Grateful Dead

[Modeps]

I like a few of their songs, but much like the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, I can't understand the devoted fanbase. I presume it has something to do with drugs because most things do these days (did you hear alcohol was a drug?! :Q)

Anywho, yeah... whats your take?

 

[Vette73]

one word... drugs

 

[FoBoT]

the cultish following is due to the drugs
they are all stoned all the time, so they don't want to have jobs and stuff

 

[IceBergSLiM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadhead

 

[JulesMaximus]

Why do people like metal? Or country western? Or opera?

 

[tidehigh]

you can't know without experiencing it, and its too late for that.

 

[funkymatt]

the wiki page sums it up. I think it was just a group of people that followed a band of amazing musicians because their music was different every night and there was almost always magic in the air. Sure people can sum things all up with "drugs" but there was more to it than just drugs and a lot of people can't understand this until you experience it.

 

[joutlaw]

From the outside it may appear to be only drugs, but it may be their effects combined with the music and overall family-like essence of their following.

In the early days it was probably more of a rebelion against mainstream rock and conformity, but leaned more towards the drug end of the spectrum in the late 70s and early 80s. I suspect in the mid to late 80s and early 90s a lot of concert goers followed them for them for the nostalgia and memories from their youth.

I was into a band in the late 90s and early 2000's with a similar following and sound... Widespread Panic. I quit following them after their lead guitarist died of cancer.

 

[1sikbITCH]

It wasn't about "drugs" in general, it was about one drug in particular, LSD. Everything else was irrelevant.

I went there, I tripped, but I didn't "get it" and never understood what they saw in it. The music itself was crappy and the performance was nothing to get excited about.

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
the wiki page sums it up. I think it was just a group of people that followed a band of amazing musicians because their music was different every night and there was almost always magic in the air. Sure people can sum things all up with "drugs" but there was more to it than just drugs and a lot of people can't understand this until you experience it.

It has to do with the psychedelic experience but doesn't really depend on it.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
the wiki page sums it up. I think it was just a group of people that followed a band of amazing musicians because their music was different every night and there was almost always magic in the air. Sure people can sum things all up with "drugs" but there was more to it than just drugs and a lot of people can't understand this until you experience it.

:thumbsup:

the did have a rather captive audience at the time, being that they were the house band for The Acid Tests, their house in the Haight became the epicenter for all of the musicians and artists that made it big at that time. Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, etc....This culture just came along with them, and refused to stop, I guess.

The unique thing about them is that they did offer something new every night. Many times, even the band didn't know what they were going to play before they went on. They allowed free recording of their shows. It took many, many years for any other band to adopt this policy. They're also a ridiculously talented group of musicians. The problem with the Dead is that they have so many incredible songs, yet few will attempt to approach them b/c they refuse to venture past the "Greatest Hits" collection (Maxicali Blues? wtf...) and are too blinded by the drug thing.

 

[rudder]

The Gratefuld dead never released many albums.. and there was a reason. They preferred to tour. When Jerry Garcia was alive they were constantly one of the top earning bands every year.

Part of the reason for the devoted fan base was because of the style of their concerts. Typically the concerts were at least 4 hours long and no two shows were ever the same. They would come up with the set to play the da of the show. Most tours are packaged to where the band plays specific songs from their newly released album and then some classics... even if the set list did change the sound of the song was practically the same from venue to venue. The grateful dead were a very free flowing band musically and never played any canned music.

That and the rampant drug use at their concerts.

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
one word... drugs

..yup. doper/hippy/don't wana grow up rut.

 

[Platypus]

Those who replied with drugs as the main/only reason are extremely short sighted.

 

[Red Dawn]

:music: Living on Reds, Vitamin C and Cocaine :music:

 

[conehead433]

Some people just don't like good music.

"All I can say is ain't it a shame".

A live performance by the GD was almost always special.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: joutlaw
From the outside it may appear to be only drugs, but it may be their effects combined with the music and overall family-like essence of their following.

In the early days it was probably more of a rebelion against mainstream rock and conformity, but leaned more towards the drug end of the spectrum in the late 70s and early 80s. I suspect in the mid to late 80s and early 90s a lot of concert goers followed them for them for the nostalgia and memories from their youth.

I was into a band in the late 90s and early 2000's with a similar following and sound... Widespread Panic. I quit following them after their lead guitarist died of cancer.

I just started listening to WSP. They're an excellent band.

 

[TwiceOver]

Never smoked the Ganj eh?

 

[MiniDoom]

A few more things to add...
The sound system or as they called "the wall of sound". The dead was one if not the first to have a kickass sound system and travel around with it. Before that you got what the crappy venue had to offer.
The first jam band. The would play songs that transitioned into a song that transitioned to another song, doing it very smooth. This has led to other bands (phish, DMB, etc.) and DJ's following this style of a constant flow of music.
oh yeah, and the drugs.:beer:

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: tidehigh
you can't know without experiencing it, and its too late for that.

nah, now they are phish heads arent they? just follow them for a while.

as for why the following? they wanted to hear their poetry, as this all started in a time when hippies roamed the earth and ran in packs. the dead were living poets, and attracted many of these free range hippies. when they felt comfy and at home, they decided they needed to do that at every show. hence, the following. the drugs were just a red herring, you see.

 

[MiniDoom]

Originally posted by: hanoverphist

Originally posted by: tidehigh
you can't know without experiencing it, and its too late for that.

nah, now they are phish heads arent they? just follow them for a while.

Phish broke up dude. Welcome to 2004.