Here's my take on the Furthur scene, for what it's worth

I'd seen quite a few Dead shows in the 90's when it was pretty doggone clear that this was the tail-end of an era. As much as we'd like to, there is no sense in romanticizing those final tours. Jerry was rarely more than physically present. Read Phil's book.

Seeing the Other One's in '98 was a bittersweet epiphany. We had no clue what to expect, and I got my first "Sailor>Saint," "St. Stephen," and it was the first time I'd heard "this is the season of What Now."

Since then, everything splintered. Phish, Widespread, SCI and so on. RatDog kept mutating, as did Phil's projects and the drummers various excursions. For me, that's all any of the guys were doing: projects. Phil's rotating roster of admittedly awesome musicians, Billy's bands, Mickey's experiments, and I always had difficulty viewing RatDog as a "band" per se, more like "Bob Weir & RatDog" or something. But I followed them all; I'll take what I can get, dig. And I loved it all (to varying degrees), but always felt a certain lack of cohesion, both with the bands and with the scenes.

So along comes Furthur......
How wonderful it has been to watch this evolve! Consider: for over a decade, both Phil and Bobby have had to assume the unlikely roles of frontmen. With Furthur, they've been able to step back, share the light, relax and merge into the band. It took a little experimentation; Jimmy doesn't sing, Warren couldn't really commit. But bringing in JK was a stroke of genius! With Chimenti, with Russo, and with Jeff & Sunshine stepping up, Furthur has gelled into a true, full-fledged band, and it shows, it's palpable. New songs?! I mean, this is some truly exciting stuff!!!

There are some unfortunate few in the lots, on the boards (um, not spelled bored, btw) who seem intent on fractionalizing the scene, nitpicking RatDog vs. Phil et al, which seems to me as petty as arguing over what brand of strings they play with. These guys are STILL rocking, at times harder and more passionately than they ever have! Where will I turn when this is done? I'd rather not speculate and, instead, simply be here now!!!

BE HERE NOW!!! Tears in my eyes after reading this..Loving you

Bob K,

I am 42 and started my relationship with this scene in 1987. I struggle to write cohererently and often do not type as fast as my words race through my head (almost never getting my point across). I just wanted to thank you for that post and would like to say that I could not have said it as well, but those are my feelings (and story for that matter) almost exactly.

Keep On Keepin On

The best way to fight negativity is with positivity.

Cynics Be Dammed! Let the lame threads die, ignore them, don't give them the bump.

I think A LOT of people in the USA would benefit from going to a FURTHUR show now.

AND we would all benefit from a little UNITY in this fractured world.

Thanks for this Thread!!!

Now this is what i've been looking for

I really like the spirit here today. One world, one family. : )

So I guess the point is that there is something that compels us to come together under the banner of Deadheads. How long have folks been trying to articulate it? To me it is that sense of "like-mindedness" that tends to be denied for fear of sounding elitist. But, truly, some folks just don't get it. My mom sure as hell doesn't, none of my co-workers do. "Elitism" is exclusionary; we, on the other hand, are doing our best to exercise compassion.

It's that "like-mindedness" that keeps me coming back to these forums. Not the titties, not the squabbling; there's a whole world (wide web) for me to find that crap. Here, I can find family who know where I'm coming from (usually). I can speak "shorthand" and be understood. As much as I love Rush, for example, Ram Dass quotes are gonna be lost on 'em, and I ain't gonna be able to get away with grokking or smudge sticks or chakra references on a Radiohead board without having to define and explain it all, at least not with the freedom I have with you all. We have a wonderful, magical, truly unique community, and I am boundlessly grateful that I was drawn to it.

a lot of good boarders on this thread, thanks

Thanks for the thread. We have so much in common to foucs on..music touches us in a profound way, deep.

Phil said, way before Furthur that he and Bobby had some unfinished business in terms of the conversation between them..he was talking about maybe having just a trio at the time..and what they now had to say, as band leaders to add to that back n forth.

Bobby said the same thing recently in an interview. you could always hear that taking place within each GD song most of the time, like a ragtime band. It was tough in the 90's, leaning foward to hear Jerry's part and hearing the others step foward to fill the gap and the same could be said of The Dead, very hot and cold. but with Furthur it's taking place again, big time. you can hear Jeff and John go back n forth, Phil and Jeff, Bob and Phil, etc.

At the rehearsals you could see the strong, genuine connection between Phil and Bobby and it was touching to witness as they worked out tunes, talking in between songs, working out cues within songs with a ton of care and they are having a blast. Their bond, our bond is a pretty special thing to listen to and live. Unity is inspiring.

I am so glad to see all this unfolding right before my eyes. I didn't get to see Jerry in this life but I feel as though I have. All the things we are talking about (Ram Das, Leary, Krishna) and how we all just stumbled upon it...been here forever but is now just recycling. All of us are here now. Leary said that the P.C. was the LSD of the 90's and I believe that. Here is a place we can all unite