Grateful Dead

CBS News 12/19/2024

A rather far out and interesting interview, shows some things that make The Grateful Dead what it was ... and it happened on 12/19/2024 on CBS News. It featured Bobby Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart and they talk about many things ... some of them far out, some of them maybe a bit weird, but in the end, they were able to translate all of that into the music they were able to put together ... and one of the best details is something that shows how the band was not like the modern musicians, playing with their toys to create something or other ... but the band knew one thing, their secret ... they had a special livelihood when on stage and, as we know and have heard in many bootlegs and now verious releases of many of those shows that were bootleg's ... the band allowed taping folks to get it from their sound board ... a sign of trust and friendship that the record companies have made it look like is the very piracy that hurts the companies ... when in fact, the real issue is the attitude.

Now, think for a minute ... what is "progressive and progrock missing? And the love for the music itself ... the touch of the color ... that you can live with ... as both Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh were folks that felt colors when hearing music, and it is thought that they played like it, too ... something that nowadays we can not appreciate ... and we only see mechanics. 

And you end up learning about a band, and how they developed and created their own way, in a system that thought they were crazy and stupid, but all their concerts were full of folks, and they were having a party ... and we find that what the band had was some very intelligent, crazy, loony folks, that had become good friends, and they found a way to help each other and create music ... and then, they agree that it was all the taping and fans, that "made" the Grateful Dead ... and came to the party.

In between you got some neat and interesting things ... a couple of members saw colors in the music, a couple of them were serious "students" of music, and knew a lot more than they seemed to show, but the GD was not about old music ... it was about creating a new experience with/for the music, and there are very few folks that I have ever found, that did not think they were worth it ... because they are not this or that ... the GD did a lot of styles, but the one thing that no one can take away from them, was the way they developed their communication to be able to play so well on stage ... and entertain so many folks over the years, and leaving many of us ... with some really special memories. This "live" style is their legacy ... one that will likely last a lot longer than idealistic concepts to compartmentalize all music ... because ... it was simple ... and it was about it being played ... and few bands stand up to this ability, so well, and so beautifully, as this band ever did ... 

And in the interview, you don't see "stars" ... you see real folks ... and they don't talk trash to make sure you know who is the fan, and not the artist/musician! 

A very special interview, and one that stands out ... for the true beauty that some folks have/had ... and made sure they could share it with everyone ... it's almost totally hard to imagine ... but there it is, and many of us never really got it, or understood it, and in the end ... there was nothing to understand ... there simply was some excellent music being made right in front of our eyes ... and if you think there were no special (and progressive) touches in their music, you are not listening and think the GD is just a meandering and some sort of hippie, or street music ... 

You want to see where the spirit and the truth lives?

So many GIBLOONS that I can not even rate this thing!

Extended Interview: Grateful Dead 

Anthony Mason interviews the three members left.