A Q&A with the Grateful Dead's Archivist & Legacy Manager, David Lemieux:
The Grateful Dead's music is beloved by folks of all ages. Why do you think their songs continue to resonate so strongly and inspire those across generations?
More than any music I've ever heard, Grateful Dead music is authentic, honest, and pure. For those looking for an authentic musical experience with no artifice, the Grateful Dead are the band for them. With literally every live version of every song being performed differently, as the band finds inspiration from different places nightly, the Grateful Dead provide an endless way to explore purity of sound.
The Dead's music has always encouraged creativity, exploration and improvisation. How does that creative spirit continue to guide the band's legacy today?
The Grateful Dead took chances every night they were on stage, creating something unique every time they performed. To this day, whenever Grateful Dead music is created by anyone in any form, it is pushing the envelope of what music can be, and where it can go. Similarly, to those who love the Grateful Dead, they've carried this spirit of adventure and creativity into their own lives, spreading these things throughout the world.
Music often has a way of creating slower, more intentional moments that spark creative thinking. Why do you think that is and are there specific songs, shows or ways of listening to the Dead’s music that you find to be the most inspirational?
Personally, I find Grateful Dead music to be the purest meditative sound. Like many others, I don't listen to the Grateful Dead passively, instead listening closely to every sound each band is making as they work to make a unique whole every time they played. The deepest meditation for me is a long 1969-1973 “Dark Star,” or a 1972-1974 “Playing In The Band,” or 1972 “Other One,” or a 1980s “Scarlet>Fire.” These songs bring me to deep places.
You’ve worked with the Grateful Dead for quite some time and have curated countless “Dave’s Picks” albums. Can you tell us a little more about your creative process when compiling a new collection of recordings?
We start with a blank slate for each new release, usually about a year out from the release date. We look at what years of shows have been released recently, and what years might be due. Once a year is settled upon, we look at what tour to select from (Spring, Summer, Fall, one-off runs, etc.) and then go through our copious notes of what the best four or five shows from that era might be. We then spend months listening to each of the shows until one show stands above the others. As is usually the case, it's often a close call of which show gets selected and which show doesn't, but the great part is that the close second will get a chance to be selected a few years down the line.
The Grateful Dead has built one of the most devoted communities in music history. How do collaborations like the Grateful Dead x Dogfish Head partnership allow that community to continue connecting with the band’s, its music and its legacy in fresh ways?
Dead Heads are a lot like beer afficionados: passionate, knowledgeable, and open-minded. The Grateful Dead collaboration with Dogfish Head could not be a better fit. Sam and his entire team are creative, off-centered thinkers, and the Dogfish Head ethos aligns beautifully with the Grateful Dead's long-standing commitment to, as Bobby Weir once, said, “misfit power.” We're all a little off-centered, and it's a wonderful thing that we found each other, and we're allowed to freak freely together.