MUSIC
THE GRATEFUL DEAD
The Music Never Stops
MUSIC
live. A friend of mine is an
A&R rep at Warner Brothers. He makes his living off
of scouting for the next
big thing. He once asked
me to please help him
understand why so many
people adore the Grateful Dead because from his
perspective, “the music
sounds like garbage.”
I could understand why
he felt this way. The music
does not have the polish
of many successful bands
and it does not translate
well on recording. For the
most part the studio recordings misrepresent the
magic that fans experience live. Dennis McNally, the band’s long-time
manager, once told me
that the band believes
that the fans are a part of
the band.
J
uly 3, 4 and 5, 2015 marked the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary and Farewell concerts at Soldier Field, Chicago. The set of shows were an intimate goodbye jamboree for
70,000 fans each night with many more tuning in online through pay per view.
Most may think that a venue of 70,000 people woul d be anything but intimate. That is one
of the most endearing things about this band. Their identity as a musical group exists because of the interwoven tapestry of its fans, affectionately known as Dead Heads.
There are various kinds of popular musical groups, such as studio bands like Steely Dan, and
manufactured groups like New Kids on the Block. All bands rely to some extent on their fans
to make their livelihood possible through the purchase of albums, merchandise and show
tickets. But the Grateful Dead brings the audience/fan relationship to a near religious or
spiritual level.
The Grateful Dead is more than a band. It is a movement and an experience. It has never
done well without the presence of its fans. The Grateful Dead stands out significantly in a
music industry that relies heavily on radio singles and hits. Though it is one of the most successful touring bands ever, the Grateful Dead has only had one moderate hit song and very
tepid studio albums.
Over the years, I must have seen over 70 Grateful Dead concerts. When I try to explain
the Grateful Dead’s appeal to non-Dead Heads, all I can say is you have to see them
There must be something
exceptional about the
Grateful Dead. Otherwise
they would not be able to
sell out a ten-day stretch
at Madison Square Garden, packing in three
hours of new musical
material each night all
through the 80’s and 90’s,
when their lead guitar
player Jerry Garcia was
still alive.
This level of synergistic
commitment and interplay illustrates how the
band and the audience
clearly love each other.
The common thread that
the band and the fans
share is the love for Americana fusion music and
free form ecstatic dancing. Often shows were
held outside, which added another magical element to the mix: nature.
If I could pay homage
to the band’s 50 years of
dedicated touring, writing
and performing, it would
best be expressed by illustrating the dance between nature, music and
fans.
In the mid 90’s during
their summer tour stop at
the Three Rivers Stadium
in Pittsburgh, the Grateful Dead came on stage
and a downpour started.
Rather than cancelling
the show or the audience
running for cover, the
band played “Take Me
To The River” by Al Green
Green, The Beatle’s “Rain”
and their own song “Let
It Rain”. As the raindrops
danced on our heads,
we were also showered
with their sweet musical
sounds. The joy in the stadium for all who attended
was palpable. There was
a sense of timeless freedom, akin to watching
children playing carefree
in the rain in surrendered
joy.
As I watched the final
pay-per-view concerts of
their Farewell tour in Chicago, I saw 70,000 people dance through the
night. I could not help but
reminisce about the phenomenon known as the
Grateful Dead. They have
been an essential piece
of American music cultural history that weaves
the fabric of storytelling,
music and rhythms. The
impact of the Grateful
Dead will long be etched
in the history of rock and
roll. I will be forever grateful for being a part of it
with them.
Since 1994, Rishi Deva, founder and CEO of RishiVision and
entrepreneurial coach, has empowered thousands of businesses. Rishi
has an MBA in marketing and entrepreneurial studies and a BBA in
accounting. He has spent nearly twenty years coaching, consulting,
managing and supporting thousands of businesses from new startups
to active global leaders.
For more information on Rishi, please visit www.rishivision.com.