Grateful Dean Check-In
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I'll be damned, the old boy contacted me--by mail, of course--to see how things were going. He said he was "reaching out to some old acquaintances" during this strange time. The return address was listed as **27 Chokeberry Avenue, Louisiana (no city...he always feared being "traced"). The name was David Milhouse, but he explained in his missive that he just wanted to throw "prying eyes off of my scent."
It comforts me to know that Dean is still doing his thing, though I don't know what it is. Last I heard was that crawdad farming thing, but he mentioned--cryptically--his "latest endeavor." I was talking with some old buddies the other night and one reminded of the time ol' Dean was making those little bracelets at shows and handing them out. During "Bertha" in Greensboro, Jerry was--inexplicably--wearing one and, after the song, he took it off and flipped it into the crowd. Dean winked at me, and later that night, hooked up with a girl named Willow (so she said) who was wearing that very bracelet.
"In the stars, man, in the stars" he said as he disappeared into her camper for the night.
Some of you older-timers will know what I mean when I say...the world needs a whole heaping helping of Grateful Dean about now.
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
Grateful Dean for secretary
Grateful Dean for secretary of the cosmos!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Nice to hear from you as well
Nice to hear from you as well, Chance.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sound and Vision
Guy is into mudbugs? You don
Guy is into mudbugs? You don't say.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Chancellor
Well, he was always a man of
Well, he was always a man of varied interests. He once told me, "if you're only into a few things, you miss a lot of things, man." He was wearing that hat he used to call his "Spaulding Shmales hat," so I didn't take it that seriously at the time, but it's actually pretty wise.
He indicated he is going to call me tomorrow evening from a pay phone.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
>> the world needs a whole
>> the world needs a whole heaping helping of Grateful Dean about now. <<<
So true! Thanks for checking in with the check-in, Chance, and looking forward the next one.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
you should write chance.
you should write chance.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: drkstar
yo Chanc. you still got that
yo Chanc. you still got that killer man cave rockin? I remember years ago some desc and maybe even some photos and it was bad ass
good luck with Dean as well
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved
Hey Chancellor!
Hey Chancellor!
It's been too long...is the kiddo driving yet?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: More Barn
Chance
Chance
I miss hearing of your adventures in adoption , I at times go to an app to play fake poker and there is a player named chance, whenever I see them I think of you
nyced
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Chancellor
I don't have a man cave...we
I don't have a man cave...we live in a tee-ninsey little house and I hardly had space for "myself" before we became parents. Now, as often as not, I'm relegated to sitting on a stump out back to get some peace and quiet. Our son is not driving yet, but he turns six in August and is starting Kindergarten this year (we redshirted him). Nyced, our adventures in adoption were...adventures, but the miracle came. Our wating was rewarded.
Back to Dean. Just got off the phone with him. He was very mumbly and disjointed, but that's just him. Those of you who knew him back in the old days know what I mean. We talked about the current state of the world...he's frustrated that people only just now got hip to wearing masks "out in the world," as he put it. He wore masks for years. I pointed out that it was a different kind of mask, but he just cackled. I asked him about the whole situation with George Floyd and the issues it's brought up. He reminded me of when he and I were speaking with some younger kids, RFK 90', and the subject of race came up. One of them--good-natured, sincere and well-intentioned--said, "I'm color-blind. I don't see color. I only see people." Dean replied, "you're missing a lot, man, you're missing a lot." Amen.
Turns out his latest endeavor has something to do with origami. I asked him if it was profitable and he claimed to be beyond profit these days. I asked him how he paid the bills, and he said he had to go.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
Dean sold his crawfish
Dean sold his crawfish hatchery in 2018 for a pretty penny to a Japanese seafood outfit. It's my understanding they now provide most of Osaka and Nagoya's crawfish supply.
He would be considered pretty well off if he didn't give away his money at such a rapid clip.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Chancellor
Money always just slipped
Money always just slipped through his fingers. He never saw the value in money beyond how it could help others and help him "get his kicks."
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dave
Is this the same "writer" who
Is this the same "writer" who claimed to know that Phil would tour with the others post GD-50?
Who knew about contracts being signed in Port Chester?
Who claimed to "write" the best post GD GD book ever?
Even better then Joel Selvin's book?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
<<if you're only into a few
<<if you're only into a few things, you miss a lot of things, man.>>
A kindred spirit.
Love reading stories about Zoner legends.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Chancellor
Dave, we're talking about the
Dave, we're talking about the real Grateful Dean.
I was speaking with some old (old) friends in a Zoom happy hour the other day and mentioned that I'd spoken to Dean. Once everyone got over their surprise that he's on the grid enough to contact another human, we began reminiscing. That time he was convinced--convinced!--that he could do the Landover run on nothing but the proceeds from selling ribbon. Ribbon.
I remember warning him that it wouldn't work (but I had a pocketful and was happy to support him, so whatever), and he was struggling...struggling. He started a rumor on lot that someone was selling these, like, holy ribbons, blessed by the Llama, and really started pushing it (but not letting on that he had any actual ribbons). I was kind of hip to his plan but didn't fully understand the specifics until he spotted a huge mooch of wooks and hollered, "Thar she blows!" He sold every damn ribbon he had, enjoyed their hospitality for a few hours and came shambling back hours later with a few hundered bucks in his pocket.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dave
> Dave, we're talking about
> Dave, we're talking about the real Grateful Dean.
Uh, paint me confused. There was this person claiming to B Grateful Dean attempting to sell this book outside the Capital Theater in Port Chester who called himself Grateful Dean. Was that a different person, perhaps a fake Grateful Dean? Just wondering. Thx.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dave
This is the Grateful Dean
This is the Grateful Dean that I'm familiar with.
http://gratefuldean.com/the-totally-sold-out-week-in-review/
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
Nah, that is not Dean. The
Nah, that is not Dean. The fact that he uses the Grateful Dean moniker proves he is a dullard of the highest regard.
The real Dean is not on the web and certainly not on the various social channels.
I've read some of Dean's writings (he carries them in an accordion folder) and his primary area of interest is centered on psychological and sociological concepts that are rooted in ancient Eastern traditions and New Age spirituality. He wouldn't be caught dead pecking out trivial nonsense about the Grateful Dead or it's members.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Alan R
Dean used to carry around a
Dean used to carry around a large sack of dimes (for phone calls, I guess). I remember it was a hand stitched Guatemalan lizard skin bag with little gems sown it. it was heavy.
One time on Shakedown before a show, he dropped the bag on the pavement and it split open -- dimes rolled everywhere. Hundreds and hundreds of them.
Watching the lot rats scamper for spare change was like watching a goldfish frenzy in a koi pond at feeding time.
He said he got them all back -- but I was skeptical -- but he did have a way with wooks.
I can attest he was working on engraving Stealies on all sorts of coins -- how he accomplished this in the back of a bouncing van, I'll never understand.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond
Remember the time Dean made
Remember the time Dean made Trump for President lot shirts? I think it was on the second leg of spring '82 tour. We were all like 'wtf man, that's some funny shit'. And Dean, wearing his Gilligan hat, was all like 'no, man you just wait and see'. And of course we were all like 'that Dean, what a kidder'. Now we're all like 'wtf, Dean??? Were you a time traveler?' Anyway he got stuck with those shirt and if I remember correctly he traded them to some Lebanese dude for a falafel cart. Dean was gonna be the falafel king... Dean was always way ahead of his time. Im guessing because he was time traveler.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Alan R
^ I still have one. Got it at
^ I still have one. Got it at Cap Center (1984?) Never wore it. It was funny once. Should burn it, probably.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skyjunk
What's up pops?
go gators!
<chomp<chomp
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: good at drinking water
I miss reading your shit,
I miss reading your shit, Chance.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond
Holy shit Alan that’s the one
Holy shit Alan that’s the one! It was definitely ‘84. Dean was all weird and defending Regan’s re-election & we were all like ‘Dean, Raygun?’ And Dean was all like ‘dudes he was married to Jane Wyman!’ And we were all like ‘who the fuck is Jan Wyland?’
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dave
So there is this fake
So there is this fake Grateful Dean who who makes up bullshit lies.
Then another Grateful Dean who was making Dead Vote Trump shirts around 1984.
If there R any more Grateful Deans running around, I'm not sure I want to hear about it.
YMMV.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: DZ
remember the cia guys selling
remember the cia guys selling stickers in the lot? early 80's
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jonaspond
The thing is Dave that we're
The thing is Dave that we're all Grateful Dean. The wind in the trees whistles Deans song. Remember it this way: whenever you see 'that guy' at a show sing this song to yourself 'Whoever it is I think I see becomes a Grateful Dean to me'.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: New & Improved
>> Dean used to carry around
>> Dean used to carry around a large sack of dimes <<
This is true. Chance and I discussed years ago that Dean's family made a killing in the vending machine industry. I always saw him with rolls of quarters, but not surprised he had some dimes for time to time. He would break out some quarters and say "It all rolls in to one..." with a wink. Dean loved his folks, but wanted no part of their empire.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dave
> The thing is Dave that we
> The thing is Dave that we're all Grateful Dean.
Say it ain't so.
I fully understand that I am imperfect.
We all have room to improve.
That being said, some human behavior is worse then others.
Perhaps it's a matter of degree.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
That's interesting. He
That's interesting. He mentioned that his father got into trouble for tax evasion back in the early 80's, even doing a few months in a federal prison in upstate New York. Now it all makes sense. His old man must have had a basement stuffed to the ceiling with untaxed coins.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Daffodil Jill
miss and love you both,
miss and love you both, Chance and Dean !!
y'all will always hold a li'l piece of my heart ~
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Daffodil Jill
Alan
Alan, love yours!
Dean once gifted me with a nickel where he had somehow crafted a dancing bear out of washinton's profile
I traded it for a ticket to the Q at red rocks in 2001
had that thing forever but we were each pleased with our exchange