Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Yes, I shall "check it out" as the young ones say!

Yes - when I heard about Gram's death (rather later than it happened, of course), I made the connection. It would seem odd if U2 hadn't named it in some sort of recognition.

I'll Google.

Apparently not:

"The Joshua Tree takes its title from the tree that somehow survives in the desert, and much of its material suggests an attempt, within the aridity, to quench a profoundly spiritual thirst."

—Don McLeese of Chicago Sun-Times, on the album title as a metaphor for the songs

Chris, there is a great story about Gram's band (Fallen Angels?) attempting to cremate his body out in the desert, using tequila and gasoline. They were keeping a promise to him.
It is a fairly complicated tale, but with a feel good factor about his friends in the band.

Sounds pretty incendiary - didn't it work?

No, the cops were after them, (they had stolen Gram's corpse from an airport). He wanted to stay in the desert and asked the band to cremate him if he died out there, so they stole his body.
They saw the lights of the cops cars chasing them and jumped out and ignited Gram's corpse using tequila and gasoline, but they had too little time.
To me, it is a great story about friendship.

Mmmm - one would have to wonder if they were in full possession of their faculties.

Possibly not, but they stole his body from Los Angeles International Airport.
That was a neat trick.

Hi, Rusty!
You and Chris have completely lost me here?
I know virtually nothing about Shane McGowan or Gram Parsons? although I have heard of U2 and Bono!
And I've heard of "The Joshua Tree" but only as a U2 album, not as an actual place? What / Where is it?
Are you going to enlighten me as to what you are both talking about?
It all sounds somewhat bizarre?
Yes, I have followed you about your television "catch-up" - it sounds very useful!
I am now about to make a cup of coffee on our new machine!! Younger daughter bought us a coffee machine as part of our Christmas present..... a Bosch Tassimo machine - using Costa Americano coffee!
Delicious!
(It might keep me awake for a bit longer - I don't know what is the matter with me this evening....I'm so tired!

Hi elle
You might enjoy the YouTube link as well - great story about a great song.

Gram Parsons was an innovative country performer, who probably thought that he was more important than he was. When he died, he was having a fling with Emmy-Lou Harris, who went on to become a great artist.

(I'm a bit biased - I got hold of a Gram Parsons CD when I heard the story, but thought it was rubbish!)