Deadheads are TOXIC

[@hostesscupcakes8130]

So, i have a dead story. It was the early 90s and i was a sophomore in high school. The Grateful Dead were coming to town and i really wanted to go, it was gonna be my first concert and i really liked the music. My mom bought me tickets and a new dead t-shirt to wear to the show as a present. I was really excited and my mom drove me out to see them. Out in the parking lot, tons of people walking around, vans selling food and shirts and jewelry, it was really amazing. I was looking around, and this group of people came up and just started making fun of me and my new grateful Dead shirt, just calling me names and saying i know nothing about the dead. As a 16 year old, it was really discouraging and ruined my experience. Then, an old couple came up and started giving them trouble and calling them assholes and to leave me alone. When the group left, the old guy offered to trade shirts with me, probably seeing that i was upset about it, and I did. My mom was pissed when she picked me up, but it was a good memory that i am thankful for and i still have the shirt today. Yeah, some deadheads are toxic and assholes, but others are pretty good. My mom would say that no matter where you go in life, there will always be assholes.

[@Oldcrow77]

I had been seeing the dead since 77 on Oklahoma Move to LA for work. My Buddy and I worked in the restaurant biz. We where in the lot at a So Cal show. Looking for doses. This guy started calling me the worst thing possible “Narc” I cussed him out and said some of us actually have jobs that require you to cut your hair ! Kid came up on his skateboard and asked how many you want. He disappeared in the crown and was back in a flash. I had been on the bus for over a decade at that point. I could understand the assholes assumption. But he was still an asshole

[@sirfizz6518]

We all have part of us that's an asshole. Hopefully we try not to shove it in everyone's face.

[@mr.niceguy1498]

Same thing happened to me in the mid 1980’s. It was always,”your not a real deadhead. What the hell does that really mean?

[@rocpile2517]

A lot of those people that came along in the nineties were not dead heads they were troublemakers looking for drugs And they completely ruined the scene

[@worngimimajosplaynholmes6907]

@@rocpile2517 right , so heaven forbid we had a bad attitude towards new comers.

[@jamescrafford7127]

I think the 'headier than thou' thing comes from a lack of otherwise having a strong personal identity. I think most people who are like this are probably a bit lost / don't have a whole lot going for them outside of the scene. The dead and its scene is a source of a lot of their strength and purpose or, at the very least, filled some kind of personal void (if it genuinely helps them thats great). When it becomes part of identity it becomes part of ego, and many many people become quite defensive / imposing when it comes to their ego. The gate keepers are the worst and in opposing spirit to what the music is all about. - a big fan

[@spudboyeyesonu5731]

Headier than thou 😂 The perfect description

[@ChristianRaymondFilms]

Wow great job writing that, it’s the same exact thing as skateboarding / snowboard / surfing industry as well.

[@matthewatwood8641]

I'm currently homeless. Started busking after the pandemic hit. I play mostly Grateful Dead. There've been many times that I pulled myself out of a funk by reminding myself that Jerry probably had plenty of moments in the eighties & nineties when he would've loved nothing better than to go back to living in his car & surviving on peaches with Robert Hunter, playing coffee houses & stuff. I'm a lifer. Signed on for the full tour, baby💀

[@BreadLobby]

Fuck yeah man! Play I need a miracle at shows n shit. That will get you free shows and probably some free acid and grilled cheese. Come on homeless man, you need a band? Let's play the blues on the streets together dawg

[@jwright4686]

I don't necessarily automatically tip buskers, but if you play the Dead, you have my money!

[@matthewatwood8641]

That's music to my ears 😁

[@BreadLobby]

@@matthewatwood8641 haha if you come up to Portland Oregon comment on one of my two vids I got posted, we can work out some jams fo sho. Portland is a good ass place to homeless in the summer. I was living under Hawthorne for two years and it was relatively alright

[@denverguitarhero]

Im a busker too! Good on ya. I play dead songs like jack straw, warf rat, and he's gone

[@erikortlieb7282]

Ripple brings much of the essence of the dead front and center, “if I knew the way, I would take you home”. Home in this sense is whatever universal energy deadheads and the band identify as “the magic” of the GD. The band can’t take us home, they’re just as confused and frustrated as we are, you will have to walk the road alone. They aren’t gods, they’re imperfect humans who are reaching for the same things the OG heads were/are reaching for.

[@rayanrahbari5619]

All I wanna say is that the first time I saw Bob Weir and Wolf Bros, we all hugged and all I could feel was love for every being in my life. THAT to me is thee root of it all.

[@deadreckoning6288]

Spot on.

[@MasterRoss-sn7dl]

Going to a weir and wolf bros show attracts deadheads that are there for the music

[@Ethan-gy2xj]

U don't even need a resume to convince people ur a "deadhead". If u know another song other than Casey Jones and u like it...congrats ur a deadhead.

[@dannydonnelly8345]

I'm 67, listening since I was 15. My favorite thing to see at a Dead show is kids and families.

[@Captain_Brian]

Davvvy laying it out! The music never had constraints and it will continue to evolve. If heads aren’t happy… go listen to your maxell 90’s. All the new ensembles and addition of “couch tours” via online stream & even the app relisten are all part of the growth. Everyone needs to, yes listen to your favorite years, but also be thankful for what ya still get! Keep truckin brothers & sisters!! (PSA. I have no connection to anything. Just point out the current options for access)

[@jonasmr9549]

Great video and discussion about dead culture. I appreciate the perspective on different generations getting into the music, and how future generations will have their own story with the music, but ultimately keep the flame alive. Its built to last! Make more content like this!

[@thebepis712]

Im relatively new to the dead. I never had a chance to see Jerry play, just listened to the live albums. Now that im am adult and can afford tickets have seen dead and co a few times and it was an incredible experience. The music, the crowd everything was amazing. I never cared much for john mayers solo stuff myself but i love the energy he brings to the show. I don’t care how many comments I read of a bitter person saying if you didn’t see Jerry you aren’t a fan. I’m going to enjoy this version of the dead and will probably enjoy future iterations.

[@michaelderose397]

I love the notion of "owing something to the song." I always felt that way about lots and lots of songs from Dylan, Garcia/Hunter, Nanci Griffith and for some reason the Moody Blues too. I'll use that line now. I owe a lot to those songs.

[@deadreckoning6288]

Dude, your hilarious. You got the gist of it for sure. Old head here, seen all of what your talking about. For me it has always been about family, the tribe, coming home & the music is home. Be kind, do no harm. Being at a show was always the one place where I felt accepted to be my authentic self. That is rare in mainstream human society. Being at a Dead show was the greatest experience this old boy has ever been blessed with. NFA ⚘💀☇

[@peterjarrattmusic]

I have always felt like I have not earned my keep being a dead fan. Although I personally have never felt directly intimidated by more experienced or knowledgeable fans... I definitely have an almost subconscious guilt about not having put in enough time and effort studying the music or experiencing the culture. Its a weird thing to explain. Basically, I think with other musical acts.... Lets say the Stones and the Beatles.... someone could easily consider themselves a major fan even if they only had a couple albums that they loved. But with the Dead, it almost feels like you need to know every single song name, all the best live bootlegs, need three concert tees and 50 stamps on your passport proving that you left the Universe and understand. lol I do, however, realize that this is largely just my own perspective.

[@Oldcrow77]

You need not feel that way. You know what’s in your heart and head. Do not feel the need to legitimize your love of the music and all it represents. It’s great you want to submerge yourself in it though. Play the tapes, embrace the music. Be kind. Ain’t no time to hate. I find so many things that help guide my days in the lyrics. Don’t feel you need to compare your Dead experience to anyone else’s journey. “ There is a road, no simple highway Between the dawn and the dark of night And if you go, no one may follow That path is for your steps alone”

[@namelia4439]

I actually understand what you’re saying…I felt that way at the very beginning and even for a few years after that. But at the end of the day, it’s just about the music and the joy and the freedom and the dancing and the good people there! If anyone says or does something that makes you feel the way you described, just wish them a lovely day and move on…you’ll find other people to hang and dance w that will just love that you’re there…and you’ll love them, too and all will be well, friend!!!!

[@sirfizz6518]

I pretty much feel the same. Just looking at this comment section, it easily affirms the impression I've had for some time, that for Heads it's more than just being a fan on the general sense. I'm a lifelong musician who remains a stalwart for always respecting the greats. What the Dead did is absolutely staggering. For such a famous and successful band, the true scope of their impact is massively underrated at large. But I say that for dedicated musicians, at least those who can see the value of studying those who've paved the way, the Dead are none to sleep on. If we spend some time appreciating the breadth of their catalog, there's so much to learn from and connect with for anyone open to it. Dead Heads, however, have something more. If you really get into it with someone who lovingly calls themselves that, you'll surely encounter some profoundly sentimental stories about how vitally the Dead effected their life. For them there's such a deep, personal...dare I say intimate...connection these Heads feel with the band, they music, and the massive family that arose globally. Me, i don't have that sense, not in my own life. Sure some interesting stories, but nothing prophetic. I'm just a musician who loves and respects what that unlikely bunch of musicians created and left in their wake, and what we can all learn. Also I do love the tunes. So I'm a fan. Dead Heads are Dead Heads. In my experience they've never made feel excluded, in fact they were very welcoming. But it's about the deep personal thing. That's why i consider myself not a Dead Head... just a fan. A lover of the music and the people.

[@sirfizz6518]

@@Oldcrow77 yoooo i read your comment after leaving mine and it's wild, i was very close to ending my comment with quoting the same lyrics.

[@sambac2053]

I have a very different reflection for you. I’ve been listening to the band since the late sixties, I love the music , and respect their attitudes as artists- drawing from a broad spectrum of influences, being willing to take chances and experiment. , Being really predent in the moment Caring about good vibes and community. But as there started to be more and more heads who built their whole identities around the Dead, obsessining on endless trivial details, every setlist for every show. Never talking about anything else, never listening to other music - not even realizing the Dead played lot’s of songs by otjer artists they liked , etc etc etc, the whole thing got more and more watered down , more and more predictable . And since the band channeled the audience vibe, for the improvs, thosr got less and less adventurous . By the last phase in the 90s the band often seemed bored. I think the best thing to do is enjoy the music, forget all the superficial trappings, especially if they make you judge yourself That’s what the band was trying to do , make people forget their worries and enjoy the music , in the moment .

[@todd8038]

As a gen z head(zoomer) i entered the scene online seeing people talking shit about anyone, it didnt make sense. As ive grown into the scene the past two years I respect each player of all jam bands. Its good to see homies show to show, especially fellow students who love the music. Personally i mix the drugs but not much because i feel as if some “drugs” can really enhance your senses.

[@donaldemeyer]

Bay Area born, this was the music of our youth, for free in the park. You pretty much nailed it... I dig what you're doing.

[@keithsytsma]

Stumbled across this in my home feed. So glad it was. I subscribed to your channel and gave this a thumbs up. I am 50 years old and got turned on to the Grateful Dead in 1985. I got into trading tapes and have a great collection. So refreshing to hear the message we can agree to disagree with out getting all mad about it. Today communication at times seems to be a lost art and people forget being cool to others is cool. Look forward to enjoying this channel. Thanks again Davvy!

[@zummo61]

Great video. I agree 100%. I am 61 and started seeing the Dead in 74 and hope to keep seeing this music celebrated for generations in all its forms. Keep it up dude. I support you 100%, even if i keep bugging you about that Love in the Afternoon intro. 😂

[@RommelEGH]

really you started to go to shows at 12? sure and i am the same age and was at woodstock.

[@zummo61]

@@RommelEGH ticket was for my 13thbirthday Good to have older sisters!

[@colinpanarra8007]

Awesome video man! I connected with the Dead more after my father passed and we played He's Gone at his service. People like you helping share content and positivity is what this is all about and learning through your videos connects me not only with the music I love but my own special memories with my own Dad.

[@Charlieboy2680]

Yeah I've found alot of narcissism with Dead Fans. For me it's all about the music and it being a lifestyle of love,compassion and kindness. Preach brother 🌹⚡️

[@leeanians-mueller]

Great stuff. I always try to learn one thing per day - you passed on three things I did not know. I am good for two days

[@romanborysiuk5910]

Really dig what you are doing. You are a great teacher- I've learned a lot from you. Rock on my brother. Thank you.

[@stephentmarksberry4484]

I met Jerry as he was sitting on the edge of a stage at a ice skating rink IN Providence RI. I asked him if I could sit behind the amps. he said yes and I climbed up to the stage and Jerry looked at Ramrod and let him know he I was all good with me coming up to the amps. I go around an amp and I find Bear, dropping liquid acid on the back of people’s hands then licking it off. I held out my hand and he put 4 drops on it and I licked it off. Gota say it was fantastic . I asked him if he would hook me up with his local dealer and he gave me the information. He wanted to build the wall of sound that was where the money went . I asked him why no one blinked an eye with me being there and he said it was because I was home. I met my wife at a show . He tried to take care of the family but the whole world. If you don’it we are all world living in Jerry’s world. Everyone in the family has been kind and thoughtful. Thanks my sisters and brothers 🖖🏽

[@Treebeard1992]

I just found this channel, loved your crazy fingers tutorial and also loved your jokes and goofy antics. Really enjoyed your commentary on this video as well! Keep it up!

[@sugaree71]

Deadhead for more than 51 years. It has always been exclusively about the music for me and remains so. Guess I am OG ;) At last show in Chicago, days after presumed “touchheads” trashed Deer Creek, if I recall correctly. Saw only “the Dead,” Dark Star Orchestra as well as Dead and Company since. Had not even heard of John Mayer until after Fare Thee Well. Turned on my 28 year old, also a guitar player, at Wrigley last June. Music, especially Box of Rain, sustained me as I took care of my dad in his final year in this world. He was also a musician, who played the trumpet in 3 Seattle area bands during his retirement and was well on his way to the bus. My only regret: not being able to take him to a live show. Relevant anecdote: searched for a grief therapist after losing him in 2014. Found someone I clicked with until I discovered that he was only 32 at that time. Then I learned that he was a deadhead … and a guitar player. Trusted him as a result and never regretted it. The music will live forever!! Thanks for doing your part.💀⚡️🌹#NFA

[@jackreeves2499]

loved the video! im 17 rn in high school and il admit Mayer brought me to this music. if dead and co mission was to spread the music as much as humanly possible it worked I think. cause now I listen a ton of old dead shows, phish, goose, billy strings, allman brothers, and all that and now it’s all I listen too and it’s a lot of what I play when I play guitar. i completely understand why someone would not does not like Mayer but he definitely brought people to the music. I mean now I go to so many shows each tour. I love your channel cause I love learning about the stuff I wasn’t alive for. and for that I thank you for.

[@Belbivdevoe]

I'm sure there is a girl involved in this Johnny Salami love story

[@hilltopmel9150]

As a good friend pointed out, It’s cultural suicide to push away young heads. I was on tour as a teenager in the early 90’s and still go to shows and dance my ass off. I’m so excited when I see young people digging the music. We gotta keep it alive in the youth or it will die with us old heads.

[@herbythechef7624]

Yeah people gotta be kind to new heads. The headier than thou additude gives the culture a bad name

[@johnobrien5486]

That’s what it’s all about man! Been playing with a gd/jgb cover band for about a year and I’d say I also have a complicated relationship with preforming the guitar solo as well/overall performance.

[@dannydonnelly8345]

All I can say is NRPS. New Riders were incredible, we referred to them as Grateful Deads little brothers.

[@kaiserchris6168]

I appreciate you walking me through this. I'm just an old guy who had older brothers in the 70s and went to some shows in the 80s. Then for a period of decades, I checked out and did my own thing and rarely, if ever checked in. I was surprised and filled with wonder when i realized the scene was still going strong. I really appreciate what you shared with me ❤

[@BST501]

I am 52 years old and I have been a Lover of the music and a Dead Head since 1983. I understand the division and dilemma but I don't even like talking about who's who and what's what. How many shows have you seen blah, blah, blah! I loved the Grateful Dead then and understand them and Love them even more now! Thank you Boys for the music and may it never fade away.

[@justin10054]

I was never a fan of John Mayer (nothing against him, just not my style), but I had the opportunity to see Dead & Co. for free back in 2021 and there is no way I was going to turn that down. I was hesitant going in just because John was filling in for Jerry and, you know, he's not Jerry. But at some point during the show, I realized that he wasn't trying to be Jerry. He was just playing Grateful Dead music in his own way and he was clearly having a good time doing it. And literally every single person in the audience was having a great time. That was when I got it. I mean, I'm still not gonna go out and buy some John Mayer records, but I count myself a fan of Dead & Co. Also, the Help on the Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower that night was the single best Grateful Dead experience of my life.

[@erikotema]

Help Slip Frank DeadCo 🙏🙌👊

[@mikesmusicden]

I've been following the Dead since the early 80s and have been to over 100 shows. The crowd was a lot more balanced and tolerant back in the day. There were the unwashed hippies (both real and wannanbes), but there were also construction workers just getting off building sites and even stockbrokers and lawyers in Armani suits - all there to see the band. There was no real political confrontations, a liberal hippie would be jammin' to Franklin's Tower right along side a day trader in a pinstripe suit. Everyone was there to share a common connection, which was their love of the band and its music. Those days are gone forever. Try wearing a Trump shirt to a Dead and Friends show and see if they even let you in the venue (yes, there are conservative Deadheads). It's sad because the tolerance and "live and let live" ideals are gone. As a bass player, I miss the days of standing in front of Phil waiting for him to drop "Phil bombs", but the crowd is so intolerant and lacks the thought diversity that it did back in the day that I don't bother going to shows anymore.

[@cardinalchiropractic7439]

I don’t find the current shows intolerant at all it’s a safe space for me always has been

[@Kuzey457]

Well I wouldn't parade around my support of what we can all agree is a rather divisive controversial political figure, in the age of online echo chambers mind you, and not expect any confrontations. Respect goes both ways.

[@palakabrad]

Dig your stuff and way, Davvy. I need to sign up for your Golden Road lesson. Keep it up, bro! Aloha🤙

[@MichaelDeFillippo8889]

very well said Davvy.. I agree the bottom line is just to be kind to everyone even if they like dead and co lol. like u said it's all about the MUSIC. inclusion, not exclusion.

[@michaelcardamone3745]

The longer I listened to this video the more I dig your talking. You’re real

[@GratefulGrove]

Excellent take and the points you bring up all ring true. Video editing is on point too, as always.

[@kerryc.7438]

I just picked up a bluegrass book on Amazon, just flipping through the pages I can’t believe how many tunes that are in there the dead covered and JGB , it’s unreal

[@shovedhead]

Jerry especially loved the American songbook, no doubt. I marvel when I hear his insertion of banjo riffs into unlikely places.

[@johnrobinson7036]

Davvy, found your channel within the past couple weeks and really enjoy it. I’m 66 and started playing the guitar two years ago. It’s a blast and I’m all over the board with it: blues, country, rock, funk, jazz, folk. The Dead check all the boxes and do it so well. Thanks for the great lessons among other things. You seem to be in a good place right now and that’s good. Subbed. P.s. Wondering if there is a Toby. Peace.

[@jdnoneya5231]

I've never used recreational drugs, but the first time I heard the American Beauty album in eighth grade, 82-83, I was hooked. So amazing, then trading tapes and so forth. Life changing stuff, I think it's a shame people are lucky enough to be exposed the music and don't get the peace, love and radical autonomy that I get from it. From my perspective, the whole point of the Grateful Dead is that nobody has to conform to anyone else's trip, but we damn sure shouldn't try to force them to conform to ours.

[@deadbeefmonster]

Thanks for posting this. It exists in other band communities, too, such as Phish where folks fight about fandom like there are tiers. I appreciate your POV of just focus on the music and the love, we're all in this together and all are just trying to live while we can :) Why not choose kindness?

[@zackmarkham6726]

I've shared a lot of these same thoughts, man. It ain't about us, it's about the music. Fuck the headier than thou bullshit. Keep on doing you, dude. I appreciate it. 🙏

[@WEREWOLFCaT_STORIES]

“One way or another, this darkness has got to give” new speedway boogie is my melodic mantra to bring me back. The kicker - I hear it in my head as your voice.. as first time I heard it was on your stream with that great reverb vocal. ❤ cheers brother.

[@rcw08]

So I am totally new to the Grateful Dead scene and I really appreciate the lex I love the soulfulness I love everything about it and I listen to various jam bands on Pandora while I'm driving my 18 Wheeler so thank you thank you I've discovered something that has already been in front of my face for a long time.

[@markolukin4331]

I really appreciate the lessons you give on the Dead. I have been a Deadhead since the mid 80"s. I have also been playing guitar and writing for 30 years. I always wanted to be in a band that plays all Dead, and recently I got the chance. I figured no problem, I'll start learning the songs and bam! Well start playing live. Stop! I never realized how complex and different their songs are, even though I've been a huge Head forever. I was learning by eat but what I was coming up with was missing a lot of the nuances in their songs. When I found you on utube, I instantly was able to pick up on your teaching. In most cases after 1 viewing. Just want to thank you. After the 1st week I went to rehearsal and the guys were blown away. My soloing was no issue but I showed up playing the songs the way they actually sound. Forever grateful brother.

[@pookiegamer9327]

My dad’s been trying to learn some dead songs on guitar and thanks to your guitar videos I get to play the dead with my dad Thank you Davy Great video, keep up the great work

[@RobertBardos]

Great talk Davvy. Sending love bro

[@Oldcrow77]

Your comments are spot on. First show 10/11/77 then I moved to socal for work in 86. Felt like an alien in L.A. Went to the last “Real” Dead on the Beach shows in Ventura and reconnected with “Family” By 90 I was living in the hills of Mendocino doing respectable work. Became friends with Steve Marcus when he married one of our close tour sisters. Met my future wife at Friends JGB birthday Run after party in San Diego. We got married in Hawaii with Roy Rogers and Peter Rowan as our wedding guest and Peter played our late night party. At the pre wedding reception my sound guy put on “keeper of the Key” David Nelson Bands first CD. Imagine standing there with Peter “Panama”Rowan and hearing David Nelson. I then got to work with DNB for a magical, crazy 20 years. Tour/production managing and giging them in Mendocino and Hawaii every year for over a decade. I’m not saying this to name drop. But to underline the fact that I have had a incredible life and everything I have is because of The “Good ole Grateful Dead” I can’t imagine it any other way and couldn’t have planned for such a wonderful life. People that weren’t fortunate enough to experience the live X Factor of when the crowd would push and the Band pushed back harnessing the energy of the moment and taking it into the ether will not understand. But I know many of you do. First law of thermodynamics is that energy cannot be destroyed or created only Re-focused. And some nights collectively we were smashing atoms. Thank you Jerry for all you gave us!

[@sethstine4698]

10/11/77 first show? What a first show!!!! Dick Latvala is quoted saying that 10/11 is one of the few examples of "primal dead". Great Help/Slip/Franklin's, Let it Grow, and the Dancin > Dire is legendary. I'm jealous.

[@mattneapolitano7996]

Awesome job not name dropping! I'm inspired for sure. So you were pals w SMarcus but not Jerry. That sucks.

[@Oldcrow77]

@@mattneapolitano7996 Not pal’s exactly. He was married to our clan and was very gracious to us because of it. Steve is a very nice guy. Only had a few very brief with Jerry and they where very brief, “like in the same space at the same time, but didn’t feel at all at ease with bothering him. Felt more like giving him space. Yes I have lived a very cool rock n roll fantasy life. Having Van Halen’s mgr take my rolling papers from me, only to twist one for his guys when we were in there dressing room and when they where opening for sabbath on their first album tour in like ‘78 Other great forest Gump type rock n roll situations So name dropping or story telling, call it what you want. Of course I have the thank you note from Bill Walton and his wife and a pic of all of us together at vegas when we gave the seats all the 3 days And saved them from the sea of fans bugging him. Not a day goes by that I don’t think how blessed I’ve been. Like I said before, I owe it all to the Grateful Dead and rock n roll in general.

[@samboyd5951]

Davvy, you rock from the toes on up dude and you know it!! Don't take it the wrong way. Sadly, there are some strange people out there who like the taste of puke in their mouths. We are all weirdos. Me and many others appreciate you sharing your weirdness every week. (Expanding on the idea. Somewhere out there is someone who loves the smell of a skunk. Like if something is rotten they like it. Our tastes vary so much. Our kindness should not). I couldn't have said it better myself- Oh wait, I just did. Muchas Gracias Davvy. Your life is all your my dude!

[@tommuir4313]

Thanks for this. I can't remember anything. Just love the music.

[@kevinmaddog3064]

Yeah Hunter wrote the lyrics but Jerry brought the words to life!

[@atravelerofbothtimespace4172]

The popularity that " Touch of Grey" brought is responsible for most of what this topic is about as I type this you are addressing this but yea I am a 90s kid this is a 60s band that went FAR ...such an interesting history ...look forward to some more live jams guys ❤nice upload guy

[@justgivenofox9543]

My Dad was at Duke when they performed there in 1978. How shocked would you be if I told you politicians in office today were at Duke just across the hall tripping the same acid, Mr. Natural. He and his friends were extremely huge Dead fan since he was in high school back in the early 70’s. Crazy how much influence this band had and on how many people

[@deadreckoning6288]

We are everywhere 💀 ;)

[@ewoknips5154]

I gotta admit, I was one of the folks that talked major crap about Mayer playing with dead and Co, but after seeing them live he changed my mind. I believe he gets it. He did throw a few Mayerisms into some songs , but what do you expect?

[@Goldtele94]

Exactly my point! Be kind! Please don’t blow out another bands candle in an attempt to make yours brighter!

[@judwillmont4856]

I like you stuff man. Thanks for the rant. I love what you said about how the dead songs are becoming the new ‘standards’ - I’ve felt that way for a while as well. I do what I can to play the music out here in China cat land (yes, I live in China). Rock on bro and keep making vids. I learn a lot from you.

[@badbassfishing9974]

I'm really happy to have found you on here. The good parts are always harder to remember. But there have been a lot of good parts. I was never a dead head, my friends were. They dragged me to so many shows. You remind me of the people I loved. That's good enough.

[@ryanriley746]

Really incredible video, Davvy. Thanks for your hard work!!

[@danielosullivan3110]

The shit was all over when Brent passed!!❤️🥂🚬

[@elijahwilson1422]

I've met Jimmy Tebeau of The Schwag and he was bass player for JGB for two years under Melvin Seals.

[@JerryToneStore]

This is incredible dude. All the love

[@robertbeckman2054]

I was 16 in 1989, when Touch of Grey and Hell in a Bucket were getting AirPlay. I had no idea that these guys had a dozen or so albums from the 60’s and 70’s. I found some tunes they played that I liked, but I put the GD on the shelf for two decades. It reignited for me when I started listening to whole shows on KZbin. Songs I had never heard from the albums, long succulent jams (cat sunshine/I know you rider, terrapin station, “don’t murder me” song, turn on your love light, etc, etc. Zi also love the short-lived Brent Midland era the best. What a unique, raspy, high tenor, and strong voice he had.

[@TallGuitarBoy]

Bro, this is so spot on. The music is what matters. Don't be a sick is our mantra!😂

[@Denboii]

I loved that point that Deadheads are the same no matter where you go. I was in the Netherlands this past spring and my trip lined up with a Dead cover show on King's Night which is essentially a night long pre-game for King's Day. (Unrelated but if you're going to go to the Netherlands, line it up with King's Day and you won't regret it.) Anyway, I get to the show and the police shut it down right before the band was supposed to go on due to an angry neighbor. I eventually saw some young Dutch folks donning Stealies and Marching Bears and we got to talking. They were some of the sweetest people I have ever met and we ended up prowling the streets of Utrecht hitting various street parties, grooving with each other, and getting to know and love one another. They even offered me a ride back to the town I was staying in since the trains only came once an hour. We all exchanged phone numbers and are still in fairly close contact. (Elise, if you're reading this, thank you for bringing me onto your Bozo bus). Since then a couple of the guys in that group have started their own Dead cover band and it looks like both bands are starting to gain more of a following. It was one of the highlights of my entire trip and gave me proof I could find family wherever I am as long as I can find another Deadhead.

[@jaym.5036]

I love Utrecht! Favorite city in Netherlands. I love the canals, how low they are...with the condos and buildings and shops. My favorite country and favorite people! GRATEFUL DEAD FOR LIFE ❤💛💚

[@evancosta]

Very well said, I really enjoy the current DSO lineup with Jeff Mattson and I also really appreciate Dead & Co. (I’ve been to many shows and will be there this summer for the final tour). I’m excited to see what project Bobby will continue with next, his shows with the Wolf Bros this past fall were amazing. It’s like you said, it’s up to us to carry the music on, to steward it into the future for the next generation of fans. And your 100% right about that we shouldn’t hate on new fans for how they come to enjoy the music.

[@jonathanlund590]

I'm seeing DSO tomorrow night which is Friday at the Warfield in S.F I prefer them over the other groups that are exclusive to the band, well them and jrad are equally good. Just the fact that a tribute band can sell out that venue for both nights is quite impressive

[@evancosta]

@@jonathanlund590 I would say their ability to recreate the experience of an original GD show, along with the occasional use of original gear, paired with their ability to play/sing definitely helps them to fill out venues. I hope the Warfield show is dope! At the end of the day it always comes down to what we like to hear, whether that be the music as it was written/performed or the music played in newer ways and or interpretations. I wish DSO was a bit closer to home on their current tour, cause I would definitely love to see them again (I definitely will). In the meantime, I’ve been checking out some of the local projects that are my area in the NE, lots of good ones here with interesting takes on the music.

[@jonathanlund590]

@@evancosta what's kinda funny is with the dead we were blessed with Cali shows all the time like between tours and 4 Nye shows but now DSO and jrad which I consider the 2 best tribute bands for both musicianship and sound quality,both are based on the east coast and before covid there were always one or the other playing at Brooklyn bowl or capital theater.but since I only started hitting dead shows in 87 so my first DSO show was at the actual Filmore here in San Francisco and by the second set I had a pretty good idea what a 70 Filmore show felt like

[@gratefulkm]

The music is the medication The conduit's that play the music don't matter It was always just a big party for those that spend thier lives hidden in plain sight All we found really was music and an environment that you can shake and spin without fear The boys have always known that there are those that need to experience Love for the first time in thier life That's why they played The "WE" moment

[@lucysmart1476]

I’ve grown up second generation dead head and having listened to this music for so much of my young life lol when I saw it was popular I immediately started to not like that. Learning not to hate keep is the most essential part of enjoying any artist or any music I feel and it goes for so many different genres and artists. The more people who enjoy the dead the longer the music sticks around. When it’s gone we’re all gonna be real sad.

[@Raelven]

Summer tour 1980 and then some. Wasn't toxic. Unless you chose to hang with the toxic, who are avoidable and not limited to Dead shows or "culture". Like everything, the more people who find it, the faster it goes pffft. 🤷

[@elb2698]

You also have absolutely no idea what it was like when the touch heads invaded the scene. It was hell. All of a sudden we couldn't get tickets anymore. All of a sudden we could not camp in lots anymore. All of a sudden there were tons of undercover and people getting busted left and right. Plus the scene itself became almost trite. I dropped off tour in 90. Saw 1 fall show after Brent died and I was done. Saw about 1 local show a year from 90 to 95. I wanted no part of what was killing Jerry. So glad I saw that last show in 95 rfk though. And btw before the touch head invasion I did not experience the older heads looking down on us younger ones. I hopped on the scene in the early 80s and felt very welcomed by the older heads? Why because we had the right attitude. We were little hippies and we didn't change the scene but did expand it as in starting lot camping and shakedown life. When the touch heads arrived many were not hippies and the scene changed. We got the scene back after Jerry passed and it mellowed to the faithful since the lot scene died. I loved further. I loved the dead 50 shows. Saw folks I hadn't seen in years. We embraced it. Trey or not and he did a good job. I didn't hear much complaint save the very funny one done with a certain German dictator that I won't mention. That video was hilarious. It was the addition of John mayer that has ruined this scene.

[@josephsacher1048]

I just came here to say thank you for this video (and all your other Play Deads). The message here is solid and applies to all walks of life. I thoroughly enjoyed the message and am glad you did it. I never liked the dead coming up and had so many people telling me how great they were, like trying to convert me to baptist or something. I think I heard some of those terrible shows and often thought these guys are playing two different songs at the same time. It wasn't until I started playing guitar with others that it began to click. Eventually I was in the right place to receive. That said, I still remember where I was when I heard Jerry died 20 years or so earlier. This past year I went to my first show, seeing Wolf Bros at The Kennedy Center. It was the most "joy" and "communal joy" I felt at a show, ever. Everyone I met was on the same wavelength. The orchestra took it to a whole other level, too. This stuff can evolve and will evolve. So thank you again -- and also for the Golden Road Course! I had been playing lead for many years now and your approach and charts helped me see something I never saw before, opening up another level of playing and I really appreciate that. So thanks for kicking off my weekend and hope yours is equally good!

[@stratjed]

Stu Allen! How can you forget that guy? He has been Phils guy for a while now. He was with Melvin and DSO at points. How did you space him bro?

[@johnmiller5987]

Tour was never easy. Always drama eventually. Everyone is guilty. Most of us come from dysfunctional families and we're dysfunctional too. It's about self recognition and making an effort to improve

[@TimHMCO]

Brother you just summed up every feel i've ever had about our family. ❤

[@beachlady5284]

I have not watched the video, just briefly read a few comments. But all I have to say, is my husband has seen the Dead hundreds of times, we are full deadheads! And we are not mean or toxic!! None of the deadheads we know are mean either!

[@ryanmattingly6292]

They are all sewn into the tapestry of our lives and into our souls and you know it ☝️☝️☝️ 🎶🎶🎶

[@stevejohnson2052]

80/20 rule like so many things in life. 80% of Deadheads are great. Friendly, honest, caring, and sharing. 20% are awful. Deader than thou, cutting in front of you, stealing, etc. I see people surprised that they were ripped off or stolen from; just because most Deadheads are great doesn't mean that there won't be bottom feeders in the scene, and they will take advantage of the fact that people think that ALL Deadheads are great.

[@adamsappel]

Nice and heartfelt, thank you, Davvy. I'm 56 years old and was a little tie-dyed toddler in SF in 1969, but I rebelled against my hippie upbringing by being a metalhead and didn't get into the Dead until the late '80s Touch of Grey era. I saw the most transcendent musical performances of my life between '85-'95, and those weren't even very good years! I will give it up that Dead & Co. shows are consistently good; Mayer's voice isn't my favorite, and the tempo is slower than I want (I can never forget you calling them "Dead and Slow"), but John is an amazing player and gives a solid performance. I love to see all the young Deadheads. I've always wanted my niche interests (the Dead, comics, D&D, sci-fi, cartoons, etc.) to gain wider acceptance and have never understood gatekeeping.

[@deadreckoning6288]

Lovely share. Just a sidenote here. 87 - 90.....post Jerry's coma & pre Brents passing is widely regarded as a peak Dead era. I also feel '92, '93 were particularly good years as well. Check out JGB from '93 for Jerry in fine form. That whole tour was fire. 🔥

[@randallleenichols]

I've developed a disdain for gatekeeping. I really enjoyed your comment and want to thank you for sharing. It seems I can easily put myself into your shoes with your progression of taste. The more to dance, the merrier the prance. 🎉

[@ryanmattingly6292]

It's okay I'm glad you're coming to the point of understanding the flow of this culture

[@markolukin4331]

In regards to this video, I am a TouchPad but only because I wasn't born years earlier. I fell in love with the music and the community too. Huge part of my life, the partying is fine too. Night 3 Trey stepped up in Chicago but he did not unleash the way Mayer has.

[@danielcoash303]

davvy knows goose :D Drop the LESSONS broski

[@chrismattingly9393]

The only real scene at a show happened between the time when the house lights went down prior to the first set until they came back up after the encore. Every other scene around that time was secondary and was either mild "icing on the cake", or some form of distraction.

[@ryanmattingly6292]

Liquid cardboard soaked doses at the last rainbow gathering I had... The freaking interstate tie-dyed on the way home

[@eugenelove874]

Love this video! Love your honesty! Thanks man 😊! This is good stuff ❤️

[@SwirlyWhirlyXYZ]

Rad Davvy. Looking forward to seeing you on tour at an ancient amphitheater on an endless summer

[@btpatch]

Workin on Cassidy while listening to you Davvy... What is the view on people singing along at shows? I love singing along, but sometimes I know I gotta dial it back.... The sound of an arena or theater singing along makes me very happy...

[@AnArchyRulzz]

I would say singing along is fine, just don't be obnoxious about it, just my two cents

[@null_l33t]

"I traded a Jerry Garcia Tshirt for a Bob Weir." -- that bro with the "stolen face"

[@dalekohler5269]

I started seeing the Dead in 1971 at 15 y/o living in St.Louis, MO. I'd say I've seen about 30 shows mostly in St.Louis including last Jerry shows. It's been a constant music that has ebb and flowed threw my life. In St.Louis we are lucky that we have a plethora of Grateful Dead cover bands. We have Jakes Legs that's been playing over 40 years almost as long as the Dead. We have Jimmy Thebeau who played with Melvin Seals, Rob Kravitz from DSO, Alligator Wine, VooDoo Dead, etc. We are lucky and it's cool to see young 20 y/o enjoying and dancing to the music. The music will last on!

[@johnnycash2254]

I recall the old heads calling the newer heads at shows “touches.” I saw 30+ shows over a 15 year span and was really only interested in the music - though the parking lot scene was fun.

[@gfunkehauser502]

ok but can we just agree that the grateful dead doesnt exist any longer? the grateful dead no longer exists. i like dead and company, it's a good time and mayer is a great guitarist, but it is its own thing as has been every interation of post jerry bands, but the grateful dead hasnt toured since 1995. i think the thing that bugs some of us that were there for the grateful dead is that our experiences and memories are being hijacked by people who werent there, and we're told we're being elitist or condescending or limited in our thinking for wanting to preserve and share what it was. I was bummed that i missed Jimi Hendrix. I really envied those that had seen him live, but if Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding had somehow partnered with Stevie Ray Vaughan and played all Hendrix tunes I would never once have acted like that was the same thing as when Hendrix was alive. Which is kind of what is happening with the Grateful Dead and it's Jerry-less iterations. You can say it's not, but that's what it feels like to some degree. And we're the toxic assholes for saying, nay. It's not anything like it was, nor is the vibe anything like it was,..or "shakedown street' anything like it was. there are similiarities but man, it's just not the same and it was a very important part of alot of our lives and to have it misrepresented by some people really sucks.

[@mikeyj.3605]

This is well said.

[@TobyDavvy]

This is pretty much what I’m talking about, though. I don’t think anyone is telling you that your experience and the time you saw the band isn’t valid. It seems like you’re trying to invalidate the people who get into the music later under the guise of “you had to be there for it to be the real thing”, nah. The Dead will live on and continue to live on, but it will morph and change in different ways, you have to accept that. The old guard has changed. Be excited people are listening to the music you love. Again, no one is telling you that you’re wrong for feeling the way you do, but it isn’t anyone’s fault they got into the music later, or were literally born too late to be “ a real deadhead”

[@danshramo2648]

Thank you. I don't see how you can call yourself a deadhead if you never saw Jerry. He was unlike anyone else. I saw tail end. Got to see 3 JGB shows in 91 and couldn't bear it anymore by 93. I did get to see some beautiful moments though. Seeing that cat changed you. That's why you "became" a deadhead. In retrospect I think very few of us saw the Weight( ha ha) we all were putting on this dude that when asked if he still did acid onstage said " fuck no, I'd be like fuck this, I want to go chase butterflies". Even then tho I knew how critical of himself musically he was and by 92 people were cheering every time he played a note. Tangent. But anyway, I just wanted to bolster what you said. A deadhead is someone that followed the GD. And, that band ended when Jerry split.

[@danshramo2648]

​​​@@TobyDavvyI get what you're saying. An experience is an experience. And invalidating that is kinda dickish. But there's no way that one could know or FEEL what it was like to see the GD if they weren't there. Jerry was the heart and soul of that band. He, for the most part, was why we were all there. The music lives on. The band ended in 1995. Jerry was the musical leader of that band. Everyone followed him. Every other incarnation since has been out of balance in that sense. I didnt know him personally but i know enough about him to say that seeing all these fake Jerrys and hundreds of GD cover bands would freak him out. "Why arent you playing your own music? Why are you trying to play like me?" He didnt play like himself. You cant play like Jerry if all you listen to is Jerry. Jerry could swing. Ive yet to hear anyone else capture that. Anyway, tangent. This is such a first world problem non important thing really, But, what i really want to know is what happened to the bottom right part of the lightning bolt on your syf tapestry? 😊

[@gfunkehauser502]

no, you can be a deadhead without having seen them with jerry...thats the beauty of the tapes. but for some reason this younger generation wants to call the john mayer iteration The Dead...and it's most definitely NOT The Dead. @@danshramo2648

[@rayworby5800]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! I learned the true meaning of love, on Grateful Dead parking lot. The scene has changed a lot since Jerry died, but so has the World. Going and seeing the Dead is a experience that is different all the time. The love on lot, B.J.D. (before Jerry died) was amazing, unconditional love!!! Bad drugs have really fucked up the scene, but it's what we make of it!!!❤☮🐸

[@keytone5184]

Its all good man I love yr stuff don't let the bastards grind ya down...keep on truck n

[@daveyboy8907]

Great talk as this all needed said...Your killing it bro.

[@BurtMcClure-b3k]

❤❤❤ you are exactly where I was in 76. Having several backstage experiences. Playing Bob and Dead Going to a Dead show Driving my moms volvo Meet my friend With an RV So when can watch TV Rich white kids

[@willdenham]

When I was first encountering Deadheads, in the flesh, the condescending know-it-alls scared me. They also seemed out of step with the vibe.

[@johnschneidhorst3406]

Something miraculous happened in the 60s, which were ushered in by the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, which could have easily become the closest we ever got to Armageddon. Yet, in the same decade, humanity moved forward a step- averted a World War, largey due to a Counterculture, grounded mostly in San Francisco, and yes, fueled by Psychedelic Drugs. Garcia was a part of that, and knew what his life purpose was- to just continue it to his dying breath.

[@JAMN2GD]

I do agree just let people enjoy what they want as all are different. PERIOD! To each their own.

[@arblankenship54]

Coming from a Relatively new Desdhead by way of Ween, there’s definitely toxicity I see within myself about Mayer dead, like you said he is an amazing guitar player but I can’t help but identify the insurmountable gap between his playing and Jerry’s.

[@m.c.oldhead8585]

My first concert was 87 Capital Centre. End of summer tour. Incredible!! I'd catch them every year thru 95 where ever i may be.. Im with ya.

[@jwright4686]

Great video, Davvy. I have been a 'Head since the late 80's and I have seen everything that you talked about. I remember one incident on just-off-Shakedown-Street when a guy said that I didn't play the right chord on a borrowed guitar for UJB. It was the right chord, just not the right inversion... The BEST thing about this video is that you, of a younger generation than I, are saying - mostly about perhaps your generation - let it go! let it slide! If only those of the same generations can expand that into all other areas! It seems like the point of everyone nowadays is to divide. It should be to accept. You think differently than I? OK! Let's coexist!

[@fatamorgana4318]

Having grown up in NY I was lucky to see my share of shows starting at age 15 in '85. When I was looking at colleges I was drawn to Humboldt for a myriad of reasons 😁 including the proximity to the Dead's "home base". Something I noticed real quick was when Bobby flubbed the lyrics to Truckin in MSG, people went apeshit as if to say, "yeah, he's just as high as I am right now". Same flub in Oakland would illicit a reaction such as "Come on Bobby" like it ruined their night. I think West Coast heads were spoiled and had higher expectations. Could just be isolated random occurrences but I thought it was interesting 🤔.

[@benlgordon]

I’ve been watching your videos for about 6 months now. I’ve gotten little pieces of your story such as you were homeless and recently divorced. I would like to hear more of the story. Please tell us more.