GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST

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“The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast,” the official Grateful Dead podcast, is a series devoted to exploring the music and mythology behind one of the most enduring, progressive, and influential bands in the history of recorded music. The podcast’s tagline is “For The Committed And The Curious,” as episodes will invite new fans to explore the band’s enormous mythology in digestible chunks and enlighten life-long Dead Heads about corners of the band’s history they never knew existed. No topic will be off limits on “The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast” as hosts Rich Mahan and Jesse Jarnow explore the band’s outrageous history, innovations, and impact from 1965 to today.

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Episodes

Published 2026-05-14

Bobby Weir, Part 2

104 min
Open

The Deadcast concludes its extended 2-part tribute to Bobby Weir, ranging into the evolution of his songwriting, stage persona, guitar playing, and unexpected career beyond the Grateful Dead.


Guests: Bobby Weir, David Lemieux, Jeff Chimenti, Scott Metzger, Don Was, Gary Lambert, Tim Stevens, Tony Italiano, William Keats, Bretty Pauley

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Published 2026-04-30

Bobby Weir, Part 1

75 min
Open

The Grateful Deadcast returns for its 13th season, beginning with a 2-part tribute to the great Bobby Weir, mixing interviews with archival audio to tell the story of how a teenage Atherton folkie found his singular jazz-informed musical voice (dropping a few water balloons en route).


Guests: Bobby Weir, David Lemieux, David Nelson, Gary Lambert, Rhoney Stanley, Graeme Boone

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Published 2025-11-20

Blues For Allah 50: Blues For Allah

181 min
Open

The Deadcast’s overstuffed season finale unpacks Blues For Allah’s oft-misunderstood title track, the unlikely story of its album art, & the remarkable coalition that manifested the Dead’s September 1975 Golden Gate Park show, officially the New Age Bio-Centennial Unity Fair.


Guests: David Lemieux, Ron Rakow, Al Teller, Ned Lagin, Steve Brown, Bill McCarthy, Larry Weissman, Gary Lambert, Ed Perlstein, Joan Miller, Geoff Gould, Dan Hanklein, Raymond Foye, Nicholas Meriwether, Shaugn O’Donnell, Chadwick Jenkins, Keith Eaton


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Published 2025-11-06

Blues For Allah 50: Sage and Spirit

139 min
Open

The Deadcast explores Bobby Weir’s guitar étude, “Sage and Spirit,” speaking with one of the song’s namesakes, Sage Scully, before taking an extended trip to legendary Dead show at the Great American Music Hall in August 1975, where the song received its only full live performance.


Guests: David Lemieux, Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, Sage Scully, Ron Rakow, Al Teller, Steve Brown, Roger Lewis, Lee Brenkman, Steve Schuster, Gary Lambert, Deb Trist, Ed Perlstein, Danno Henklein, Joan Miller, Steve Silberman, Michael Parrish, Keith Eaton, Shaugn O’Donnell, Benny Lander

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Published 2025-10-23

Blues For Allah 50: Crazy Fingers

110 min
Open

We explore how the dreamy delicacy of Crazy Fingers came about at a time of great tumult in Grateful Dead history, with visits from new record company boss Al Teller of United Artists and Seastones composer Ned Lagin, plus a stop at Winterland for the Bob Fried Memorial Boogie.


Guests: David Lemieux, Al Teller, Ron Rakow, Ned Lagin, Gary Lambert, Michael Parrish, Danno Henklein, Ed Perlstein, Geoff Gould, Jay Kerley, Blair Jackson, Shaugn O’Donnell, Chadwick Jenkins, Christopher Coffman, Nicholas Meriwether

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Published 2025-10-09

Blues For Allah 50: The Music Never Stopped

105 min
Open

Bobby Weir & John Perry Barlow’s classic “The Music Never Stopped” came into being when the music was briefly in danger of stopping, the song transforming from live jam to final form as the Dead struggled to solve the financial difficulties that came with a retirement from the road.


Guests: David Lemieux, Ron Rakow, Steven Schuster, Steve Silberman, Sean Howe, Shaugn O’Donnell, Chadwick Jenkins, Christopher Coffman, Graeme Boone, Eric Lindquist, Benny Lander

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The Deadcast unpacks the two-part extra-heady “King Solomon’s Marbles”/’Stronger Than Dirt or Milkin’ the Turkey,” using the instrumental to get into the Dead’s 1975 dalliances with holography, as well as Phil Lesh’s other unfinished pieces from Blues For Allah.


Guests: David Lemieux, Ned Lagin, Ron Rakow, Eugene Dolgoff, Michael Parrish, Ed Perlstein, Keith Eaton, Nicholas G. Meriwether, Shaugn O’Donnell, Chadwick Jenkins

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Published 2025-09-11

Blues For Allah 50: Franklin’s Tower

80 min
Open

The Deadcast examines how Franklin’s Tower bucked every trend on Blues For Allah to become one of the Dead’s all-time classics, including a tape of its studio creation, a look into the multi-tracks, & a rare line-by-line breakdown by lyricist Robert Hunter himself.


Guests: David Lemieux, Geoff Gould, Jürgen Fauth, Shaugn O’Donnell, Chadwick Jenkins, Will Backstrom, Max Ritchie, Hannah Grabbenstein

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Published 2025-08-28

Blues For Allah 50: Slipknot!

109 min
Open

The Deadcast uses Blues For Allah’s complicated instrumental Slipknot! to explore the musical and creative ambiguity the Grateful Dead pursued in early 1975, when there both was and wasn’t a Grateful Dead, & their public reemergence at Bill Graham’s S.N.A.C.K. benefit that March.


Guests: David Lemieux, Ned Lagin, Ron Rakow, Steve Brown, Gary Lambert, Joan Miller, Jay Kerley, Chadwick Jenkins, Shaugn O’Donnell, Melvin Backstrom

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Published 2025-08-14

Blues For Allah 50: Help On the Way

90 min
Open

The Grateful Deadcast points itself towards 1975 to begin a song-by-song celebration of Blues For Allah’s 50th anniversary, loaded with raw session tapes, early lyric drafts, & the story of how the Dead built a new studio, musical language, batch of songs, & LP from the ground up. 


Guests: David Lemieux, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Ron Rakow, Stephen Barncard, Ned Lagin, Steve Brown, Gary Lambert, Keith Eaton, Shaugn O’Donnell, Chadwick Jenkins, Matt Campbell

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The Grateful Deadcast visits the set for the Grateful Dead Movie, aka the Dead’s five “retirement” shows at Winterland in 1974, with heads who attended. This bonus episode is a re-run of the 2nd half of Deadcast Season 9, episode 8.

Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Ron Rakow, Ned Lagin, David Grisman, , Steve Brown, Richie Pechner, Jerry Pompili, Jim Sullivan, Gary Lambert, Geoff Gould, Joan Brown, Michael Parrish, Corry Arnold, Strider Brown, Jay Kerley, Rita Fiedler, Rene Tinner, Lee Ranaldo, Gregory Barette, Ron Long, Brian Anderson


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Published 2025-06-05

Enjoying the Ride: On Tour

93 min
Open

Enjoying the Ride: On Tour

The Deadcast season finale hits shows at 3 legendary venues, exploring Dick Latvala’s transformative experience at Red Rocks ‘79, Hollie Rose’s tour journal, the wonders of the Alpine Valley parking lot, & when Shakedown Street got its name.


Guests: David Lemieux, Jay Kerley, Hollie Rose, Rebecca Adams, Bill Lemke, Phil Garfinkel, Jim Jonze, Tom Ryan, Art Moss, Lisa Hitchcock, David Van Divier, Scott Bauer, Julie Dock, Mobile Steele

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Published 2025-05-22

Enjoying the Ride: East Coast, Part 2

101 min
Open

The Deadcast cruises down the eastern seaboard, including stops in Hartford, Hampton, Philadelphia, and Landover, featuring touring tips, another police chase, & a visit to the White House.


Guests: David Lemieux, Sam Cutler, Dennis Alpert, Tyler Roy-Hart, David Leopold, John Leopold, Rebecca Adams, Brian Schiff, Gary Lambert, Chris Goodspace, Winslow Colwell, Scott Jones, Chad Eyler

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Published 2025-05-08

Enjoying the Ride: East Coast, Part 1

119 min
Open

The Deadcast makes a beeline for the northeast, focusing on shows from legendary venues in the Manhattan and Boston areas included on the new Enjoying the Ride box, including ESP experiments, weed smuggling, free jazz titans, multiple police chases, and more.


Guests: David Lemieux, Ron Rakow, Sam Cutler, Richie Pechner, Allan Arkush, Ned Lagin, Gary Lambert, Blair Jackson, Stanley Krippner, Rebecca Adams, Johnny Dwork, John Scher, Michael Simmons, Tyler Roy-Hart, Henry K, Howie Levine, Kenny Schiff, Debbie Rondeau

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Published 2025-04-24

Enjoying the Ride: Bay Area, Part 2

94 min
Open

The Deadcast’s tour of Enjoying the Ride trucks all the way to the East Bay, exploring beloved venues including the Greek Theater & Kaiser Auditorium, with tales of the Hog Farm’s Skeleton Crew & vintage field recordings from Oakland Coliseum Arena’s parking lot. 


Guests: David Lemieux, Ron Rakow, Kevin Schmevin, Mark Pinkus, Blair Jackson, Steve Silberman, Rebecca Adams, David Gans, Johnny Dwork, Tyler Roy-Hart, Steven Bernstein, Robert Nyberg, Chad Kroeger

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Published 2025-04-10

Enjoying the Ride: Bay Area, Part 1

82 min
Open

The Deadcast begins our virtual tour of the new Enjoying the Ride box, visiting the cradle of the Dead in Palo Alto/Menlo Park (with a detour to visit the Warlocks’ earliest shows) before heading to San Francisco with stops at the Fillmore West and Winterland.


Guests: Connie Bonner Mosley, Ron Rakow, Ned Lagin, Ron Pietrowski, Tyler Roy-Hart, Les Earnest, Doug Oade, Eric Schwartz, Blair Jackson, Michael Parrish, Dominic Stefano, David Lemieux

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Published 2025-04-03

BONUS: Tiger Rose 50

65 min
Open

For the 50th anniversary reissue of Tiger Rose, we explore the lost story of Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia’s only full-length studio collaboration, the Dead lyricist’s 2nd solo album, produced by Garcia & performed by an all-star cast including Garcia, Mickey Hart, & Donna Jean Godchaux.


Guests: Kathy Veda Vaughan Bogert, Mickey Hart, Barry Melton, Ron Rakow, Howie Levine

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Published 2025-03-27

Phil 85, Part 2

104 min
Open

In the 2nd part of the Deadcast’s Phil Lesh tribute, we get deep into his singular bass playing with Phil’s son & bandmate Grahame, Phish’s Mike Gordon, & musicologist Rob Collier, while touring Phil’s high adventures with Ned Lagin, radio co-host Gary Lambert, & other friends.


Guests: Grahame Lesh, Mike Gordon, Ned Lagin, David Crosby, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert, Rob Collier

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Published 2025-03-13

Phil 85, Part 1

70 min
Open

The Deadcast begins its 11th season with a celebration of the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh, drawing on archival interviews to explore his unusual trajectory from jazz trumpet to avant-garde composition to rock and roll bass, and welcoming special guest Mike Gordon of Phish.


Guests: Mike Gordon, Oteil Burbridge, Sam Cutler, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert

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The Deadcast concludes its dive into Robert Hunter’s 1962 book, The Silver Snarling Trumpet (and its 10th season), exploring teenage Jerry Garcia’s adventures with his friends Alan Trist and Brigid Meier in Palo Alto, and how this early scene gave way to the Grateful Dead.


Guests: Alan Trist, Brigid Meier, Dennis McNally

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To celebrate the Deadcast’s 100th episode, we begin a 2-part special joined by the co-stars of Robert Hunter’s newly-published 1962 book, the Silver Snarling Trumpet, a startling in-the-moment account of his and Jerry Garcia’s formative years in Palo Alto.


Guests: Alan Trist, Brigid Meier, Dennis McNally

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Published 2024-11-07

The Dead and the Sufi Choir, 3/71

88 min
Open

The Deadcast uncovers the long-lost tape of the Dead & San Francisco’s Sufi Choir at Winterland in 1971, telling its untold story with composer Allaudin Mathieu, finding hidden connections to big band jazz, longform improv comedy, & spirituality, plus an appearance by Wavy Gravy.


Guests: Allaudin Mathieu, Wavy Gravy, Michael Parrish, John “Tex” Coate, Erik Davis, Christopher Coffman

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Published 2024-10-24

Friend Of the Devils: West Virginia, 4/78

82 min
Open

The Deadcast crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains for the Dead’s only show in Huntington, West Virginia, including close looks at the innovative fashion and LSD scenes then emerging in Dead parking lots, and the conclusion of a rare 1978 interview with Jerry Garcia.


Guests: Kathy Sublette, Rob Bleetstein, Bob Wagner, Bob Minkin, Jay Blakesberg, David Lemieux, Steve Silberman, Erik Davis, Annabelle Walsh

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Published 2024-10-10

Friend Of the Devils: Virginia, 4/78

97 min
Open

The Deadcast cruises into two April ‘78 shows on Virginia college campuses alongside a pair of chartered buses from New York filled with seething Dead freaks and gets into Jerry Garcia’s favorite music and guitar tips from rare interviews.


Guests: Sanjay Mishra, Kathy Sublette, Rob Bleetstein, Bob Minkin, Del Ward, Bob Wagner, Nick Morgan, Jon Lerner, John Wehrle, Scott White, David Lemieux, Steve Silberman

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The Deadcast tells the story of the legendary Duke ‘78 show, the unexplored history of the Dead in North Carolina, the first campout at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the mysterious guest percussionist, & the student-run cable station that filmed it.


Guests: Peter Coyle, Fred Goldring, Nick Morgan, Joe DiMona, Bob Wagner, Jim Enright, Steve Maizner, Charly Mann, Eric Mlyn, David Lemieux, Steve Silberman

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Published 2024-09-12

Friend Of the Devils: Atlanta, 4/78

98 min
Open

The Deadcast pulls into Atlanta’s Fox Theatre to explore the Dead’s two April ‘78 shows, delving into the local underground music scene with Glenn Phillips of the Hampton Grease Band, as well as rare Jerry Garcia interviews.


Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Glenn Phillips, Steve Maizner, David Lemieux

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Published 2024-08-29

Friend Of the Devils: Florida, 4/78

95 min
Open

The Deadcast launches its 10th season, hitting the road for the April 1978 tour documented on the new FRIEND OF THE DEVILS box, exploring the band’s new sound for ‘78 & the birth of drums/space, featuring taper tales & rare archival interviews with Jerry Garcia.


Guests: Richard Loren, Bob Wagner, David Lemieux, Steve Silberman

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Published 2024-07-04

From the Mars Hotel 50: Ship of Fools

142 min
Open

The Grateful Deadcast welcomes back Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay for the season finale, digs into “Ship of Fools,” and visits the set for the Grateful Dead Movie, aka the Dead’s five “retirement” shows at Winterland in 1974, with heads who attended.


Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Ron Rakow, Ned Lagin, David Grisman, Elvis Costello, Steve Brown, Richie Pechner, Jerry Pompili, Jim Sullivan, John Perry, Gary Lambert, Geoff Gould, Joan Brown, Michael Parrish, Corry Arnold, Strider Brown, Jay Kerley, Rita Fiedler, Rene Tinner, Lee Ranaldo, Gregory Barette, Ron Long, David Lemieux, Brian Anderson, Shaugn O’Donnell, Brian Kehew

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Published 2024-06-20

From the Mars Hotel 50: Money Money

96 min
Open

The Deadcast explores the Mars Hotel obscurity “Money Money” & goes on the Dead’s mayhem-filled Europe ‘74 tour, including a long look at the extended jams & Seastones sets performed with Ned Lagin.


Guests: Ned Lagin, Elvis Costello, Andy Leonard, Richard Loren, Steve Brown, John Perry, Ben Haller, Andy Childs, Uli Teute, Paul Matulic, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Rebecca Adams, Shaugn O’Donnell, Brian Anderson, Michael Kaler

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Published 2024-06-13

Tales of the Great Rum Runners 50

96 min
Open

The Deadcast joyously welcomes the 50th anniversary reissue of Robert Hunter’s solo debut Tales of the Great Rum Runners, uncovering stories of two early drafts of the album, a mostly-lost book of poetry, and Hunter’s secret performing career as Lefty Banks.


Guests: Mickey Hart, Barry Melton, John Perry, Ted Claire, Ron Rakow, Steve Brown, Robbie Stokes, Nicholas Meriwether

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Published 2024-06-06

From the Mars Hotel 50: Pride of Cucamonga

87 min
Open

The Deadcast explores Phil Lesh & Bobby Petersen’s “Pride of Cucamonga” (featuring lost lyrics & session pedal steel player John McFee), the Dead’s August ‘74 east coast trip (with Ned Lagin & an extended stop at Roosevelt Stadium), & the band’s decision to take a road hiatus.


Guests: Ron Rakow, Ned Lagin, Alan Trist, Richard Loren, Richie Pechner, Andy Leonard, Steve Brown, John McFee, Ira Kaplan, Gary Lambert, Steve Silberman, Ihor Slabicky, Todd Ellenberg, John Potenza, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Nicholas Meriwether

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Published 2024-05-23

From the Mars Hotel 50: Scarlet Begonias

130 min
Open

From the Mars Hotel 50: Scarlet Begonias

Explore “Scarlet Begonias,” from its trans-Atlantic origins (including the Dead’s surprising Bob Marley connection) to Cornell ’77 & beyond, featuring the Wall of Sound’s stop at the Hollywood Bowl (with more unheard Owsley Stanley) & a visit from Vampire Weekend’s Chris Tomson.


Guests: Chris Tomson, Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, Trey Anastasio, Alan Trist, Ron Rakow, Lee Jaffe, Courtenay Pollack, Andy Leonard, Steve Brown, Richie Pechner, Jim Sullivan, Geoff Gould, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Nicholas Meriwether, Steve Silberman, Nick Paumgarten, Brian Anderson, Shaugn O’Donnell, Michael Kaler, Steve Hurlburt, Andrew Shields, Nick Rubin

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Published 2024-05-09

From the Mars Hotel 50: Loose Lucy

98 min
Open

From “Loose Lucy,” the Deadcast jumps onto Dead tour in June ‘74, going under the hood of Phil Lesh’s new quad bass, behind the scenes at the tie-dye information booth, a private lunch at the  Bank of Boston, & on a Mars Hotel-soundtracked summer road trip with Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo.

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Published 2024-04-25

From the Mars Hotel 50: Unbroken Chain

129 min
Open

The Deadcast explores Phil Lesh’s masterpiece “Unbroken Chain,” its mysterious lyricist Bobby Petersen, & digs into the luminous synth with Ned Lagin himself; plus, the story of the album title & art with the Grateful Dead Records crew & a visit from Animal Collective’s Avey Tare.

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Published 2024-04-11

From the Mars Hotel 50: China Doll

87 min
Open

The Deadcast explores “China Doll,” perhaps the most delicate Dead song, the innovative studio techniques pioneered for From The Mars Hotel, the formation of Round Records (& the making of Jerry Garcia’s sophomore solo album), & the infamous Wall of Sound test at the Cow Palace.


Guests: Elvis Costello, Ron Rakow, Richard Loren, Andy Leonard, Richie Pechner, Steve Brown, Michael Parrish, David Gans, Steve Beck, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Shaugn O’Donnell, Brian Anderson 

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Published 2024-03-28

From the Mars Hotel 50: U.S. Blues

82 min
Open

The Grateful Deadcast begins the epic story of the Dead in 1974 with the writing of From the Mars Hotel’s album-opening “U.S. Blues” & the multiple debuts of the innovative Wall of Sound, featuring new interviews & never-heard archival audio. 


Guests: Ron Rakow, Richie Pechner, Sam Cutler, Steve Brown, Sally Mann Romano, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, David Gans, Michael Parrish, Brian Anderson 

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Published 2023-11-16

Wake Of The Flood 50: Weather Report Suite

128 min
Open

The Deadcast finishes its season by examining Bob Weir’s ambitious Weather Report Suite with collaborator Eric Andersen & following the launch of Wake of the Flood on the band’s own label with company president Ron Rakow, plus Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan, Erik Davis, & more.


Guests: Eric Andersen, Ron Rakow, Steve Brown, Ira Kaplan, Gary Lambert, Michael Parrish, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Erik Davis, Scott Metzger, Shaugn O’Donnell, Carey Coles

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The Deadcast uncovers a most unusual lost studio session by Robert Hunter & the Grateful Dead, recorded at the Record Plant in November 1973, which we listen to in its entirety & annotate with the help of Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay & others.


Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Bob Matthews, Alan Trist, Nicholas Meriwether, Brian Kehew, Michael Parrish, Mike Dolgushkin

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Published 2023-11-02

Wake Of The Flood 50: Eyes of the World

106 min
Open

Explore “Eyes of the World” inside & out with the studio multi-tracks, lost lyrics, archival audio of Robert Hunter, a meditation by Erik Davis, & a tour of the song’s evolution (yes, including that cool 7/8 ending).


GUESTS: Ron Rakow, Ned Lagin, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Holly Bowling, Erik Davis, Shaugn O’Donnell, Brian Schiff, Jay Kerley, Mike Dolgushkin, Danno Henklein, Lippy, Peter Egart, Davis Schneiderman, Mike Ruggieri, Charlie Frazier

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Published 2023-10-19

Wake Of The Flood 50: Here Comes Sunshine

78 min
Open

Wake Of The Flood 50: Here Comes Sunshine

We explore the Beatlesque optimism of “Here Comes Sunshine,” its roots in the Vanport flood of 1948, & the story of the brand-new custom Doug Irwin guitar Jerry Garcia debuted on Wake of the Flood.  


GUESTS: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Bruce Hornsby, Steve Parish, David Lemieux, Alex Bleeker, Scott Metzger, Shaugn O’Donnell, Bill Polits 

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Published 2023-10-05

Wake Of The Flood 50: Stella Blue

90 min
Open

A personal favorite of both Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter, we explore how “Stella Blue” grew from New York’s fertile Chelsea Hotel into one of the great American songs, plus Bruce Hornsby on how Wake of the Flood made him a Dead fan.


GUESTS: Elvis Costello, Bruce Hornsby, David Lemieux, Nick Paumgarten, Scott Metzger, Shaugn O’Donnell, Nick Bush

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Published 2023-09-21

Wake Of The Flood 50: Row Jimmy

73 min
Open

Wake Of The Flood 50: Row Jimmy

The Deadcast explores the strange not-quite-reggae of “Row Jimmy,” featuring a long never-heard interview with lyricist Robert Hunter from 1977. 


GUESTS: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Robert Hunter, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Scott Metzger, Shaugn O’Donnell

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The Deadcast explores Keith Godchaux’s only song for the Grateful Dead, the unassuming but complex “Let Me Sing Your Blues Away,” the debut single from Wake of the Flood & Grateful Dead Records, co-starring Donna Jean, company president Ron Rakow, & a gaggle of early Dead tapers.


GUESTS: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Ron Rakow, Steve Brown, Howard Wales, Marty Weinberg, Les Kippel, Harvey Lubar, Howie Levine, Jim Cooper, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Scott Metzger, Shaugn O’Donnell, Marc Masters, Dave Mandl

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The Deadcast begins our deep dive into Wake of the Flood, including multi-track breakdowns for Mississippi Half-Step, never-heard outtakes, studio memories from Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, & the origins of Grateful Dead Records with co-founder Ron Rakow.


GUESTS: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Ron Rakow, Alan Trist, Steve Brown, David Lemieux, Brian Kehew, Nick Paumgarten, Shaugn O’Donnell

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Published 2023-08-10

Watkins Glen Summer Jam ‘73, Part 2

110 min
Open

The thrilling conclusion of our visit to the record-breaking Watkins Glen Summer Jam, featuring John Belushi crashing the backstage, a super jam onstage, a teen-run pirate radio station, & the birth of a new generation of Dead Heads.


GUESTS: Sam Cutler, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Bunky Odom, Chuck Leavell, Jim Koplik, Buddy Thornton, Sepp Donahower, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Silberman, Rebecca Adams, Gary Lambert, John Ramsey, Tim Meehan, Michael Simmons, Dan Henklein, Erik Nelson, Bob Student, Jim Cooper, Harvey Lubar, Todd Ellenberg, Ihor Slabicky, Jay Kerley, Brian Schiff, Eric Alden, David Lemieux, Alan Paul

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Published 2023-07-27

Watkins Glen Summer Jam, 7/73, part 1

118 min
Open

Watkins Glen Summer Jam ‘73, Part 1

Musicians, organizers, & fans tell the epic story of how the Watkins Glen Summer Jam started as a giant rock show & turned into history when more than a half-million came to see the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, & The Band.


GUESTS: Sam Cutler, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Bunky Odom, Chuck Leavell, Jim Koplik, Buddy Thornton, Susan Wickersham, Janet Furman, Sepp Donahower, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Silberman, John Ramsey, Tim Meehan, Michael Simmons, Dan Henklein, Erik Nelson, Bob Student, Jim Cooper, Todd Ellenberg, Ihor Slabicky, Jay Kerley, Joe Gauthier, Eric Alden, David Lemieux, Alan Paul

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Published 2023-06-01

Here Comes Sunshine: RFK Stadium, 6/73

129 min
Open

Our stadium-sized season finale visits the Dead’s June 1973 mega-gigs with the Allman Brothers Band in Washington DC, featuring the Allmans family, legendary tapers, searing heat, super jams, backstage brawls, & the manifestation of the Ouroboros. 


Guests: Bunky Odom, Buddy Thornton, Ron Wickersham, Alan Trist, Ben Haller, Peter Rowan, Richard Loren, Allan Arkush, Merl Saunders Jr., Steve White, Jim Cooper, Laurie Oliver, Dan Henklein, Howie Levine, Ihor Slabicky, Jay Kerley, Brian Schiff, David Lemieux, Alan Paul

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Published 2023-05-25

Here Comes Sunshine: Kezar Stadium, 5/26/73

103 min
Open

The Deadcast visits one of the Dead’s most legendary hometown shows with the band, crew, & Bay Area Dead freaks, featuring 3 sets in the Golden Gate Park sunshine, technological innovations, & an important paper by the Haight Street Free Medical Clinic.


Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Dave Smith, Bob Barsotti, Ron Wickersham, Jerry Pompili, Steve Brown, Sally Mann Romano, Mike Dolgushkin, David Gans, Strider Brown, Bob Student, Mike Crater, David Lemieux, Nicholas Meriwether

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Feel the ocean breeze and spend a sunny Sunday with the Grateful Dead as the Deadcast visits Santa Barbara ‘73 with first-time showgoer Al Franken, archivist David Lemieux, the show’s promoters, and more.


Guests: Al Franken, Jim Curnutt, Sepp Donahower, Rosie McGee, Michael Parrish, Bob Student, Gary Wulfing, David Lemieux

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Published 2023-05-11

Here Comes Sunshine: Des Moines, 5/13/73

98 min
Open

We time-travel to the Dead’s massive 3-set show in Des Moines, May 1973 (& the first show on the new Here Comes Sunshine box) with stories from Donna Jean, the show’s promoters, & the Dead’s office staff, plus custom gear, big jams, an indoor fireworks fight, etc.


Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux, Gail Hellund, Rita Gentry, Rosie McGee, Sally Mann Romano, Steve White, Jon Hoak, Candace Brightman, Dan Erlewine, Sepp Donahower, Bob Glaza, Joe Gauthier, David Lemieux

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Published 2023-05-04

Here Comes Sunshine: Garcia ‘73

104 min
Open

The Deadcast takes a special side trip into Jerry Garcia’s extracurricular projects in 1973, exploring his partnerships with organist Merl Saunders & the legendary bluegrass group Old & In the Way with guests David Grisman & Peter Rowan, & how they impacted the Dead’s music.


Guests: David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Merl Saunders Jr., Richard Loren, Howard Wales, Hawk Semins, Joe Jupille

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Published 2023-05-02

Here Comes Sunshine: Grateful Dead & Co.

106 min
Open

The Deadcast sets course for 1973, diving into the newly announced Here Comes Sunshine box set with firsthand tours of the ambitious family businesses in orbit around the Dead in 1973, including an independent record label, booking company, travel agency, clothing boutique, & more.


Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Alan Trist, Rosie McGee, Steve Brown, Sally Mann Romano, Gail Hellund, David Lemieux 

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Published 2023-04-27

A Quick Note From the Deadcast

1 min
Open

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow deadheads, today’s regularly scheduled DeadCast will be coming in the not too distant future, fear not we have all the Golden Yummies lined up for your listening pleasure.

 

You’ll definitely want to join the party when you see what sunshine we have in store, so stay tuned, and we’ll see you just a little bit further down the Golden Road.

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Published 2023-04-13

T.C.

97 min
Open

T.C.


The Deadcast is honored to welcome Tom Constanten to discuss his remarkable tenure as Grateful Dead keyboardist from late 1968 through early 1970, his work on 3 classic albums, & his adventures before & after the Dead, including his current band Dose Hermanos.


Guests: Tom Constanten, Bob Bralove, Henry Kaiser, David Lemieux

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Published 2023-03-30

Bear's Choice 50

81 min
Open

Bear’s Choice 50


The Deadcast returns to the Fillmore East and digs into the Dead’s 1st archival live album, History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear’s Choice), produced by former LSD alchemist Owsley Stanley & released as a tribute to Pigpen just after his death.


Guests: Allan Arkush, Gary Lambert, David Lemieux, Starfinder Stanley

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Published 2023-03-16

The Adventures of Pigpen, part 2

85 min
Open

The Adventures of Pigpen, part 2

The Deadcast concludes our tribute to Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, exploring his years with the Dead, featuring more documents from the McKernan family archives, his alleged firing, former housemate Tom Constanten, lost song lyrics, & last songs.


GUESTS: Jim Sullivan, Tom Constanten, Denise Kaufman, Eric Thompson, Starfinder Stanley, David Lemieux, Kay Alexander, Mike Dolgushkin

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Published 2023-03-08

The Adventures of Pigpen, part 1

64 min
Open

The Adventures of Pigpen, part 1

The Deadcast marks 50 years since the passing of original Grateful Dead frontman Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, in part 1 uncovering his mysterious pre-Dead years in the Palo Alto folk scene, featuring a visit to the McKernan archives, never-heard performances, & archival interviews.


GUESTS: Jim Sullivan, Denise Kaufman, Eric Thompson, Ted Claire, David Lemieux

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Published 2022-11-17

Long Strange Tech, part 2

89 min
Open

The Deadcast concludes its dive into the Grateful Dead’s entanglement with technology, exploring Jerry Garcia’s digital graphics obsession, how Dead Head online communities helped shape the emergent internet, lyricist John Perry Barlow’s manifestoes, & more. 


Guests: Paul Martin, Mary Eisenhart, David Gans, Steve Silberman, Bob Bralove, Dan English, Doug Oade, Christian Crumlish, Charlie Miller, John Markoff, Erik Davis, Michael Calore

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Published 2022-11-10

Long Strange Tech, part 1

71 min
Open

The Deadcast explores the Grateful Dead’s long-term cosmic entanglement with the California technology world & the architecture of the internet itself, featuring biomusic pioneer Ned Lagin, Dead Heads at the Stanford AI Lab & Apple, sonic heroes from Alembic & Meyer Sound, & more.


Guests: Ned Lagin, Ron Wickersham, Susan Wickersham, Daniel Kottke, John Meyer, Helen Meyer, Paul Martin, Andy Moorer, Steve Silberman, Erik Davis, John Markoff

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Published 2022-11-03

REWIND: Europe ‘72: Denmark

124 min
Open

We present an encore of the Deadcast’s Denmark episode from earlier this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Europe ‘72’s proper release, as well as to get you ready for (or debrief you from) the Meet-Up At The Movies presentation of the Dead’s historic Danish telecast.


Guests: Sam Cutler, Steve Parish, Mountain Girl, Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, Ben Haller, Alan Trist, Jim Sullivan, Gijsbert Hanekroot, John Morris, Sam Field, David Lemieux, MC Taylor, Lars Bennike, Bjørn Lindstrøm, Hans Francke, Jens Skovby, Palle Lykke, Lars Movin, Graeme Boone, Shaugn O’Donnell

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Published 2022-10-13

Ace 50

88 min
Open

Ace 50

The Deadcast welcomes Bobby Weir to honor the 50th anniversary of his 1972 solo debut “Ace” (& its forthcoming reissue), made with an all-star backing band that happened to be the Grateful Dead, featuring archival audio with “Ace” lyricists John Perry Barlow & Robert Hunter.


Guests: Bobby Weir, Donna Jean Godhaux-MacKay, Don Was

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Pack the Microbus & hit the road with the Dead in ‘83, hang out with the deep scene of Dead Head graffiti writers & frisbee players in Central Park, & get back to Madison Square Garden for two shows with two room-shaking bustouts.


Guests: David Lemieux, John Meyer, Helen Meyer, Dan English, Alan Trist, John Scher, Eric Schwartz, John Leopold, Charlie Miller, Jim Wise, Bob Minkin, Lee Greenfeld, Johnny Dwork, Eric Pooley, Rich Farrell, Larry Price, Dean Heiser, Mary Eisenhart, Corry Arnold, Elijah Funk, Alix Ross, Mark Rodriguez

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The Deadcast examines how the Grateful Dead remained a center of innovation in 1982, exploring their new sound system with John & Helen Meyer of Meyer Sound, an audacious plan to sell live tapes, the DIY zine scene, one future hit, & two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden.


Guests: Alan Trist, John Meyer, Helen Meyer, Dan English, Bob Minkin, Charlie Miller, Jim Wise, Eric Schwartz, Chris Goodspace, John Leopold, Johnny Dwork, Shaugn O’Donnell, Jeff Pincus, Marty Meyer, David Lemieux, J. Christian Greer

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We point the Deadcast to the ‘80s & channel the room-shaking power of the 1981 Madison Square Garden shows on the new box set with archivist David Lemieux, promoter John Scher, photographers Jay Blakesberg & Bob Minkin, tapers Jim Wise & Charlie Miller, & many more.


Guests: David Lemieux, John Scher, Jay Blakesberg, Bob Minkin, Charlie Miller, Christina Schreiber, Jon Huntley, Jim Wise, Chris Goodspace, Eric Pooley, Shaugn O’Donnell, Marty Meyer, Frank Boesch

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On a very special bonus episode, we check in with Mickey Hart about his latest drones and hear high tales of Grateful Dead madness, from frying bacon onstage to using firearms as percussion, plus stories about his handcrafted instrument, the Beam, and a look into the Barn, his recording “crucible” in Novato and one of the great and oft-forgotten studios of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

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Published 2022-08-25

Sunshine Daydream: Veneta, 8/27/72, part 2

130 min
Open

We time travel to one of the Grateful Dead’s most legendary shows, the 1972 benefit that saved the Springfield Creamery, featuring eyewitness accounts of heads freaking freely in the scorching heat amid some of the most incandescent jams of the band’s career.


Guests: David Lemieux, Johnny Dwork, Justin Kreutzmann, Chuck Kesey, Sue Kesey, Mike Sherwood, Dave tharp, Joshua Clark Davis, Nancy Hamren, Richard Sutton, Larry Roberts, Jay Kerley, David Koranda, Strider Brown, Sam field, Adrian Marin, Camille Cole, Al Strobel, Dano Hikinin, Michele Lefowith, Don Witten, and Mango Man

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Published 2022-08-18

Sunshine Daydream: Veneta, 8/27/72, part 1

89 min
Open

The Deadcast explores the backdrop for one the Grateful Dead’s most extraordinary shows, saving the Springfield Creamery at an off-the-grid potluck picnic amid Merry Pranksters, colorful commune dwellers, & innovative yogurt pioneers during the heady summer of 1972.


GUESTS: Chuck Kesey, Sue Kesey, Nancy Hamren, Huey Lewis, Sam Field, Al Strobel, Adrian Marin, Strider Brown, Richard Sutton, Camille Cole, Danno Hikinin, Michele Lefkowith, David Koranda, Lawrence Roberts, Don Witten, David Lemieux, Joshua Clark Davis, Johnny Dwork

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Published 2022-06-02

Europe '72: Epilogue

90 min
Open

Our Deadcast season finale explores how the Grateful Dead crafted 73 hours of tape into the sparkling triple-LP Europe ‘72, commissioned iconic cover art, spawned several new businesses, created a global impact, & eventually built a groundbreaking box set four decades later.


Guests: Bob Matthews, Sam Cutler, Alan Trist, Steve Parish, Janet Furman, Ben Haller, Oteil Burbridge, David Lemieux, Jeffrey Norman, Steve Silberman, Erik Davis, Philipe Sicard, Bill Giles, Dave Speidel, Mark Mumper, Corry Arnold, Stephen Gardiner, Chiku Parbat, Andrew Stuart, Ferrnand Berger-Vasq

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Published 2022-05-26

Europe '72: Lyceum Ballroom

163 min
Open

The Grateful Dead (& the Deadcast) finish the Europe ‘72 tour with 4 rapturous nights at London’s Lyceum Ballroom, where they record much of their new live album, including a most psychedelicized tour finale, plus deep dives into “Ramble On Rose,” “Morning Dew,” & other classics.


Guests: Sam Cutler, Steve Parish, Alan Trist, David Nelson, Ben Haller, Janet Furman, John Morris, Courtenay Pollack, Allan Arkush, Alex Allan, Andy Childs, Ken Hunt, Chris Jones, Graham Walker, Bill Giles, Derek Gillman, John Kieffer, Jim Smolen, Jeremy Poynton, Volkmar Rupp, David Lemieux, Graeme Boone, Nicholas Meriwether, Stephen Gardiner

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Published 2022-05-19

Europe ‘72: Lille, Luxembourg, Munich

143 min
Open

The Europe ’72 tour’s last week on the Continent includes a free show in Lille (where a Greenpeace co-founder has a far-out experience), a broadcast from the biggest pirate radio station in the world, a famous new sticker for Jerry Garcia’s Stratocaster, & adventures in the Alps.


Guests: Sam Cutler, Steve Parish, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Mountain Girl, Rick Turner, Rosie McGee, Alan Trist, Candace Brightman, Ben Haller, Kid Jensen, Rod Marining, Philipe Sicard, Daniel Duchene, Thomas Storch, Sebbie Buhler, Mimi, Richard Parkinson, Chris Jones, Bill Giles, Simon Phillips, Uli Teute, David Lemieux, Steve Silberman, Graeme Boone

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Published 2022-05-12

Europe ‘72: The Netherlands

117 min
Open

The Grateful Deadcast explores the Netherlands with band & crew, dives deep into “He’s Gone,” learns why Dutch Dead fans were headier than regular Dutch rock fans, glides through the longest ever “Dark Star,” & traces the Hippie Trail from its northwestern terminus in Amsterdam.


Guests: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Steve Parish, Sam Cutler, Berry Visser, Alan Trist, Ben Haller, Geert Driessen, Dickson Hall, Peter Swift, David Johns, Sjaak Leitjens, Eric Alden, David Lemieux, Graeme Boone, John Colpitts, Michael Kramer

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Published 2022-05-05

Europe ‘72: Bickershaw Festival

131 min
Open

The biggest gig of the Grateful Dead’s Europe ‘72 tour, their largest ever overseas show, & one of our biggest Deadcasts yet, reconstructing the legendary Bickershaw Festival mudbath with enraptured audience members including an extended conversation with Elvis Costello.


Guests: Elvis Costello, Michael Moorcock, Mountain Girl, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, David Nelson, Steve Parish, Sam Cutler, Alan Trist, Janet Furman, Ben Haller, John Morris, Allan Arkush, Peter Luttner, Alex Allan, Chris Jones, Bill Giles, Barbara Nellist, Simon Phillips, Steven Feldman, Brain Petheram, Adam Gotley, Mick Etherington, David Lemieux, Graeme Boone

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Published 2022-04-28

Europe '72: France

123 min
Open

Europe ‘72: France

The Deadcast’s grand tour of Europe ‘72 hits the City of Light, goes museum-hopping with band & crew, digs deep into 2 classic shows at L’Olympia & the 5 songs recorded there for the live album, reconstructs how everybody got too high, & puts together the pieces of the Lille riot.


GUESTS: Sam Cutler, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Steve Parish, Mountain Girl, Rosie McGee, Alan Trist, Courtenay Pollack, Janet Furman, Ben Haller, Candace Brightman, Jim Sullivan, Philipe Sicard, Daniel Duchene, Harry Tuft, David Lemieux, Graeme Boone, Shaugn O’Donnell

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Published 2022-04-21

Europe ‘72: West Germany

121 min
Open

The Grateful Dead truck into West Germany, film a session for the Beat-Club, get thrown out of their hotel, jam in a planetarium, meet Naked Frankfurt Dude & many American GIs, are pranked by their light crew, influence the course of German psychedelia, & play 3 legendary shows.


Guests: Sam Cutler, Steve Parish, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Mountain Girl, Rosie McGee, Alan Trist, Candace Brightman, Ben Haller, Janet Furman, René Tinner, Jim Sullivan, Uli Teute, Hagen Glas, Eric Alden, Uli Dohrmann, David Lemieux, Graeme Boone, Chris Jones

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Published 2022-04-14

Europe ‘72: Denmark

124 min
Open

In which the Grateful Dead make landfall on the Continent, do battle with Danish customs, play on the 1st live rock telecast in national history, perform in a university cafeteria, visit Hamlet’s castle, cross paths with a countercultural hero, wear clown masks, & get cool sweaters.


Guests: Sam Cutler, Steve Parish, Mountain Girl, Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, Ben Haller, Alan Trist, Jim Sullivan, Gijsbert Hanekroot, John Morris, Sam Field, David Lemieux, MC Taylor, Lars Bennike, Bjørn Lindstrøm, Hans Francke, Jens Skovby, Palle Lykke, Lars Movin, Graeme Boone, Shaugn O’Donnell

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Published 2022-04-07

Europe ‘72: Prelude

74 min
Open

The Deadcast begins our 10-part series on Europe ‘72, revisiting the Grateful Dead’s legendary triple-LP & epic tour, as the band prepares to blaze a new circuit across the Continent with more than 40 family members, custom recording gear, & the makings of a classic album.


GUESTS: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Elvis Costello, Sam Cutler, Steve Parish, Mountain Girl, Alan Trist, Candace Brightman, Ben Haller, John Morris, Janet Furman, Allan Arkush, David Lemieux, Bill Weber

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Board the red-eye to London & storm England with the Dead as they open their Europe ‘72 tour, featuring family members, legendary jams, British Dead freaks, letters home from Pigpen, a trip to/at Stonehenge, Bozos, Bolos, & the birth of Hypnocracy.


GUESTS: Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Sam Cutler, Steve Parish, Mountain Girl, Bob Matthews, Alan Trist, Ben Haller, John Morris, Allan Arkush, Janet Furman, David Lemieux, Graeme Boone, Jim Sullivan, Ken Hunt, Bob White, Chris Jones, Adam Gotley, Bob Hearne, Bill Giles, Richard Parkinson

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Coming Soon: Europe ‘72

The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast is back on April 7th and we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of Europe ‘72 by going on the whole tour, featuring members of the band, crew, family, European heads, 11 Dark Stars, and 10 episodes of high adventure, every Thursday through June.

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Published 2021-12-23

Infrared Roses

89 min
Open

The Deadcast celebrates the 30th anniversary of 1991’s “Infrared Roses,” the last original Grateful Dead album (with cover art by Jerry Garcia & track titles by Robert Hunter) & explores the band’s MIDI years.  


Guests: Bob Bralove, David Lemieux, Steve Silberman, Doug Kaplan, Dave Harrington

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Published 2021-12-16

BONUS: Inside the Vault

80 min
Open

We uncover the secrets of the Grateful Dead’s legendary tape vault with archivist David Lemieux, from LSD alchemist Owsley Stanley to the making of the Betty Boards, from “Dick’s Picks” (& Dick Latvala’s own home recordings) to the 10th anniversary of “Dave’s Picks.”


Guests: David Lemieux, Carol Latvala, Rhoney Stanley, Starfinder Stanley, David Gans, Mike Johnson

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Published 2021-12-09

Dead Studies

61 min
Open

Dead Studies


We examine the emergent interdisciplinary world of Dead Studies & pay a virtual visit to the annual Grateful Dead Scholars Caucus, hearing presentation excerpts from a spectrum of musicologists, historians, psychologists, and more.


Guests: Rebecca Adams, Nicholas Meriwether, Brent Wood, Melvin Backstrom, Beth Carroll, Rhoney Stanley, Isaac Slone, Julie DeLong, Adam Brown, Corry Arnold

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Published 2021-11-25

Dead Freaks Unite

86 min
Open

We give thanks to Dead Heads and use listener-submitted stories to tell to the Heads’ history from the Haight-Ashbury to Shakedown Street, with Bill Walton, DeadBase founder Mike Dolgushkin, sociologist Rebecca Adams, Steve Silberman, & and many new friends.


GUESTS: Bill Walton, Rebecca Adams, Steve Silberman, Mike Dolgushkin, Adam Brown

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Listen To The River: Kiel Auditorium, October 1973


The Deadcast finishes our tour of St. Louis at the Kiel Auditorium in fall 1973, featuring Warlocks-era insider Steve Brown, local heads, the return of musicologist Graeme Boone to go deep into Dead’s jams, & a visit from Rich’s parents. 


GUESTS: Sepp Donahower, Tony Dwyer, Steve Brown, Thom Pallazola, Drea Stein, John Ellis, Janne Mahan, Bill Mahan, David Lemieux, Graeme Boone

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Published 2021-10-21

BONUS: Bear Drops: LA ‘66

92 min
Open

We explore the Grateful Dead’s formative early 1966 months in Los Angeles under the patronage of Owsley Stanley, LSD chemist & the band’s new sound engineer, featuring Owsley’s assistants Tim Scully & Don Douglas, Merry Pranksters, Rosie McGee, & an archival interview with Owsley.


GUESTS: Tim Scully, Don Douglas, Rosie McGee, Denise Kaufman, Ken Babbs, Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, David Gans

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Listen To The River: Fox Theatre, October 1972

We go behind the scenes, into the crowd, around the specially-installed mirror ball, & inside the music at the Dead’s 3 legendary 1972 shows at St. Louis’s Fox Theatre with promoters Sepp Donahower & Tony Dwyer, musicologist Graeme Boone, & Dead freaks who were there. 


GUESTS: Tony Dwyer, Sepp Donahower, Bill Weber, Drea Stein, John Ellis, Bob Simmons, Thom Pallazola, Joe Schwab, Mark Slosberg, Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, Graeme Boone, David Lemieux

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The Grateful Dead’s relationship with St. Louis went deep as the new Listen To The River box set and this Deadcast prove, featuring promoter Tony Dwyer, offstage jams at Scotty’s Music, and the time the Dead crashed Richie Gerber’s bar mitzvah.


GUESTS: Sam Cutler, Tony Dwyer, Michael Scott, Richard Gerber, Mark Slosberg, Steve Fisher, Doug Heller, David Lemieux, Joe Schwab, Tom Wood, Bob Simmons, Thom Pallazola, John Ellis



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Published 2021-09-16

Enter Keith Godchaux

75 min
Open

Enter Keith Godchaux

The Deadcast opens its 4th season with one of the most unlikely but totally true stories in Grateful Dead history: how Keith & Donna Jean Godchaux approached Jerry Garcia at a bar and announced that Keith was the Dead’s new keyboardist, going deep into Godchaux family history.


GUESTS: Brian Godchaux, Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, Greg Anton, Sandy Rothman

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Published 2021-08-05

Garcia

72 min
Open

The Deadcast takes a special season-closing look at Jerry Garcia’s classic eponymous debut with co-producer Bob Matthews and friends, recorded during the summer of 1971 by Garcia and a small crew of close collaborators including Bill Kreutzmann and Robert Hunter.


GUESTS: Bob Matthews, Steve Silberman, Joe Jupille

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Published 2021-07-22

Playing Dead, Part 2

119 min
Open

Playing Dead, Part 2


A truly all-star Deadcast examines the infinite approaches to playing Dead music, from traditional to radical, with a massive span of musicians who’ve played it, from jazz arrangers to indie rock heroes, from actual Dead members to Japanese cover bands.


GUESTS: Bob Weir, Oteil Burbridge, Joe Russo, Peter Shapiro, Stephen Malkmus, Ira Kaplan, Steven Bernstein, Jeff Mattson, David Gans, Holly Bowling, Dave Harrington, Shu-Hey Iwasa, Jake Rabinbach, Rebecca Adams, Gary Lambert, David Lemieux

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Published 2021-07-08

Playing Dead, Part 1

75 min
Open

The Deadcast examines how the Grateful Dead became a genre and school of music unto themselves, tracing the history of Dead covers to New Jersey in 1969, Calcutta in 1975, & beyond, featuring special appearances by Phish’s Trey Anastasio & Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan.


Guests: Trey Anastasio, Ira Kaplan, Henry Kaiser, John Zias, Sanjay Mishra, Rebecca Adams, Jeff Mattson, David Gans, Gary Lambert, Dennis McNally

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The Deadcast finishes its all-star “Skull & Roses” dive with cosmic diplomat Alan Trist, Courtenay Pollack’s new tie-dye speakers, a surprise trip abroad, the closing of the Fillmore West, studio parties, explorations of the album’s legendary art & infamous original name, & more.


GUESTS: Alan Trist, Bob Matthews, Rosie McGee, Rick Turner, Courtenay Pollack, Stephen Barncard, Allan Arkush, David Lemieux, Nicholas G. Meriwether, Michael Parrish

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We celebrate the 80th birthday of the late Robert Hunter, the Grateful Dead’s primary lyricist, exploring his extraordinary partnership with Jerry Garcia and work with other collaborators, as well his poetry, fiction, and solo career.


GUESTS: Raymond Foye, Greg Anton, Jim Lauderdale, Alex Allan, Nicholas Meriwether

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Published 2021-06-13

BONUS: Over There: The Dead In England

61 min
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BONUS: Over There: The Dead in England


The Grateful Dead only visited England a half-dozen times in 30 years, but the quintessential American band’s relationship ran deeper than it might seem, filled with unexpected connections & fans as devoted as any Dead Heads back home, including lyric scholar Alex Allan.


GUESTS: Alex Allan, Richard King, Rich Lee, John Mulvey

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Published 2021-06-10

Skull & Roses 50: Fillmore East Late Show

44 min
Open

Skull & Roses 50: Fillmore East Late Show


The Deadcast sticks around the Fillmore East for even more backstage stories with stage crew member Allan Arkush, including movie nights with Jerry Garcia and the guitarist’s brief stint doing Hollywood sound effects. 


Guests: Allan Arkush, Candace Brightman, Robert Cooperman, Blair Jackson

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Published 2021-05-27

Skull & Roses 50: Side D

74 min
Open

The Deadcast trucks into Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, where the Grateful Dead recorded the bulk of Skull & Roses in April 1971, featuring stage crew member Allan Arkush, tour manager Sam Cutler, & a deep dive into “Wharf Rat” with Darkside’s Dave Harrington.


GUESTS: Allan Arkush, Sam Cutler, Dave Harrington, Robert Cooperman, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert

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Published 2021-05-13

Skull & Roses 50: Side C

84 min
Open

Skull & Roses 50: Side C


After special guest Judy Collins joins us to untangle the surprising origins of the Dead’s most-performed song, “Me & My Uncle,” the Deadcast wades into the oversold 3-night April 1971 Dance Marathon that became part of “Skull & Roses,” guided by tour manager Sam Cutler and friends.


GUESTS: Judy Collins, Sam Cutler, Candace Brightman, Sally Mann Romano, Rick Turner, Gary Lambert, Blair Jackson


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Published 2021-04-29

Skull & Roses 50: Side B

74 min
Open

Skull & Roses 50: Side B


Our celebration of the Skull & Roses 50th anniversary reissue continues as we explore the “spaceship in construction” of the Grateful Dead in 1971 with Rosie McGee, luthier Rick Turner (maker of Jerry Garcia’s Peanut guitar), tie-dye pioneer Courtenay Pollack, & rare audio.


GUESTS: Rosie McGee, Rick Turner, Courtenay Pollack, Bob Matthews, David Crosby, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert

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Published 2021-04-15

Skull & Roses 50: Side A

95 min
Open

Skull & Roses 50: Side A


We begin our 50th anniversary celebration of 1971’s live album Skull & Roses with co-producer Bob Matthews, lighting director Candace Brightman, tour manager Sam Cutler, David Crosby, & David Freiberg, plus lost sessions, a 6-night false start, dream telepathy, song origins & more.


GUESTS: Bob Matthews, Candace Brightman, David Crosby, David Frieberg, David Nelson, Sam Cutler, Stanley Krippner, Stephen Barncard, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert, Blair Jackson

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Hug the Heat, or the Story of the First Dead Tape

We wish you a merry Pranks Day with a surprise Deadcast about the first known live Grateful Dead tape, from 1966, and reveal what happens when you try to shut down an Acid Test, featuring Merry Pranksters Ken Babbs and Denise Kaufman, with additional storytelling by Jerry Garcia.


GUESTS: Ken Babbs, Denise Kaufman

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Published 2020-12-10

American Beauty 50, Episode 10: Truckin’

92 min
Open

The Deadcast season finale wraps up American Beauty and looks at the iconic Truckin’, the autobiographical album-closing road anthem, unpacking the band’s history from its verses, lost lyrics, and never-heard original ending.


Bob Weir, Stephen Barncard, Mickey Hart, Howard Wales, Steve Silberman, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert

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Published 2020-12-05

BONUS: The Nedcast

94 min
Open

A surprising and wide-ranging conversation with Ned Lagin, the pioneering jazz-trained electronic composer whose friendship with the Grateful Dead began when the band crowded into his M.I.T. dorm room to jam and would encompass contributions to American Beauty and Wake of the Flood, nearly 20 onstage appearances with the band between 1970 and 1975, and Lagin’s own Seastones project, released by Jerry Garcia’s Round Records, featuring contributions by Garcia, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, David Crosby, Grace Slick, and more.

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Two episodes in one: we meditate on the harmony tracks and metaphysical overtones of the hymn-like Attics Of My Life, before David Crosby and Steve Silberman return for extended look at how the American Beauty sessions flowed into Croz’s masterpiece, If I Could Only Remember My Name, where Jerry Garcia and the Dead served as supporting musicians and friends.


Bob Weir, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Barncard, Ira Kaplan, Steve Silberman, Erik Davis, William Tyler, Brian Kehew, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert



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Jumping off from “Till the Morning Comes” and the outtake “To Lay Me Down” we hear from Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay on falling in love with (and to) the Dead, Bob Weir on the secret to recording Phil Lesh, Stephen Malkmus with a psychedelic book recommendation, and time travel to Winterland in October 1970.


Bob Weir, Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay, Stephen Barncard, Stephen Malkmus, Billy Strings, Nick Paumgarten, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert

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We examine how the Grateful Dead classic “Brokedown Palace” forms a hidden but powerful song suite with “Ripple,” the preceding song on American Beauty, with guests Bob Weir, pianist Howard Wales, longtime Dead publisher Alan Trist, historian Nicholas Meriwether, and musicologist Mike Hamad, plus a search for Pigpen’s cat.


Bob Weir, Howard Wales, Alan Trist, Nicholas Meriwether, Mike Hamad, Nick Paumgarten, David Lemeiux, Gary Lambert



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On a very special bonus episode, we check in with Mickey Hart about his latest drones and hear high tales of Grateful Dead madness, from frying bacon onstage to using firearms as percussion, plus stories about his handcrafted instrument, the Beam, and a look into the Barn, his recording “crucible” in Novato and one of the great and oft-forgotten studios of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

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Published 2020-11-12

American Beauty 50, Episode 6: Ripple

62 min
Open

We examine Ripple, the timeless cosmic hymn leading off Side B of American Beauty, written during what Robert Hunter called a peak experience, and take a close look at the Dead’s very own softball team, with guests Bob Weir, David Grisman, Ned Lagin, and many more, including Ripple chorale performer Sam Cutler.


Bob Weir, David Grisman, Sam Cutler, Alan Trist, Stephen Barncard, Ned Lagin, Stephen Malkmus, Steve Silberman, Nicholas Meriwether, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert, Jake Cohen


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Published 2020-10-29

American Beauty 50, Episode 4: Operator

62 min
Open

To celebrate “Operator,” the fourth song on American Beauty and the first Grateful Dead song written solely by Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, we examine his life and offer an extremely rare look into the Pigpen archives, a collection of journals, letters, and more inherited by an old family friend.


Bob Weir, Jim Sullivan, Brain Kehew, Michael Parrish, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert



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We are honored to welcome the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir (!!!) for a deep look at his signature song, “Sugar Magnolia,” and the making of the Dead’s landmark American Beauty in 1970, plus surprising memories of the song from Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus and Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan.


Bob Weir, Rhoney Stanley, Stephen Malkmus, Ira Kaplan, David Lemeiux, Gary Lambert

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Published 2020-10-15

BONUS: Dead Behind / Dead Ahead

76 min
Open

BONUS: Dead Behind / Dead Ahead


In the fall of 1980, the Grateful Dead celebrated their 15th anniversary with a series of 25 special shows in San Francisco, New Orleans, and Manhattan, playing acoustic sets for the first time in a decade, along with two electric sets each night. The shows would yield the live double-albums Reckoning and Dead Set, as well as a Halloween simulcast that became the concert film Dead Ahead. We went behind this massive undertaking for a special bonus episode of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast.

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American Beauty 50, Episode 2: Friend of the Devil

The Grateful Dead’s most-covered song, “Friend of the Devil,” also uncovers the secret history of American Beauty, including a never-heard demo reel for the album and totally scrapped session tapes newly released as The Angel’s Share, with guests David Grisman, David Nelson, Stephan Barncard, and more.


David Grisman, David Nelson, Stephen Barncard, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert, Brian Kehew, Mike Johnson

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Published 2020-10-01

American Beauty 50, Episode 1: Box of Rain

78 min
Open

To celebrate the 50th anniversary remaster of the Grateful Dead’s American Beauty, we begin our track-by-track exploration of the band’s bittersweet 1970 masterpiece, powerfully embodied by opening track “Box of Rain,” featuring archival audio, and guests including co-producer Stephen Barncard and Freaks and Geeks creator Paul Feig.


Stephen Barncard, David Nelson, Paul Feig, Sam Cutler, Steve Silberman, Rebecca Adams, Nick Paumgarten, Gary Lambert, David Lemieux, Andrew Peerless



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DESCRIPTION: In our packed season finale, we explore how “Casey Jones” combined folk traditions and became an underground hit too risque for pop radio, hear a break down of the multi-track, discuss the infamous sniff and other Workingman’s Dead’s finishing touches with co-producer Bob Matthews, figure out the location and date of the cover photo, and more.


GUESTS: Bob Matthews, Brian Kehew, Billy Strings, Bob Egan, Gary Lambert, David Lemieux, Michael Parrish

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Published 2020-08-20

Workingman's Dead 50, Episode 7: Easy Wind

41 min
Open

DESCRIPTION: We explore how “Easy Wind” was the only song on Workingman’s Dead sung by Pigpen and the first Dead tune solely written by lyricist Robert Hunter, featuring rarely heard radio promo spots recorded by Hunter.


GUESTS: Bob Matthews, Rhoney Stanley, Eric Schwartz, Gary Lambert, David Lemieux, Mike Johnson, Brian Kehew

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DESCRIPTION: With special guests Graham Nash and Rhoney Stanley, our dive into the Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead examines how a mishap with an estimated $50,000 worth of LSD led to both the writing of “Black Peter,” perhaps the Grateful Dead’s most somber song, and turned Jerry Garcia into a Crosby, Stills and Nash fan.


GUESTS: Rhoney Stanley, Graham Nash, Bob Matthews, Gary Lambert, Shaugn O’Donnell, Buzz Poole

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Published 2020-08-07

BONUS! Jerry Garcia: American Folkie

42 min
Open

DESCRIPTION: A very Jerry bonus episode explores Jerry Garcia’s early ‘60s years in the Palo Alto folk scene and his progression from guitar strummer to banjo picker during a prodigious half-decade before going electric with the Grateful Dead, including interviews with David Nelson and Bob Matthews, both one-time members of Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions.


GUESTS: David Nelson, Bob Matthews, Nicholas Meriwether, Dennis McNally

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DESCRIPTION: We flip sides on the Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead and explore why “Cumberland Blues” is a much stranger song than it might seem, chart the transformation into the so-called Bakersfield Dead, and--in an extended interview--hear how new tour manager Sam Cutler helped the band turn themselves into a real-life workingman’s Dead during one of the most tumultuous and pivotal moments in their history.

GUESTS: Sam Cutler, Shaugn O’Donnell, Bob Matthews, David Nelson, Gary Lambert, Mike Johnson

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We explore “New Speedway Boogie,” the last song on Side 1 of the Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead, examining how the song grew from the disastrous 1969 free festival at Altamont headlined by the Rolling Stones, and listen to never-heard session outtakes from “Mason’s Children.” 

GUESTS: Bob Matthews, Sam Cutler, Gary Lambert, David Lemieux, Buzz Poole, Mike Johnson, Brian Kehew


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Our close listen to the Grateful Dead’s remastered Workingman’s Dead 50th anniversary edition continues with “Dire Wolf.” Album co-producer Bob Matthews reveals recording tricks. With David Nelson of the New Riders of the Purple Sage, we get a look inside Jerry Garcia’s living room as he learns how to play pedal steel guitar. We untangle the connections between “Dire Wolf,” the Zodiac Killer, and Sherlock Holmes to figure out the exact date the song was written, examine session outtakes from the Angel’s Share, hear from bluegrass phenom and Dead fan Billy Strings, discuss how “Dire Wolf” is only one of many connections between the Dead and Game of Thrones writer George RR Martin, and debut a "Dire Wolf" supercut.


GUESTS: David Nelson, Bob Matthews, Billy Strings, Jeffrey Alexander, David Lemieux, Gary Lambert, Brian Kehew, Mike Johnson

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Published 2020-07-16

Workingman's Dead 50, Episode 2: High Time

45 min
Open

The Grateful Dead’s masterpiece Workingman’s Dead song by song. For “High Time,” we look behind the purple door of Pacific High Recording with co-producer Bob Matthews and tour manager Sam Cutler, examine session outtakes and tape mysteries with Brian Kehew and Mike Johnson, and explore how “High Time” was a songwriting breakthrough for Jerry Garcia and his new housemate, lyricist Robert Hunter.

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The first of our ongoing surprise BEAR DROPS, exploring the life and legacy of Owsley Stanley, the pioneer underground LSD chemist as well as trailblazing sound engineer for the Grateful Dead. With Bear’s son Starfinder, partner Rhoney, and Hawk Semins of the Owsley Stanley Foundation, we explore Bear’s singular personality, the hi-fi origins of the Dead’s quest for sound, and how Owsley was the inspiration for two of the Dead’s most potent symbols, the skull-and-lightning bolt Steal Your Face logo and the omnipresent dancing bears, seen everywhere and beyond, most lately on Nike’s NikeSB Dunk Low Pro ‘Grateful Dead’ sneakers.

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Join us for deep dig into the rich history of WORKINGMAN’S DEAD with album co-producer Bob Matthews and others, beginning with a close listen to “Uncle John’s Band,” including its surprising roots in jazz history and Macedonian choral music, a further look into the session outtakes, and the story of the real-life Uncle John.

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