Deadheads: Stories from Fellow Artists, Friends & Followers of the Grateful Dead by Linda Kelly

by Linda Kelly

Unique photographs, personal recollections, and backstage stories mark a collection of memories from fans and friends of the Grateful Dead, including the eccentric and sometimes fascinating anecdotes and philosophies of band followers. Original.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Memoir, History

Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Linda Kelly experienced her first concert when she was 15 -- the Sex Pistols' very last show at the notorious Winterland -- and has been a great lover of music ever since.

She majored in journalism at San Francisco State University and has been a writer/editor for the likes of Spin Magazine, Mix Magazine, Quokka Sports, Lucasfilm, Astrology.com/NBC Universal, and even penned lyrics for the Spin Doctors. After seven years in New York City, she now lives back in her native Bay Area in the Haight-Ashbury district -- just blocks away from the Grateful Dead's home in the '60s -- where she's busy collecting more experiences and stories to share.

Through sweet synchronicity, she had the divine, beautiful, weird, hilarious pleasure of hanging and grooving and dancing and laughing with Jerry and Bobby and a few of their colorful cohorts for a good spell in New York and California. The time spent being in that wildly unique mix of fine folks is the fodder and inspiration for this book -- and for which she is infinitely grateful.

As Bob Dylan once told her while on tour in 1989, "You gotta do something!"

BACK COVER TEXT:
Just what was it about the Grateful Dead that made them rock and roll’s most beloved band? In Deadheads, those with the read story, who were there and are still listening the music explain it all.

Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow talks about his lifelong friendship with Dead guitarist Bob Weir. Cajun chef Rick Begneaud shares his memories of feeding the Dead, John Popper of Blues Traveler recalls playing with the Dead at Bill Graham’s memorial tribute, while publicist Dennis McNally shares some wild adventures of working with the band for more than thirty years. Author Linda Kelly recalls being dragged to her very first Dead show, hanging with Jerry in New York City, and more.

First-show revelations, backstage adventure, parking lot hoopla, how-to-live-life philosophies, strange tangential experiences stemming from being tin that certain place at that certain time — these intriguing anecdotes evoke wonderful images, lots of smiles, and a close look into a fascinating phenomenon in the history of music.

This twentieth-anniversary edition of Deadheads celebrates fifty years of music and includes the best stories from the original 1995 edition, two new chapters, as well as new interviews with various friends, artists, and following of the Grateful Dead.

Reviews

[John Bastin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of memories and stories from the family of friends and acquaintances, fans of the Grateful Dead known as “Deadheads.” It’s a large collection and by the end I was ready for it to be done, but it was a worthwhile read, and I’m glad I took the trip.

[Haylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this back in my following Phish days and loved it. I love Deaheads. I love stories about them. If Jerry Garcia wouldn't have died when I was 12 I would have definitly followed the Grateful Dead.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I was never able to see the Dead in concert I have loved their music since I was young. This book is an interesting way to connect to those sights and sounds and experiences.

[L.V. Sage · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful collection of memories, stories, adventures, feelings and experiences involving the Grateful Dead, Deadheads and the community that they all share. I was Deadhead for a few years in the mid-1980s and had some of the very best times of my life at the fifty-two shows I attended in Southern and Northern California. This collection brought back so many memories and feelings of those more often than not carefree days. Linda Kelly contributes a few of her own insights and memories and leaves the recollections of the many people she collected stories from largely alone. If you were there you just know-"we are everywhere". We liked to say that back then and we were-and still are-a tribe and family that have a connection through shows, memories of being on the road, of the parking lots and late night meals in diners and first and foremost the music. I highly recommend this book to those that were there or those that want to know what it was like.

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like the concept of this book, a bunch of Deadheads of various ages, backgrounds and occupations telling their tour stories and about their formative experienced with the band, but I think the execution left a little to be desired. While I loved reading thoughts from guys like Timothy Leary, David Gans and others in the Dead's direct orbit, there were far too may repeats of essentially the same stories squeezed in under the different headings. And, hoo boy, I can't believe how much Heads used to love Blues Traveler in the mid-90s.

[☮ morgan ☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Everybody has anxiety to different degrees, but what flipped the switch for me was the music. The music got me."

I really enjoyed reading all of these first-hand experiences of the Grateful Dead. It really painted a picture of the scene and the happiness it brought.

[Dkolacinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Except for listening to the GD music, their ain't nothin' like Deadheads!

[Jim Patton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just the same 10-15 people telling stories. Not that interesting

[Monzer Kotob · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 2.5. Interesting bits but mostly boring.

[Violet Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting. A side of dead history you don't get from the books that just follow the band.

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadheads: Stories From Fellow Artists, Friends, and Followers of the Grateful Dead by Linda Kelly (Carol Publishing Corp. 1995)(780.92). This is a remarkable collection of memories and stories about life around the Grateful Dead by the artists, cooks, drivers, Deadheads, and others who knew the band best. My rating: 7/10, finished 1996.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necessary for any Deadhead!