Grateful Dead

Hello Dead Heads I am in Berkshire, England. It is my husband who is a big Dead fan and I was just looking for something for his birthday. The Grateful Dead sponsored the recording of the music of the classical composer Havigal Brian and he is my Grandad's cousin. But that is my only claim to fame. I am in love with Scotland and we go there on holiday whenever we can. We have a son who will be 13 soon. Just thought I would introduce myself. Bye for now Vambo

hey kids, iam new here, my first show was jerrys last show , i was just a youngin , then in 99 i turned 15 and have been touring ever since. the deads music has saved my life, and iam always trying to turn new kids on to that loving vibe. lovin u all, and hugs to all one man gathers what another man spills

Hello all!! My name is Chris, or as most everyone calls me, Shaggy. I live in Wisconsin with my wonderful wife Rachel and 3 amazing daughters Sydny (11) Cloe (7) and Abbi (2 1/2).Been a head for most my life. Well, thats me. ~~~Sing like noone is listening and Dance like noone is watching~~~

I'm Jon. Heard GD first in the early 70's, while visiting some friends with my brother. They were at the time trying to assemble a rock band, and were listening to all the good bands of the moment. Suffice to say that I'm a dead head since then! I can attest now I had a "graceful death" (great name for a new band, don't you think?). Thanks for inviting me on the bus. Nice place you got here; and nice community, with a lot of senior connoisseurs to learn from. It's gonna be a pleasant trip!

So DA would be like AA when it's your turn at the mike . . .& then you gotta jump like a willys Now & then you get the chance What I said, Everybody's gonna wanna dose & then i learned what GDTRFB meant –]

Hey Family, I toured 87-92. I now teach English in Hamburg, Germany. It's been a long strange trip with many interesting and unbelievable stories! :) I was born in New Zealand. Grew up in the States. Played guitar and been writing songs for over 20 years now. Singing for all my life! Jody is my real name. Say hi if u know of me family! An ol' school bro' at heart, forever grateful! Are you kind?

The Bus came by in '73 in Ohio. I hit the trail hard when I moved from there to L.A. in '76. After 250 and more shows later (still have most of my stubs),I can still see all of you dancing whenever I put the band on. I Sold Burritos for years at Ventura Fairgrounds with my good friend Alan. We always set up across from Wavy and the Hog Farms bus.We were kind of immortalized on the 'West 57th Street' tv show once. I miss Jerry and the wonderful places the band always took us too. Walking out of the Alladin theatre in Vegas after a show right into the casino was a TRIP! Boreal Ridge was so beautiful across the street in the meadow. Greek was the best place but Frost was a gas too.So many parties so many parking lots. I can't believe my wife and girls put up with the ship of fools for so long-I miss u all. Peace-Darrell

found a poem i wrote from DEAD LOT '94 ~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0 There's a difference in preaching~~~~~~ But its real when it comes from the heart~~ I am not preaching~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ But talking from my Heart~~~~~~~~~~~ I know a place you can go~~~~~~~~ LOVE & Happiness you'll see~~~~~~ Where FRIENDS you'll see come and go~~~ 3 hundred miles from home~~~~~~~~~~ No money,just you and you clothes~~~~~ But You know, Someone cares they'll help you HOME, or somewhat close~~~~~~~~ With a pack on your back~~~~~~~ SHAKEDOWN iz always your Home~~~~~ From city to city,some say itz a pity~~~~ You awake hungry , food being cooked by somebody~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kickdowns-Shakedowns-even seeing painted faces with frowns~~~~~~~~~~~ NEEDING A MIRACLE, YOU GET A TICKET FROM A GIRL!!!!!!!

Great site so far... Long live the Grateful Dead!!! Fav years: Grateful Dead => '73, '74, '76, '78, '89 Jerry Garcia: Jerry and Merl=> '73-'74 LOM=>' 75 JGB=> '75, '76 Recon =>'79 P.S This could change at any minute LOL!!!!

My name is Rich. Started seeing the Dead in the mid-80s. Definitely a Brent Era fan. I saw them a couple dozen times over the next 10 years until Jerry's death. Most of the Shows I saw were in the mid-west (from Cincinnati, lived in Indiana, Michigan) and Atlanta. I went out of California once for New Years and it was a gas. I currently live in Pittsburgh where I teach history and in my spare time I play guitar (lots of dead). I am glad to see this website. Makes me feel good that folks are keeping the spirit alive.

Hey All-- Great site, and gladly joining up today. 80's, East coast fan here--settled in Va. ( great shows in Bristow, especially Dead '04 and glad to see Ratdog now honoring this venue..) Followed the Jerry around thru the 80's slowed down ( ok, halted for a good bit in the 90's..marriage, careers and children, but missed it terribly and now catch whatever I can whenever I can, to date) So..although I only occasionally don the dye and certainly walk the straight and narrow--the lovelight's still on. Nice to have a forum to share with folks things beyond PTA, kid soccer and homemade baby food! Additional interests include raising awareness ( and funds!) for Infant scoliosis. My 2 yr old lives with this condition, and most folks are not aware of the severity of it.( INSIST, that your newborns, toddlers are thoroughly checked for it) I know that this is indeed not the forum to go on and on about it, but will share, that in my quest to throw a local benefit music event (novice, by all means)...I had left many, many messages and emails with performers who I hold near and dear. I expected little to no response however I must commend GD publicist/ manager Dennis McNally for calling my home to find out the details of my mission. What a caring and warm guy ( we know this..) and although it simply couldn't be fit into Bobby's schedule--I was so grateful to have a conversation with someone whom I've admired so much, for so long. This is indeed what the Dead and their fans are all about. I wont go into the verbal flogging I have endured from DH friends for LOSING his cell number, to be used for Ratdog's show months later, to secure a meeting backstage...errgghh. Interested to read bios here and many thx for such a good site, glad to be on board...

I have used the screen name aikani (which is also a real life nickname of mine) since I got my first internet connection sometime around 1993. I've been hanging around the internet ever since. My first show was 1980 Mississippi River Festival (that was a summer concert series back in my hometown of St. Louis) most of the shows I saw were lat 80's-'95, the last show I saw was the '95 highgate VT. show. The first album I ever owned was american beauty. (my parents had received it as a pick of the month from the old columbia house record club and I quickly swiped it, that was when I was about ten) Now, I'm living in the south pacific missing the hell out of the mainland, and looking to move back sometime next year. In my spare time, I'm a legal aid lawyer, with a wife and two kids.

aka Maui Mama . . .initiated 12/6/89 earthquake relief benefit and my last show was vegas 5/21/95 in which we rode from sam boyd to the strip in a limo - my friends didn't believe there was really a limo coming in the sea of limos, lost people, cop whistle blowing madness . . but it was fit to be the ride for my last show Grew up on so cal - migrated to no. cal in 1986 and LOVED the bay area . . . my first show was in 89 and the rest just fell into place after that . . .i didn't even have to travel ;) Lived in the bay area until 2001 when i moved to Maui . . . and now i'm really STARVING - need to get back for a ratdogshow in the mainland - .i too, am a bobby girl - and im happy to have you all and this place to keep me sane ~KRISSY~

I knew i forgot something - jeez - I have a son, Jasun, who will turn 5 this october~KRISSY~

Hey love the online community........ Discovered the dead: '92 (late I know) 1st Show: RFK summer fest ; they played Casey Jones. whew! Went to every show in the MD/DC area from then on....... Well there you have it! I really love having a place to share. I will definately be back to visit! : ) Me-Shell ( :

I'm doing wonderful! Thanks for asking- After reading your comments we have a great deal in common- my first show was RFK 92 it was INCREDIBLE! I too was hooked- my last shows were the two nights at RFK right before Jerry passed on. -Love to talk about the shows with u- Shara

Hi! anyone else out there from good old Blighty (England). I'm living in sunny Suffolk, originally from London. Married, 2 kids, the elder (18) I'm trying to get into decent music, succeeding in most areas. Never got to see the Dead so its nice to read about gigs from folks who have. Into most kinds of music, but its amazing how this sort of thing gets addictive. Must be loads of you out there with tales to tell, how do you remember them? I spent most of the 70s/80s at the old Marquee in the London and cant remember any of it (must have had some fun). Started my own ceramic business a while ago and am nearly making money, mostly broke and working from home a tad stir crazy during the day. Be nice to log on here and have a read between jobs. Well lets check on the kiln be back later, peace to all Cliff

I've been chiming in here and there since I found this site a few weeks ago but have not introduced myself yet so here it goes. My name is Mike and I live in the west Jersey countyside with my wife, four kids, and two cats (Stellablue and Yoshi). My kids goof on me when I play the Dead and put on their best "I'm wasted" look (stereotyping, but really not too far off base). My wife likes some songs and did come with me to a couple of shows, but she's not a head. I started getting into them in 76 or 77 when I bought Skeletons on the advise of my friends older brothers. Cranford, NJ where I grew up was a big deadhead town so there was always dead playing at the weekend parties. Terrapin blew me away and got me to my first show at the Garden in 79. That was it, I was hooked and still am. I'm so happy to see so many people with the same mindset sharing their opinions and feelings. Long live dead,net!

I think I'm the first from OR to check in on this board...? I'm Peter From Portland. First Show 6/12/80 & Mt. St. Helens Erupted DURING Fire on the Mountain. It was then that I knew these boys were on to something. Last Show Memorial Day 1995, Back in Portland Just now completed my first blush through the list of shows, marking off the ones I remember attending, initial count stands at 252, all west coast 'cept one, Worcester Mass, 1988, Spring Training tour, still have the T-Shirt! My Highlights have to be the many "firsts" I got to see: (nothing like seeing the dead do a song live that you know they have never played live before) Watchtower Gimme Some Lovin Mighty Quinn Do in in the Road Baba O Rieley...to name a few Also the 83 & 84 Hult Center runs top the list As well as every Greek and Frost run I attended HJ Kaiser supplied me with several "peak" moments too And The "back to back" Terrapins Ventura 6/14/87 & Greek 6/19/87 top the list. Lots of special moments. Am a Musician by hobby (used to be pro, but now I have a Mortgage to pay and a family to feed) check out www.myspace.con/fatwednesdayband Highlights of my musical career are playing with Steve Kimock on several occasions and being backstage at Cal expo 10 feet from Jerry and having some random guy shout from across the way "hey, I know you, your in that band from Eugene... you guys are AWESOME".... while Jerry curoiusly looked on at both of us.... my brush with greatness :-) What a great site, what a grate band! God Bless the Grateful Dead!

Hi all! Am I the only English deadhead here? I managed to see them in the 70's, 80's and in 1990 - whenever they came to England! When I see profiles here with 90/100 shows attended I am green!!! Roll on summer of love celebrations in Kent in a couple of weeks - a chance for the british heads to get together and do what deadheads enjoy! Love to all you deadheads worldwide - and the music never stopped... Just for today..... Twirl!

I am Crazy Peg, or cp not really particular. Pleasure to play here. My first show happened to be the last, Only 17, I still got hooked right in and have listened to a myriad more shows than it would be possible to attend. Somewhere, sometime, I hafta thank all those grateful archivists making it possible for me to enjoy the shows now, might as well be here: Thank you tapers and archivers of the past, present, and future! Lovingly addicted on the Live experience, gotta have my my regular dose. Lucky, my Rock N Roll RX is for Life. I am rurally close to the Lou, but being a gypsy....

Hello, my name is Val, a.k.a. Valerian, and I live in Upstate New York. I am a real late bloomer when it comes to the music of the Grateful Dead, and because of this, I must sadly say, I never caught any of their shows. During my teen years (70s), I didn’t explore the music of the dead, my tastes leaned more towards musicians such as Frank Zappa (my first concert), Black Sabbath, Joe Walsh, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Rush, etc. At this point in my life, I can’t get enough of the Grateful Dead's recordings. As my site name suggests, I am also into guitar playing and all things guitar. Other interests include artwork, especially cartooning, and music in general. "May the four winds blow you safely home" God Bless and Peace!

Hey all my brother and sister Deadlings. I just though you might get a kick out of knowing how the name Uncle Deadhead came about. There's a few reasons. One is that I am a writer and sometimes choose other personalities as muses. Call it a fractured personality. Uncle DeadHead likes to write, well, in the more psychedelic and laid back style. Dastiver is the cat I invented for writing reviews and doing interviews with the metal scene. Each name has a distinct personality. But with Uncle DeadHead, it also had to do with survival. At the time he came along, life was very depressing and stressful. He allowed a way to slip into a really chilled out mode that could just let life kind of slide by. Now the Mike part (the real me) was worried and not able to function all that well during this period. What happened was the two finally came together and made someone who would worry about what was needed, but would let the other stuff just kinda slide by. His name was Uncle Mike, a cross between the two. In fact, just to kinda get the feeling again, I slipped into Uncle DeadHead through a trance like state through deep breathing. He's the chap doing the writing now. Anyway, now you know a little bit about the who and how of him. Peace and Freaks, Uncle DeadHead.

Hello Just reading through the stories of everyone makes me feel at home. Thought I would share my story. First got introducted to the Dead in 1987 when I was 16 by my older, more wordly wise boyfriend. Had to sneak out of the house cuz my parents would have killed me, first show was the Dylan and the Dead show in Oakland. I had never seen anything like it in my life, a was a bit taken back at first, didn't know what to think. Saw my second show at Shoreline, and with the "electric" atsmosphere there was no turning back. I had always felt like an outcast or different before the dead, but when I found the dead I knew it was home. Spent my senior year of high school sneaking out and going to shows alone ( previous boyfriend out of the picture and no one at my school listened to the dead....) and then picked going to UC Santa Cruz for college since it was close to the bay area and I could go to shows. Spent the next four years going to every show I could possibly go to, I think my last count was over a hundred Dead shows and at least that many of the JGB. I went to all the west coast shows, a couple trips back east for spring tour. Was thrilled to say got to see them at frost, the greek, and Henry J Kaiser. I also really loved camping out at Cal Expo, have great memories from there. Used to go to shows with a giant wooden spoon (I can't explain that even now....) and with the folks from the purple house in Santa Cruz. I have never felt so at home and myself and free and happy as in the dead community. Met sooo many great friends in Santa Cruz and the good times rolled. I took it and ran with it and the Grateful Dead was my life, it was who I was and my world revolved around the community, the music, the ideas. Then things changed, maybe it was me, I don't know. Around 92 I kinda drifted away. Got involved with other types of art and music, and kinda let the Dead part of me go..... My body told me that I couldn't drink and party and do the "things" that I used to. I kinda changed pathes and got myself into graduate school. Had to clean up my act and now am a doctor of veterinary medicine. Been sober now for maybe ten years, I don't know just kinda happened. Well, for a long time for some reason it was hard for me to really talk about the dead and my experiences. The emotions are so strong. The music will always be a part of me. Sometimes it is almost hard for me to listen to certain shows because it transports me back to that time of my life. There's so much emotion there, so many memories. I've changed so much (we all have I know) but there will always be that love for the dead. I haven't been around Deadheads for awhile, because of my own personal journey. I moved away from the bay area to south florida, I can't seem to find them here! It is hard to explain to people that weren't there or don't get it. I can't really put words to my experiences and how the dead make me feel. I miss it in a way I can't describe. I miss the music, I miss the freedom, I miss how young I was and not a care in the world, I miss the people that you would meet, the random acts of kindness, the sense of family. I miss dancing, I miss the set breaks, I miss the lot after the show. Been trying to see where that fits into me now. I am happy I found this site because I miss being around you all. Would love to figure out where to start in this digital/cyper world of trading shows. Trying to load up the old ipod.... Used to trade tapes like mad but thats kinda a thing of a past now I guess, right? Anyways, I am glad to be here.

My real name is Mark I live in a small town 19 miles southwest of Boston. It is an ever growing town which has two significant details; one is the Maximum state prison (Cedar Junction) and the other is it was also known for the manufacturing of angel dust nice claims to fame huh... Oh there are others too jsut not mentioning du to time constraints My town also has a few generations of dead heads as previously mentioned The Deads music has been played here since the early 70's in local bands and continues to be played in new younger bands as we speak My first show was at the Providence Civic Center in 1984 My last show at High Gate VT 95 I was dragged to my first but quickly learned how to get on the bus I was always planning my schedule around tours maybe that is why I saw so many on the east coast I met several friends along the way and till this day still meet up with them when I get the chance I believe someone said in earlier posts that they miss the shows and experience during the summer I agree but I have learned to support local bands especially those that keep the tradition alive. We are blessed to have those still willing to share their gifts with us continue to play our music but at the same time we continue to share with younger people the gift that we all were given at one point along the line or should I say the bus stop that we were picked up at . I would be interested to know if there was way to see users from each state listed at some point. The map offered is pretty overwhelming with those little red push pin icons Peace Mark AKA WALPOLECHINACAT

glad to see you are on the outside, when I saw your screen name I was wondering if brothers and sisters inside these days have internet access. peace. "The highway is for gamblers, you'd better use your sense. Take what you have gathered from coincidence"

Hey now CC Joe I know that some sites have the access but not at Cedar Junction they are pretty much in lockdown for 23 hours a day probably at pre-release centers maybe if they are lucky but doubt it Mark

To comment to misngfingr from earlier in this thread - no your not the only NW/PDX out here. Although Im orig from SoCal,(lived in AZ and NoCal) Im now in W WA right acorss the river from Portland. The beautiful Columbia River Gorge is my backyard. - Eric

Thanks for the tip. I haven't been to Magfest or Spring fest but I will check it out!

Currently in Carbondale Il. Originally from the Chicago-land area. Greetings 2 all. Happy 4th of July!

Hi, I'm Ed Sieb, live in Ottawa, Canada. Been a deadhead for 40 years. Yup, you read that right. My first show was Aug. 6, 1967, at Place Ville Marie, in Montreal (my home town). Only got it a week later, though. I guess it had to percolate in my brain for a week! A hi to Marye who used to know me as [baq] on the Well, way back from 1987 to 1990. Say hi to David Gans for me, wiil you? I'm semi-retired from communications engineering, and divorced. Live with my two wuvly cats Indy and Merlin. Read my profile for more info. More as I think of it!

Saw my first show in 1979, living in tidewater area of VA, was able to see many east coast dead shows and JGB shows, will always be Jer's biggest fan, happily married, grown children (25,24, & 18) who also love the dead and live music, with no kids at home anymore we can go to lots of shows, seein a lot of Govt Mule and other Warren Haynes related music these days...

I THOUGHT that name was familiar. Welcome!!!

Hello from Newburgh, NY. mdmc here in the Hudson Valley checking in, I don't spend too much time on the internets but I am enjoying this site more and more everyday. I've seen a couple shows in my day, and I've probably seen Dylan as much as if not more then the Dead, I've been seeing Arlo Guthrie and his family recently. Besides being a deadhead, I also enjoy comedy, politics, and religion. I ski, bike, and hike. I love living near the Hudson River and bring able to get down to NYC or up to the mountians easily. peace and low stress

Despite knowing nobody, nor nobody knowing me, should perhaps tell a bit more than I have already. Am just really happy to have found this site, and have been on my own in enough adventures to have gotten over being TOO shy, so I just started talking. Have dropped some tips here and there already about me already, but... Have 2 children, Callan Sean Darcy (11) and Imena Maureen Rhiannon (10). A photo of Imena is what I use in my profile, and which shows up on my posts-she is sooo lovely, with huge green eyes, and is my little fairy child. She is a rare and beautiful personality-a true-born free spirit. I myself am female, in case that isn't obvious by my username choice :-). Am raising my children trilingual (English,German, French)of which I am really proud. Am working real hard on raising people who are open to the world and all that it offers. Was formerly American, but now live in Europe, and have no real "home" other than where my children, my cat China, and my crazy dog Samba are. Oh, and I was almost born in a taxi in the middle of a tornado, in DeKalb Illinois, which I am convinced had a big influence on how my life has developed. Is chaotic and like a whirlwind, but I like it that way. I am adopted, and how I know the taxi in a tornado part is because my biological mother hired a detective, who found me here in Germany, right after my 30th birthday. Is also a significant life story in a nutshell version.

long time no see, i always wondered what happened to you! nice to see you again! love the pic of your critters. i have a big ol' ginger tabby who'd fit right into that pile... just caught up on weeks worth of posts here. we certainly are still a diverse group geographically...but i see lots of Philly folks. more here than in my Philly conference on the Well....

well, i am alex. everyone says i was born late because i pretty much live in the 60s. i play guitar and saxophone. (and now clarinet in the local youth symphony). pretty much any instrument there is i can play it. lol.

aud! Good to see you here after all these years! Yeah, I've been around. Had to quit the Well in 1990, as I lost my job then, and need to rationalize my finances. :-( It was so addictive that I was spending too much money on it. ;-) Today I'm semi-retired, and have enough disposable income to pay my ISP. (It's a cheap, monthly flat rate).

i closed my old account (i was untill '91) when i was getting divorced, too. us old farts used to spend a LOT of money to be online back in the day... now that it's a flat fee and no hourly charges...think about coming back!

Gr8fulBluz I am on the net, or Paul, born in NY, I left Long Island in 1985 for Florida and lived there until 1998. Now I live in Wash, DC.My first show was Nassau in 1982 last in Tampa 1995. I dunno how many in between but all east coasters. I am a traveler for a living and play guitar for fun. I have been exploring Celtic rock lately but when I play guitar it is mostly G-Dead standards :-) I cannot wait to see what this place turns into. I hope to contribute to the positive vibes. Cheers to all

I am neddles and am glad to be here too!I from a small town in So Cal and was introduced to the Dead through a friend just after Brent's death. I went to any show I could after that and consider Hunter/Garcia to be one of the best songwriting teams of the last 40 years. I play guitar and write songs, but not for a living. I go out on horse camping trips when I can with my friends and family. I've been riding horses since I was a baby and I always bring a backpacker guitar on the trips to jam out in the forrest.

hello, i'm trippa! i'm 30 years old and i've been on the bus since the early 90's...i'm from quincy, mass. anyone else here from the boston area?

does anyone know Sideshow Bob and his dog Danny from Dayton Ohio. Traveled a lot together and have many mutual friends that i have not talked to in years!!! If you know Sideshow Bob then we probably know each other!!! Trifecta

Hi there, I was born and raised in Germany. My first contact with the Dead was in 1973 when I listened to Sugaree. Ever since I love their music and enjoy the vibes. Still need a daily dose. They only made it a few times to Europe. Good for Europe! Altogether I attended 10 GD shows here in Europe and in the US, plus JGB, Rat Dog and The Dead. Thanks to Grateful Dead and the Dead Heads

Hi Gerdie if you are interested in getting in touch with other european heads, this is a good place http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/eurotraders Bob Witcher- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Spanish Jam

Hello Kind People! I live in Roslyn WA, some of you might know it as Cicely Alaska from "Northern Exposure." Actually the town itself is crazier than the show, some really interesting characters around here. I recommend a visit if you are ever in the vicinity of Central Washington. For years I used to spend my time in the woods and mountains chasing birds and mammals around for work, and then head out climbing or backcountry skiing during the weekends. However work has now more or less locked me to the computer, so I stream the Dead all day as I model our "virtual reality." I really can't remember a time when I didn't like the Dead, my older brothers influenced me at a very young age. I saw a small handful of shows from the late 80's to the end, but not nearly as many as I would have liked to. I always wanted to go on tour for a while but school and work always got in the way, I'm just to damn responsible (yea right). Well I guess that's enough for now.

hello amellowd: I live in Eastern Washington - back and forth between Spokane and Republic. I see we share some interests - bears, birds and the Dead. Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.) Walt Whitman-Song of Myself