- Post reply Log in to post comments215 repliesmaryeJoined:The bus came by. We got on. That's how it all began. Almost as soon as the Fare Thee Well shows were announced, folks started planning to meet in Chicago. They met. They connected. Things were never the same. And now, further! Or maybe Furthur.
- JeffSmithJoined:We are Deadheads . . . we are everywhere.
To me "Deadhead" connotes a state of mind. "Deadhead" can’t be fenced in by a dictionary. It’s an elusive, subjective proposition. It can’t be reduced to a lifestyle or checklist or dress code. "Deadhead" seems to begin with a love of and fascination with the Grateful Dead and their timeless, transcendent, mesmerizing music. Almost from the start, at gatherings for Grateful Dead shows, "Deadhead" took on a broader, inclusive meaning that embraced folks from all walks of life. Just as individual shows coalesced into runs and tours and years, those in attendance merged into a dynamic, seamless experience that surpassed “ego” to become “tribe” or “family” or maybe something more cosmic. Whether attending a single show or following a tour, Deadheads eventually returned to their respective realities, but they were never quite the same. They became and always will be “Deadheads”.
Sadly, I didn’t get on the bus until a few years before the Fare Thee Well shows of 2015. In the weeks leading up to FTW, some of us banded together here on dead.net. After helping each other through “ticket madness”, we stayed together as a motley group we decided to call Sunshine Daydreamers. This Sunshine Dreamers Keep On Truckin’ thread is an artifact from that time. From our original homepage:
"Strangers stopping strangers, just to shake their (virtual) hand. We’ve been searching for miracles for our needy, gossiping, singing and dancin’ while counting down the days ’til FTW. There’ll be fireworks, calliopes, clowns and celebration. We are Deadheads . . . we are everywhere . . . and WE MISS JERRY!"
We grew to just over fifty from fourteen states and two provinces with lots of other followers. We made a shirt that listed each of us along with our first Grateful Dead show. Unfortunately, for some of us FTW were our first shows, but we were quickly accepted as “Deadheads” by the more seasoned Deadheads. Maybe with a lowercase “d”, but “deadheads” just the same. Better late than never.
Because the Grateful Dead unselfishly allowed taping at their shows, catch-up for us late-to-the-bus has been an amazing journey. Maybe not like passing an Acid Test, or wondering if the show at Ugano’s really happened, or being at Veneta or Watkins Glen or Cornell . . . or. . . Maybe not like cherished first-hand memories, but, still, searching for the echoes (to paraphrase Phil’s book) has turned out to be a rich, never-ending, if vicarious trip.
Since Jerry shuffled, the various permutations of remaining band members with other incredible musicians, not to mention all the excellent tribute bands, are tending the flame and passing the torch to the next generations of Deadheads. Dead and Company became an annual pilgrimage for many including Sunshine Daydreamers. Not sure about the Sphere, but, then, maybe what’s over-the-top for some, is actually what keeps the Grateful Dead alive and relevant and meaningful for Millennials and Gen Z . The Music Never Stop(s).
The Sunshine Daydreamers got it right: “We are Deadheads . . . we are everywhere.”
- mkavJoined:@what is a deadhead
I have turned on literally dozens of people of our generation, who, as you said, made a judgement about the band without ever having heard them. All of them were surprised by the breadth of songs the Dead played. I usually start out with a very curated list of songs from studio albums and/or shorter live versions of others' songs (Me and Bobby McGee, e.g.). This whets their appetite. Eventually, I'll introduce them to live shows. Some get the live shows; some don't.
All become at least luke - warm fans. - daverockJoined:What's a Deadhead?
I always thought that it was basically someone who followed the band around over a number of years, and saw them...many many times. I first heard the band in 1975, and have been listening to their recordings ever since. But I only saw them 5 times - in 1981 and 1990 in England where I live. So despite the fact that I have far more music by them than by anyone else - and listen to 3-4 shows a week - I wouldn't call myself a Deadhead. I am not really keen on labels of any sort, truth be told.
Sometimes I wonder if the image of the band puts off some people of my generation, who have never previously heard the band. People in their 60's who weren't living the freak lifestyle in their youth. To me, the band transcends the freak lifestyle, and some of the associations of that lifestyle that are linked to the band may actually be a bit reductive.
I'm not sure about linking moral qualities to rock bands. I would have thought you got all sorts of people following all sorts of bands. Apart from when I was a teenager, I have never concerned myself much with the moral implications of liking any one group or artist. Maybe it's this also that stops me from being a Deadhead.
Sorry for going on a bit - great idea for a book, Graceful and I hope it comes out so I can read it.
- Graceful_DeadJoined:Graceful Can-you-script
Hey MKAV (or MaryE?)
I’ve got a book proposal ready to send to publishers if you want a preview; send a contact to the Inbox if you desire.
A fuller list of traits that I say are common (but of course not exclusive) to Deadheads:
Open and engaging;
Look for the best in others;
Value new experiences over new possessions;
Can describe (in detail) a life-changing listening experience;
Are optimistic about the future of the GD world (and maybe in general)
There are no mean Deadheads;
No one stops being a Deadhead - mkavJoined:Graceful manuscript
I would absolutely love to read this when it's complete.
In a way, I was always jealous of those who could drop everything and go on tour for a summer, year, decade.
I'm not a Vegas fan at all, so I understand not wanting to subject yourself to Las Vegas, but that's where Mohammed is right now.
- PT BarnumJoined:carbon based lifeforms
new band I heard the other day, nice and spacey.
Tangerine Dream Legend
Alan Parsons Project Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Jade Warrior Last Autumn's Dream
Stomu Yamashta, Steve Winwood and Michael Shrieve Go
There are a lot of good titles left in my record collection.