Why John Mayer wanted to play with the Dead

The singer talks to correspondent Anthony Mason about the timelessness of the Grateful Dead's music, and why he wanted to perform with the band's surviving members as part of a new touring ensemble, Dead & Company. (Don't miss Mason's story on the band on "Sunday Morning" June 12.)

[@erikhendrickson59]

John Mayer was the PERFECT FIT for Dead & Company. He somehow manages to preserve Jerry Garcia's signature sound while adding something new which is VERY specific and difficult thing to do successfully.

[@deadheadwill2609]

NFA

[@PC160]

Jerry Garcia WAS the Dead. When Pigpen was alive, the Dead were that original band (I drive by his grave about a half dozen times a week). Pulling in guitarists to imitate Garcia will never recapture that musical flow, just remind you of their uniqueness. Mayer is a great guitarist, but this seems like he was "trying it out", not looking for a musical home. It's about him, not the band.

[@VW613]

@@PC160 disagree Seen the Dead over 20 times, seen Garcia Band many times. But go see John play with Dead and Co...he's a team player, he's got his own spin...NO ONE can replace Jerry. But I was in the Dead groove with him and really thought it he was great. He really respects Bobby & the band.

[@bahusofriends5467]

@@PC160 you haven't got the slightest clue, just how gravely wrong you are in your estimate about mayer. It surely is all about the music and about nothing else. I feel your grieve about Jerrys being gone. To me the world stopped there and it never ever could be like it used to way back when he was there! I love Jerrys Voice, his Singing, his guitar playing, so fluid such lively and lovely tones, tons and tons of it, one after another, blending into eachother seemlessly, seemed efforlessly for him to do it as well, it came with great ease, was right whatever it was, it used to be great! Mayer blends into the Band just nicely and sounds great, love his tone from song number one he played with the Dead. To me Mayer brings back "the it" that went missing when Jerry Garcia died. Try to meet his playing open minded, open hearted and what he's playing will embrace you too and draw you back into the way those beautyful songs where meant to be! Keep on keepin on Brother! Love you!

[@JohnSmith-fq7hj]

​@@bahusofriends5467 agree completely when I first heard John mayer was goin to be playing with them I thought it was a joke or a simple cash grab at best only knowing of his pop and mainstream college jock, girly love songs days lol but I decided to catch a show when they came thru deer creek since I live about 20 min down the street and I was very impressed. I've caught every show in Indy since and already have my ticket for this summers final show. Mr mayor really fits in great with the old dogs and I hope to see him continue to carry the torch for the younger generations who never got to know or see Jerry.

[@thegroovypatriot]

"There's this timelessness to Grateful Dead music that you can access at any point". Yeeeep!!!

[@gerardothielen4310]

NomadiCrafter I knew about GD for many Years, but never caught up with them reallly.. Never got it. I started listening carefully only in the past few months by letting the songs flow... I’ve become a deadhead at 64.

[@waynej2608]

I also like when he said that the Dead 'rekindle the colors of music'. Right on Mayer, very Grateful Dead thing to say.

[@pauljanssen2624]

This movement will keep the deadheads and the dead people that love the grateful Dead live with love as the band keeps playing on new players come on the scene to keep the grateful Dead living forever I'm playing amazingly great music.

[@jamminjohnyevo]

Jerry, Robert Hunter and the boys really tapped into the true blue Americana that will never die or get old

[@warrentanneriii3672]

@@gerardothielen4310 Same for me too. Even had an album or two of theirs back when they came out originally. Didn't do a thing for me. Of course neither did The Floyd until my persistent youngest son wouldn't give up on me and I finally "got it." I'm 67 and finally "getting it" when it comes to TGD (and Floyd). Like Mayer said, sometimes the music finds you just at the right moment. Sure glad it did. And ... I'm also love the Jerry Garcia Band material. Amazing!

[@NothingItsJustNo]

once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at them right

[@lucasrocha7571]

oh, is there anything better than Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd?

[@chucklemuchuckle2170]

@@lucasrocha7571 well besides polo and freeing the Arabian horses no!

[@caroleh.1537]

🎶I

[@xhellabentx]

@@lucasrocha7571 first thing first the 2 should never be compared lol 😆 both exceptional bands but like different planes of existance ones a long strange trip the other is like a whole different trip lmao

[@bradleyjamison992]

@@lucasrocha7571 yes it’s a simple answer really, the Beatles and The Who. Though I’m an avid fan of the other 2 as well.

[@garystepp1054]

I heard one interview where John spoke about the freedom that the Dead’s music gives you. Once you learn the song, you are allowed to add your own touch through improvisation. He said something along the lines of, “ its like being a gymnast, you can do all these flips or moves in the air, but you better stick the landing.” I love that quote because that is what Jerry was great at-sticking the landing.

[@fernandoaguilera4418]

John mayer always speaking words of wisdom...I am from Honduras and I will never see them playing live, well thankfully there are many HD videos on KZbin of Dead & Company on tour, I love watching the dead with Jerry Garcia and also with John Mayer I love them both

[@jules-demos]

We all missed Garcia - but John put life perfectly back into the Dead - so grateful x

[@christophercruz8359]

When he stopped trying to sound like a young Jerry.

[@christophercruz8359]

@@greenrockyroad3845 I meant that he imitated his voice. He stopped that.

[@Karimichelle1978]

​@@christophercruz8359You must not have ever listened or heard much of John's work. John was in a Blues Trio for years. He didn't just come here straight from playing pop hits on the radio. He abandoned that years years before.

[@Karimichelle1978]

​@christophercruz8359 i saw one of Dead and Co's first shows. He still just sounded like John Mayer to me.

[@elmoblatch9787]

I honestly did not "get" the Dead until I heard them while tripping on mushrooms. They were playing for that crowd. Eyes of the World is a 19 minute song, for example when played live. Folks, on mushrooms it seems like the shortest song, and you want it to never end. It's so beautiful it hurts. I only became a fan on Aug 6, 2020, but better late than never.

[@daycounts8963]

Try lsd

[@louisvuittondonvg9040]

That’s my birthday

[@Obiwannabe]

You’re why the dead gets a bad rap

[@chillingguy8386]

There is always room on the Bus 😊

[@dylanhedderman2001]

@@louisvuittondonvg9040 mine too!

[@ryanrysibinski4904]

The timelessness, and the stability that he mentions are what makes Grateful Dead music a true part of American Folk tradition, and I'm glad he's a big part of continuing it.

[@johnholland5021]

I was at the 6/24/23 show in Fenway Park. John was phenomenal,Bob was incredible, Mickey was amazing. One of the best shows (32) I’ve ever seen

[@JACKnJESUS]

Ol' Bob's sitting there, thinking if he wants tacos for dinner.....or not.

[@fnord23]

XD

[@markdougherty9917]

this cheesed me out

[@angiebransted4126]

Tacos or burritos!? Also a Margarita with a drunken fish in the glass!!! And With a tequila worm for it to enjoy for dinner too! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[@shanemahler6830]

😂

[@ppumpkin3282]

He's thinking "what the f is this kid babbling about".

[@d.banerjee4777]

the bottle was dusty but the liquor was clean...

[@andrewohara8920]

Sound of the thunder with the rain pouring down, and it looks like the old man is getting on

[@dylanj6786]

What a great quote to summarize the effect the Grateful Dead had on Mayer. As he explained, it was from another era but the music is captivating and unique. Very nice!

[@meyou-dv8ns]

Watch out where the huskey's go and don't you eat no yellow snow

[@funkybread7229]

Brown eyeeeeeeeeed woman and red grenadiiiiiiiiiiiine

[@NolalanD]

If he would have only given that as his answer

[@joeynice123]

There's no going back once it hits you. Oh how is miss the summers of 92,93,94, and even 95. Time machine please!

[@Bunbeck-pf9iw]

I just love this guy + would love to meet him but I can’t seem to get off this island ! He fits in just rite also with Dead + Company !

[@haolejohn]

John doesn't have to be Jerry. As a guitarist myself and songwriter for 35 years I have always grown as a musician listening to Jerry's guitar along with Bobs. The point is there is a musical nuance or style which can be carried on and why shouldn't it. We carry on these box guitar licks copied from one guy. We should admire John for getting into the feel of Jerry's phrasing and utilizing it today. We can love Jerry and John's contribution to this particular way of playing and composing.

[@thomasbell8599]

He soo gets it. First time a prominent player who never saw Garcia live -- or even knew about Garcia while he was alive -- has taken the baton on this level, suggests the "band" will live on even after Weir and Lesh.

[@Graham32200]

I think mayer has blended in amazingly however I agree the Dead are dead. Weir is old, Mayer is amazing, Lesh is doing his own thing and the rest are gone. RIP Jerry Garcia

[@charlesearle8414]

Mayer isn't Jerry, and I'm glad he doesn't act like he is, he just tries to respect what Jerry left behind. The Dead as an entity stopped, at least for me, after Fare Thee Well. Even though Jerry wasn't there, the sensation of a Dead show was there. Dead and Company shows don't quite have it, they lack that forward momentum. Of course, Dead and Company is still good. Say what you want about Mayer, the man can jam. It just isn't quite at the level that the Dead were. Part of it's the age of the musicians, and part is the lack of Jerry.

[@charlesearle8414]

Mickey and Kreutzmann are still around though.

[@Dedhedted71]

Dapdoi Ardon...The Grateful Dead ended in 1995. Dead & Co. are a different band. Jerry is at every show in full force spirit. Your blind hatred towards John is not at all what Jerry or any of the band ever stood for. Jerry is at these shows. Period.

[@alydar21]

I agree Thomas! This interview molded my opinion of JM.

[@easywind4044]

He has done a good job of recreating Jerry’s style and at the same time adding new dimensions. I liked it!

[@jimkeogh8552]

I had thought the same. The Dead "purists" bashed me- purely a cultural thing. Joke's on them though; by your screen name, I gather you've been a Pig fan as much as I. Meyer is truer yet fresher with Jerry's lead than Trey A; I like Warren Haynes' work in addition to Meyer's but for different reasons. Warren makes no pretense that he doesn't want to emulate Jerry's work, but extend from it. Meyer both emulates yet extends from Jerry's legacy.

[@bahusofriends5467]

@@jimkeogh8552 in short? He fits just like a glove you're used to ever since..

[@orinblank2056]

Particularly recently. He's still not Jerry, but anyone who wants him to be is delusional. I've went to me first Dead & Co show around 6 years back, and you could see he was still figuring things out. He's a phenomenal guitar player so I could never say he was bad, but you could tell that he was still learning about how the lead guitar fit with the rest of the music. Jerry was honestly phenomenal. Hi lead always followed the chords of the song, and he could seemingly effortlessly transition between different modes to match the chords of the song. When you listen to him play, it feels near magical sometimes. When Mayer first started, you could hear that he was still working on it. Not all of his solo's had the same feel of flow and intention. I saw Dead & Co again last night, and you could hear the difference like night and day. I could tell immediately that every note had so much more intention behind it, and he was really locked in to the chord changes, and everything just generally felt more right. My only real issue with him now, and it's fairly minor, is that his voice pulls me out of it sometimes. He's been a professional singer for years, and sometimes the pop elements bleed through. He's a great singer, and it works great with his own music, but sometimes it just feels slightly out of place for Grateful Dead music. It's a minor gripe though, the show last night was still an absolute blast, and I'd happily continue to see them for years longer if they weren't breaking up. Would definitely want them to stop playing Folsom Field though. That whole venue seems very anti-fun. They banned Shakedown, so it's just a total hassle to find the booths and look at merchandise. They also banned bags, so if it doesn't fit in your pockets then you're SOL

[@randallkomisarek2875]

Chill out everyone. John allowed the Dead to continue. It's enough.

[@BScott7220]

Even though I went to a few shows in the late 80s/early 90s and appreciated some of the music, GD didn't become my favorite band until about 2 years ago. Thank satellite radio for that! What Mayer is saying is 100% truth. Music finds you.

[@immortalserito774]

Wow, me-too never went to a show, but liked their standards enough through the years, until I caught on to SiriusXM Ch23 they were just another band.

[@JohnSmith-fq7hj]

Lol my old man was a rocker back in the 70-80s more into iron maiden Metallica, motorhead, acdc, and the like. I still remember asking him what the grateful dead was when I was about 8 or 9 because my neighbors older brother was into them and all he said was you better not become "one of those guys" haha of course I missed the bus and only got to know of their music through CDs and later through the various side bands of former members but finally at the age of 67 I've got him into the dead I'm actually tryin to get him to go to the last dead and co show with me this summer

[@tuckerpeebles8857]

Bob most defiantly gave john a dose that changed him.

[@treebeard8475]

I remember listening to a set and a song called “feedback” came on and it was literally just amplifier feedbacks. By this time I was tripping balls for one of the first times and it made me giggle so hard the sounds didn’t even sound bad, just funky.

[@namcat53]

not enough.

[@rayk9598]

@@treebeard8475 feedback while tripping😭

[@treebeard8475]

@@rayk9598 would do it again in a heartbeat 😂

[@ButtSnorkler9000]

Sure hope so

[@rftulie]

John was talking about the 60s, 70s, and 80s. But the Dead incorporate old-timey themes in their music that date back to the turn of LAST century! Anything that has passed through the American scene then or since is fair game for the Dead, and they do this with amazing musicianship. This is what makes people say they are timeless, and nobody else does this with such perseverance.

[@immortalserito774]

True statement. Some music journalist once asked Jerry(?), so who originally did Cumberland Blues. Nuff said, really authentic old time music.

[@lungflogger9]

GD found me in 1970 at the SF Fillmore and I was never lost again.......

[@PurpleOldMaN]

what I would give to see them play in the 70's....or at all.

[@paulinebuckles2310]

John Mayer is right on. I found the Dead when Robert Hunter died and a radio show played Dead nonstop for two hours. Suddenly I got it. The fairy -like lyrics (John Perry Barlow's contribution as well), the jams that seem to wander endlessly but always come back to the melody full circle, and the absolute happiness that is generated by their music is inescapable.

[@crapseven]

I got on the bus in 1987 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia at the age of nineteen and I never got off. Well I got off on a lot of things but not the bus. It’s been a long strange trip. To this day, the music has been the most consistent thing in my life and although people have come and gone. The Grateful Dead has always been there. Thank you Bobby and all the boys for keeping it going. I absolutely love to tour and to still be a part of this happening.

[@polobear1119]

My grandfather has a shirt from the same exact show framed in bedroom…it’s his prized possession

[@Pun2404]

Truth. (~);} We NEED this music more then ever right now.

[@DweedleDeeDweedleDoo]

I always knew a handful of Dead songs, but they just sounded old to me... but one day I revisited and it was like seeing in color for the first time, all of the fidelity and datedness I originally interpreted just melted away and I was entranced. And John is right, for the first year, its all new, its all so new, and it never gets boring - especially when I browse live recordings and Dead & Co recordings as well.

[@ianmurawski8165]

Music is healing

[@kimmonroe5269]

The music was Built to Last. I was not a John Mayer fan UNTIL the night of July 7th, the DTE show. It was the Playin, Estimated into Cumberland run that i was just in AWE! He truly fits in, is a great musician and he gets it. We all Love and miss Jerry, but John is a great, new twist.

[@altheatoldme4420]

Agreed! The Row Jimmy they played on 6/13 brought tears to my eyes! Absolutely they are Built to Last!!

[@AntaraDuaDarjat]

Hope to see him live one day in Malaysia..

[@bunnyrubyjanee]

I was at that show Kim ☺

[@RobbiePfunder]

he kills it for sure!

[@pjk]

Couldn't agree more. He is the real deal and he "gets it." Superb guitarist with impeccable phrasing. Jerry would have totally dug jamming with him.

[@FireworkStud-p7e]

Thanks for all the good times, John. Gonna miss you guys and the crowd.

[@daviddemar8749]

I know exactly what he's talking about. I had not been exposed to the GD until I was a sophomore in college. And then one of my two closest friends actually forced me to sit down listen to Europe in c. 1983- changed the music part of my life forever

[@infiniteandroid]

Well said sir!!!......when they found you ..... we found you!!!!!......awesome.... keep up the great work!!!!.... we love it and glad you oteil and Jeff are on board!!!!.... thank you for your hard work!!!!!

[@DanButcher303]

Europe 72 was my first Dead album. I regret nothing

[@JohnnyNada]

Fav live album

[@tootz1950]

When they found me, not when I found them. Very telling.

[@IniDim]

Who cares. He’s John freakin Mayer.

[@Optable]

They made the music. You were found.

[@tylerm5774]

Yes express that vitriol brother. You need this.

[@infowazz]

u mean they tapped him to join the band? then he ran out and got a bunch of their albums. just kidding. its a great band and love the bass player too. his bass is so nice and sounds amazing. drummers are happy being back in the saddle. Phil is doing his thing. I hope to be as happy as they are when i get older. The only difference will be about 30 years. I'll still be happy and i need to hit the gym!!!!

[@ckwash1]

That was a beautiful answer and a testament to why he was the guy for the job.

[@pevsfreedom]

Been listening for 10 years and it's all still new to me

[@brianjameseverett312]

Thank you please John never stop playing this Great Music.

[@ericpondrom4925]

Like Billy Joel, and a few other musicians, John Mayer is so eloquent and specific about why a song or band really moves him. I listen to him explain other songs and bands on his Sirius/XM satellite radio show and he always impresses me and opens my eyes to new things I never focused on in a song. I also have mad respect for much of his solo work. He can be too “poppy” at times, but often, like in songs like “The Heart of Life” or the “Edge of Desire” or “Perfectly Lonely” are so profound and relatable to me. The G.D. Snob/Stubborn fans who reject the extent of his talent are narrow minded - the exact opposite mentality of a true Deadhead!!!

[@db5145]

Man, another interview cut short before the explanation of what the title eluded! I love when that happens! Whoever posts these incomplete stories, thank you!

[@jroc2201]

The deads music is remarkable in my opinion because it seems like it will come at you from a different direction, even in stuff I've been listening to for forty years, I can still hear something else, I guess it seems like I must be connecting different dots, it's like a musical kaleidoscope

[@clex2005]

It's seven years old. I've see it a hundred times. Why is KZbin still sticking this on my timeline?

[@jhawk53]

Is this one of the best non-answers of all time?

[@ppumpkin3282]

My thoughts exactly - isn't he just babbling?

[@BeauTylerMakesMusic]

​@@ppumpkin3282 Nah, it's a convoluted question. When a musician is asked what they love about a band it's never a simple answer. The translation he is doing in his head to try to explain his feelings is obvious and telling. Obviously, his love for them is profound and based on musical terms. Trying to translate those things to a non-musician is always very difficult if not impossible. I think most of us were able to sense what he was getting at.

[@Champzion]

@@BeauTylerMakesMusic That's a really nice way of putting it!

[@brendonmasters]

I'm not sure

[@DirtJunkie1620]

I'll listen to the guy answer nothing for hours! 😅

[@jasonlee8497]

Chris Robinson is so jealous of this guy. and listening to Chris talk, he doesn't get it. he just rambles on about himself to the point of contradiction. John gets it, and his enthusiasm for it is contagious.

[@infowazz]

Friends of mine got into GD a few years before i did. Like he said, music finds you when the time is right. Sadly it was soon after Jerry died. I was into John's music before he joined GC for i was definitely excited and knew it would be great!

[@brooks274]

Saw them play at SPAC last week, the boys killed it! On fire! 👽😼👨‍🏭☝️👅👄💣💢🎩📿🤖 We love you, Johnny!

[@scott83074]

John's a great player and I think hes done a great job from what I've heard period I haven't seen the dead since Jerry died. But I think it's awesome that people still go here the songs and have a good time

[@chrisyasus5563]

Born in 74... brothers born in 71 & 67... cousin born in 66... uncle born in 57...pop born in 43 uncle born in 42 aunt born in 42... i feel as old as my uncle born in 1957 LOL. I saw G.D. since 89. 16 shows & 5 Jerry shows. Closest i saw Jerry was 5th row stage right. Thats 21 shows b4 Jerry passed. But BOY did he do it his way! Mayer is respectful & has a handle on guitar regarding what i want to hear him attempt & achieve. This BIT is refreshing & his honest account cant diminish what im hearing coming out of his guitar. He gets it & it shows regardless. I even opened myself2 his catalogue & dig it as i give some acts a chance. Id like him2 be w a better drummer in his solo work... but ib a way it makes me listen2 him carrying more than his usual weight lol. Not every drummer is Mitch Mitchell.

[@martyhopkirk6826]

If you were in front of Jerry at that point in the band's history, you were stage left (house right).

[@roesbud53]

Took all these years to listen to this musician express what drove me to PLAY lights for JGB…

[@ceecoursian]

This is so true . It was the same for me when I became a fan .

[@danielstark6540]

Look on a personal level I don't care for John Mayer, but his hands and fingers move the strings so well and his understanding of the music being a way to move the soul.....it wasn't him who chose the band, fate(Jerry, Karma, music) chose him to continue a legacy.....

[@aeria369]

I used to diss this guy. He has matured gracefully and kills it on the guitar with an appropriate humility and reverence towards Capt. Trips who is now a space admiral..

[@dslinn]

When I was young, preteens (1975), I thought children stepped in for their parents when their parents retired. I thought I would enter the Air Force and do what ever it was that my Dad did when he retired. I thought the same about bands. That their kids would carry on the musical legacy. It might not be their physical kids, but it might be their spiritual ones. Allman and Betts seem to be doing the trick, and John is stepping in as well. I saw a video where Bobby talked about a dream he had. John was grey haired, the rhythm sectioned had been replaced by youngsters, but the band played on. So it goes.

[@kalebkelso1]

Today I stopped hating John Mayer

[@kd9262]

You want a cookie? Clearly you were a fool for ever hating to begin with

[@marcosluna7792]

Barely time to wait!!

[@querecep]

he's a pretty likeable guy. he got charisma and chops!

[@alexm8859]

Joey Maxon newsflash, you don’t know him

[@namcat53]

@PickleJalapeno It's the..... Mister Hoppy Show!! Look at me, I can hop a lot! See? Hop, hop, hop, hop.. ad nauseum.

[@mattflickinger8151]

Wow seeing Bobby on this last tour, he has lost a lot of weight! Good for him!

[@tracigencavage4720]

You are the perfect addition to my favorite band.

[@johnsheehan977]

I was a young teenager listening to British metal and Iron Maiden. That's all I listen to was metal Then went to a dead show in 87 and opened up a whole world of music to me. Took three hits.😬😆

[@pauljanssen2624]

I still love the video with Jerry Garcia and Bob were with David Letterman and Letterman ask about things and Jerry Garcia says what memory I have no memory that was keystone moment. You think of the thousands of shows they played over the years and all the different faces

[@nickdecker5750]

Im a deadhead, been to over 10 schwagstocks in Missouri. Love the schwag cover band and Jimmy Trebeau

[@kdog24able]

I'm with jonny man!!!! exactly how I feel about the dead's music. couldn't have been said better. btw, just caught them in noblesville.....and it.was. fucking mind blowing. just absolutely incredible. no Jerry indeed, however... I'd close my eyes fro. time to time, and if I hadn't known any better, I'd have thought it was the big man. jonny fits like a glove with them, and what they are doing right now, is just so special. DONT MISS IT!

[@altheatoldme4420]

I just saw them in Pittsburgh and it was one of the best Dead related line ups I've ever seen since Jerry. I couldn't agree with you more! I'm glad you got to see them and had a beautiful time!

[@kdog24able]

+Althea ToldMe back at you my friend! let's enjoy this while we have it!

[@hippieman5554]

yes it was that mags farm & liberty real cool

[@rebuttalc2075]

Thats awesome you get that feeling from these guys, Ive tried several times and just cant get into them. Its a decent time live but with bob and his half speed tempos and johns valley girl vocals the music just doesnt hit me amd it me least fave of the GD spinoffs. Im glad they are mking music for everyone that does love this group just isnt for me

[@Pat.fran85]

K Dawg I’m

[@alokarora2367]

Tull's Ian Anderson said Grateful Dead are an 'acquired taste'. But once acquired like coffee or whiskey, they remain with you forever.

[@texbls]

JM got older, his gray hear made me realise i have listened to him since he was 20something, man times go by so fast.

[@ianmccown2934]

he's only 38 lol, I don't notice grey hair, but I agree, man... has it really been that long since like no such thing or bigger than my body hit the airwaves?...

[@texbls]

yeah Room for squares is 2001 so 15 years - long time.

[@vyomdeepansh]

I started listening to him about 8-9 years ago, and I'm 22. Even I feel old now, I'm sure he'd be old too. Lol

[@denachtconducteur7070]

Grey Hair?

[@daviddemar8749]

In other words, john you realized what all of us did, too; that GD music is sui generis. Btw every set list and every concert is sui generis. Better late than never. And it's beautiful and awesome. I am so happy that you're playing in' the band :-)

[@sirmegallot3276]

saw joe russos almost dead at brooklyn bowl... it mustve been either 2015 or 2016 run... either way, john made a surprise appearance: amazing. truly a talented musician. I cannot for the life of me get into his solo stuff, but wow what an addition to the Dead legacy

[@jojo1865]

such a well spoken guy. i love listening to him

[@KL-es9bt]

are you?

[@kristenstonge3330]

oh I agree. I love the ways he speaks and expresses his thoughts, he's such a dream.

[@bulletnetwork6348]

Gemini Tiger Not a virtuoso, a pentatonic noodler.

[@jamiecarter5083]

I am a huge Eagles fan. Saw them. Great concert.....THEN...I saw Dead and Company. Have liked Grateful Dead for years. My wife and I went with my older brother and sister to see them. It was the best ever. Hard to describe the experience. Shakedown St, the people, the music. Never have seen thousands of people have such a good time, dancing like that, not a single fight, and IN THE RAIN.....If I had the choice btween front row seats to see Eagles or lawn seats to see Dead and Company.....D&C every time!!!!!!!

[@patton303]

Honestly never got into their music until Dead and Co. It was like Mayer, Oteil and Jeff brought top shelf musicianship to the band and revitalized those songs.

[@tinman4585]

In the 70s and 80s I dated a dead head i was more into Zeppelin and Ozzy but as a guitar player I always appreciated the Major/ mixo sound but didn’t understand it 40 years later im blown away by what those hippies did back then 😊

[@paulreese3071]

Just listened to a great podcast with JM being interviewed by Rick Rubin. He talked at length about playing w/ Dead & Co.!

[@johng.8600]

Seen Dead & Company few summers ago outside of Cleveland at Blossom. Good show

[@briandrum1]

It's funny. I'm so unbelievably grateful (no pun intended) that I was able to actually see the Grateful Dead. But, there's almost a jealousy that I'm feeling when Mayer said he just started to listen to them and it was all new to him. The idea of just finding a band like the GD now with the power and myth behind them makes me wish there was something out there. Unfortunately, being a drummer for the last 30+ years, and playing all sorts of different styles over the course of those 30+ years, I'm fairly certain I've discovered almost everything that would and could knock me on my ass. If anyone reading this thinks there's something out there that could, please, don't hesitate to let me know! :-) And lastly, Mayer absolutely, 100% *get's* the GD. If anyone doubts this, you're just not too bright. Hehe

[@philipcallado5693]

I hear you, man. It seems like since the 60s or 70s, music has been on a steady decline to the crap that's out there today. I was just thinking about it the other day; sound-wise there's not really anything new, especially with today's technology. But the one thing musically that never gets old is truth and honesty.

[@tallicafreak44]

Look up Matt garstka for cool new drum shiet. Hes the shit

[@briandrum1]

Yea, I've known about him for a year or so. He's definitely a great drummer, but it's not my bag. Thanks though man!

[@fasteddie4145]

me too I saw them twice but the last time in 1979 was unreal.....Labor day, hot, outdoors in a stadium, the giant Alembic PA and the Dead played for hours..........I stuck with the blotter and didn't touch the purple microdot.......

[@paulgray7255]

Check out Ween if you haven't already. Live at Stubbs is a great way to get a taste. More irreverent and less jammy than the Dead, but plenty of heart and soul with a splash of irreverence and tons of originality.

[@robertthompson3941]

I’m Glad that those two are A TEAM!

[@adam_-adam]

One of the best guitar players still alive

[@GlennJimenez]

He was in a band as a teen. There are photos in a John Mayer doc here on KZbin.

[@unicornfan4356]

No one can touch music, but music and touch us

[@andrewlarson603]

Definitely hearing Mayer play with the Dead has given me a new respect for him that I didn't have. I always knew that he wanted to play the guitar and it's unfortunate he had to start out playing superficial pop. However, to be fair.......when Mayer came out in the late 90s there was really no other way someone like him could have made it. At least not on the level that he did.

[@stubhead]

I think he's managed his career very, very well, considering. He was doing a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band thing around Atlanta and a record company exec (now gone the way of dinosaurs) saw the wavy hair and apple cheeks and beestung lips and said "How would YOU like to be a filthy-rich one-man boy band?" The filthy rich part was appealing... so he did the acoustic sensitive teen dream white suburban angst thing very, very well, though where in the name of Jeebers that weird Tiny Tim/Betty Boop singing came from, whew. But as soon as tricky John had amassed some moola and a pile of guitars, he said, fuck the boy band - I'm a bluesman! So he started "his" trio by hiring the best in the biz, and never looked back. It even sounds like SOMEBODY - probably Bob Weir - FINALLY said "What the FUCK is wrong with you? You sing like a mental hospital escapee on helium!" Did he think that was COOL, or what?!?

[@percussionjamz6704]

Andrew Larson I would also say John made popular the pop/guitar pop that a lot of dudes are doing today. And also john was playing Hendrix by 8th grade I believe. He always was in love with the idea of shredding guitar but not having to have the same genre to do it in.

[@natecorning]

just because its pop doesn't mean its superficial.

[@30smsuperstrat]

njdkidd1231 exactly! That’s what grunge did was make people forget that the Beatles, stones, cream, Led Zeppelin, were all pop. Pop just means a huge amount of people like what you’re doing.

[@swosene]

Andrew Larson John Mayer didn’t start out playing “superficial pop”... he’s a blues man at heart.

[@warrentanneriii3672]

Same for me too UNCIVILIZE. Even had an album or two of theirs back when they came out originally. Didn't do a thing for me. Of course neither did The Floyd until my persistent youngest son wouldn't give up on me and I finally "got it." I'm 67 and finally "getting it" when it comes to TGD (and Floyd). Like Mayer said, sometimes the music finds you just at the right moment. Sure glad it did. And ... I'm also love the Jerry Garcia Band material. Amazing!

[@florencewallis1730]

he actually said it perfectly because trying to describe gd music I've found almost impossible being that there's so much to point out where do you start

[@TisTheDamnStickSeason]

Dear John, I see it all now that you're gone Don't you think I was too young to be messed with? The girl in the dress, cried the whole way home I should've known

[@musicalchairs777]

IF ya see a faded sign on the side of the road that says 15 miles to the looOOOOOVE SHACK!

[@ScarlettFire341]

"Jerry is gone in one form, but like the magician that he is, he has explosively been transformed into a million Jerrys-one improvising in each of our hearts." - Ram Dass "Music is God's gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven." Walter Savage Landor -- Keep on jammin' to what moves your soul! (~);}

[@Hillbillyheaven7]

I got on the bus in 1986 and the long strange trip continues thanks to so many bands who play The Dead it seems to be a genre today. Mayer late last tour got the feel for improvisation he had been very good now he's has asserted himself to be great with this genre. Thanks Mr. Mayer and I look forward to hearing you for many years to come.

[@brianolson7820]

I got on in 86 as well

[@chelton87]

Dead and Co got better every year john was awesome he was on the bus

[@jamminjohnyevo]

Long live rock I hear it every night!- The Who

[@c.s.s.1723]

No matter how far I stray away..... I always stray back..... The Dead is my security blanket, my therapy...😶

[@clarkewi]

I noted, having spent half of each year on both East and West Coasts as a teenager '66-'68 that The Grateful Dead hugely popular very early on with the kids around the NYC area and especially out in the surrounding suburbs. I lived in Fairfield County Connecticut. Basically the kids back East turned me onto the Dead. Then I went back to Southern Cal and turned on my friends. They were already big in Northern California. I think it was because the Dead were so different from the local bands like the "Rascals". The Dead were more like a jazz band with long jams. Jazz was cooler among the smart kids.

[@namcat53]

BINGO!

[@lucasmorgan4359]

Best band that will ever be.

[@danielwilliams1921]

First saw the Dead in 1971. Been on the bus ever since.

[@laninhatavares1206]

Perfect thanks thanks thanks again for that

[@namcat53]

This kid never played in a band of other people, paid any kind of dues or had the vast experiences over many decades that The Grateful Dead had. He played in his bedroom and wanted tattoos. He barely knew about The Grateful Dead.before he was hired. Stephane Grapelli at age 70+ played with relative kids that were already seasoned, excellent, very talented musicians, aware of the music and history of The Hot Club in Paris, that played together on stages for years. They cooked and swung with great vitality and listened to each other as a jazz band should. They weren't cheating their audience by any means. It makes a BIG difference in the resulting music. Bob, Bill and Mickey's current band are missing some very important key ingredients to effectively play Grateful Dead songs. More auditions, Bob. Please. No cheating.

[@anonymousguy7723]

Saw him perform at city fields on 6/15/18 and he was on stage having even more fun than me....

[@lisageisinger]

Everyone who tries to explain the Grateful Dead's body of work ends up using the word "universe" at one point or another. For good reason. It really is its own world.

[@cryptobradley2009]

Play with the DEAD all the rest off your LIFE!!!! DUDE

[@ryanjensen4692]

I love John Mayer 1000x more

[@digeratadesign]

so perfectly described by john

[@sneakonproductionz]

I feel like it all happened for him around the time he wrote that song queen of california... I was at crossroads festival and he played it and my group (all big dead heads) were like this song sounds like Fire on the mountain

[@allexisberry7367]

He has been the perfect fit .

He gets it!!!!!! He’s seen the light.

[@nicefella3]

well said, John, my boy

[@beancollectorbx]

The colors of music.mee too!🌹👀♥️👾

[@jackstraw262]

Mayer = am absolute slayer

[@jayd.rosenblum3975]

Just out of curiosity...how many folks would have bet that the successor to Jerry Garcia would be John Mayer, and that he would grow so nicely into the role? It truly is a long, strange trip we humans are on.

[@_noname617]

never misses a note

[@swampmusic9222]

He's spot on..the music written 40 years ago sounds like it was written yesterday. The songs have no expiration date...thats the difference between the Deads songwriting and other bands.