So the kids, they dance, they shake their bones / And the politicians throwing stones / Singing, "Ashes, ashes all fall down" (ashes, ashes all fall down)
I have a fun Bob Weir story…not anything to do with him as a member of The Grateful Dead but as a person.
I worked as hostess in a restaurant The Avenue Grill in Mill Valley, CA in the mid 80’s. Bob Weir was a frequent customer at The Grill. One night we had closed the restaurant but Bob and some of his friends stayed on. We opened up some nice bottles of wine and there were some nice ”party drugs” that got our little private party going. Bob had a mix tape (a CD really) of the best ‘dance music’ compilation I had ever heard. We put the CD on the restaurant’s stereo and danced the night away. At 2 AM we moved the party up to Bob’s house in the hills of Mill Valley.
He had the most amazing music collection of vinyl and CD’s. And even though I was very “high” that night, I still remember it vividly. RIP Bobby Weir.
RIP Bob, thanks, for over 50 years in my own life. First saw the Dead 8/15/71 (Berkeley Community Theater), I recognized Jerry, Phil and Bill via their photos on David Crosby's album If I Could Only Remember My Name, and had seen Pigpen's photo somewhere, but i was wondering who that other guy was, who looked so mainstream from the front, and then he turned around to, what else, mess with his amp, :-) and noticed a ponytail half way down his back. A hard core Zen trickster was he. And some of the band's most adventurous tunes were his contributions. I'll come back with a list soon.
For the moment, 9/12/81 was a GREAT show, my second Dead show at the Greek (the previous night was the first), and this show is CONSENSUS GREAT.
"Master of inversions" INDEED. I learned so much for him about how to use inversions to create rhythm lines which are practically leads, good for playing contrapuntal lines with Jerry's leads and Phil's bass runs.
I must have known this, but forgot, Barlow was born just 13 days before Weir, both were born within 4 weeks of my birth.
The Guitarist & Songwriter John Mayer was a member of Dead and Company and was a good friend of Bob Weir. He played at the three night 60th Anniversary concert of the Grateful Dead with Weir last August in San Francisco. Which turned out to be Weir’s last public concert appearance. This is a “three degrees of separation” story having to do with John Mayer. I met John Mayer on the streets of La Jolla, CA in the summer of 2024. I was walking down the street and I saw this tall man standing with two attractive women in front of the La Valencia Hotel. They were waiting for the valet to bring them their car.
He looked so familiar and I asked him…”Are you who I think you are”? The man replied
“who do you think I am”. I said “John Mayer”, he said yes. We had a nice conversation. I told him I had seen him at a small club in Mission Beach in San Diego right after his first album “Room for Squares” came out in 2001. Nora Jones was on the bill with him that night as well. He remembered the venue and playing there. He was a congenial and friendly guy.
If you wanna know what he did, here’s a list of what i consider his most impactful tunes, a common theme of opposition to conformity and the status quo runs right through it. Recordings can be found ia searching for “Grateful Dead” and “date,” be sure to use American dating system, month/day/year. Some of the best renditions.
The Other One, written before his 20th birthday. both music and lyrics. 7/7/89 (video)
I have a fun Bob Weir story…not anything to do with him as a member of The Grateful Dead but as a person.
I worked as hostess in a restaurant The Avenue Grill in Mill Valley, CA in the mid 80’s. Bob Weir was a frequent customer at The Grill. One night we had closed the restaurant but Bob and some of his friends stayed on. We opened up some nice bottles of wine and there were some nice ”party drugs” that got our little private party going. Bob had a mix tape (a CD really) of the best ‘dance music’ compilation I had ever heard. We put the CD on the restaurant’s stereo and danced the night away. At 2 AM we moved the party up to Bob’s house in the hills of Mill Valley.
He had the most amazing music collection of vinyl and CD’s. And even though I was very “high” that night, I still remember it vividly. RIP Bobby Weir.
Yeah...fantastic. You got to do that! If you want to tell the story into your iPhone voice recorder and send it, I'll include it in my tribute show.
Even better than a story about him as a band member. This is a *personal* encounter with another human being, as such. Thank you!
Thanks so much for this, Eric!!
RIP Bob, thanks, for over 50 years in my own life. First saw the Dead 8/15/71 (Berkeley Community Theater), I recognized Jerry, Phil and Bill via their photos on David Crosby's album If I Could Only Remember My Name, and had seen Pigpen's photo somewhere, but i was wondering who that other guy was, who looked so mainstream from the front, and then he turned around to, what else, mess with his amp, :-) and noticed a ponytail half way down his back. A hard core Zen trickster was he. And some of the band's most adventurous tunes were his contributions. I'll come back with a list soon.
For the moment, 9/12/81 was a GREAT show, my second Dead show at the Greek (the previous night was the first), and this show is CONSENSUS GREAT.
"Master of inversions" INDEED. I learned so much for him about how to use inversions to create rhythm lines which are practically leads, good for playing contrapuntal lines with Jerry's leads and Phil's bass runs.
I must have known this, but forgot, Barlow was born just 13 days before Weir, both were born within 4 weeks of my birth.
Love your story as well.
The Guitarist & Songwriter John Mayer was a member of Dead and Company and was a good friend of Bob Weir. He played at the three night 60th Anniversary concert of the Grateful Dead with Weir last August in San Francisco. Which turned out to be Weir’s last public concert appearance. This is a “three degrees of separation” story having to do with John Mayer. I met John Mayer on the streets of La Jolla, CA in the summer of 2024. I was walking down the street and I saw this tall man standing with two attractive women in front of the La Valencia Hotel. They were waiting for the valet to bring them their car.
He looked so familiar and I asked him…”Are you who I think you are”? The man replied
“who do you think I am”. I said “John Mayer”, he said yes. We had a nice conversation. I told him I had seen him at a small club in Mission Beach in San Diego right after his first album “Room for Squares” came out in 2001. Nora Jones was on the bill with him that night as well. He remembered the venue and playing there. He was a congenial and friendly guy.
...and another one bites the dust.
There are lot of famous Pluto in Leos...
A sad day. Rest well.
How weird, just yesterday I came across this one and had no idea about this collaboration with Edie Brickell. How weird...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rmXIpoBw4s
Some other important versions of tunes which i overlooked at first.
The Other One (3/1/69, 8/19/89, last Dead show at the Greek)
Playing in the Band (4/17/83, 5/14/83, 9/12/85)
Jack Straw (8/19/89 again)
Cassidy (2/25/90)
Estimated Prophet (9/12/81!)
Throwing Stones (5/15/83, 3/29/90)
If you wanna know what he did, here’s a list of what i consider his most impactful tunes, a common theme of opposition to conformity and the status quo runs right through it. Recordings can be found ia searching for “Grateful Dead” and “date,” be sure to use American dating system, month/day/year. Some of the best renditions.
The Other One, written before his 20th birthday. both music and lyrics. 7/7/89 (video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPVfTHZt0nk&list=RDVPVfTHZt0nk&start_radio=1
Playing in the Band (5/21/74,12/30/90, 5/26/93)
Jack Straw (recommend 6/30/84, 12/28/88,8/19/89)
Cassidy (this is NOT 6/16/90. i can tell from how he and Jerry look, also check out 5/15/83,10/21/83)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIdxdvOUqMs
Let It Grow (5/13/83, 10/16/89, his 42nd birthday!)
Estimated Prophet (8/20/83, 3/29/90, with Branford Marsalis guesting, and 12/27/90)
Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance (9/11/81, 6/15/85)
Feel Like a Stranger (5/3/87, 10/9/89)
Throwing Stones (12/17/92, 4/17/83, 10/9/89)
Brother Esau ((4/20/83, 4/27/85)
Victim or the Crime (10/8/89, 12/28/90, 9/16/94)
Picasso Moon (10/16/89, again)