The Grateful Dead - Is it just me? I don’t get them.*

Ok, I'm getting ready to duck here, but i just don't get The Grateful Dead. Is it me, or is it just a US thing to really love "the dead". Being from the UK, I've never really understood the fascination in them, and don't understand why most (obviously not all) Americans appear to see them as a yard stick to everything else...... Almost like KISS, they've taken on an almost mythical status.

I see the old photos of them with the psychedelic oils light shows, and the reviews about them... i tried listening to them and maybe I'm just listening to the wrong material but all I hear is rock/country. Nothing that really grabs me. certainly nothing that makes me think "god, they're game changers".

Is it just an American thing to be into "the dead", or are there plenty of UK fans out there.

 

No, you're not the Grateful Dead.

 

Nothing wrong with not being into them.

You will only enjoy their music if you approach the music with an open attitude. And it helps if you like both psychedelic jams and Americana. And you shouldn't be afraid of technical imperfections (production quality, some searching/sloppy improvising).

Speaking for myself, the more I heard from them, the more I started to like em. Lovely guitar tones, great double drumming, cool harmony vocals, a looseness that other groups just don't offer.

 

I know plenty of music fans in North America who don't get the fascination with and cult-like following of them either...and I'm one of them. It's all good though as we each like what we like.

 

It helps if you like music that is played different from night to night. The bands strongest point was their collective improvisation on stage

Taking a 3 min song and stretching it out for 15 or 40 min, but in different ways every night. That's what made them the best band live band ever. Well that and Garcia and Hunter's excellent american song book.

 

I’m in the US and I don’t get it either......have tried several times. I just write it off as you need to be high as a kite enjoy

 

Big UK Dead fan here.
Apart from my father who is also a fan (thanks to me) I don't know any one else who likes them.

Never saw them live sadly (born 1980 and got into them just before Garcia passed).
I have all their official albums 1967-1990, and all live archive releases up to when Donna and Keith got off the bus.

 

They really are the most incredible band ever! A band beyond description. Keep listening to live shows. ‘77 is a very strong year. ‘87, ‘88, and ‘89 as well for live shows on YouTube. Watch a show or two.

 

People who shun them often do so without listening to the lyrics by and large written by Hunter and Barlow. I did not get them until I listened to the words. I also find the Dead fans to be friendly and easy to get along with. There's an "We're all in this together" feeling/vibe that I find comfort in.

 

Depends which Grateful Dead you mean - the Garage band of the first album (Self Titled), the pure Psych of the second album (Anthem Of The Sun), the third album (Aoxomoxoa) which is Psych with some slight folk/country influences, the fourth album (Live.Dead) which is Psych with some blues influence, the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth albums (Working Man's Dead, American Beauty, Self Titled and Europe '72) that have CSN influence along with Country and Folk...

'72 is when I get off the bus so I can't really speak for after then

 

Oh come on dude. Don't need to be that high. Just a little stoned is good enough

Anyway , I do most of my Dead listening sober, I think most people do.

 

While I never got into them (and I've tried many times through the decades) I would never shun them or any other band/artist who doesn't capture my interest.

 

I've never listened to the dead whilst high and I love them.

 

Workingman's Dead and American Beauty are must have's.

 

Jerry Garcia was once quoted as saying: "We're like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.”

I'll add to that by mentioning that sometimes it depends on where you are in your life to "get it." As a punk-influenced teenager, I didn't take to their music beyond the popular tunes ("Friend Of The Devil," "Alabama Getaway"). But it clicked with me about five years later, after I discovered The Allman Bros., jazz, psychedelic music, and Zappa/Beefheart.

"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right."

 

First and foremost there's the music, which is unmatchable (and there's enough of it there to last several lifetimes) but I think what makes the band so endearing is the saga that is the Grateful Dead - the oft used phrase What a long strange trip it's been, really does stand for something. As an Irish listener, I still love to indulge in the mythology of America - John Ford's Monument Valley, Jack Kerouac's highways, and The Grateful Dead. There's plenty of excellent books about the band, but a few years ago I read Jesse Jarnow's 2016 book Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America and it goes some way in capturing the excitement of having the Dead carnival roll into town. There's so much to explore.

 

And one of the greatest, most unique bass guitarists that ever hit earth (even though he hovered above it a lot of the time, as did the entire band ) -- Phil Lesh.

He's my second favorite All Time Bassist (behind only The Ox aka Thunderfingers of the 'Oo).

.

 

I am a brazilian, and here NOBODY knows the Dead. Lots of people here likes Neil young, Santana, Allmans etc, but almost anybody knows the Dead.. but i love em! Their songs goes with the flow, mixing country rock with almoust jazz jams. Very melodic and dont have that "difficult' element from jazz fusion, or prog rock.

 

They seem to be among the most popular bands in the universe.

But I've never been tempted.

 

If one likes jazz, it helps to "get" the Dead, IMO. Not cult-like following in my case. But I have most of their albums and enjoy them immensely.

 

its just you

 

Don't let the Grateful Dead's talent, power, majesty, wisdom, and lengthy guitar solos of incredible strength and righteous beauty get under your skin.

 

This. For years I never got the Grateful Dead until I started listening to Miles Davis. Then the light bulb came on. You have to have an open mind.

I love the build up on this song.

 

True story from one of the books.
The band were travelling from one gig to another by private plane. The pilot asked if they would like to buzz around Monument Valley a bit. Resounding yes! Garcia pointed out the Ford film connections.
Love the idea that the Grateful Dead were flying around that scene soaking up the majesty.

 

Haha.....I’m just being a wise ass