Yes and no

Salt Lake 95 was an awesome set of shows!!!

If I wasnt treading gently I would have said that Jerry loved the drugs more than the music

there is little doubt to me that a lot of time that the grateful dead was a giant lumbering exhausting monster...If anything The Grateful Dead held The Grateful Dead back . Every one as with us all has his or her demons to contend with then add the big giant monster riding on their back . They are lucky they didnt break many years earlier . If it weren't for the snippets of joy and moments of "blinding brilliance" it would have hardly been worth it
What they needed in my modest opinion is more breaks and less exhausting touring . More time to chill out and do other stuff . The shows i went to in 95 had some amazing moments from all members of the band , but damn if they didnt just seem fatigued half the time ....Still God bless em for giving it their all .

I dont think anyone held things back
by yhe late 89's the dead had become an iconic thing with many peoples lives depending on things to carry on

the pressure combined with all the other problems all combined to bring about the end

It was everyones fault, and no ones fault
it doesn't matter.
I'm just grateful for the music that I got to see and hear

You're looking at this all wrong brother.

Why don't you think about what Jerry did to push the scene forward instead? There's much more to talk about in that regard anyway.

2 sides to the coin wokingman

Actually it wasn't Vince that held the Grateful Dead back, it was Brent's Death. Thus came a decline in the energy and quality of the music. Jerry was just a part of it and became lethargic because of it. I believe he said it was like the band had lost one of their legs.

I think there is a point where drugs become more important than the music.

"The Mans" music, playing, and contribution to the greatful dead has meant so much to me that I would have no interest looking at the last years of his life from this perspective. I think he gave all he had to give ! I could not ask anyone of anymore.

That being said, I am amazed at the progress John (in my humble subjective opinion) has made in the last year. I feel that Bob and Phil have nurtured him along and are now developing a monster of an artist. I reflect and realize now, how very importantant Phil and Bob were to Jerry's mastery. They were the canvas, frame and broad stokes which enabled him to apply the detail. Without any one of the big three, I don't believe we would have had anything close to the masterpiece that we call the Grateful Dead.

This music has been woven into the fabric of my soul since the moment I heard it. No time to speculate, I'm gonna go for it for sure.

You never would have heard "Them" without Jerry. Without Jerry, there wouldn't be a Furthur. This post has to be someone who never saw Jerry and is deluding themselves into thinking they are seeing prime Dead. Wrong!!!!

hahahahahahaha what a joke oh Juggy what have you done now....

I agree with everything everyone has said in this thread.