I've always loved New Orleans music. I always loved it when the Neville Brothers opened up for the Grateful Dead and the Dirty Dozen and all that.
Bill Kreutzmann
My dad loved black singers. So listening to New Orleans music, eventually I wanted to play an instrument.
I just don't see myself as retiring. As long as I'm healthy and can play the drums, that's what I'm going to do because that's the most fun thing that I know how to do.
No matter how nice a hotel is, it's not home.
I've gone through guys who want to lay on their backs and play like they're full of themselves. You know, I don't care about posing. I mean look at me, do I care about posing?
Maybe because I'm a Taurus, I like to watch plants grow.
I didn't play after the Grateful Dead stopped playing. I didn't touch anything for three or four months, and I just got pretty crazy.
In the Woodstock movie, you see Justin, my son, who is now a filmmaker, being carried off by my wife at the time to the helicopter. He's just this little bundle of joy in her arms. And it's 1969.
At first I missed it, but it was the amazing energy thing that happened during shows, when a lot of people were like Yay Yay Yeah! I missed that for a while. But I don't miss the regular and the business side of that whole thing.
I mean, we just started, it's a new thing. We're doing this for fun and we're going to see where it goes.
Oh yeah, it's great see music and to play music in small places. And it's really fun for me to play here because, you know, I played two feet from people all night. And after all those years, it's great to be able to talk to folks.
I made that decision back in 1985. I was out here getting certified in SCUBA with Garcia in Kona and I thought to myself, this is a place to wake up in in the morning.
When Garcia died, and I decided not to play, I came out here.
I love the farm, I love growing stuff.
I saw a drummer play once when I was a kid and I thought, that's really cool. You know, you're moving. You're using your arms and fingers. So I tried it and I loved it.
In the very beginning we were a real tight family but now it's different. You know, toward the end, we had separate limos, stuff like that. It's hard to get six giant egos in the same place.
I mean, when it gets down to it I just wanted to play the drums. The rest of it never meant that much to me.
I am just a guy who plays drums.
I'm really thankful and complimented when people come to me and say, thank you for the great times for all these years. But I don't think about it as being a leader.
I always thought it would be really cool to be playing the drums in the show and then have your astral body or whatever travel all through the audience and dig whatever it's like out there.
I'd rather play here in this small bar and just do a good show. Because it's fun and there's no expectations, it's encouragement to be different, do something new.
Well, to tell you the straight honest truth, it was like a Grateful Dead cover band. I didn't feel - and nothing against the guys - I didn't feel that they were opening up like they should. I'll tell you what, with guitar players, Steven has what I like in guitar players.
I care about being able to play. If you're playing with integrity in the music, then that's what matters. But it wasn't that great for me because it was kinda like going back into the old times without the guy.
It's not the same without Jerry. It never will be.
I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't fun. It's just a whole different thing these days.
Playing music is just one of the best things. I can't retire.
I really like to go for the essence of things - the most beautiful parts of things - of human beings or of music. If there are things in there that are getting in the way and complicating it, it's just not good for me.
When you go on the stage before thousands of people, you can be excited and nervous, but it's not fear.
I went to prep school for one year in Arizona. It was called Orme.
I find inspiration and rhythm in everything. Really I do. And I find inspiration in the really quiet moments.
