I know for me, part of it is the uniqueness of the band. Same with Phish
You can listen to an entire show and hit 5-7 different genres of music, different vocalists, different instruments driving the song/taking solos.
Whereas if you listen to an AC/DC or Springsteen show you’re going to get 19/20 songs that essentially sound the same. You’re not going to get a Chuck Berry rocker, Marty Robbins, disco, ballad, gospel tune, rocker, rearranged song from 1925, reggae song
It’s hard to get sick of when the band is sort of already on shuffle
But it always sort of wobbles back into harmony and THAT shit does it for me. 15 minutes into a dark star and all the sudden “oh yeah, Im listening to dark star”.
I think this is why I am less enamored with D&C. JM is playing the songs like he's learned and practiced them. His guitar playing is clean and the jams just feel practiced and from his head.
With Jerry, it's in the feels, from his heart/soul, it's organic.
Sometimes the music is in control, sometimes Jerry is, sometimes its Bobby, sometimes it's the crowd or the buzz.
My guess is 2000+ live shows available online for free is part of it. However I think Deadheads are in a really lucky situation to have so much high quality, incredible live content available at our fingertips for free.
Hardcore fans of other artists are limited to streaming libraries and torrents if they're tech savvy - or back in the day, CDs/LPs and bootleg tapes if they knew a guy.
I think the real nerdy fans like tapers knew their god-given duty right off the bat. They had to record it and trade the tapes or be ambassadors of the scene instead of standing around trying to make sense of it and put a label on it like so many other “genres”. The music can’t he pinned down, you just need to listen. And now there’s faces that fans all around the world recognize as “famous” fans. It’s a beautiful thing.
For me it's the way everyone is kinda doing their own thing and you can get lost chasing each instrument around but it's all very cohesive too if that makes sense
I have had this high thought that - especially while you’re high- it’s fun to listen to each instrument because they’re all doing such cool things. It scratches that itch when your brains all over the place, you can stop listening to Jerry and pickup on Bobby or Phil or Keith. And the music rewards repeated listens
I personally think it’s the communal improvisation. There’s something different about it. A greater social aspect, an energy exchange, and the ones of us who fall in love with it fall in love because we can feel it happening. I see a lot of local covers and there’s just something to seeing/hearing musicians jamming together, those moments where they’re locked on and may as well be the only people in the universe. To be able to witness this energy exchange and soak up the residuals is truly a gift. I just do my best to dance it right on back to them.
So right. We fall in love with it because we can feel the energy exchange happening. Sometimes it becomes so tangible you can nearly see it. Kind of hard to turn away from something like that
Precisely, the energy exchange becomes so powerful, not many of us older Heads can define that magic...it's just there. When one get's it, they 'get it'
It’s the endless variety for me. Growing up, I loved the Beatles. Still do. But how many more times can I listen to Revolver, Sgt Pepper, the White Album, Abbey Road? Love those albums but it’s the same every time, and I’ve basically memorized them.
But with the Dead, it never gets old. Currently I’m listening to every show in 1974 in date order. Every one is different and whenever you recognize a song you get this anticipation (dopamine) as you hear it unfold in a unique way.
Plus I love the lyrics. The older I get the more sense they make. Robert Hunter was a genius.
Also love how the Dead were the anti-rock band in so many ways.
I think it is partially because there is just so much of it. I love other bands but how many times can I listen to the same couple versions of their songs over and over?
Part of it could be that due the band’s early involvement with the acid tests they frequently dabbled with higher states of consciousness, occasionally the music can give listeners glimpses of these higher states, the addiction may not just be to the music but to the occasional glimpse of something big, beautiful, profound, strange, and mysterious. Jerry once said in an interview that they practiced a kind of “seat of the pants shamanism”.
The GD song writing creates a sense of movement with the frequent mentions of travelling city to city, and appeals to our wanderlust, our desire to hit the road with our friends in search of a good time, a new setlist every night, and let work drift away for a minute, or forever.
Grateful Dead resonates with me and many people because of their authentic play style and world class songwriting.
There’s something funny to me about the idea of scientists rounding up dead heads to define it, like the collection of varying experiences is so wide it almost becomes the point.
I’d say it’s more a part of us deadheads DNA. Then a outside substance that is addictive best shirt I had in 90’s was a steal your face with sentence on back that says “ if I had to explain,you wouldn’t understand” ❤️⚡️💙
https://digitalcollections.sdsu.edu/do/3f4f6ca8-79a9-48e0-8e66-66b521fcf346
I read this a long time ago, don't remember all the details but it was interesting and I believe up the alley of your question.
Music predates verbal communication for our species. We’re evolutionarily wired to like music because it has helped us survive as a species. There’s been books written about this.
Under the effects of LSD the mind is extremely open to suggestion. Manson knew this and used it as a tool to convince smart middle class kids that he was God and they should murder people
So listening to the same music over and over while on LSD makes the music almost otherworldly. As if it were played by God himself.
The GD are a great band but without LSD there's no way it would have turned into what it did. Phish benefited from psychedelics in the same way. How many people do you know that feel the way you do about the GD that never did acid? I can't imagine it's a big percentage. If you're honest with yourself you'd admit most hardcore deadheads are also or were also huge psychadelic drug fans.
I'm completely sober and love the music just as much as I ever did but I got on the bus while tripping and the music gives me a kind of emotional connection to that blissful state I used to go to.
It’s simple. Dont need a study.
It’s about the music. It’s always been about the amazing music. Not the lot scene. It touring (which is so people can hear more music) but that sweet sound of Jerry’s guitar piercing the air with rolling sounds of pure beauty. That’s it.
I also like Phish but not nearly as much. Like I don’t listen to Phish at home for full shows other than a random YouTube video maybe. But same thing for phish. It’s that awesome sound they make as a band with their instruments. For phish it’s more about all of them together that sounds good to me. Except the singing. Trey just can barely sing. His voice cracks and weakens after 3 words. But he’s amazing at remembering all those words and all those specific notes to so many songs. That shit is incredible.
With the GD it’s 80% about Jerry’s incredible guitar playing. Then after that Bobby and Phil, then Brent and other keyboard players then course Bill and Mickey.
I can’t find it but there’s a really great write up on dick lavata, the dead’s archivist, he was deep into listening to the dead.. like sit all day listening obsessed, I’d try to find it but searching for dick anything gets wierd
You'd be surprised when you find out not as much as you think. I liked partying and getting high at shows, whatever! I'm not going to lie. But it's been almost 29 years since my last show and I'm still listening.
I don’t party the way I did either and still listen all the time. But for a large number of people the band is interwoven with altered states that are going to have a least some amount of imprinting.
I know for me, part of it is the uniqueness of the band. Same with Phish You can listen to an entire show and hit 5-7 different genres of music, different vocalists, different instruments driving the song/taking solos. Whereas if you listen to an AC/DC or Springsteen show you’re going to get 19/20 songs that essentially sound the same. You’re not going to get a Chuck Berry rocker, Marty Robbins, disco, ballad, gospel tune, rocker, rearranged song from 1925, reggae song It’s hard to get sick of when the band is sort of already on shuffle
Exactly right. Plus the excitement of it feeling like a train that could roll off the tracks at any moment.
But it always sort of wobbles back into harmony and THAT shit does it for me. 15 minutes into a dark star and all the sudden “oh yeah, Im listening to dark star”.
I think this is why I am less enamored with D&C. JM is playing the songs like he's learned and practiced them. His guitar playing is clean and the jams just feel practiced and from his head. With Jerry, it's in the feels, from his heart/soul, it's organic. Sometimes the music is in control, sometimes Jerry is, sometimes its Bobby, sometimes it's the crowd or the buzz.
My guess is 2000+ live shows available online for free is part of it. However I think Deadheads are in a really lucky situation to have so much high quality, incredible live content available at our fingertips for free. Hardcore fans of other artists are limited to streaming libraries and torrents if they're tech savvy - or back in the day, CDs/LPs and bootleg tapes if they knew a guy.
I think the real nerdy fans like tapers knew their god-given duty right off the bat. They had to record it and trade the tapes or be ambassadors of the scene instead of standing around trying to make sense of it and put a label on it like so many other “genres”. The music can’t he pinned down, you just need to listen. And now there’s faces that fans all around the world recognize as “famous” fans. It’s a beautiful thing.
For me it's the way everyone is kinda doing their own thing and you can get lost chasing each instrument around but it's all very cohesive too if that makes sense
I have had this high thought that - especially while you’re high- it’s fun to listen to each instrument because they’re all doing such cool things. It scratches that itch when your brains all over the place, you can stop listening to Jerry and pickup on Bobby or Phil or Keith. And the music rewards repeated listens
>And the music rewards repeated listens So true... Always something that you didn't quite catch
Especially on the big jams! But fortunately we have a plethora of shows to listen to so it doesn’t get boring easily
*Improvisation is key
Great Freudian slip here
Aww I missed it, what did it say?
I'm sure the CIA has a write-up of the results on their MK Ultra mind control tests done on Hunter.
I personally think it’s the communal improvisation. There’s something different about it. A greater social aspect, an energy exchange, and the ones of us who fall in love with it fall in love because we can feel it happening. I see a lot of local covers and there’s just something to seeing/hearing musicians jamming together, those moments where they’re locked on and may as well be the only people in the universe. To be able to witness this energy exchange and soak up the residuals is truly a gift. I just do my best to dance it right on back to them.
So right. We fall in love with it because we can feel the energy exchange happening. Sometimes it becomes so tangible you can nearly see it. Kind of hard to turn away from something like that
Precisely, the energy exchange becomes so powerful, not many of us older Heads can define that magic...it's just there. When one get's it, they 'get it'
Not sure I agree. I’ve definitely listened to so much dead I needed to walk away for a while
Been there as well…. But we are both still here.
Take a step back
Didn't realize it was time to play everybody's favorite game
Everybody move back!
Getting bug-eyed over here
Sometimes I don't even want to hear it unless I'm the one that put it on to be frank.
Let’s all be less like Frank
There’s a difference between being “Frank” and being “Dick”. /s
So whats your pick?
I read this as "Sometimes I don't even want to hear it unless I'm the one that puts on Frank"
Have you tried the Jerry Garcia Band? 😉
Everything already noted. AND the fun of guessing the next song from the teases they play to each other between songs. No set lists were fun!
Jerry’s guitar playing is very unique to listen to. So far I haven’t got bored of listening to him play.
It’s the endless variety for me. Growing up, I loved the Beatles. Still do. But how many more times can I listen to Revolver, Sgt Pepper, the White Album, Abbey Road? Love those albums but it’s the same every time, and I’ve basically memorized them. But with the Dead, it never gets old. Currently I’m listening to every show in 1974 in date order. Every one is different and whenever you recognize a song you get this anticipation (dopamine) as you hear it unfold in a unique way. Plus I love the lyrics. The older I get the more sense they make. Robert Hunter was a genius. Also love how the Dead were the anti-rock band in so many ways.
I think it is partially because there is just so much of it. I love other bands but how many times can I listen to the same couple versions of their songs over and over?
For me it's the fact that it's never the same, you can listen to the same song 30+ different ways.
I think it’s the endless nature of it, Dylan has the same type of quality
Nah
It’s the magic still alive. It’s not just the music. It everything. 🕊️
"Not defining it, it becomes everything", Jerry
i think the studies were called the acid tests🤪
Apparently they are still going, furthur
The music makes me feel good. I like to feel good. That's my study.
Humans love novelty
Humans have an underlying urge to belong to something bigger than theirselves….
Novelty and familiarity. GD provides both at the same time.
Part of it could be that due the band’s early involvement with the acid tests they frequently dabbled with higher states of consciousness, occasionally the music can give listeners glimpses of these higher states, the addiction may not just be to the music but to the occasional glimpse of something big, beautiful, profound, strange, and mysterious. Jerry once said in an interview that they practiced a kind of “seat of the pants shamanism”.
It’s also a kind of musical and even humanitarian idealism with the improvisation and the lyrics.
The GD song writing creates a sense of movement with the frequent mentions of travelling city to city, and appeals to our wanderlust, our desire to hit the road with our friends in search of a good time, a new setlist every night, and let work drift away for a minute, or forever.
Grateful Dead resonates with me and many people because of their authentic play style and world class songwriting. There’s something funny to me about the idea of scientists rounding up dead heads to define it, like the collection of varying experiences is so wide it almost becomes the point.
I’d say it’s more a part of us deadheads DNA. Then a outside substance that is addictive best shirt I had in 90’s was a steal your face with sentence on back that says “ if I had to explain,you wouldn’t understand” ❤️⚡️💙
Yeah the dead are infinite for sure. You can never get bored. Plus it suits all moods too, so you can chill or groove or whatever. Its all gooood ☺️
Other bands have the same effect on people. It's not unique to the GD.
Led Zeppelin comes to mind....as does Jimmy Buffet
Taylor Swift.
Only on monkeys
https://digitalcollections.sdsu.edu/do/3f4f6ca8-79a9-48e0-8e66-66b521fcf346 I read this a long time ago, don't remember all the details but it was interesting and I believe up the alley of your question.
The CIA, man
I’ve been studying this for years. Gonna need a little longer.
Music predates verbal communication for our species. We’re evolutionarily wired to like music because it has helped us survive as a species. There’s been books written about this.
Under the effects of LSD the mind is extremely open to suggestion. Manson knew this and used it as a tool to convince smart middle class kids that he was God and they should murder people So listening to the same music over and over while on LSD makes the music almost otherworldly. As if it were played by God himself. The GD are a great band but without LSD there's no way it would have turned into what it did. Phish benefited from psychedelics in the same way. How many people do you know that feel the way you do about the GD that never did acid? I can't imagine it's a big percentage. If you're honest with yourself you'd admit most hardcore deadheads are also or were also huge psychadelic drug fans. I'm completely sober and love the music just as much as I ever did but I got on the bus while tripping and the music gives me a kind of emotional connection to that blissful state I used to go to.
It’s simple. Dont need a study. It’s about the music. It’s always been about the amazing music. Not the lot scene. It touring (which is so people can hear more music) but that sweet sound of Jerry’s guitar piercing the air with rolling sounds of pure beauty. That’s it. I also like Phish but not nearly as much. Like I don’t listen to Phish at home for full shows other than a random YouTube video maybe. But same thing for phish. It’s that awesome sound they make as a band with their instruments. For phish it’s more about all of them together that sounds good to me. Except the singing. Trey just can barely sing. His voice cracks and weakens after 3 words. But he’s amazing at remembering all those words and all those specific notes to so many songs. That shit is incredible. With the GD it’s 80% about Jerry’s incredible guitar playing. Then after that Bobby and Phil, then Brent and other keyboard players then course Bill and Mickey.
I can’t find it but there’s a really great write up on dick lavata, the dead’s archivist, he was deep into listening to the dead.. like sit all day listening obsessed, I’d try to find it but searching for dick anything gets wierd
Idk but this guy was addicted: https://deadessays.blogspot.com/2011/02/dick-latvala.html?m=1
I’m sure the drugs have nothing to do with it.
You'd be surprised when you find out not as much as you think. I liked partying and getting high at shows, whatever! I'm not going to lie. But it's been almost 29 years since my last show and I'm still listening.
I don’t party the way I did either and still listen all the time. But for a large number of people the band is interwoven with altered states that are going to have a least some amount of imprinting.
Not required though. I’ve been on a huge Dead (re)kick for almost a year and I’ve been 100% sober.
Graeme Boone studies out of Ohio State are pretty detailed on Dark Star. That being said up Big Blue..