[Canadian Sherpa]

This is a bit of an esoteric topic, but I'm interested to hear what people have to say. I KNOW I'm not the only one out there. The music of both bands has been part of my life for about 15 years (damn I was a precocious 13 year old hock: ), and for me they play a complementary role in the "Soundtrack of my life".

Maybe the first thing that pulled me to both was the improvisation - with the Dead it was the music, and with the Hip (at least in the old days) it was Gord's ramblings and the formation of new songs in the jams of old. There was also the guarantee that you could go to a whole bunch of shows and "never see the same show twice" , and even if they played the exact same songs it would come out completely different- again, not as true with the Hip as it used to be.

The fans have similar tendencies - forming their own language, culture and community - most here know what NOIS is like most Deadheads know what BIODTL or GDTRFB are - and again, going to see multiple shows - often on the same tour.

Heck, even the name of this website clearly (whether intentional or not) has its roots in the venerable "Deadbase" encyclopedia/Bible of Grateful Dead music, tourdates, shows, bootlegs, etc. Back in the day before the internet, this was essential for every Tape collector.

I've always wondered what Gord thinks about the Dead - whether they influenced him at all, and whether their philosophy and legacy as a band has influenced the way the Hip perceive themselves - from what I understand, the Hip could do with being a little more "fan-friendly" these days.

So what y'all say, while I know "We are Everywhere", are we here too?
If anyone has anymore similarities, stories, twists, observations, or just want to be counted - let er rip.

P.S. I don't want any shit about deadheads being "Hippy-Dippy" and that any real HipHead should chug a Keith's and give that Hippy a good stomping. First, if this is your impression of the Hip, then you don't get it at all. Second, if that's your impression of Deadheads, then I'll kick your ass! 8)

[bobnfran]

Fran 84 Dead Shows
Bob 102 Dead Shows

Funny you should bring this topic about when I was just thinking how interesting that this site is "hipbase" of course referencing it to "Deadbase" myself.

For us, after Jerry died, the touring with "The Dead" "Further" "The Other Ones"or whatever they were choosing to call themselves at the time, was just not the same. We needed to move on, find something new that got our blood pumping. We found that in TTH.

The togetherness of the fans...all sharing in the excitement was a huge draw. It reminded me of the feeling I got when we first starting touring with the GD. Yet, it was also totally different. Others hopped on the Phish wagon...our direction went elsewhere.

TTH brings us new musical life, new experience, new connections...that we experience somewhat like we did GD. Let's hit the road for the tour...

BTW, Bob's license plate is DEDHDS and mine is BXOFRN. We have had these a LONG time...and just recently I mentioned to Bob that I was thinking of changing mine to THEHIP. Am I willing to let go that much???

Peace,

Fran :music

[NMAS]

bobnfran- You should try the North Mississippi Allstars- get on there ride at the grass roots level. They are starting to take off in the US. playing with some huge artists, and playing Bonnaroo for the last three years. Amazing energy to there live show's. The Hip were my favorite band since 1988, but the Allstars have taken that spot. The hip are not far behind but my tastes have changed a bit as I've gotten older.
<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nmallstars.com">www.nmallstars.com</a><!-- w --> Shake em on down.

[bobnfran]

Thanks for the info. Will check it out. We have recently been getting into Wide Spread Panic...they have been around for quite some time but we just weren't there. Some good local (Maine/Vermont) music here is Strangefolk.

<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.strangefolk.com">www.strangefolk.com</a><!-- w -->
<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.widespreadpanic.com">www.widespreadpanic.com</a><!-- w -->

[NMAS]

I have Lore- by strangefolk, it is a great CD, if you like Panic and Strangefolk you should like the Allstars, a little more raw. John Bell of Panic has played with the Allstars quite a few times.

[bauer]

I too have been a deadhead for over 15 years now. Indeed a small part of me passed on when our beloved Jerry moved from this world to the next. Growing up in small town Canada it was very tough to see the Dead as often as I would have liked but I tried every year. Everything about the Dead is what brought me to them. The music is the soundtrack of my life and I listen to at least one Dead boot a day. This is followed by a Hip boot. The extened jams is where my heart is, never knowing what is coming next, one song bleeds into another. Along with the music is the way of life, being peaceful and gentle in everything I do is what I strive everyday to achieve and with the Dead leading the way musically it hasen't been that hard of a path to follow. I am not a child of the 60's and only came to the Dead in the 80's but at the same time I came across the Hip. I have been lucky enough to "grow up" with these guys much the same way people grew up with the Dead. Although the Dead are not overly patriotic there is a little something there especially if you are from San Fransico that can't be explained. it is almost as if the Dead really belong to this small group of people and there is some truth to this. That is how I feel about the Hip, I'm not from Kingston but I am from Canada and so are my beloved Hip. So many of the lyrics touch me in ways that can't be put into words. Whenever I hear Althea or Are We Family? I get lumps in my throat. These songs and many others are pure emotion, trips back to when I was a kid or when I first met my wife or when my dad passed on. Words can't explain. The Hip have evolved in much the same way as the Dead. They both started out playing blues covers in small clubs. They have grown a following of loyal fans that will go to any lengths to see or be near these people. They have huge lists of boots, ok so the Dead are miles ahead of everyone but the Hip are up there too. There is tons of collectable stuff, another reason I'm hooked on these bands. I'm a crazy collector anything Dead or Hip. From Deaddie Bears to pipes I got some of it. Anyhoo I'm really carrying on here, What I wanted to say is yes I'm Hiphead and Deadhead and will be until I meet up Jerry, Pig and Brent in my next life.

[thipfan73]

I like some of the dead but don't consider myself a 'deadhead'. I'd think that alot of the Deadheads might have broken off and followed Phish around for a while. It seems like the Dead, Phish and the hip have a similar following, their fans follow them EVERYWHERE. I've always found that VERY cool.

[AndGraceToo]

HUUUUGE Deadfan here..first show was '82. Lost count after that.. :roll:
I just went to the Charlotte and Raleigh shows..it was tons of fun!

[NMAS]

warren Haynes in that picture, cool

[grooveless touque]

Am I the only major Dead fan who could never get into Phish at all? I just don't like their songwriting. I have heard half a dozen live albums - that's albums, perfect quality and all - and I like about a dozen songs all told. There's only a few I like and certainly not all from one album.

I can't claim to be a true Deadhead...I was born in 1984 and moved to North America only 12 years ago, so I missed all the Garcia years by the time I caught on...but I do pride myself on a bootleg collection and a couple of life-affirming live performance experiences!

However, despite my Dead credentials being rather suspect, I am a huge fan of the band and still can't get my head around Phish. I wish I could, but I can't. Anyone else?

[tina]

Although never a Deadhead, I love the vibe they give off as well as the devotion of the people who call themselves Deadheads.
Hiphead I wish I could call myself, when my children are grown and time is a little more lush I wish to be a following hiphead. Each of the people who make up the HIP have peaceful auras and it shows in their music.
cheers,
tina

[bobnfran]

we could never get into PHISH...it just didn't do it for us...

[jkdiamond]

I love the dead, been listening to them since I was 13, because you know its been a huge 8 yrs since then. I havn't had a chance to see them live, i was supposed to go see them in Detroit but school and lack of money got in my way.

Both are great bands and great musicians.... :thumb: :jump

[briansmccabe]

I dated a girl about ten years ago that fancied herself to be a major deadhead, but she was only familiar with 3 or 4 albums of theirs and she had never seen them live. But she sure had the whole tie-dye sporting, pot-smoking thing down to a tee. Anyway, she introduced me to the Dead, and I grew to really like American Beauty, Workingman's Dead and a few other earlier records of theirs. I never dove into them fullsteam as I did with The Hip shortly after that time period though.

We both gave Phish a shot at the same time, but neither of us got into them then at all. I went and bought Hoist because I dug the song "Down With Disease" but the rest of the album was a major disappointment. Again, shortly after my semi-Deadhead girlfriend and I parted ways, I gave Phish another shot. I bought Billy Breathes, and I loved it and still do. I revisited Hoist as well and found it to be better than i had originally thought. The Story Of The Ghost is a spectacular Phish album, and I thought Farmhouse was quite good as well. Their earlier stuff, i.e., pre-Hoist, is a bit too weird for me though.

But of the three bands, GD, TTH and Phish, the only band I really dove into completely was TTH, and that became an obsession.

Gord Downie said in an interview in 1996 that he was reading an article or book about the Dead, and he was struck by something Garcia said; that following The Dead was "Americans' last chance to run off and join the circus." Downie went on to say that he sees the value in traveling, in how getting out on the open road can inspire you to write, or paint, etc. and if anyone did that using The Hip as an excuse to hit the road, he thought that was great.

[Canadian Sherpa]

Thanks for all the comments guys. A few words on what people have said.

Brian McCabe: I also VAGUELY remember that Gord comment about running away to join the circus - do you have a copy of the interview or a link or something.

Grace too and NMAS - of course Warren Haynes is in that picture - that's The Dead 2004. The scary thing is how Bobby has started to look like Jerry!

re Phish: Phish were (wow talking about them in the past tense!) not the Dead, they never wanted to be. They are musical virtuosos and are great together. Their Gamehenge rock-opera which Trey wrote for his college thesis at Goddard College is great. But all in all lyrically, Tom Marshall (phish's lyiricist) is no Robert Hunter (the Dead's). Like Hunter wrote "Believe it if you need it or leave it if you dare".

As far as "the scene" goes, even before the (real) Dead stopped, phish's scene was always a little trashier/grungier. There was tons of E and shit you wouldnt see on Dead tour. These weren't idealist peace and love hippies, but post gen-x lost souls. I love phish's music, I never dug the scene.

After Jerry died, I too went to a Furthur show and just hated it, there was a big black (bearded) cloud hanging over the whole scene and Jerry's loss was tangible. It was only when I saw The Dead (with Robert Hunter at set break) at the Palace in winter 2002 that I felt "it" - the magic, the family, that feeling of togetherness was back. Still, that curiosity, that urgency, that need to be there every single night just isnt there anymore.

Widespread Panic - HERE is where "the scene" went. Great music, laid-back people, fun scene. Too bad they just haven't broken through North of Chicago enough to make it worth their while - I've had some great down South road trips though. I haven't seen them since their guitarist Mike Houser Died a few years ago - we ALL knew he was strung out for years - there were shows where he couldn't get put of his chair. But for anyone who doesn't know these guys I highly recommend their very first album "Space Wrangler". I would love to see these guys do a roadside attraction type show with the Hip.

Which brings us to Gord and the boys. I have literally grown up as the band has done the same. I refuse to diss even one album and I truly believe that each album is alogical progression in their maturation as people and artists and Gords maturation as poet/lyricist.

I had an experience in the summer of 2002 IVL tour. I was hiking the Long Trail in Vermont and dropped off my buddy from overseas at the bus station in Albany before continuing my long drive back up to the T dot. I'd been hiking for three weeks and was completely cut off from civilization. As I pulled in to Buffalo (Labour Day weekend) around 7 pm, I turn on 96.9 and they say that the Hip are playing in Darien Lake tonite and it starts in half an hour. Darien Lake was the next exit.

I pull off and am immediately stuck in the worst traffic (reminiscent of a Rich Stadium Dead show traffic jam - one lane - you know the deal), and I have no American money and no gas. I'm freaking out.

I somehow manage to get to the Darien parking lot and just parked my car as quick as I could - about a kilometer to the box office. No one was milling around. I ran the whole way and I literally got there right as the chick was shutting the window. I must have looked pretty freaky - I had literally stepped out of the wilderness all squint eyed and confused. I asked if there were any tickets for the Tragically Hip, and she just says "Oh yeah, here, you want one?"

I got "miracled" from the box-office lady! I went in. Had my first beer in three weeks and had the best show of my life - all by myself. I must have been giving off some crazy vibe cause people were passing me "stuff" all night. It was one of those nights - I truly think I appreciated my miracle show from nowhere more than anyone else in the whole place that night.

The Hip are my band. Even when I was touring with the Dead, I was always a little too rough around the edges - due to my Hip influence.

I'm only getting back to the continent on October 9 and as far as I see their pretty much gone from the Northeast by then. I hope I get to catch a show...