The Other Ones Live Chat
Wednesday August 2nd, 9PM ET, 6PM PT
 |
The Other Ones GDForum Interview, August 2nd, 2000.
Just yesterday, The Other Ones started rehearsals for the upcoming Furthur Festival tour, and took some time out to sit down and talk with us. It was a real hoot, having Billy, Bobby, and Mickey in the same room at the same time, dealing with the questions. I'd especially like to thank the kind people of GDP who setup the equipment and helped with the typing. |
||||||
Copyright 2000 GDForum.com and AOL Live. Please do not copy without permission Geoff Gould: Welcome, my name is Geoff Gould, coordinator of the GDForum, and tonight we are pleased to have Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann here, and we're talking about the Furthur Festival, which starts August 23rd in San Diego, and finishes Sept 24th in Atlanta. Welcome guys Mickey Hart: It's good to be alive, as a matter of fact. Bill Kreutzmann: hi, it's good to be here Bob Weir: hi all, hello to everybody in cyberland GG: First, Billy, tell us how it feels to be back playing with these guys again BK: it feels incredible, I love being back BW: He will have to do MH: It's a very powerful experience to be back in the tractor beam with my partner Bill again. BK: hey Mickey did you break Bob's guitar? MH: Sometimes I'd like to, but he plays too good -- and we do need guitar players. Even the smaller animals of the forest think so... BK: we must feed the guitar players BW: it is graphite BK: more drums... GG: ok, Doc Holliday30 wants to know: Question: will the band continue to play the same style of music? BK: no BW: Same as it ever was MH: Yes and no. BK: ha ha MH: You see, we're trying to retool and reset a lot of the music. BK: make it new MH: Sort of reinvent it, in an interesting and passionate way. BW: Same as it ever was MH: Not really copy ourselves. It'll be a hybrid. BK: very hybrid GG: PhriendOTD sez: Question: hey bobby, any chance well here a crazy joke/story this tour? perhaps the yellow dog story??? BK: no, no BW: yes I'll be doing selected jokes from my joke book Question: bob weir- excellent show at Hookahville last spring, how come the change in venues for the tour?? BW: we just could not organize it so we could share the space; too bad it is a nice venue MH: What a shame. We can't eat the mosquitoes at Buckeye Lake this year. GG: here's a good one for the drummers: Question: Will you be bringin' back a Drumz/Space type jam to the new shows? MH: Oh, yeah, you bet. BK: you bet, YES!!!! MH: But it will be new -- but we're gonna go out in the zone, you'd better believe it. Zones are us. BK: the strange remains, zones are us! Question: What is up with Phil? I know that you are sick of this...but please??????? BW: Phil is out doing what he always wanted to do, we are not going to rain on his parade GG: Brotherboldt sez: hello, Mickey, I am reading your Drumming at the Edge of Magic, and I love your comment about being born in any other culture: you would be considered a shaman, and not a rocknroll drummer. How important was shamanism to Jerry, and the others? Any other thoughts? MH: If you mean the connection between music, trance, and healing then it's everything. That's what a shaman does. But you have to start with yourself, before you can give it to anyone else. BW: I ain't going to touch that! MH: But Jerry used to think of us as seat of the pants kinda shamans. And that's the way I think of it. But as we get older, we seem to have a more potent brew. BW: The funk grows hair GG: GratefulDead78 sez: Did you guys do anything special for Jerry's B-day yesterday? BW: We got together and played BK: we played MH: I plant a tree every year, no b.s. BK: I plant a guitar MH: I have a place in the back of my yard where I plant an evergreen, the Jerry Garcia Garden. GG: Eadams441 says: Question: what's the newest tune you're working on? BW: doesn't have a name yet MH: The newest tune is called, "Would You Do It for Love?" written especially for this band. GG: KarmanKris asks: Question: do you ever get tired of playing Dead songs and want to focus on your own music more? BW: half and half MH: Dead music is my music, as well. I can't separate them, really BK: not when you've been away for 5 years MH: Sometimes I play music outside the GD, and some GD songs are my songs. When someone brings a song into the band, we make it our own. So whatever we play is a GD or, in this case, an Other Ones song. BW: It edures its ritual caning GG: Viagra Monster wants to know: Mickey, Are we going to be treated to another "Fire on the mountain?" BK: We did it yesterday MH: Yeah, I would think so. It'll be another incarnation, the snake will shed it's skin again -- GG: Alikinz says: Was Bob nervous at last week's Groove Grass festival in Colorado? (my friend was convinced that's why he had trouble remembering lyrics! I disagreed w/ her but was wondering if he could shed some light on the subject!) BW: It was 8500 feet, I was having a little oxygen difficulty. The good part was I was out of my body for most of that show MH: 7,000 feet does it for me. BK: I prefer 10,000 GG: A real dead head asks: do you know how much you all mean to us MH: You talkin' to me? BK: thank you BW: I don't want to think about that. MH: Do you know how much you mean to us? GG: LaZyLiGhTnInG420 says: Do u guys know of any of the bands that are gonna jump on Furthur besides you and Ziggy? BK: no, don't know any MH: No, that decision is up to certain local promoters. We'll check out their choices, but we don't know yet. BK: but i'll be dancing to Ziggy Question: Billy I'm so stoked to see you back in the fold; I missed the show you did as Phil's Friend. Are you excited about the tour? BK: very excited, exceptionally Question: Hi bobby. have you thought of what tune yer gonna lead the tour off with? BW: It is a little early to be thinking about that... GG: a recurring question: Question: What do you guys think of the band Phish MH: I've heard them on a download -- never heard them live -- BW: Sounds like they have a heck of a lot of fun.. MH: very attractive to my ear. I really like the way they sound. They sound like a good band -- which isn't necessarily easy to get me to say. GG: Not sure how this started, but we always have to ask: What's your favorite ice cream? MH: Sorry, sorry, sorry. Cherry Garcia, of course. BW: beetle nut BK: beatle nut MH: But there's not enough cherries. GG: Spackleguy sez: Question: Bobby -when might we be seeing a RatDog released cd? BW: Pretty quick, it was mastered today...September 26, in all your better and not so good stores GG: here at the GDF for sure BW: Called Evening Moods BK: the worlds ugliest dog BW: We got a dog on the cover that looks like a cross between a Chihuahua and werewolf. BK: is this part of the ugly dog joke? MH: Uglier than the first... never mind. BW: Five times and current reigning world's ugliest dog. BK: where did you find it? BW: Petaluma. The album says what it has to say about itself....I had fun making it GG: Olompali4 asks: Question: How about an Other Ones studio disc..produced by one Daniel Lanois???? BW: Sounds good to me. We got some writing to do first MH: He's a great producer, but we don't know him. I love the idea of a studio album, though. GG: somebody here in the audience must know him BK: I'd like to do a studio album Question: Who are some of the bands you guys enjoy listening to now BW: John Coltane Quartet, Right in the teeth of the monsoon BK: Alice Coltrane MH: I'm going to Thailand in November to record, so I'm -- Billy just told me it's 3 feet deep in rain in November, so maybe I'm going in March. But whenever I'm going, I've been studying up on the music. Gamelan sounding music, big tuned metal percussion ensembles. It's not that far from Bali, I guess... BW: March is a great time BK: journey to Saskatchewan, did you miss me GG: Let's talk about the newest Other One, Alphonso Johnson MH: He's a real bass player, a very good player. BK: very big ears MH: And he makes this band sound very good. It's been a while since I played with someone new that was so much fun... BK: and we make him sound very good. MH: Also, he's Mr. Good Vibes -- a real addition. BK: it is soooooo much fun GG: RagefulDead: Question: WILL MY ALVAREZ REGULATOR SERIES ELECTRIC WITH A GRAPHITE NECK EVER COME EVEN CLOSE TO THE STRING BENDING BOBBY DOES? BW: IT is worth a try.. Question: Mickey's live show at HOB in Chicago was great..will he sing more tunes at Furthur??? MH: Yes, I will. Surprises are in store. I'm glad you liked the Chicago show -- we had major fun on this tour. Question: Bill, what made you come aboard the Other Ones? BK: I missed playing music. Question: Billy, is Justin filming shows for future DVD???? BK: yes!! Question: you guys ain't gonna play all the same songs as 98, is ya? :^) BW: We are going to try and work them all up plus a bunch of other ones MH: This is not the same band, of course, so even the same songs will sound quite different. And in my estimation, even more powerful than the band of '98. GG: Quite a statement MH: Plus new songs will be added. I've just finished one with Hunter, and there's two more in the wings... plus we composed one today in rehearsal. This is, after all, a jam band. BW: Your chances of hearing what you heard in the show last time are pretty slim MH: We just got to play -- that's the well. BW: There is going to be a lot of new stuff falling out of sky on this... Question: Do you guys like traveling together? BK: oh BW: Nothing I would rather do MH: Yeah, I'm fine with it. I like hanging out with the people I'm playing with. BK: I like travel a lot GG: [much laughter] MH: Lying bastard. Question: This is for Mickey and Bill... Do you both feel a stronger connection when playing percussion now that you have had some personal growth time? BK: how do you know we've had personal growth time? BW: (Laughs loudly) Personal some kind of time MH: I'm a better drummer than I was five years ago. And I think we're just taking up where we left off -- and going higher and further. Question: Billy it is Chris Digirolamo from New York; long time no see! How excited are you to do the tour? BK: thanks Chris how's the drumming going? Question: Do you have a date set for your next album release? MH: Which album do you mean? BW: Ummm...which group, other ones or rat dog, or mickey or billy BW: Yes we have a long list of them GG: August 8th is Stolen Roses, cool Vault release is Sept, cool Persuasions CD soon too Question: Are TOO bringing out any GD tunes that where shelved prior to Jerry's death?MH: There weren't any tunes that were offlimits, it was just MH: a question of the limits of what we could cover in the time BW: Nothing is sacro sinc MH: availavble. Luck of the draw. No limits -- hey, we're who we MH: are, after all. BW: leave sacro sinc [note from Geoff: Bobby apparently really dug the creative misspelling of sacrosanct!] GG: BabaJingo1 asks: Question: Hey Bob, my wife wants to know how you like fatherhood? BW: What do you think? MH: Furtherhood or fatherhood? GG: FritzStork: Question: willyou guys be bringing out some of the real old stuff (1969-1972) BW: I expect so MH: You bet. BW: We have only been rehearsing for two days! MH: I think some of the best stuff we did was some of the more experimental stuff that we were doing in the sixties, very rhythmically complex, better to jam with for me than the Workingman's stuff, which is beautiful but simpler. Home territory for me. So yeah, we'll get there...; BK: only been back a couple days; takes a while to get that far back into history GG: Onpapermjw asks: Question: There are alot of rumors about the entire terapin suite being played by The Other Ones. Is that really possible to arrange? BK: we're talking about it BW: We have been tallking about it MH: I like these rumors. Weir, are you spreading these rumors? It's not a bad idea, though. I've always wanted to do the whole thing, including the Flyer -- and at a Siding -- hmm, this is one rumor that might just have good legs. BK: see how it plays... GG: CosmicKC says: Question: 1 or 2 sets? BW: We'll see BK: not telling. GG: One800 I Fly SCI Question: Welcome back Billy!!! Glad to see you back with the boys :-) During the run are you going to have a tent set up in the vending area with any of your underwater documentaries? I was diving in Hawaii two years ago and fell in love with it. Thanks, John BK: I'm diving right now. BW: He is going straight to the bottom of Buckeye Lake BK: no, but you can get them in the Almanac GG: KarmanKris says: Question: what do you guys think about the new generation of bands and fans that the Dead has inspired? BW: Long as they are having fun, I think it is great GG: and now for something completely silly: Question: Do you guys like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? BK: no but I love the survivor show. MH: I've never really seen it, so can't answer. BK: I'm actually getting some people ready for the show. I'm gonna enter about 20 people & split the million Question: THEN WHY NO FURTHER FEST IN OR NEAR INDY!!!!? MH: The whys and wherefores of how shows get booked are really, really complicated -- beats the heck out of us, BW: I do not do the routing, I don't know... MH: but honest, it doesn't mean we hate Indiana. Really. GG: as we close, I'd like to turn it over to the band for shameless plugs BK: play Noble & Cooley drums.. MH: I have a pretty good collection of drums, you may have heard, and I'll be sharing it with anybody who wants to look at the display space in the United Airlines Terminal at San Francisco Airport from 8/1 to February 1st. So if you're traveling through SF in the next six months, stop by the United Terminal and check it out. BW: Please enjoy...Bye folks, don't spend too much time on your computers MH: Our only other plug is a bit of friendly advice. Some serious good music coming from TOO, so see ya. GG: I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight, I'm really looking forward to the tour. We bid you goodnight BK: see you all soon GG: [releases the hounds] |
|||||||
