs to others as well. Don’t risk it frivolously. 13 Never lie to anyone for any reason. (Lies of omission are sometimes exempt.) 14 Learn the needs of those around you and respect them. 15 Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that. 16 Reduce your use of the first personal pronoun. 17 Praise at least as often as you disparage. 18 Admit your errors freely and soon. 19 Become less suspicious of joy. 20 Understand humility. 21 Remember that love forgives everything. 22 Foster dignity. 23 Live memorably. 24 Love yourself. 25 Endure.ObiWanBonJovi on February 8th, 2018 at 00:36 UTC »
"Faring thee well now Let your life proceed by its own design Nothing to tell now Let your words be yours, I'm done with mine"
John P Barlow was a very important part in my all time favorite band. RIP