Too many pigs on the teat

refreshing.

True and well done.

Agreed

I think Billy should write a song under that title. Sounds like just the sort of thing you'd sing into the can.

I have seen Billy eight times now and noticed that in the last year, he had stopped playing Dead songs.  Now I know not to call out for them lest I chap his ass.

Still loved the "Running on Empty" at the St. Augustine run.  Had that song stuck in my head for days.

FREE BIRD!

What's up , Slacker? Hope you are prospering and living well.

Respect.

Pigs (Three Different Ones)

DSO

JRAD

DEAD & CO.

Love Billy Strings.

I get it and respect it...and that must be frustrating for fans to be screaming Althea instead of one of his own tunes.

However, it's a bummer b/c Billy's bluegrass take on a GD song is so refreshing. Covering a GD song here and there just adds so much to a show.

I don't see at all how he would be milking Grateful Dead music...he has his own catalog and his own original sound/band/approach...everything.

> Pigs (Three Different Ones)

Does JRAD really belong on that list? Sure, they play GD songs, but in really fresh new ways. Maybe swap them out and add Grateful Shred.

I wish Billy would do kinda what Jackie Greene does. Greene does his own songs (and some covers) & mixes in GD songs here and there (Loser, New Speedway, Jack Straw, Sugaree...)

He wants to follow his own path, kind of like the group we admire decided to do years ago.  He gets it. 

Or, maybe backstage Bobby held a picture of Billy's family to Billy and said,  "Nice family, Billy. I swear if you play one more of my songs, dude......"

^joe lol Phil fans are always eager to take shots at Weir, but that's a silly take which I'm sure is tongue in cheek. Sounds more like a Jill move (JUST KIDDING PHIL/APPOLOGIES JILL )^

Good for Billy. While his GD covers imo are the best out there these days, I still prefer his own songs and deep track bluegrass covers to GD taking space on the set list. He just signed to a bigger label, Warner I think, and seems to be focused on a long-term career path with his own music that's diverting from strictly jamband circles - and that's great. I understand the annoyance factor completely but I do hope he gets over fans shouting out songs at him, it's only because his renditions are so fine. 

Does JRAD really belong on that list? Sure, they play GD songs, but in really fresh new ways. Maybe swap them out and add Grateful Shred.

imo, JRAD is technically on the teat, but i do view them differently because they didnt really set out to be a touring GD cover band - those guys were doing their own thing, making original music and improvising together already, got convinced to do a one off GD set, and purely based on word of mouth and the strength of their playing, it grew into a touring band, because it obviously filled a niche that wasnt being filled.

JRAD feels more like a group of guys who want to improvise and play rip-roarin', mind melting rock and roll, and they use GD songs as an excuse to get huge audiences who want to hear them do that.

playing songs in a new or fresh way doesnt preclude you from being on the cover band teat, but its hard for me to lump JRAD in with the rest of them. in alot of ways it feels like they were more or less goaded into covering GD music and now are just riding the dragon of a musical conversation that in alot of ways needs those songs to keep going in the way it has been.

If there's no original members

then it's all titty, friends

billy strings for president 

Dise, lol, yes, totally tongue and cheek.

>>>billy springs for president.

That would be fun.

C                                                             G                   Em                     A7            D7             G    

Playin' y'all some Dead might shake an ass or sell a seat, but there's too many pigs on the teat (on the teat*) {*three-part harmony}

There's the hook.  The rest is up to Billy

The rest is up to chatGPT

(Verse 1) In the land of nostalgia, where the music's alive, A scene has emerged, taking us for a ride. Grateful Dead cover bands, oh, they're quite a treat, But lately, it seems there's too many on the beat.

(Pre-Chorus) They strum the old melodies, try to capture the sound, But something's lost in translation, the essence can't be found. They're milking the legacy, it's become a game, Profiting off the Dead, but it's not quite the same.

(Chorus) Playin' y'all some Dead might shake an ass or sell a seat, But there's too many pigs on the teat. They mimic the magic, but it's just a facade, The spirit of the Dead, they cannot applaud.

(Verse 2) Once upon a time, the Grateful Dead roamed, A band of rebels, making music that shone. Their spirit and improvisation knew no bounds, But now, imitation spreads like wildfire in towns.

(Pre-Chorus) These cover bands replicate, note for note, But the heart and soul are what truly float. They can mimic the tunes, capture the melody, But the spirit of the Dead, it's harder to see.

(Chorus) Playin' y'all some Dead might shake an ass or sell a seat, But there's too many pigs on the teat. They mimic the magic, but it's just a facade, The spirit of the Dead, they cannot applaud.

(Bridge) Now, don't get me wrong, homage can be sincere, But the commercialization, it's spreading like fear. The Deadheads yearn for something authentic and true, Not just another imitation, trying to cash in too.

(Verse 3) The Grateful Dead were pioneers, breaking new ground, A cosmic journey, where music could be found. But now, the scene's crowded, diluted and weak, Too many pigs on the teat, it's truth we seek.

(Pre-Chorus) So let's remember the Dead, their spirit alive, Their music still resonates, helps our spirits thrive. We'll cherish the memories, the songs that they wrote, For there's only one Grateful Dead, let's never forget that note.

(Chorus) Playin' y'all some Dead might shake an ass or sell a seat, But there's too many pigs on the teat. They mimic the magic, but it's just a facade, The spirit of the Dead, they cannot applaud.

(Outro) Let's honor the legacy, keep the spirit true, Embrace the Grateful Dead, in everything we do. For in their music, the magic's alive and well, But too many pigs on the teat, it's time to break the spell.

I get his point and it's a fair one, but IMO there's nothing wrong with artists covering a GD song, and I've always thought that all big league bands should play a few covers.

A band covering other band's songs is a tribute, a tip of the cap to said band and can also show a band's ability to stretch out. Plus, I think we all agree that most GD songs are damn good and are almost always worthy of being played.

Still, especially in a jam band setting it's perfectly OK for artists to avoid GD songs.

Especially in the '90s when they were always being compared to the GD I've always thought it was wise for Phish in particular, who have always played many covers, to stay away from GD songs despite how well they could play them. All these years later though I do wish they'd delve into the songbook a bit, because again, the songs are great and Phish would do them full justice.

But right now Billy Strings is making a big name for himself in the jam band world, so distancing himself just a bit from the Godfather of all jam bands is probably wise.

He can always revisit the songbook later.

He still does covers but they are coming from a deeper well and some of the dots connect through Jerry, so it's all good imho

There are so many great songs I don't know why anyone needs to cover the Dead at this point that isn't a Dead cover band.  I would be so much happier to see a jammed out Peaceful Easy Feeling into Tusk or any of 10,000 other songs that would interesting to hear as a jam vehicle. If I win the lottery I will be funding the Almost Anything jam band it it will end up being huge. 

Good For Billy... I just hope he doesnt Burn out with his Schedule....

Billy sure has a lot of covers in his bag of tricks:

https://www.setlist.fm/stats/covers/billy-strings-73c3fe21.html

Grateful Dead comes in at no. 10 on the list (no. 9 if you don't include "traditional").

Alex is on the phish memes fb page and apparently this is the new "passing of the torch" craze. lol

dude, needs to take a nap

no Italian suits like clapton 

 it's in the way that you use it...lol

get some rest kid

Listening to Billy doing Gotta Jibboo from 8/3/21 right now.  Phish comes in at no. 41 on the Billy covers stats.

does billy still fish?

he loves to fish

so i've been told

can he still do that?
 

Apparently, GOOSE played Mississippi Half Step at Chicago's Salt Shed last night....and the band was  introduced by comedian Bert Kreischer as well.

finally putting that torch to use i guess

> Grateful Dead comes in at no. 10 on the list (no. 9 if you don't include "traditional").

I'm surprised the internet isn't in an upraor about how many performers suck the traditional teat.