I’ll admit, the Grateful Dead is a bit of a musical blindspot for me. In high school I confused them with Phish (my bad), wrote them off as a jam band and never looked back. But I’m dating a bit of a “Deadhead” — aka a passionate Grateful Dead fan — who is friends with more even diehard fans (all in our 30s, for the record). So I’m giving them another shot with the help of NPR Music’s new series, The Ripple Effect:The Grateful Dead's Long, Strange Trip Might Keep Going Forever.
In the first episode, hosts Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Felix Contreras (certified Dead Heads) and Robin Hilton (open-minded Dead Skeptic) take a mythbusting approach to some of the most common complaints about the polarizing band:
“Aren’t they bad musicians?”
“Don't the music and lyrics meander too much?”
“Don’t you need to be high to like them?”
“Can Jerry Garcia… even sing?
Don’t come for us, Deadheads. In fact, Isabella and Felix offer a counter perspective: one of tentpole principles of the Dead is to let go, enjoy and perhaps even relish in the imperfections of the band. As one of my aforementioned friends, Max, told me:
“You don’t listen to the Dead for precision.”
And another pal, Dan:
“Their duration and abundance is apt for filling time in an era of decision fatigue. Like a podcast.”
Hey, I know about those 👀. The passion Felix and Isabella feel about The Grateful Dead is contagious — I was tearing up at the first episode and running to YouTube to play something called Alpine Valley Wisconsin 7/17/89. Aaand, it’s also a good reminder to give your friends’ faves a second chance.
✌️What a long, strange trip it's been,
Em
P.S. Our pals at NPR Music have a newsletter you can check out here and you can listen to the rest of The Ripple Effect on the NPR App here!
The week’s best episodes
…to share with your go-to concert buddy
🌎 Property rights and sand heists Planet Money Summer School is back and taking a year abroad, exploring the economic stories from countries around the world. This episode focuses on the island countries of the Caribbean andPlanet Money’s Robert Smith investigates folks skirt formal land rights in Barbuda and a mysterious "sand heist" in Jamaica.
🤝 Can AI help folks with a criminal record get a job?
This probably won’t shock you, but research shows that people are less likely to commit crime when they have housing and a stable job, but employers are often wary of hiring people with a criminal record — even for an entry-level job. Consider Thisexamines how AI might be able to help with this.
😅 Who’s the sweatiest of them all?
I love when Pop Culture Happy Hour graces us with a low-stakes movie debate. This time each host brings their pick for the sweatiest movie of all time. In film, heat can convey sexual tension, sweltering oppression, or frenetic energy. PCHH hosts defend their picks and explain how heat plays a pivotal role.
🥞 Anthony Bourdain really hated brunch
Seeing the new Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony this weekend? Prep for your screening with this Fresh Air conversion with the one and only Anthony Bourdain… on why he hated brunch so much. Get access to this episode (and sponsor-free listening) by signing up for NPR+.
One to Watch
Fuzz! Bonk! Gulp! Author Mary Roach sure knows how to title a book (and write about the curiosities of the human body.) Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me’s Emma Choi challenges her to come up with some onomatopoeic, monosyllabic titles on the spot!
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