For the first installment of our exclusive interview with the Grateful Dead’s Bill Kreutzmann, we discussed current projects including the Hawaii Blue Moon New Year’s Eve Tour, which concludes tonight, Saturday, January 2, at the Akebono Theater on the Big Island . We also got into his own three-piece band, BK3.
This time, Kreutzmann talks about an ongoing collaboration with New Orleans musician Papa Mali and general love of jamming with other players.
We also spoke about the 2009 Dead tour with Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart — which grew out of gigs the group did in support of electing President Barack Obama.
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Tell me about your work with Papa Mali.
It’s completely different than BK3, but just amazing. It’s its own kind of music. Malcolm (Papa Mali) is a real New Orleans guy and he has that feeling. I also wrote a handful of songs for that particular thing.
I saw some video on your web site.
Those are some of the live shows. I’m about to change that and put up some BK3 real soon. I’ve been mixing a mix of shows, and I’m going to put it up for people to listen to.
Earlier this year, of course, you joined Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Warren Haynes and Jeff Chimenti for the Dead tour. The tour grew out of gigs you played for President Obama.
I thought if we went to all the trouble to get together and go out for the president, then why don’t we just get together and do a tour. Everybody seemed to like that idea. And that’s what we did.
Did you get to meet President Obama?
Yeah, we met him the night of the inauguration. We played at Penn State first and earned a lot of money for his campaign. Pennsylvania always used to go Republican, I think. This time, they went Democratic and we think had a little bit to do with that — getting younger people out to vote. It does feel a little strange. For so many years, the Grateful Dead were apolitical and to back this fellow and then I hear him change his tune after he’s been in Washington for awhile. I can kind of feel him morphing toward old politics. I’m heard him say the words “nuclear power,” and I’m hearing him say the words — he’s said this and he’s always been mistaken — “clean-burning coal” and there is no such thing.
Political euphemisms?
Yeah. I read his second book. His biggest concern was that he was going to be manipulated and succumb to this political juggernaut that lives in Washington and become like them. And I’m hearing a little of that and it’s sad. I get into why Garcia never wanted to back any politicians. He really knew inside that they all have to play this game.
Anyway, I did get to meet him. It was a lot of fun and I got to give him a big hug and Michelle a big hug. They’re both from Hawaii. He’s coming back over here for Christmas. Oahu is going to be insane with him over there. I’ll be glad to be on Kauai, not that island.
Are there any plans for more Dead shows in the foreseeable future?
I don’t really know about that one. That one is always the mystery question (laughs). I don’t know, it just depends on how those guys are feeling after their Furthur tour. If they want go back with us, that’d be great. If not, you know, I’m into doing a lot of new stuff.
I’ll be real honest with you. Toward the end of the Dead tour, I was getting kind of bored with the music because it was kind of formulized. That why I work with these other bands now. I can be totally free and I’m encouraged to be that way. The musicians like that.
Malcolm paid me the biggest compliment when we were listening back to the basic tracks. He said, “Guys are gonna think you’re from New Orleans.” Actually I am. My mother was born in New Orleans. And if Mom’s from New Orleans, so are you (laughs). I really get into that music when I hear it and I like to play it.
How would you describe it? Is it Cajun? Jazz?
Yeah, maybe between the Meters and the Neville Brothers. I did this little festival here awhile ago in Yosemite, what they called Las Tortugas. It was a small and really cool thing — about a thousand, maybe 1,200 people. They have all these cabins around and people put up tents, just before the weather gets cold in the Sierras.
Dumpstaphunk was playing Friday night. I got there Friday afternoon and they invited me to sit in for the last four songs. It really went well. I’d never played with those guys before. It was just like I had been there forever. They had a real cool drummer and we sat real close to each other. We sat so close I couldn’t use my left side cymbal, so I started using his (laughs). We had a wonderful time. It just took me back to playing New Orleans music. In a place I like to be.
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For the third installment of our exclusive interview with Bill Kreutzmann, we talk about the Rhythm Devils, work on the first Jerry Garcia solo album, and the perils of Altamont and Woodstock.
Comments
That would be "Dumpstaphunk"!
It kind of funny, but mostly really sad that is Billy K. finally catching on that Obama is just another politico and not the messiah that he and other lefties thought he was. When Garcia was alive he never would have tolerated the 'Dead's' support of Bad Barry. He had more brains than the whole lot of them combined. Remeber, the members of the "Dead" are musicians, and not formally educated men, their critical thinking skills are lacking.
hey mark, I have known bill kreutzmann for years and he is extremey intelligent and well read, as are most members and former members of the grateful dead. to make a blanket statement that "[ they ] are musicians, their critical thinking skills are lacking" is not only an insult to all musicians, but reveals your own lack of experience, knowledge and sadly, thought - critical or otherwise.
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