The Good Ol' Grateful Thread

It's weird that it says he's healthy and it was "a shift in creative direction".

Either he's tired of playing Bobby's slow tempo or Phil wanted in on Cornell (he cancelled his scheduled show for 5/5 at Frost) and Billy and Phil's beef got the best of them.
 
It's weird that it says he's healthy and it was "a shift in creative direction".

Either he's tired of playing Bobby's slow tempo or Phil wanted in on Cornell (he cancelled his scheduled show for 5/5 at Frost) and Billy and Phil's beef got the best of them.
What’s the beef btw Billy and Phil?
 
Apparently there is some contractual stipulation that the core four can’t play together again after FTW in 2015. With rumors of Phil wanting in on Cornell that may be a factor. But I could be way off too.
 
The whole Billy thing reeks. The fact that it's not just a statement from him makes me think they had issues with him being on and off last year. And what's with the letter being signed by "Bobby, Billy, Mickey, and John"? Weird to include the OG members and then John, without the rest of the band.

Part of me thinks Billy is over it all, and has been for a while. The fact that he's brought back Billy and the Kids makes me think he wants to play with some other people. After all, those last Red Rocks shows show that he's fully capable of still swinging hard and fast. Maybe a full, long tour isn't in the cards for him any longer, but weird that it is just for the last tour, and this late in the Spring when they announced it.

I'm not completely sure of the situation between him and Phil, but I remember the McNally book detailing some animosity between Bill and Phil's wife. I've always seen Billy as the guy who doesn't take shit, so maybe there's something there. But it would be weird that they couldn't put things aside for one show at 80+ years old. It wouldn't be that hard to substitute Jay in there for just that show, too.

Anyway, kind of a bummer. I was on the fence about hitting one of the Citi shows, but the fact that they're in the middle of the week and no Billy, I'll probably skip it. A shame to see it end like this regardless.
 
The whole Billy thing reeks. The fact that it's not just a statement from him makes me think they had issues with him being on and off last year. And what's with the letter being signed by "Bobby, Billy, Mickey, and John"? Weird to include the OG members and then John, without the rest of the band.

Part of me thinks Billy is over it all, and has been for a while. The fact that he's brought back Billy and the Kids makes me think he wants to play with some other people. After all, those last Red Rocks shows show that he's fully capable of still swinging hard and fast. Maybe a full, long tour isn't in the cards for him any longer, but weird that it is just for the last tour, and this late in the Spring when they announced it.

I'm not completely sure of the situation between him and Phil, but I remember the McNally book detailing some animosity between Bill and Phil's wife. I've always seen Billy as the guy who doesn't take shit, so maybe there's something there. But it would be weird that they couldn't put things aside for one show at 80+ years old. It wouldn't be that hard to substitute Jay in there for just that show, too.

Anyway, kind of a bummer. I was on the fence about hitting one of the Citi shows, but the fact that they're in the middle of the week and no Billy, I'll probably skip it. A shame to see it end like this regardless.
Yeah, it definitely puts a sour note in the final tour and you are absolutely right on Billy not taking shit from anyone, his book made that absolutely clear. There had to have been something major for such a late announcement and I'm sure it will come out eventually.
 
And what's with the letter being signed by "Bobby, Billy, Mickey, and John"? Weird to include the OG members and then John, without the rest of the band.
I believe the Dead and Company entity is the three of them and Mayer. Oteil and Jeff are sidemen. The original materials for the band used to say something like Dead and Company with Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti.

The whole statement screams of business over band, and I guess that shouldn’t be surprising at this point.
 
Nabbed the Boston boxset from Plaid. Tried to resist, but failed. I don't really neeeeed more live Dead vinyl boxsets, but this run of 77 shows sounds so good. Now I guess I need to find Buffalo and complete the trifecta (already have Cornell). I did resist buying that one. I breifly had some self,control.
 
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