The Grateful Dead Roundtable: 2016
Buzz Poole, Rita Houston, Kara Manning & Pete Shapiro at WFUV
My Deadhead guests for this discussion of FUV Essentials artist The Grateful Dead are concert promoter, club owner, and Relix publisher Pete Shapiro, the man who spearheaded the 2015 concerts, “Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead,” in Chicago. Also, author Buzz Poole, who wrote the book Workingman’s Dead, part of the 33 1/3 series, and my WFUV cohort, Kara Manning.
It’s been over 20 years since the passing of Jerry Garcia, but the mystique and draw of The Grateful Dead hasn’t disappeared at all. In fact, the band is having a real resurgence, thanks to the “Fare Thee Well” farewell concerts and the 2016 Dead and Company tour.
Pete talks about his longtime love of The Grateful Dead and his determination to reunite the surviving core members for one final weekend. And Buzz reflects on Workingman’s Dead, the 1970 album that really vaulted the Grateful Dead into the American mainstream, transforming the bluesy, psychedelic San Francisco group into one of the best and most beloved American rock bands.
We’ll talk about Trey Anastasio and John Mayer’s hard work stepping into Jerry’s shoes over the last couple of years and the legacy and currency of the Dead too. We’ll also celebrate Deadheads—those dedicated fans who make every Dead concert a tie-dyed, trippy and unforgettable experience.
We’ll have that—and much more—on this Grateful Dead roundtable edition of FUV Live.
[recorded: 7/14/16]
