GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST

Episode: Bobby 75

Date: October 27, 2022

Episode Overview

In this very special episode of the Deadcast, hosts Rich Mahan and Jesse Jarnow celebrate Bob Weir’s 75th birthday—not by taking the usual retrospective route, but by focusing on what Weir is up to now, how he’s evolving musically, and the ambitious projects he’s driving forward. The episode delves into Weir’s recent efforts with the Wolf Bros, his explorations merging Grateful Dead material with orchestral collaboration, and reflections on his singular style and musical philosophy from bandmates, peers, and arrangers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bob Weir at 75—Restless Creativity and New Frontiers

• The episode spotlights how Weir is more engaged and innovative than ever, describing a period of tremendous activity that includes live albums, orchestral concerts, and expanded bands (Wolf Bros featuring the Wolf Pack).
• The hosts emphasize that Weir’s nature is evolutionary: "The Dead continue to change each and every time they stepped onto a stage… it was never in question that Bobby Weir would continue that mission, continuing to change every single year and then change some more.” (04:16)

2. Melding Dead Music with Orchestral Ambition

• Bobby Weir’s ongoing collaboration with symphony orchestras is explored in detail, with discussions of both his personal history (dating back to a 1970 gig with the Buffalo Philharmonic) and recent large-scale projects like performing with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in 2022.
• Don Was (bassist, producer, and Wolf Bros co-founder) reflects:

  "He never, when he was 20, could have imagined that he'd be 75 and playing these things with the National Symphony Orchestra and that it would work, that the songs would have the gravitas to endure for decades and to be treated in such a different fashion and still resonate." (06:58)

3. Weir’s Musical Journey: A New Sense of Possibility

• Weir’s path from early days in the Warlocks learning bandleading cues, to the creation of Ace, to various solo and collaborative projects is traced—highlighting his gradual embrace of orchestral colors, ambitious songwriting, and new band formats.
• Notable moments include:
  • Working with horn and string sections on Ace (1972) (12:19)
  • Collaborations with Kingfish, RatDog, and Bobby and the Midnights, illustrating his growing musical family and curiosity.

4. A Unique Guitar Voice: The Enigma of Bob Weir

• Extended discussion focuses on Weir’s style, called totally original by Jerry Garcia:

  "He's an extraordinarily original player in a world full of people who sound like each other… I don't know anybody else that plays the guitar the way he does, with the kind of approach that he has to it. And that in itself is, I think, really a score, considering how derivative almost all electric guitar playing is." (34:00)

• Don Was compares playing with Weir to being in a conversation with Noam Chomsky at a party—full of mind-blowing insights and surprises. (32:34)

5. Wolf Bros: Open Space, Freedom, and Improvisation

• The development of Wolf Bros (Weir, Don Was, Jay Lane, with rotating guests) is chronicled, emphasizing their intent to create intimate, conversational music with lots of freedom and minimal constraints.
• Don Was describes the musical approach:

  "Every time you play the song, I can be sure that Jay's going to change the bass drum beat. He's going to play what he's feeling that night… That's why we kind of just—as a band—we ease into songs." (24:02)

• Barry Sless (pedal steel) and Jeff Chimenti (keys) speak to the collaborative, adaptive nature of the music, and how their roles shift to support Weir’s vision.

6. Complexity and Spontaneity: Tackling Weir’s Songbook

• The band reflects on the unique harmonic and rhythmic challenges of Weir’s songs (like “Saint of Circumstance,” “Lost Sailor,” “Victim or the Crime”), with Don Was noting initial frustration and eventual deep appreciation:

  "When I was trying to break the code of Saint of Circumstance, I was actually mad. Like, why did he have to put all this in it? But once you learn it … it's genius, man." (51:49)

• The musicians comment on the unpredictable, ever-changing arrangements and how Weir continues to surprise, both as a soloist and rhythm guitarist.

7. Orchestral Collaborations and the Fusion of Genres

• The episode explores the ambitious fusion of orchestral music and Grateful Dead tradition, featuring detailed interviews with arranger/composer Giancarlo Aquilanti.
• Aquilanti (62:03–81:34) shares how, as a classical musician unfamiliar with the Dead, he discovered the depth and potential within their music for orchestration and improvisation, and how they are devising methods to integrate improvisation into symphony performances—e.g., planting improvisers within the orchestra, using "ringers" in orchestral sections, and composing with open frameworks.

  "Improvisation was a crucial aspect in classical music … it's a way to get ideas. We are trying to bring that back in with the orchestra." (65:55)

8. Legacy, Disruption, and the Long Game

• Throughout, Weir’s motivation to ensure the music’s ongoing evolution and relevance is stressed:

  "He's looking to change music with this...to keep the music alive, to keep it fresh and alive, and doing it with orchestras is one way." —Don Was (90:38)

• The orchestrations are conceived not only as an homage but as a way to extend the music’s life, with a view to how it will be received centuries from now:

  "What are people going to think about it or going to be saying about it in two or 300 years?" —Bob Weir (94:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jerry Garcia on Bob Weir (34:00–35:55):

  “There are ideas that Weir has that I would never have had. And in fact, maybe only he has. And that's like his unique value, which is he's an extraordinarily original player … I don’t know anybody else that plays the guitar the way he does...”

• Don Was on Playing with Weir (32:34):

  “Bobby is the Noam Chomsky of the guitar. He’s that guy at the party who will blow your mind and say, ‘Whoa.’ It opens up so many new possibilities for playing if you just listen to them.”

• Bobby Weir on Orchestral Aspirations (46:37):

  “I’ve developed sort of a slow hand approach to guitar playing. And you know, I like to hang notes and let them take, let them change color and stuff like that and just watch as they, as they change color.”

• Giancarlo Aquilanti on Orchestration (81:34):

  “With all the respect for any person knowing the music of the Grateful Dead, I really was not just listening and saying, ‘Oh, this is a beautiful song.’ I really had to go inside the music… Like the analysis you would do of a Mozart symphony.”

• Don Was on Legacy (90:38):

  “He’s looking to change music with this … to keep the music alive, to keep it fresh and alive, and doing it with orchestras is one way of doing it.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [04:16]: Setting the scene—focus on present and future of Weir’s work
• [06:49]: Weir’s orchestral ambitions and the road to the National Symphony Orchestra
• [12:19]: Weir’s Ace album and early use of orchestration
• [20:37]: The serendipitous formation of Dead & Company and the Wolf Bros, with John Mayer
• [24:02]: Wolf Bros’ jam philosophy ("Beginner’s Mind," improvisation, jazz comparison)
• [34:00]: Jerry Garcia analyzes Weir’s utterly original guitar approach
• [41:54]: Jeff Chimenti on rejoining and discovering Weir’s new musical vocabulary
• [46:37]: Barry Sless and Bobby Weir discuss pedal steel role and guitar interplay
• [51:49]: Don Was (and others) break down the intricacies—and eventual ease—of Weir’s challenging songs
• [56:06]: Special guests, including Tyler Childers, Brittany Spencer, and Ron Carter, join for the Ace 50th
• [62:03]: Giancarlo Aquilanti shares his first impressions and discoveries transcribing Dead songs for orchestra
• [68:46]: The challenge of improvisation in a classical/orchestral context
• [75:09]: Integrating the Wolf Pack in orchestral projects and rehearsing for improvisation
• [81:34]: Aquilanti on the detailed process of arranging Dead songs for orchestra; the historical context
• [90:38]: Don Was and Bobby Weir reflect on legacy and changing the musical landscape

Flow, Tone, and Language

The episode organically moves from band member recollections and musical nerd-outs to philosophical discussions about legacy and change, always retaining humor, deep appreciation, and curiosity. The speakers’ tones are warm, insightful, and often wry, alternating between fond reminiscence and bold expressions of ongoing ambition. Bandmates and collaborators repeatedly emphasize Weir’s drive for innovation, openness to experimentation, and unique musical mind.

Conclusion

“Bobby 75” is much more than a tribute to a legendary musician’s longevity. It’s a look at how, even at 75, Bob Weir is a restless innovator—actively redefining his music, fostering new ways for Dead songs to be experienced and understood, and working to ensure the music’s vibrancy for generations to come. Through interviews, musical excerpts, and the voices of his closest collaborators, listeners are treated to an exploration of creativity, reinvention, and the enduring magic woven through Weir’s ongoing journey.

For further listening:
Ace 50th, Live in Colorado Volumes 1 & 2, and upcoming Dead & Company and orchestral projects, all available through the Dead’s official sites.

“We’re not real concerned about what people are saying about the next bunch of gigs. … What are people going to think about it … in two or 300 years?” — Bob Weir (94:04)