In part 2 of our double episode with David Gans, he retraces his steps along the Golden Road  while gaining the trust, respect and friendship of the Grateful Dead, including a shared bachelorhood with Bobby; lessons from “Professor” Phil and illuminating one on one conversations with Jerry.

We even get a deep dive into the differences in the band’s sound in the ‘70s with Keith on the keys and the band being able to “turn on a dime during the single drummer years compared to the ‘80s with Brent driving the synth & Hammond B3 and the more groove oriented double drummer sound.

An intimate peek into a charmed life, this episode is one you’ll come by to more than again and again.

You can learn more about David Gans here:

Web Site: ⁠⁠https://www.dgans.com/⁠⁠

Record Label: ⁠⁠https://perfectible.net/⁠⁠

Music from this episode

Lazy Lightning by GD 7/18/76 Orpheum Theatre, SF, CA (Source 1):

Heaven Help The Fool by GD

Althea by GD 2/14/81 Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, Hartford, CT (Source 1)

Mr Charlie by Brown Eyed Women (Youtube) Thunderbird Music Hall, Pittsburgh, PA

Dark Star by GD 11/11/73 Winterland Arena SF, CA

Stella Blue by GD 10/21/78 Winterland Arena SF, CA (Source 1)

Funky Side by Donna The Buffalo

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Credits:

Brandon Swinehart, Co-Host/Co-Creator, James Donovan Co-Host/Co-Creator, Editing & Sound Design Ford Kjellberg

David Gans is a musician, journalist, and radio host who has (among other activities) spent the last 35+ years documenting the music and culture of the Grateful Dead. This week he was kind enough to join us in our studio for a great conversation. Topics ranged from community & inclusion, to being productive during the time of Covid. David is currently working with Joe Craven (of Garica-Grisman) as “Garcia Songbook Live.” He breaks down his prolific 50+ year history of the music playing the man, playing GD music and much more. David tells stories in own unique way and it was an absolute honor having him on the show…

“The Grateful Dead have inspired me for more than fifty years,” David says, “and by allowing and encouraging me to curate their music in various media, they have subsidized my own creativity – for which I am eternally grateful.”

You can learn more about David Gans here:

Web Site: ⁠https://www.dgans.com/⁠

Record Label: ⁠https://perfectible.net/⁠

Dancin’ in the Streets 10/10/76 Oakland -Alameda County Stadium (Source 1)

⁠David Gans, Joe Craven & Friends - Attics Of My Life 2023-01-22 at The Ivy Room, Albany, CA⁠

⁠Wake the Dead perform a medley starting with St. Stephen⁠

⁠Stu Allen and Mars Hotel | Live from Pacific Fine Food, Alameda CA | Sunday Feb 19, 2023⁠

⁠David Gans 3/30/23 live from Oakland⁠

⁠Dobie Gray - Drift Away (Original Official Video)⁠

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Credits:

Brandon Swinehart, Co-Host/Co-Creator, James Donovan Co-Host/Co-Creator, Editing & Sound Design Ford Kjellberg

What a pleasure it was to rap with Jereemy Hoenig of JGB this week. I think you'll find Jeremy to be incredibly thoughtful, insightful, intelligent, genuine and incredibly talented. In this episode we discuss his growing up in the East Bay (Fremont) Area of California in the '70s & how the influences of time and place shaped both his musical and life path (one and the same). We cover topics as wide as his ethnomusicology education; music creation and production - both in this home studio and on the road with his numerous musical projects; the far locales his musical journey has taken him including his time on the Cook Islands and with the Maori in New Zealand (more on this please!)... He shares his beautiful artful SeaJewelz  & ceramic handmade Earth Drumz; his love of philosophy & of course, his experience holding down the rhythm alongside "The Master of the Universe" Melvin Seals and bandmates JP McLean and John Kalicek in the incomparable JGB

"Welcome to The Gold Zone” - This week I had the great fortune to chat with my friend, The Professor - Jon Gold of Jerry’s Middle Finger. We discussed the origins of the supergroup (JMF) and the deep, genuine connection and camaraderie they share that serves as the foundation for the band and their friendships with each other as well as how that carries over into the greater LA Grateful Dead music scene. We talk about his experience of “getting on the bus - all natch” & the incredible privilege it is to the music of Jerry Garica; the finer points of the LA Dodgers batting order & the Tom Robbins classic, Skinny Legs and All…

Website: https://jerrysmiddlefinger.com/

Tour: https://jerrysmiddlefinger.com/tour

IG: https://www.instagram.com/jerrys_middle_finger/

FB: https://m.facebook.com/JerrysMiddleFingerBand

Live shows on archive:

https://archive.org/details/JerrysMiddleFinger

Jill Simmons is the lead singer of Pittsburgh jam band the CAUSE and all-female Dead Tribute band Browned Eyed Women. This week, we talk about her discovery of the dead, formation of her bands, and other adventures. Check out her bands below and get ready to see her at Skull and Roses this April.

Browneyedwomen.com

https://thecausejams.com/

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Wall of Sound, today we chat with Jason Scheuner, board member of Grateful Guitars Foundation and current owner of Phil Lesh's legendary bass guitar, Mission Control (played from 1974-1979 and with the Wall of Sound in 1974) as well as 3 of Phil's other iconic bass guitars played throughout Phil's tenure with the Grateful Dead. We get a deep dive into the legacy of the late, great Rick Turner and the history behind Turner's Pretzel guitar (also owned by Scheuner); Jason's friendship with Rudson Shurtliff (Ramrod Shurtliff's son); Jerry Garcia's birthday cake and his work with Grateful Guitar's Foundation.

https://www.instagram.com/nocosd/?hl=en

https://gratefulguitars.org/

Jack Shure is a surrealist painter who got his start selling posters on Dead tour. He’s known for his vibrant and surrealist paintings that mix psychedelic culture with fine art. His works often evoke a sense of wonder, magic, and mystery. Jack’s artwork has been featured in galleries and publications around the world. He has also been invited to show his work in several international solo shows. Shure also creates art under the moniker Golden Rule Fine Goods where he creates dead inspired art and apparel including fully embroidered posters, back patches, hats, and posters. 

This week we chat with artist Jack Shure and discuss his introduction to the Grateful Dead scene, the path his art has taken him along, living a life and having a family outside of the "normal" structures of society's expectations and the sweet spot where all those paths intersect.

https://www.instagram.com/golden_rule_goods?igsh=MXhzNDI0ZHR5cTBoaQ==

https://www.instagram.com/jack_shure?igsh=MTA5eXNxcHhpeHZnNQ==

https://www.jackshureart.com

Liz Jezorski and Erin Cadigan of Grateful Dead Tarot join us this week to share the origins of their custom Grateful Dead Tarot cards, as well as their experiences giving live tarot readings on tour.  We also discuss the overlap between tarot archetypes and the archetype of the Grateful Dead fan.  Find out more about the Grateful Dead Tarot below:https://www.gratefuldeadtarot.com/

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Credits:

James Donovan Host/Creator, Editing & Sound Design Ford Kjellberg

Mother, friend and artist, Jenny Shuman is known to many as Beadwork by Jenny, THE bead artist who creates living artifacts through her intricately beautiful works, most notably as guitar straps for many of the finest players in our musical sphere, including Bob Weir, Oteil Burbridge, Duane Betts, Neal Casal, Anders Osobrne and WILLIE NELSON, as well as for some of our favorite musical instruments like Jerry Garcia’s Wolf, Aligator and his acoustic Martin guitar and Phil Lesh’s iconic Mission Control.

In this episode: Jenny Lo Schuman, also known as Beadwork by Jenny, discusses her friendship with Oteil Burbridge and the parallel paths of Native American powwows and Grateful Dead shows. She shares her journey of writing her book, Speaking in Beads - Living Artifacts of Jenny Shuman;  and the spiritual nature of both beadwork and transformational musical experiences. Jenny also talks about the power of listening and vulnerability in her interactions with musicians and the connection between beadwork and music. She also talks about the power of energy and the transformation that occurs when she creates beadwork for clients. 

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Credits:

James Donovan Host/Creator, Editing & Sound Design Ford Kjellberg

Pete Sawyer is a songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and producer based in Santa Cruz, Ca. Sawyer is known for his kinetic songwriting, distinctive electric guitar style and soulful vocals that have been prominently featured in bands Seconds On End, Echo Street, Brightshine and Pete Sawyer and The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang. 

Pete saw his first Grateful Dead show during his senior year of college by catching 3 nights at the Richfield Coliseum in 1991 and his life path was set from then on! He went to as many shows as possible, including having seen Jerry play live over 50 times from ‘91-’95 with the GD and JGB and continued on seeing all of the post-Garcia GD incarnations and solo projects of the GD members. 

In 2003, Pete published his doctoral dissertation entitled “The Ritual Structure and Spiritual Nature of the Grateful Dead Experience” and embarked on the life of a professional musician with a focus of recording and performing his original compositions. 2001-2011 he performed throughout Northern California with his band Seconds On End, a jam band with a focus on strong songwriting and arrangements and following the dissolution of that project, he formed a Reggae/Funk band called Echo Street with former Damien ‘Jr Gong’ Marley guitarist, Jason Bryant. Today Pete can be found playing in his band Brightshine, an improvisational outfit influenced by Dire Straits, Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead. Since 2019 he formed Pete Sawyer and The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang.

Pete Sawyer & The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Collaborators:

Jeremy Hoenig (Phil Lesh, JGB), Scott Guberman (Phil Lesh, Live Dead ‘69), Sunshine Becker (Bob Weir and Phil Lesh’s Further, JGB), Reed Mathis (Billy Kreutzman. Mickey Hart), Ezra Lipp (Phil Lesh, ALO), Mark Karan (Ratdog, Phil Lesh and Friends, The Other Ones), Pete Lavezzoli (Phil Lesh, Oteil and Friends), Nate LaPointe (Cubensis, Bobby Womack), James Nash (Bob Weir, Phil Lesh), John-Paul McLean (JGB, Chuck Prophet), Murph Murphy (Stul Allen, Poor Man’s Whiskey), Eric Levy (Garage Mahal, Night Ranger), Jeanette Ferber (Phil Lesh, Stu Allen), Kara Cavanaugh (Terrapin Flyer, Melvin Seals), Jordan Feinstein (Phil Lesh, Stu Allen), Celso Alberti (Steve Winwood, Airto), Sean Nelson (Phil Lesh, Stu Allen), Danny Eisenberg (Phil Lesh, Ryan Adams), Mark Corsolini (Dark Star Orchestra, JGB)...

Upcoming shows

12/1 Tabard Theatre, San Jose, 8pm

The Gang: Jeremy Hoenig, John-Paul McLean, Zach Jones, Pat Blizenski and Jenifer Freebairn.  Tickets:        

https://tabard.vbotickets.com/event/Pete_Sawyer_and_the_Left_Hand_Monkey_Wrench_Gang/96414

12/31 A Grateful New Years Eve Celebration, Jerry Knights River Theater, Guerneville, 8:30

The Gang: Scott Guberman, Alex Jordan, John-Paul McLean, Sean Nelson, and Jenifer Freebairn

Steve Pile and special guests open the evening with Acoustic Jerry Tunes.    Tickets:

https://LHMWGNYE23.eventbrite.com

1/12/24 Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz

Pete Sawyer & The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang and Brightshine 

The Gang: Eric Levy, Nate LaPointe, Murph Murphy, Anna Elva, and Jenifer Freebairn.

Nate LaPointe (Cubensis, Bobby Womack)

Eric Levy (Garaj Mahal, Night Ranger)

Anna Elva (Mark Karan, Stu Allen)

Murph (Stu Allen, Poor Man's Whiskey)

Jenifer Freebairn (Woodworkers, Aardvark)

Tickets: lhmwgkuumbwa112.eventbrite.com

Outro: Greatest Story Ever Told by GD

Money For Nothing by Dire Straits, YouTube LIve at Knebworth

Dark Star by GD 3/29/90 Nassau Coliseum w/ Branford Marsalis on saxophone

The Days Between by GD 12/11/94 Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, Ca 

Dear Mr Fantasy by GD 7/2/89 Sullivan Stadium, Foxboro, Ma 

Scarlet -> Fire by GD 9/4/91 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Oh 

New Days by Brightshine 

Estimated Prophet by Pete Sawyer & The Left Handed Monkey Wrench Gang @ The Sweetwater

Garage Mahal Live at The Independent in Sf, Ca