Grateful Dead

However, while I think Sam's description was accurate at the time he was involved, my feeling is that the Dead's vibe morphed into something very different. Whether that was their fault, or just that times changed, or they just became too big, I don't know. "That path is for, your steps alone."

a major turning point for Dead fans being more "alternative" was when "Touch of Grey" etc hit MTV. At shows after that, it seemed that there was a new element of fan, who thought it was hip to play hippie for a night, as opposed to more of a fan-lifestyle like earlier. I think the Stones were also actively promoting an image of it being cool to be "bad and wild", so yes I guess I agree with Sam's evaluation about the Stones being more about marketing all along, and the Dead being more about counter-culture and just making music. UNTIL aforementioned MTV, where the lines, at least superficially, got blurrier. ach blah blah blah, am not sure anymore whether am making any sense with this thought, but will post it nevertheless. ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain

which would you prefer? I think that compairing the stones to the dead is like comparing apples to elephants. Yes, I will concur that the stones in the early years were quite a rock and roll band, but in the later years, lets face it, they suck. No matter what your thoughts are about 90's dead, they certainly never sucked. I totally agree with Sam, the dead were never about making it big, getting that first million, it was about the music, were they not the last San Francisco band to get signed? I also agree with Tigerlilly, things sure did change when a dead show became a place for people to go and be a hippy for a day, altho I did witness some majical events at some of those post MTV shows. I remember the days when there were only 3500 people at the shows and it was like our own little secret, absolutely wonderful and those IMHO are the days that the Dead imbraced and really did create a counterculture all of there own, where all of us "freaks" could come and be renewed, reborn, reenergized, it was a beautiful thing, and one that, unfortunately, had to end due to the media exposure.

... that GD merchandising and customer/fan relations have ended up where they are.

...and no matter how often you ask, you can't get these new Deadmysters to offer a traditional Skull and Roses t-shirt. The whole thing appears to have gone cartoony to me.

yeah it`s kind of sad that it was kind of not meant to be- Grateful Dead was a massive statemeant of the hippie movement, but sadly as the deep ecology movement it is just something for some few people to understand and enjoy. All we can do is to go on and not be so involved and reflective of what has been and so it was and so on , it`s in my opinion just to linger on. Somehow it is just a matter of time and willingness to gather up and enjoy together. I never went due to being away from it all, the USA, Europe is for sure just a consumption massive hanging on to the way it has been, men power and making the most economically, it has to be in my and many others a massive revolution towards women`s values like staying together, caring being friendly, putting those spiritual principles in action and live together as we are supposed to be, a big happy family :) we move on and let`s hope some day we stick together, more friendly and caring, LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED

HazMat Glewed Byrd

death is the end of one's life in this life but a beginning in the next<a href="facebook.com">.</a>

Don't we all wish for an alternative reality,
wouldn't that be nice. Existing outside of our own perception of what is real. On the 28th of July I was able to call such domain my plain of existence. For the 4th year in a row since the dead and company began touring in North Carolina my dead head father and I got to experience the closest thing to the real dead post further. My father aged 67 years sporting the Bob Weir classic doo and I found our spot on the lawn to enjoy a night of love and connection. That before we knew it would be dissolved into a dissociative era known as a coronavirus fearful wasteland. In which my father lost his life in march of 2020 and I lost myself to the uncertainty of finding guiding light in my pursuit of peace. He had been planning to purchase tickets for us to attend the upcoming 2020 tour. Which was lost in our current reality similar to my occupation. Almost a year since then tour dates have been reinstated and I am finally able to look forward to continuing the tradition that my father held closest to his heart. Luckily enough the cost of the highest level of VIP is affordable to me. That being said I have not found a option in this reality that allows me to come in contact with my fathers most admired musicians. To be able to take a picture with them and share my story would allow me to complete an aspiration of my fathers that he was unable to maintain throughout his fruitful life. I write this tale of love, compassion, and aspiration only to find a glimmer of hope. In which my father living through me could come to meet his musical heroes who inspired him to live a life of love. I am son of Michael Fisher Hostetter looking for a glimmer of hope in this reality in which I believe love exists to meet my fathers idols and share my story.