I'm not sure how many times I saw the Dead. Plenty, I guess. Sometimes not so good, sometimes earthshattering. Very few bands ever reached their level of responsiveness to the whims of the group mind...if one of them turned left at some odd moment, well, off they'd all go a-galloping.

Everyone hears about the hippies and the drugs, but not enough is mentioned about the songwriting, the musicianship, and their place in American Song. They're an important group and I'm glad I shared a little of their journey.

Hell, once on the side of the stage at Alpine I even shared a little of their--oh, never mind.