[GeetarMonkey]

I can't believe that someone finally said what I've been thinking for 30+ years... basically "I can't believe people like this band".

I saw the Dead in '76 at a "Day on the Green" in the Bay Area, believe it or not they opened for The Who. I'll never forget standing around the front of the stage (waiting for The Who) with a bunch of stoned out hippies who were totally freaking out over every random note The Dead played. I learned a whole new language as every sentence seemed to end in, "Far out, man!" About halfway through the Dead show I stopped listening to the god awful music they were trying to play and watched the real show put on by all their crazed fans. Absolutely hilarious and educational day for me (high school age). It was quite the scene after the Dead decided they were actually done playing. Many of my new hippie friends came over and hugged me before they left. They all told me that now that I saw The Dead that my life would be changed forever and that they'd see me at all the future Dead shows. I just agreed with them and wished them all well... knowing I'd never see one of them ever again. Most of The Dead fans left before The Who played their first note. By the way, The Who w/Keith Moon absolutely rocked! One of the most high energy shows I've ever seen! So, my personal and totally uninformed opinion is that perhaps all those Dead fans knew deep down that the band sucked but it was a social scene on par with the Hanging Man get togethers. I never saw another Dead show, but I'm beginning to like Ripple and a few other songs; however, I think that bands like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band covered the same ground with much better songs and musicianship.

thanks for letting me tell that 30 year-old story....