"Dead" Guy Grateful to be Breathing Easy

31. If you HATE the Grateful Dead, that is fine, no need to go bashing them. There are many bands out there today I don't enjoy. Call me what you want, old hippie, Deadhead, I'm proud to have seen the Dead 69 times starting in 1979. It really was never the same after Jerry died, but I will tell you this, I have never since had the privilege of hanging with kinder, more generous, appreciative people in all my life since the days of Grateful Dead gatherings have passed.

Posted at 7:29AM on Oct 2nd 2008 by FriendoftheDevil

32. The "Change Rocks" in PA has not been canceled. Bobby was on his way to do a benefit show for
Al Franken when the accident occured. The Dead were not just about music, and if any of your complainers had ever been to a show you'd know that. It's about family!!! Always was and always will be!!! We still are a strong community. Many of us are teachers, doctors, lawyers and even judges...amazing eh!! We're not all wookies and druggies as the media would like you to think, so be care who you make derogatory comments to, cuz ya never know ;-)

Get better Bobby, looking forward to seeing you and the rest of the boys on October 13th!!!

Posted at 9:14AM on Oct 2nd 2008 by Deadhead for Obama

33. all you pathetic hippies living in the past MOVE on.

Posted at 10:14AM on Oct 2nd 2008 by artie help

34. I too am a professional person & have loved the dead my whole life.
Not all of us DeadHeads are druggies>
I will be at the phil & friends show in NY on 11/13.
135 shows & counting....

Posted at 11:09AM on Oct 2nd 2008 by The Wheel

35. You must have a tin ear if your think that Phish is more technically profficent than the Dead. Or more likely you have not put the time in listening to the music. I love Phish and saw about 100 shows between 93 & 2002. Trey, Mike and Fishman are great muscians. They can rock it out, but folks, phish will never tear your heart and make you feel what jerry did. Still there is no need to compare the two, just enjoy them both.

BTW: Bobby's publicist said he had a "wicked cold" and cancelled. He did not break ribs or puncture a lung. the Penn State show is on!

Posted at 12:23PM on Oct 2nd 2008 by No need to compare the Dead and Phish

36. LOL... I had a rib broken and several bruised while playing football in June. I had a severe cough (about 2,000 a day and night!) so I know exactly how he feels.... It hurt!

Ironically I had the same rib broken just 3 weeks ago and without the cough it isn't so bad :)

Keep up the good work TMZ

Jim from Germany

Posted at 6:21PM on Oct 2nd 2008 by Brew24

37. I have to say that both Jerry and Trey tug at my heart strings. Phish getting back together is a great thing. Things have been really mundane in the music world since Phish left. I started seeing the Grateful Dead when I was 13 and it was an experience. I also had an experience seeing Phish. I'll call them experiences because it isn't something that can be explained.

In time there was and plenty...

Posted at 4:08PM on Oct 2nd 2008 by Tim

38. "The Dead, sloppy as a pothead in art class, never possessed the technical proficiency of Phish. While the Dead had more of a grasp on their gumbo of American musical tradition, Phish could blow them off the stage with their technical musical wizardry."

I think that's the point. It's not the number of neat little tricks you've got in your bag, it's what you do with them. That's why I never was a big MMW fan - all technique and no soul. Phish, MMW, the whole jamband lot, owe their existence to the Dead in the first place. The Grateful Dead were the real thing - the rest are just Walmart tie-dye.

Posted at 4:54PM on Oct 2nd 2008 by RUKIDDING??

39. It's Ratdog, not the Dead. Bobby rocks and you know it! Ashes and Glass baby, bring it to NJPAC this November, please!

Posted at 5:01PM on Oct 2nd 2008 by Bright Blue Ball

40. I truly feel sorry for those who lack adequate musical taste to realize that the Dead was one of the most talented musical groups in history. Those of you giving praise to Phish while insulting the Dead should feel like fools. Phish wouldn't be who they are today (or were) if it were not for the band that inspired and had the most influence over them........none other than......THE GRATEFUL DEAD

Posted at 2:22AM on Oct 3rd 2008 by Grateful Girl

41. misspelling "intelligent" is cool...(damn hippies!)

Posted at 9:54PM on Oct 2nd 2008 by bigdumbgod

42. First of all, so glad Bobby is ok. Secondly, it's a GREAT pic of him! If it's recent and he's finally shaved off that horrible beard, thank God! The beard made him look sooooo much older.

Next, as a total deadhead forever and always, I always enjoyed Phish shows (I'm also from Dallas - home of one of the founding members of Phish). They are incredible musicians but it's not a competition! We can agree to disagree on who likes Phish better and who likes the Dead better. Most importantly, we must all remember, without the Grateful Dead, the forum for bands like Phish, Dave Matthews, etc. would never exist.

Rock on....

Posted at 3:57PM on Oct 3rd 2008 by BunnyD

43. I wish Bob Weir well. He and the rest of the Grateful Dead have brought much happiness into my life, as well as the lives of countless others. Phish is also a great band, although more reminiscent of the Mothers of Invention than of the Grateful Dead. I also wish that those who don't share my opinion would be able to express their views without personally bashing musicians from either of these bands. It is easy to criticize, more difficult, much more difficult to create something of value. Save your criticisms for the greedy idiots on Wall Street who are screwing us all into another Great Depression, not for musicians who are trying to make a living honestly and are thereby putting something positive into the universe.

Posted at 10:19AM on Oct 4th 2008 by Jerry Gillespie

44. posters 9 and 14 . Have you ever been to a dead show? Can you name five grateful dead song? Can you Back up all those hateful pejoratives with any sort of criticism or analysis?

Posted at 12:56PM on Oct 6th 2008 by littleflower