Who or what got you into the Dead?
It’s a sleepy rainy day here in Alabama, I’m off work today and doing a little bit of reminiscing. Currently listening to Ladies and Gentleman…Live at Fillmore East, which is one of the albums that I ran into the ground when I first got on the bus. It got me thinking, my 10 year Deadhead anniversary is here! I was in my early 20s in 2016 living with a couple of good buddies of mine from high school. One night we decided to trip (I never had before) and we decided we’d each pick an album to listen to during. I picked Dark Side of the Moon (can’t go wrong with that), one friend picked Sgt. Pepper’s (again, can’t go wrong), and one picked American Beauty.
A little backstory, I had some friends in high school who were Deadheads and they were absolutely obsessed with Brent-era Dead, and it never clicked with me. Don’t get me wrong, I now enjoy several shows all throughout the Brent years, especially 87-90 (Jerry was lucid, band was super tight, jams were crisp and had life) but at that time it didn’t click for me. The only songs I had heard up to that point were Truckin, Throwing Stones, Scarlet Begonias, and Touch of Grey. While I liked those songs okay, I still didn’t “get it”.
Fast forward to that faithful night. One of my buddies got his hands on some *potent* gels. We each took 2 and waited about an hour before he put on American Beauty. From the VERY first note of Box of Rain, I was hooked. I remember having to pick up my jaw from the floor once the album was finished. Brokedown Palace drove me to tears (in a good way), Ripple was one of the most beautiful songs I’d ever heard, Jerry’s solo on Candyman sent me into space, Sugar Magnolia had me dancing. At some point during the night someone put on Althea (live version from long strange trip) and my mind was blown some more. I remember thinking, so THIS is the Grateful Dead?! Much different from the Grateful Dead I was exposed to by my peers in high school. From that night on, I was obsessed. The following weeks I listened to Workingman’s, Europe 72, and Ladies & Gentlemen…Live at Fillmore East. I couldn’t believe I had slept on them for so long! Especially considering I already loved jam bands like Allman Brothers.
I’ve had a lot of ups and downs the past decade, and the boys have been there for all of it! I am so eternally grateful for this band. They’ve gotten me through breakups, death of loved ones, my highest highs and lowest lows. Now I can’t go a single day really without listening to some form of Dead music, whether it be OG Dead, JGB, Dead and Co, etc. Most of the bands I got obsessed with growing up, I still really like but the obsession isn’t there anymore. With the Dead, I’ve been absolutely obsessed since that night until present day. I’m the guy always sneaking Dead/JGB songs into playlists during hangouts. I’m the guy always hitting up Dead cover bands’ shows in the area. Whenever someone is looking for new music to get into, I’m the guy pointing them towards the Dead. There’s something for everyone in the music, which is one of the many reasons why they are so amazing.
Which brings me to my question for you all: Who or what got you into the Dead? Was it a friend, a particular album, particular song, did they pop up on your pandora one day like John Mayer and you were instantly hooked? I want to hear your stories!