The Tragic Real Life Story Of The Grateful Dead

[@polardiscoball]

Sadly the band was so unsuccessful they only lasted three decades .

[@TheYoli182]

David Stewart Thank you! Lol!!

[@sivartkralc7609]

55 years

[@matthewatwood2581]

@Kevin Dorfman They are still active.

[@DocIdaho]

They’re still going in various forms.. Phil & Friends, Dead And Company, etc

[@matthewatwood2581]

@Kevin Dorfman Suit yourself.

[@1eggcream]

Jerry Garcia never quite hit it big? Where on earth does this guy get his information from? They could careless about the Grammy's! This video is quite ridiculous!

[@briandaniels2126]

This video focuses only on negativity and death by drug use and paints everything else it mentions as a failure.It's a subliminal production telling kids if you smoke pot or do lsd you'll die straight away which couldn't be further from the truth.It wasn't put together to talk about the dead at all.It is designed purely as a subliminal tool to send an anti-drug message to kids or whoever buys into it.That's the main reason they don't talk about Keith's car accident...because it wasn't a death by drugs and they don't have any time to share actual information with you because this is a brainwashing attempt and nothing more.

[@wendifitz151]

fucken ridiculous piece of shit, and I wish I could unsee this. The narrator's voice is toxic

[@brianpinion5844]

i recall around 100k people at one show if my memory is correct , i ate a lot of paper in them days

[@liamsdad33]

It is

[@ben-si3dk]

Who doesn’t experience some hard times or tragedy over a 50 year period?

[@frankjamesbonarrigo7162]

they had a blast. Better than a desk job

[@xPadge112x]

You know when I look back ive had a roller coaster ride of a life too. I groan and moan in my old age but looking back. Sure I wasn't a rockstar but I've drank and partied with them. And I've seen tremendous and horrendous things but all of it reminded me I was alive. I hope you have that too man. Imagine sitting at a desk after leaving school and just plodding along! I'm sure some have.

[@michaelbergman1708]

According to Grunge, everything is a tragedy.

[@briandaniels2126]

This video is an under informed poor snapshot of The Grateful Dead that doesn't deserve the time in which it takes to watch it.

[@iramoser6136]

I don't even like the Dead, and I know this video is bullshit.

[@jewbacca9319]

The music never stopped

[@johngorgis]

it was also never good

[@lukehall8151]

@@johngorgis great attitude

[@kooneya]

You’re damn right!

[@sodaaccount]

@@johngorgis I assume you listened to the dead the "right way" ?

[@unidentifiable1875]

​@@johngorgis nor were your thoughts on the subject.

[@zincChameleon]

American Beauty is one of the most beautiful albums ever created.

[@frankfordification]

They made over a billion touring, sold between 20-30 million albums worldwide. They did ok.

[@ericmeacham9532]

Probably a billion bootleg cassette’s out there during the 80’s alone.

[@realemersonward]

The dead’s music and impact on the world is nothing short of amazing. Saddening to see a channel like this paint such a bad picture about such a great band. beautiful albums and just a work of art. timeless music shows how beautiful life can be. it sure has been a source of positivity in my life and it will continue to be. the whole channel is just an anti drug campaign like if you smoke weed and trip on acid you’ll die. you won’t. it’s bullshit

[@rileyhughes5613]

Never popular? The Grateful Dead were the second highest grossing band of the 1990s, even with the fact that they stopped performing after Mr. Garcia's death in 1995. Tldr: the Rolling Stones needed FIVE years of the Dead not touring to become the highest grossing band of the 90s. Touch of Grey also enjoyed a truthfully disgusting amount of radio play. Get ya facts straight kiddo.

[@Marcissus]

Exactly what I was thinking! Right on man!

[@jimcyr7380]

Riley Hughes shit im prob around your age and had alot of experience with dead shows. That was a crazy parking lot .

[@jimcyr7380]

Riley Hughes i agree it was the last song jerry had on the radio! On top of that you know you made it when ben and jerrys make a flavor in your honor thats still relivant in 2018

[@Johnbays43]

Riley Hughes the Greatful Dead were only popular in the 90's as a novelty act ,in the 60's &70's they were never mainstream, maybe that was the point some would make ,sorry .

[@jimcyr7380]

Stelio Kontos i saw alot of shows in the 90s alot of times i sold my ticket. Honestly you are rite . The parking lot was much more intresting. I sold a $30 ticket for $ 200 and still saw half the show. I like a few songs about it

[@nomo3158]

Tragic? lol Jerry laughs at you and Pigpen spits in yer eye!

[@tubbers20]

Garcia had a net worth of $15 million when he died. Doesn't sound too tragic to me. I really loved them back in the 60's, but over time their music just didn't do anything for me.

[@YogsenForfoth]

Pigpen, Keith, Brent, and Jerry*

[@undergroundjohnny]

The Grateful Dead did an amazing "Dark Star" at Woodstock! People forget.

[@justinjames2436]

truth

[@thisSOBRocks]

Never hit it big? BLAH! They may not have reached an arbitrary level of success in the mainstream, but the mainstream is not the biggest stream on the planet. They are LEGENDARY!

[@ericmeacham9532]

Grateful Dead Productions actually makes $250 million a year…

[@Piano888able]

This also doesn't mention one very big fact: When the Grateful Dead stopped performing as the Grateful Dead (1995 and actually before that too), they were the largest drawing card in music history---meaning more tickets were sold to Grateful Dead concerts than ANY other band or performer. It most likely had to do with the fact that they played more dates than any other band as well.

[@robertlepper9673]

I have seen that fact Mike. The truth is that I suspect tickets are being sold to the same people attending multiple concerts ?

[@ericmeacham9532]

Well of course, Robert!!! That’s how good they were. You don’t drive or fly all over America buying tickets because they suck lol

[@willlozinak5182]

knew the comments would be mad about this before i clicked on the video

[@ponchobill72]

They didn't have many hits but they sure sold out every football stadium they ever played. IMO they became mainstream after "Touch"

[@3373-g8z]

The fun the fans had was only partly experienced by the band. They, and especially Jerry, were under tremendous stress for over half their careers. I know Jerry knew hundreds, if not a thousand people got their own livelyhoods from support positions with the band, and -Needed- the show to go on as long as possible...

[@merrafarms4088]

There was no bad grateful dead performances because true dead heads love the music

[@jackiemanuel]

They're a band beyond description.

[@questioneverything42]

The song Touch of Grey hit number 9 on the Billboard's top 100, top pop music but the rock and roll music that actually hit number one it was the only number one hit ever wrote! That song truck Robert Hunter over 7 years to write and it took another five years so it went on a studio album or more! As far as the dead never making it big are you kidding me! They held records for the most shows played at the Philly Spectrum, they held records for the most shows played at Madison Square Garden sold out! At their peak in the late 80s early 90s they had 50,000 people traveling with them on the road. Considering that they were one of the bands that got very little radio time I think that they would probably consider themselves and a lot of other people probably the most successful band in the world! I own the Grateful Dead store for 26 years and there is no other band in comparison that had as many companies making merchandise for them as the Grateful Dead when they were at their Peak they literally had over a thousand merchandisers making merchandise for them. No other band could ever say we're not just a band we are a lifestyle! The Grateful Dead made the mold for all these other hippie bands to follow! How they play Giants stadium 3 4 nights in a row hundred thousand people at night and sometimes it was still hard to get a ticket. No they were never successful though. They made it big enough probably bigger than they ever thought they would be and at some point even probably had resentments for how big they came because of all the trash a lots and the fence is ripped down and everything else all the letters that went out in the late 80s early 90s saying they would stop playing if people didn't behave because there was so many people because they were so successful! You videos of the loft bed and you're not giving them what they deserve which is the upmost respect and they changed a lot of people's lives for the better.

[@dannydine5263]

This is a good video for people who don't care for the Grateful Dead and don't want to know much about them.

[@Floppy_Bacon]

What about the fact they named a very popular brand of ice cream's flavor after Jerry Garcia? HHHMMMMMM????🍧🍨

[@rocksandmoss3600]

ice creamgate

[@Johnbays43]

John Payaso De La Muerte Reynolds it's far out , NOT. !

[@laynestaley1020]

Yep having an ice cream flavor named after you makes you a great band

[@Tootenbocker]

LONG LIVE THE DEAD💀

[@Marcissus]

Roll on forever

[@Marcissus]

Danny Dircio not cool

[@frankfordification]

Long Live, Live Dead!

[@jacobhindson2275]

Dead are still going.

[@bluetarantulaproductions6179]

The first Grateful dead song I ever heard was "Touch of grey" (love that song).

[@BenneWill]

Did you mention how members continued to play after 2015 and are still on tour right now?

[@jesusflores2121]

All of this stuff is widely known to Deadheads. What I focus on is how positive the band members and Deadhead family have been through all these tough times. I think that's what attracts people to the Dead. This guy's whole purpose was just to cast shade and hate. Just do as a Deadhead would and just enjoy the music and dance.

[@evoddubb]

how could they leave out keith and donna were killed in a car accident? who cares what these people think? casey jones and truckin were all over the radio. touch of grey was a sellout song in the mtv days. i understand why they did it, just like dead and co. now. true deadheads know how important they were.

[@opalightorro375]

A " true" head would know Donna is alive and well, even participated in Dead and Co shows

[@wilband]

Donna is alive dude

[@writer125]

Keith died, Donna is still alive and doing well. She has sat in with DSO, had her own band, like it was said in another post sat in with Dead & Co and also joined a bar band by the name of the Volunteers and they became Donna Jean & The Tricksters later on. I saw them when they were still the Volunteers on Long Island back in the 80's. I have no clue where he got his info.

[@johnnysanfran]

This is absolute GARBAGE! Deadheads know the truth...Jerry was a transformative genius, and with Robert Hunters lyrics made the most honest, ever changing music in this country for the entire life of Jerry. Of course, Dead and Co, so to speak, are like a bar band covering the great Jerry Garcia (and the Grateful Dead)

[@writer125]

They never needed any of the mainstream nonsense, they had what was called a following. I'll take a following over the commercial crap any day. Following the Dead was the best, Going to see a whole tour and then being able to hear every show from the tour was great. Trading tapes back in the day was fun. But being a Deadhead is still the best even to this day.

[@merrafarms4088]

This video was half glass full. we know the great things the grateful dead did.

[@originofyourhate]

How the hell can you sum up the grateful dead in 5 minutes?

[@sharktroubles]

What about when Mickey Hart left the band voluntarily because his father, who was their manager for a time, had ripped off the Grateful Dead for lots of money and absconded to Mexico. Luckily they were able to talk Mickey into re-joining.

[@3373-g8z]

3:50 NO, the mainstream acts never enjoyed Grateful Dead type success! I think you got it turned around there....I've never seen a sticker from ANY "succesful" band, (1970-2000), on a car recently, but damn sure saw GD stickers, just last week! Haven't seen a Duran Duran sticker lately...

[@jakeelliott781]

Their amps “overloaded?” What the hell does that mean?

[@itgetter9]

Shhh . . . little known secret . . . it's what happens when you turn it up to . . . 12.

[@billbeliakoff5589]

Consistently one of, if not the # 1 grossing touring band year after year. Unless the Stones or the Who toured. Not bad for an "unsuccessful band".

[@brianpinion5844]

I was never a fan of the music, but i was the biggest fan of the dead heads that followed the band ! took my hillbilly ass a few to catch on why folks look at me and say dose ! thought some kind of insult or just a joke ! damn what a little peace of paper can do to a man ! I love you dead heads and I love your "paper" you people are best folks I've ever met in my life. you really are !!

[@jessehaaland7689]

im from a town in Washington called sultan and the greatful dead played on a hippy farm back in the 70s here

[@TDC5]

used to live in the area and had the tape for years. tried to find the original site but never did. heard it went from the raspberry farm to a nudist colony and then went defunct. archive.org/details/gd68-09-02.sbd.miller.22095.sbeok.shnf

[@Miler97487]

Zero radio airplay? I lived in and around Eugene, Oregon during different parts of my life (I currently live in Veneta, still close enough to Eugene) and the local rock station KZEL 96.1 was always playing "Uncle John's Band", "Friend of the Devil", "Truckin'", "Sugar Magnolia", and "A Touch of Grey" on a fairly regular basis even into the 1990s. Sure these songs only came off three albums, Workingman's Dead, American Beauty and some 17 years later, In the Dark, but these handful of songs did get regular radio airplay, at least where I live. And while KZEL was an underground station until about the late '70s, they've been pretty much AOR, so it's that type of station that wouldn't be "classic rock" without Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven", Skynyrd's "Free Bird", Kansas' "Dust in the Wind", and Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" alongside those Dead songs mentioned. Other radio stations, which weren't mainstream commercial rock stations, but public and college ran stations like KLCC and KRVM would run stuff like Dead Air and Short Strange Trip which concentrated on lesser-known Dead songs, usually live, which gave you a great idea how the Dead were like at different phases in their career.

[@TheGravygun]

Americas best rock band ever to tour the planet.Cant think of a bigger rock act from the states.It may be tragic to you .Those boys would work it out.

[@Marcissus]

There is no better band than the good ol grateful dead.

[@ThaloniusPFunk]

TheGravygun THE DOORS?!?!?

[@TheGravygun]

The Doors are great i agree but they never had the following the Dead had.There is a trail to follow. And that trail was blazed by The Grateful Dead

[@TheGravygun]

poor baby go play your rap and boy bands little man

[@TheGravygun]

Ok listen Dan. I out grew that shit 30 years ago and i can say i saw half those bands in their prime in small clubs in NYC NJ and Philly...whatever floats your boat.Keep on trollin your almost a pro now.

[@nordogvids]

1973, my 1st rock concert, Grateful Dead, Des Moines, Iowa, 16 yrs old.

[@MrSsb2000]

This video was made by someone who clearly hasn't turned on, tuned in and dropped out.

[@photojakey3664]

I think whoever wrote this didn’t understand what the dead were about

[@overtalk6972]

I Herd them in 2020 on Maui and they did. Great show. Worth checking out

[@theclampnambler]

The story of the dead is far from tragic

[@acidbath3226]

heroin and cocaine, not speed. what you meant to say is a speedball, which is a classic mixture of heroin and cocaine

[@lordswine7962]

Haha classic mixure.

[@burtshort9900]

Shane Funk could you help me with this nagging problem with one of my molars.

[@acidbath3226]

oi mate, im british. its just a jeffrey, its hahmless

[@johnstallings4049]

This is just a negative hit piece of no importance whatsoever & u attended over 300 Grateful Dead shows between 1974 & 1995. They were incredible & the highlight of my 65 yrs of life! ❄️❣️🌎❣️❄️

[@david_g_barron]

Alcoholism did not Kill Ron McKernan, as he had en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_biliary_cholangitis which would have given him Cirrhosis of the Liver even if he never touched a drop of alcohol in his life.

[@cassadyjeffrey646]

“Never hit it big” bitch the shows sell out every show and guess what it’s the cheapest tickets you’d ever buy so ya I think we made it and I believe we will last forever , there’s always gonna be a deadhead out there , or someone playing Dead music for you , we have to keep it alive for jerry just like he would’ve wanted.

[@healthymix5742]

I am pretty sure that this video was just made to get views! That's not even Jerry on the thumbnail, and this whole video is the morphed truth. Not popular? Then tell me after all this time, how a version of the band (Dead and Company) can sell out every single show, with only 3 members of The Grateful Dead.

[@davidelmore2546]

I’m a dead head and the rainbow was god jamming out with the Greatful dead

[@clwatkins2649]

Pigpen❤️

[@MrSpankee02]

Where did u get your info for this vid ? Fox News ? Many inconsistencies .they said They never hit it big ,then go on to say they had a top ten hit and sold 35 million albums.

[@paulsnith9979]

Jerry and a bluegrass group Old & In the Way had the biggest selling bluegrass lp for decades.

[@paulsnith9979]

The Dead spanned 4 decades and never slowed down, then Jerry passed and they went on under different names for another 28 years.

[@paulsnith9979]

The Dead sold 1.5 million tickets in 91 when the most popular bands were playing 3+ bands to fill a venue.

[@ceriberry6465]

That cover photo is not Jerry Garcia.

[@paulsnith9979]

Why didn't you mention one of the largest shows 600,000 at Watkins Glen? Dead, Allmans, Band..(73)

[@1N2themystic]

When I saw the word tragic in the title I said this video is going to suck. Have no interest in it. I read some of the comments and I can see I was correct. Besides, I already know more than most people about them anyhow. Was lucky enough to see a couple of their last shows when I was coming of age. Truly a one of a kind. They broke the mold.

[@raoulmcwenna6499]

Sunshine Daydream everybody : D

[@dirkevans3443]

pretty obvious this guy never went to a Grateful Dead show

[@derekfletcher8934]

Toxic comment section is toxic. Yikes!

[@derekfletcher8934]

Medicinal Mcgillicuddy well, I do like eating grass

[@paulotonedef]

I’m sorry, are we to mistake you for someone who has a clue?

[@LSPD1909]

Beautiful band from an amazing era ✌️✌️☮️ many may be gone but their sprit remains with us

[@TheCaptain1012]

This screenshot for this video of Jerry Garcia’s wax figure is so unlike Jerry. He never wore flowers. He would’ve laughed or balked at that image. I’m sure the person that posted it meant well?

[@randompointlessness2766]

Quite a life huh.. What's tragic about it ?

[@paulsnith9979]

Jerry's 2 week stint on Broadway set a record for most tix sold in the shortest time then anything on Broadway.

[@johnmonroney8614]

Non Dead Family shouldn't ever make videos on GD. You have little right.

[@bryanmeekins835]

I've always found the Woodstock Lovelight to be excellent.

[@patefutch6168]

That’s NOT Jerry in the thumbnail

[@lenno9372]

Jerry Garcia who?! Excellent singer, guitar player and composer. Dead holds the record in most live albums ever. Ben & Jerry named one of their most popular ice cream after Garcia.

[@joshpollack5936]

duuuuude why did you roast them so hard

[@glennabate1708]

They played for the largest crowed in 1973

[@chrisrobertson9264]

The Grateful Dead single handily stopped the British wave ❤️

[@memphistigers777]

Almost subbed the channel. But then I watched this video

[@yonderpants4394]

The Deads story was far from tragic. They sure had some bumps in the road but sure as hell got by.

[@hunterbenz2042]

Smoking drugs and over eating is what the producers of this video does

[@ladyboneyard4487]

That’s not Jerry on the cover.

[@leoseal8339]

Can you tell us about that Guns & Roses song "Knocking on Heavens Door"? Or maybe one about that Trumpet player who was semi successful...... Davis something... I think his last name starts with an M

[@mattcouch2965]

But the love that the shared was absolutely beautiful.

[@myyootube2]

Pigpen was in fine form at Woodstock!! Seen a bit of tape and he carried it...

[@archstanton_live]

The Dead had tragedies. They lived on the cutting edge and that happens. Their story is of hope and brilliance. This lame "expose" didn't even touch on Lenny Hart. It lacks perspective.

[@raymondnoodels7775]

Rather be a free man in my grave..than livin as a puppet or a slave. As sure as the sun will shine..im gonna get my share..or whats mine.

[@kylecoughlin8040]

“Learn his solos” 😂😂

[@SailorBarsoom]

So kids, if you're trying to choose between LSD and alcohol, go for the acid.

[@wendifitz151]

excellent Sailor you just made me laugh. that mustv'e been the moral to this vid! thank you for clearing that up for me!

[@CitizenDuarte]

“Never quite hit it big?” Are you fucking kidding me? You call 50 years of playing and a legion of loyal fans “never hitting big?” Fuck this.

[@joselunajr436]

Grateful Dead shirts are the new nirvana shirts, they are becoming mainstream in a kinda shitty way no one knows them but they love their logos

[@NadaNada-ce4ro]

What a lot of people’s don’t know is Jerry Garcia worked for the C.I.A. ! !

[@AndySo2000]

prove that? The FBI worked their shows because of the amount of lsd that circulated in the US while they toured. Most of the lsd in the US in that time period came from dead shows. That's why feds worked the lots. That is true. The Dead did not hire them to do that, we are talking about the 80's and 90's too with the war on drugs etc. The Dead did not work for the Feds, trust me they didn't want them there!

[@richardcatalinajr.369]

"never hit it big"? What does that mean? Success or "hitting it big" is not always measured by record sales. Why don't use recorded concerts (by the band and fans) as the metric instead. By that measure, they are the most successful. The Dead are iconic in American music and the most successful touring band of all time.

[@GrungeHQ]

What other bands do you want to learn more about?

[@tablaturebutler2823]

If only you'd taken the trouble to actually learn anything about THIS one...

[@robertsmith731]

Do one for the disco biscuits

[@fzdreaddy]

Ask a question and don't respond. You know dick about The Dead.

[@briandaniels2126]

None from you,why don't you actually learn something about a band before you attempt to make what amounts to basically the most misinformed video I've ever seen.Oh wait...that would require you to spend actual time learning.....nevermind

[@jeffreyfernald]

that 2015 shit show should never be mentioned w the words grateful dead or jerry

[@swag1980]

Who is this hater? I think it`s fair to say our community don`t value what he values. I`m being kind...

[@michaelcraig9449]

They are and were on the radio a good amount. B.s...

[@swazilandirtbikes]

They'll be super stars 30 years from now

[@tysonatkins2236]

The rainbow was not simulated, it was Jerry saluting the band, and the fans.

[@mattfreaknparker]

“They never made it big” dude they were selling out stadiums wtf are you talking about? I guarantee most artists worth your time do not give a shit about Grammys

[@jcdealy5962]

You can't shake a stick at the universe! ;-)

[@alidabirnia2882]

That's not garcia it's robin williams

[@legion2k988]

You left out the last keyboardist.. when he found out he was not going to be in the 'reunion' or something he ran into a field and cut his own throat. The guy from the tubes. I live in the bay area. You could see the rainbow from all over.. it had been raining at the time and the time of day was right for rainbows. It happens.. lol It's not like it was a freaking eclipse.. Also there is a great story about when the dead met Led Zeppelin at a photoshoot in SF.

[@Bakeyv2.0]

Morbid comment