We’ve already established that are so many roads to Dead fandom. But with decades’ worth of music and lore to sift through, cultivating a deeper appreciation can be a challenge. This episode looks at the tools we use to dig the Dead, and how context is key to finding your seat on the bus. Ed and Casey examine the band’s online presence from the days of dial-up to our current era of 24/7 access, along with the digital platforms that make it easier to get your Dead on. Here’s a heavy trip: at some point in the not-too-distant future, the people who made this music—and everyone who saw the original band live—will be dust and bones. Is access a valid surrogate for experience? Will Dead culture perpetuate when the legacy is archive-only? Later, Casey gets down with Neal Casal, guitarist for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Circles Around the Sun. A thoughtful and engaging player and thinker, Neal has also collaborated with Cass McCombs’ Skiffle Players, Beachwood Sparks, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir. He shares tips on where to dive in and offers a heartfelt account of his own Dead devotion. Plus a Feed Your Head profile on the biggest Deadhead around: the internet.

Grateful Dead Resources:

Live Music Archive

Relisten

Grateful Dead Archive Online

Headyversion

Grateful Dead Guide

Save Your Face

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