Grateful Dead

Somewhere along the road, probably in about 1975 their primary purpose ceased being an outlet for the creative expression of new musical ideas and they became the institutional embodyment of Haight-Ashbury Summer of Love Hippie Ideal, complete with articles of incorporation and health benefits for their staff and management. In 1967 they lived communally and gave free concerts for pretty much every flower child who got busted or took bad acid and fostered the local musical community by forming side groups, producing friends records and having an open door for guests to sit in. They also encouraged fans to record their shows, realizing that shitty sounding bootleg recordings would not hurt their record sales. This was a brilliant forward thinking view and built a long-term relationship with fans instead of a transactional based artist/customer arrangement that was limited to the record store and box office. A decade later they were pioneers of the travelling stadium festival ro... Read more

The first review I wrote was from 4yrs ago (original is below) but I'm giving GD a 2 because even though I'm not old, I'm old enough to know that I'm tired of 30 minute guitar jams and guitar tunings. extremely overrated but i will give them props because they could jam like nobody else....i just wish phil lesh would sing more....i like his voice. In terms of studio albums, just pick up american beauty; it's great!

My personal favorite band and whithout a doubt one of the best bands in the history of music. Jerry Garcia was one hell of a musician and the other guys were amazing too.

There was nothing like a Dead show. WHY JERRY WHY.....

In large groups, Dead fans irritate the hell out of me. . .and yes, the band seemed musically limited- but the Dead had some good albums and a few great songs. . ."St. Stephen" is a pool-shooting juxebox favorite of mine. . .good, if slightly overrated, band with a strong influence. . .

Congratulations to The Grateful Dead on winning the Lifetime Achievement Award on the Grammy's last night. I had the awesome opportunity to meet the band members and spend a concert onstage with them in Dec."87". I would like to send out my tribute to them. ~Only The Memories Remain~ The musical legacy of the Grateful Dead-some 13,000 live audio and video recordings spanning the band's 30-years of concerts left Marin County in "06". The transfer of the priceless "vault" recordings left Marin County in a temperature controlled truck and is now being stored in a huge Warner Brothers Music vault in Southern California. "It's sad to see it go," Grateful Dead tape archivist David Lemieux said of the vault collection. "But it couldn't be in better hands." At the band's commercial peak in the mid-90's, the Grateful Dead held the title of top touring act in the world, grossing some $50 million a year and overflowing stadiums across the country with tie-dye legions of Deadheads. Dennis McNall... Read more

I never got into all the Dead's stuff but I still play "Workingman's Dead" on my IPod and some from "Terrapin Station."

were they rock? were they country? were they folk? i cant answer those questions but what I do know is that their music was meandering,interminable, mind numbingly boring sh*t. just to go on a slight tangent for the mo' something that really gets my goat are people who have a go at those who dont like their tastes as being closed minded etc. (see below). Err.... this what rateitall is all about..opinions!! 'Kin 'ell get over it for gawds sake.

I personally hate to see music ranked and rated. This is my favorite band of all time. The people who say bad things probably just never opened their mind to them and dig American Idol music. While that is cool (I guess).

You cannot imagine how grateful I am these douchebags are finally dead ...

I've been to over 100 shows, and no 2 were the same, yet all were worth the experience. On their worst nights you still received enough positive energy from the band and the crowd to make it an excelent experience. I love music, and have been going to see all kinds of concerts (jazz, rock, country, classical,and folk)since 1966, but nothing compares to a Grateful Dead show.

real music, real songs so improvisational...so fun, so forever..like classical music it will never be"the oldies" bands...it will continue to be played and interpreted by musicians because it is so well composed like good classical music. I believe the grateful dead is classical music of the late 1900's

The movie name, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" comes to mind with one more noun - the Beautiful. Many jams were self-indulgent excuses not to have to play anything and get paid for it. But when jamming in earnest and with purpose, the music sends jolts up and down my spine. My father is not a fan; much prefers the oldies, Big Band era, Frank, Ella, etc. and Italian opera. But when I first brought a record home from college, he commented "now those guys are musicians." Listen to the bridge off of Lazy Lightening in the Dicks Picks series, for example. This band was a master of counterpoint and subtle backround instrumental harmonies. Bob Weir, in his prime, was probably the best rock rhythm guitar player ever (well, maybe behind Peter Townsend/John Lennon(?)). Listen to his bluesy/jazzy/country chords in the jam after Truckin' in Europe '72 and his rhythm playing on Goin' Down the Road and Big Boss Man in the '74 live album (SF) with the skeleton on the cover. Listen then to ... Read more

I tend to enjoy the more accessible country rock numbers. The 10 minute jam tunes I can live without.

I think the whole meaning of the (grateful) dead is lost when people are quick to judge. They simply arent for everyone (just like every other band isnt either)The thing about them is that their lyrics dont make sense to some people, they dont mean as much to them as it does to the next person. It's almost a state of mind you have to be in to truly appreciate the grateful dead... and some people just don't see life and issues the same way they do. I also agree with eveyone when they say you have to see them live... their good but be prepared for some of the craziest people you'll ever meet

They're an excellent group, though I never saw them in concert, never bought one of their albums, and would rank 20 or 30 groups ahead of them. I do love Touch of Gray, Alabama Getaway, Friend of the Devil, and Shakedown Street. The one thing I truly love about the Grateful Dead is the fact that if I were on a date and made it back to her place, if she put on the Grateful Dead, I was going to score that night (it was a 100% guarantee)!!!

here's a band whom I wished simply threw in the towel on studio recording after American Beauty and just released their new music via live albums b/c other than the mid-1970's classic Blues for Allah there just isn't much to go on w/The Dead other than Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. most of the music doesn't match the live performances put on disc.

Their rhythm section was lumpy, their sound could often get muddled and lost, and, yes, their sound was a BIT druggy, but the Grateful Dead, along with Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Led Zeppelin, were truly a revolutionary band. Say what you will about their vocals, their talent, and their ugliness (as my sister does), but this band created a nation of mostly lifelong followers based on good ethics, good times, and good music, a feat that has yet to be accomplished again with such quality and such scale. They weren't virtuosos, but they gelled incredibly as an ensemble, much like the Band (albeit in a much different context). Another similarity to the Band is the much overlooked lyrical genius of Robert Hunter that basically guided most of Garcia's simple compositions into complex, beautiful tunes. Yet another similarity between the Dead and the Band is the powerful connection to folk-America, where one can find the basis to pretty much 3/4 of their early work. To sum up, these gu... Read more

About the tightest improvisational jam band EVER,these guys were best seen live.Nothing in the studio ever really captured their magic.Versatile to the max,they could play any kind of music with pure virtuosity.

The most overrated band in history. Drug addled meandering. There's better musicians playing on the streets of the French Quarter, here in N.O.

i think they suck

Two good songs by the Dead are Casey Jones and I Will Get By. They've had about a million members during their existence.

Many people seem to think the Grateful Dead were just some hippie band that must only sound good on drugs. Maybe because most people are only familiar with the Dead through studio recordings played on the radio and tour heads that take dropping out to an extreme (most only for a little while while they're young). They were never taken to a live show, never introduced to the scene, never given a chance to be inspired by the music, the lyrics, and the joining of energy between the band and the fans to create a life experience of spiritual dimensions. They just don't understand, and people tend to instantly dislike things they don't understand. The serious music listener should look a little closer. The Dead are highly respected among their peers and seen as musical pioneers that pushed into new territory that inspired bands from the Haight scene (like Airplane, Janis, Santana, CSNY, and more) and also set the foundation for the jamband scene that is growing today. Even Dave Matthews... Read more

Extremely mediocre. They weren't very good musicians and absolutely none of them could sing. They get two stars only because I like Sugar Magnolia, which sounds about a zillion times better when performed by the Allman Bros. anyway. It's nice how they were so good to their fans, like playing four-hour concerts and letting people make tapes. They also experimented a fair bit live, but most of those experiments totally failed because none of them were competent musicians. I'm sorry, Jerry Garcia was just not a good guitar player, he was a bad one.

I'm only 16, but I grew up listening to the Dead, and they truly are they greatest band of all time. Jerry is best guitarist ever. Did every type of music that expanses the rock genre. Great jams.

Boring two hour long guitar solos, jams that easily impressed hippy kids.

I saw the Dead a mere 3 times (not much compared to a true Head) and had a different experience each time. Suffice to say that the 1990 concert in Denver was the most powerful live rock experience I've ever had (and I've seen the Stones, Janis, Jimi, etc.). I also had a great trip while listening on the radio to their live Rock Palast concert from Essen in March 1981.

I really don't care for their music at all. I do think that their promotion of peace is good though. The drugs however, are not good. And as for I GUESS YOU HAD TO BE THERE, this could possibly be true, but I doubt it is something magical or secretive that many of us just can't understand. Either you like this boring type of music, or you don't. Plain as that.

The Dead are probably the most popular live bands of all time. Psychedelic, rock, country, folk, long jams - they have done it all. While studio album like "American Beauty", "Workingman's Dead" etc. are outstanding, most of the Dead's best work was live. Some people ask "why so popular?" Besides their variation in music, the Dead encouraged their fans to tape live shows and exchange bootleg tapes. Jerry Garcia was one of the best known and most recognizable rock musicians. The Dead had a bond with their fans that some people don't understand and can't appreciate. They didn't rely on their popularity from selling albums and having their songs played on Top 40 radio stations. There were no gimmicks and no frills - the Dead were a straighforward hard working touring band. It is surprising how many younger fans are out there, however. For those who don't get it, well.... "I guess you had to be there." to appreciate the long strange trip and for many millions the Dead will never die.

timeless

I love the Grateful Dead! Now I like The Dead.

I saw my first show in 1978 in Jackson MS. Saw many more shows after. Some were indescribably fantastic, some shows were flat out bad. I tried to NOT be a Deadhead for many years. I went to many diverse concerts. There was nothing like a Grateful Dead show. It was bigger and more important than anyone knew.

I went to one concert, one of best memories in my life.....I think!

I LOVE THE DEAD. I know that they are not for everyone but their collection of songs depict a beautiful, sad, and truthful history of getting by in America. Jerry was incredibly talented. His vices (alcohol and Heroine) were his downfall, but despite the drugs his musical career was beautiful. Rock and Roll, Country, Blues, Jazz, Funk, and Bluegrass--Jerry and the Dead could capture the essence of every style of American music. Not to mention the pioneers of long drawn out unstructured jam sequences played by the Black Crowes, Phish, and other jam bands of today! Best show I've come across is 8-6-71 from Florida. This is the show where they play an absolutely crazy Hard To Handle, the one that is on Fall Out from the Philzone, actually. The whole show is filled with piercing solo's by jerry and the audience goes crazy the whole time!

Not to sound cliche, but in response to those that never understood why deadheads where sooooo "deadicated", two quotes occur to me: "The Grateful Dead aren't the best at what they do, they're the only ones who do what they do" and "If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand". The Dead were more than a band, they were a LIFE EXPERIENCE. Their studio albums don't come anywhere close to representing what they offered as a band. Dead shows had the potential to transform your heart, soul, spirituality, perception of the world, and entire being. Archetypal lyrics, phenomenal jams, energy that could literally fill you up with hope and inspiration while helping to heal your psychic wounds and validate your struggles were the strings that kept fans traveling all over the country trying to see as many shows as possible. Going to a Dead show was more like going to church than going to a concert. Every show was different, different songs, different feeling, different energy. The Dead's go... Read more

I never really saw the craze in their music until 5 years after Garcia's death. I heard "American Beauty" and I realized, these guys weren't half bad

Ahhh, my all-time favorite rockband. Used to enjoy their live videos on PBS. Never get tired of hearing their music.

contrary to popular belief, you don't have to care about drugs to like this band's music. i don't care about drugs, and i wish these guys didn't have to be the poster-kids of drug-using. but then the sounds of their tunes are so likeable that i don't stop to worry about it.

a chance to defend one of the GREATEST bands...I've been to a few shows (i was born in 75) and I have NEVER in my life experienced so much happiness and positivity. I liked the music and I think the lyrics are beautiful. The scene was so much fun. Everyone was positive: about dancing about playing the flute, drums, hacky sacking, travelling, partying, playing baseball, telling jokes, painting, hooking up, and especially getting miracled or finding some way to get into the show: and whatever else that could go on. It was a party, anything could happen. I don't think too many people had a chance to experience this, and it's too bad because so many people don't know exactly what they're trashing. It seems as if some people never heard about the "live and let live" sphere- like making your own choices/ the additude is pressure and be pressured. Until I can find some new tunes that can amuse me this way, I have to stay with my convictions. I might be what you call a Dead-head, and 6 ... Read more

I think that I've had enough of attempting to make those who will not see understand what it was about the Dead that was so exciting. It was more than a family, though there was that. It was more than the history, though that was there too. There was so much to the music, such a span of style, from blues to bluegrass, to rock, to country, to jazz, and I could go on. For me, after 35 shows, the first in 1977, it was more about the way that an atmosphere could be so charged, and how emotions could be manipulated throughout an evening. Jerry could choreograph the mood of an entire audience (up to 70000 people at a time) so that the entire crowd would get together on it. I'm telling you, get some live stuff, preferably the Dicks Picks series, and listen in order. This band was the real thing.

I have been a Grateful Dead fan for about 4 years now, but I have yet to hear a song that I dislike. I am always discovering new songs that I think are amazing, I can't wait to listen to the next song I find! Also looking forward to the re-release of the old albums!

The Grateful Dead is the all time greatest band ever! I was raised on the Grateful Dead's music my parents weren't exactly what you call deadheads. My dad has only been to one concert but he said you have never been to a concert til you've been to a Dead concert. We even named our Rottweiler after one of their songs, Sugar Magnolia. Their music spans generations and they will always be known as one of the greatest bands in history. As for Jerry Garcia he was a legendary guitar player and singer. It was a tragedy when he passed away and he is missed by many loyal fans. How many people could actually play the guitar better than Jerry and he only had 9 fingers. My favorite song is Uncle John's Band, but I love everyone. I agree with benharper that you don't have to do drugs to enjoy the band I have never done drugs in my life and never will, too many people stereotype.

i love the dead. after i went to one show i was hooked. the people are wonderful. when i was there i felt like family.

The first time I saw the Dead perform was in Ann Arbor in 1989, I think, and it was truly an experience. After reading "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test," it's fun to think what it must have been like to be around the band as they were just starting out in San Francisco in the 60s, experimenting with just about everything, hanging out with Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, providing the music for the Acid Tests... The whole subculture that sprung up around the Dead was really a phenomenon. And all the stuff like that that surrounds the band sometimes draws attention away from the fact that they were actually very talented and creative musicians.

What was the big deal anyway??? I guess I'm too young to understand it all since I was BORN in 76...but still I know enough about music to love The Beatles and Led Zeppelin and The Doors. I just don't GET this band's appeal.....

I think Grateful Dead brought alot of different people together, their music was meaningful. For all the people who tell us Jerry is dead, what about the Beatles. I don't think just because a band member is dead that we all have to forget about the music they did. Alot of new artists today are even remaking old songs.

the DRUG CUTURE has taken over the greatful deads reputaion, many dont listen to them just cuz of the drugs but ill say that the greatful dead was great and i dont do drugs, i am totaly against them and i am sorry that people make bad jugement and dont listen to them cuz of the drugs but just listin and youll here there souls

THE DEAD CAME TOGEATHER WHEN ARE COUNTRY WAS DIVIDE.FROM THE WAR.THEY SPOKE WITH SOUL.AND KEPT ARE MIND FROM WHAT WAS GOING ON,FOR THEM TO HAVE LASTED AS LONG AS THEY DID SPEAKS THE TRUTH.LONG LIVE J.G.