If I live to be 109, I will always regret never being able to attend a Grateful Dead concert. The band was known for their long performances and jam sessions. They were some of the few who believed the notion you’re never going to perform a song the same way twice so have all the fun you can.
Bob Weir was still just a kid at 17 when he helped form what would become The Grateful Dead. They were originally called The Warlocks when they began. But there were other bands who also went by this name. The Velvet Underground which had a totally different sound than the Dead also ran into identity issues as they were called The Warlocks as well before the release of their first album.
So, Jerry Garcia picked up a Brittanica World Language book and began flipping through it. Phil Lesh, who was known for his avant-garde style, said Garcia said, “Hey, man, how about the Grateful Dead?” And from 1965 to 1995, when Garcia died, they were one of the most successful touring bands of all time.
On Jan. 10, Weir whose young baby-face looks in 1965 differed from the rest passed away from reported pulmonary and lung issues. In his later years, he grew out a Grizzly Adams beard. As it started to get many touches of grey, Weir looked more like he could pass as Bruce Dern’s brother. When he was interviewed for the documentary Long Strange Trip streaming on Amazon Prime, he gives much of his interviews in a lotus style position.
Garcia may have been the lead guitarist for the band, but Weir was no second banana. The two were like birds flying through the air who suddenly change direction with such an ease, you just have to appreciate their synchrony. It’s like a married couple who knows what the other is thinking so there’s no needs for words or even a gesture.
I don’t blame other members for disbanding after Garcia’s death. It does sound cheesy but he was irreplaceable. So was Weir. Both men loved making music and performing. Even when he wasn’t performing or touring with the Grateful Dead, he spent his off-time performing in bands, Kingfish, Bobby and the Midnites and RatDog, the latter of which he would focus more time on after Garcia’s death. However, Weir and other Dead members would get back together in other bands.
Zane Says 