What better way to spend your Birthday than to have a chance to meet a Legend. Yup, those were Bill’s thoughts shortly after we met in NJ last week. I hated to cut Bill short on time but we had to keep the line moving. As I stepped to the side, I could see Bill wishing I didn’t have to leave so soon. That’s how it is in the big leagues though, “barely time to wait”.

In all reality, Bill’s book signing in Ridgewood, NJ was a tremendous success. I arrived 40 minutes late and the line was wrapping around the building. After shaking a few hands and kissing a few babies, I grabbed my book and headed for the basement. Apparently, Bill still likes the Marijuana weed because everybody was given a pack of rolling papers with the book. I’m kinda surprised they weren’t Clubs. Back in the day you couldn’t just get a paper from somebody, you had to find a Club. Any Tour Head was well aware of that. No Club, No fattie. Nice promo piece!!!

I no longer smoke the magic broccoli but took the pack as a keepsake and souvenir that my children will most likely find, and destroy, like all the rest of my shit. Since their birth, my home often times looks like one of those places you see on the news from the middle east that’s been hit by a few bombs. My once lovely couch appears as though a farmer hooked it up to a tractor and pulled it through his crops. At times, it seems like someone filled a humidifier with honey and just let it run in my kitchen for a few hours. Hold on… I got sidetracked… Back to Billy…

Bill loves Dead Heads but doesn’t wanna get too close to any of us. I can’t say I blame him, a lot of us are as weird as a jar full of armpits. The signing was set up to make it challenging as possible to get a decent picture with our hero and these signs were everywhere.

I joke around a lot but in all reality, Bill has always been among my top 5 members of the band, all behind Garcia of course. Growing up as a drummer, I spent more time than most watching Bill and Mickey I’d imagine. Bill always seemed to me like he’d just be more accessible than everybody else. The kind of person you wouldn’t feel overwhelmed by during a chance encounter. That was my long held preconception about Bill and it rang true.

For those that have met their favorite musicians and performers, there’s an undeniable spark that emanates from within them. Bill sat at the table glowing like a Fabergé Egg. He wore a Pimp Hat with a feather in it and looked clean and healthy. He didn’t smell like Fritos and Beef Jerky and Schlitz Malt Liquor like some may have imagined. He greeted folks warmly and many were completely Star Struck by his presence. It was a great chance to meet someone we’ve spanned the globe to hear play.

If you ever are under the impression that you’re cooler than anybody else, I’d encourage you to go and meet one of your favorite Rock Stars. Don’t break into their house or anything, just find a meet and greet somewhere. You will instantly realize that you’re just another admirer. You have time for one or two sentences before they toss your ass out so don’t stutter or fuck one of them up. I took the opportunity to wish Bill a Happy Birthday and suggested he read GratefulDean.com. Much to my surprise, his face changed pretty immediately and he said, “We know about Grateful Dean, is that you?” to which I replied, “Only if you like him…” He then said “Thanks for buying the book.” and it was over… For a second, I wished I didn’t write that he looked like an epileptic that just discovered bread sticks at a salad bar when he played during Meet Up at The Movies, the day before. A great moment for both of us I’m sure! Certainly one of us…

How about the book? I can say without any reservations that this has been my favorite of the band member’s memoirs and is impossible to put down. Benjy scored the chance of a lifetime and has done an outstanding job taking the time he spent with Bill and crafting a book that absolutely makes you feel as though you’re kicking back with Bill in his living room. It wouldn’t be complete without an error and I found the first one on page 35(“We seem be a magnet for that kind of thing” is missing the word “to”). I understand how that goes, I edit these posts over and over again hoping to eliminate unintentional errors. Little stuff like that is fly shit in pepper anyway… I’m always happy to see somebody get a big break in life and Benjy certainly got a huge one when Bill chose him as the collaborator on all of this. He rose to the challenge on Deal and has solidified for himself a nice slice of Grateful Dead History in a manner far more official than an asshole like me most likely ever will.

The first quote in the book that awoke in me the sense of wonder I experienced the first time I saw The Dead and cracked open the door for magnifying my interest in the entire experience came early on when Bill said, “We put more money on risky chances than sure bets, every time”. I think many of us either acquired that from our years with The Dead or were absolutely drawn to them because that desire and lure existed within us already and we finally found the accompanying soundtrack to our lives.

The way Billy tells the tale of his life and the manner in which it was captured in print makes for the most intimate feeling of the Dead stories I’ve read. His manner, charisma and nuances can be felt throughout the course of the book and it’s a story that you can’t wait to begin and then hope will never end. The way it’s all told makes you feel as though you and Bill are old friends and that’s the first time I’ve felt that way reading a book about my favorite topic. The serendipitous events, people and happenstance that seem to constantly mark the lives of those that are destined for greatness are all perfectly and humorously accounted for. The battles and trials of life within the Greatest Band in history are conveyed in a way that brings their emotions off of the pages and into your heart. It’s become an instant favorite of mine and I highly encourage all of you to get to it as soon as possible.

Bill, You’ve provided the backbeat and rhythm and so much of the character that is cemented into the foundation of my life experience. Your hands have expressed through drumming the intentions of the source through which all musical creation radiates from, somewhere way out there. Your collective connection with The Dead was so strong that we have all been able to anchor our lives to it for the past 5 decades and in doing so, ultimately experience our own ability to connect in the process. Your continued connection to that source and your ability to surrender to it as a way of life has created a whole new generation of musicians that seek to become invisible and completely yielded to the commands of that same source. To lose one’s own preconceived ideas of what might happen next and instead let go of the sure bets, placing all present and future bets on the long shot, every time. Your accessibility in the past few years has given so many people an opportunity to share a brief moment in your presence. That means much more to many than it could ever mean to you… Thanks for that moment!

Dead To The Core,
Dean Sottile (Pronounced So Tilly)

Get your tickets for Chicago’s biggest party at the 50th Anniversary Acoustic Acid Test!!! No bigger party in the world 4th of July weekend!!!

Tickets!!!

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