
This Is All a Dream We Dreamed
An Oral History of the Grateful Dead
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About this listen
In This Is All a Dream We Dreamed, two of the most well-respected chroniclers of the Dead, Blair Jackson and David Gans, reveal the band's story through the words of its members, their creative collaborators and peers, and a number of diverse fans, stitching together a multitude of voices into a seamless oral tapestry. Capturing the ebullient spirit at the group's core, Jackson and Gans weave together a musical saga that examines the music and subculture that developed into its own economy, touching fans from all walks of life, from penniless hippies to celebrities, and at least one U.S. vice president.
This definitive book traces the Dead's evolution from its humble beginnings as a folk/bluegrass band playing small venues in Palo Alto to the feral psychedelic warriors and stadium-filling Americana jam band that blazed all the way through to the 90s. Along the way, we hear from many who were touched by the Dead—from David Crosby and Miles Davis, to Ken Kesey, Carolyn "Mountain Girl" Garcia, and a host of Merry Pranksters, to legendary concert promoter Bill Graham, and others.
Throughout their journey the Dead broke (and sometimes rewrote) just about every rule of the music business, defying conventional wisdom and charting their own often unusual course, in the process creating a business model unlike any seen before. Musically, too, they were pioneers, fusing inspired ideas and techniques with intuition and fearlessness to craft an utterly unique and instantly recognizable sound. Their music centered on collective improvisation, spiritual and social democracy, trust, generosity, and fun. They believed that you can make something real, spontaneous, and compelling happen with other musicians if you trust and encourage each other, and jam as if your life depended on it. And when it worked, there was nothing else like it.
Whether you're part of the new generation of Deadheads who are just discovering their music or a devoted fan who has traded Dead tapes for decades, you will want to listen in on the irresistible conversations and anecdotes shared in these pages. You'll hear stories you haven't heard before, possibly from voices that may be unfamiliar to you, and the tales that unfold will shed a whole new light on a long and inspiring musical odyssey.
Includes archival recordings of Grateful Dead band members and fans.
©2015 David Gans and Blair Jackson (P)2015 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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- The Life and Times of Augustus Owsley Stanley III
- By: Robert Greenfield
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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The creator of the dancing bear logo and designer of the Wall of Sound for the Grateful Dead, Augustus Owsley Stanley III, better known by his nickname, Bear, was one of the most iconic figures in the cultural revolution that changed both America and the world during the 1960s. Owsley's high octane rocket fuel enabled Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters to put on the Acid Tests. It also powered much of what happened on stage at Monterey Pop.
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wow
- By Brian Harnois on 10-12-20
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A Long Strange Trip
- The Inside History of the Grateful Dead
- By: Dennis McNally
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 29 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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From 1965 to 1995, the Grateful Dead flourished as one of the most beloved, unusual, and accomplished musical entities to ever grace American culture. The creative synchronicity among Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan exploded out of the early 60s roots and folk scene, providing the soundtrack for the Dionysian revels of the counterculture. Dennis McNally, the band's historian and publicist for more than 20 years, takes listeners back through the Dead's history.
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Amazing story!
- By Michael Knoll on 11-04-18
By: Dennis McNally
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Jerry on Jerry
- The Unpublished Jerry Garcia Interviews
- By: Dennis McNally - editor, Trixie Garcia - foreword
- Narrated by: Jerry Garcia
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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These never-before-published interviews with Jerry Garcia reveal his thoughts on religion, politics, his personal life, and his creative process. Jerry on Jerry provides new insight into the beloved frontman of the Grateful Dead in time for the 50th Anniversary of the band. Released by the Jerry Garcia family and made available to the public for the first time, these are some of the most candid, intimate interviews with Jerry Garcia ever published.
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JG dominates the rap, jack, with much new to give
- By gallegos on 01-27-16
By: Dennis McNally - editor, and others
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Bucky F*cking Dent
- A Novel
- By: David Duchovny
- Narrated by: David Duchovny
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Ted Fullilove, aka Mr. Peanut, is not like other Ivy League grads. He shares an apartment with Goldberg, his beloved battery-operated fish, sleeps on a bed littered with yellow legal pads penned with what he hopes will be the next great American novel, and spends the waning malaise-filled days of the Carter administration at Yankee Stadium, waxing poetic while slinging peanuts to pay the rent.
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David Fucking Duchovny
- By Kelly W. on 05-04-16
By: David Duchovny
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Here Comes the Sun
- The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison
- By: Joshua M. Greene
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Joshua Greene, who studied meditation with the legendary Beatle George Harrison, draws on personal remembrances, recorded conversations, and firsthand accounts to create a moving portrait of Harrison's spiritual life, his profound contribution to the Beatles' music, and previously unpublished anecdotes about his time with music legends Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and others.
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A great read
- By Joshua Deal on 12-14-20
By: Joshua M. Greene
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Fare Thee Well
- The Final Chapter of the Grateful Dead's Long, Strange Trip
- By: Joel Selvin, Pamela Turley
- Narrated by: John Glouchevitch
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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The Grateful Dead rose to greatness under the inspired leadership of guitarist Jerry Garcia, but the band very nearly died along with him. When Garcia passed away suddenly in 1995, the remaining band members experienced full crises of confidence and identity. So long defined by Garcia's vision for the group, the surviving "Core Four", as they came to be called, were reduced to strained relationships, and catastrophic business decisions. It would take 20 years before relationships were mended enough for the Grateful Dead as fans remembered them to once again take the stage.
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A worthy, if imperfect, addition to the story
- By Rick on 06-21-18
By: Joel Selvin, and others
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Cornell '77
- The Music, the Myth, and the Magnificence of the Grateful Dead's Concert at Barton Hall
- By: Peter Conners
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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On May 8, 1977, at Barton Hall, on the Cornell University campus, in front of 8,500 eager fans, the Grateful Dead played a show so significant that the Library of Congress inducted it into the National Recording Registry. The band had just released Terrapin Station and was still finding its feet after an extended hiatus. In 1977, the Grateful Dead reached a musical peak, and their East Coast spring tour featured an exceptional string of performances. Many Deadheads claim that the quality of the live recording of the show made by Betty Cantor-Jackson elevated its importance.
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Great Show to Start Of With
- By Charles A. Prince, Jr on 06-17-21
By: Peter Conners
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Our Fragile Moment
- How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis
- By: Michael E. Mann
- Narrated by: Tim Campbell
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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The conditions that allowed humans to live on this earth are fragile, incredibly so. Climate variability has at times created new niches that humans or their ancestors could potentially exploit, and challenges that at times have spurred innovation. But there’s a relatively narrow envelope of climate variability within which human civilization remains viable. And our survival depends on conditions remaining within that range. In this book, renowned climate scientist Michael Mann will arm listeners with the knowledge necessary to appreciate the gravity of the unfolding climate crisis.
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Outstanding
- By R.C. Olson on 12-30-24
By: Michael E. Mann
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Mother American Night
- My Life in Crazy Times
- By: John Perry Barlow, Robert Greenfield
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Mother American Night is the wild, funny, heartbreaking, and often unbelievable (yet completely true) story of an American icon. Born into a powerful Wyoming political family, John Perry Barlow wrote the lyrics for thirty Grateful Dead songs while also running his family’s cattle ranch. He hung out in Andy Warhol’s Factory, went on a date with the Dalai Lama’s sister, and accidentally shot Bob Weir in the face on the eve of his own wedding. Despite being a freely self-confessed acidhead, he served as Dick Cheney’s campaign manager during Cheney’s first run for Congress.
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Self Righteous Tool!
- By Aztex on 08-27-18
By: John Perry Barlow, and others
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We All Shine On
- John, Yoko, and Me
- By: Elliot Mintz
- Narrated by: Elliot Mintz
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1972, Elliot Mintz installed a red light in his bedroom in Laurel Canyon. When it started flashing, it meant that either John Lennon or Yoko Ono—or sometimes both—were calling him. Which they did almost every day for nearly ten years, engaging Mintz in hours-long late-night phone conversations that all but consumed him for the better part of a decade. In We All Shine On, Mintz—a former radio and television host in Los Angeles—recounts the story of how their unlikely friendship began and where it led him over the years.
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Give it an hour and you will be hooked.
- By Christianna on 11-21-24
By: Elliot Mintz
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So Many Roads
- The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead
- By: David Browne
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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No longer dismissed as relics of the hippie era, a new generation has lionized the Dead for creating a culture that paved the way for social networking, free music swapping, and the uncompromising anticorporate attitude of indie rock. Now, fifty years after the band first began changing rock 'n' roll both sonically and psychically, So Many Roads paints the most vivid portrait yet of the Grateful Dead, one of the most enduring institutions in American music and culture.
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Great first book on the Dead
- By robert on 10-30-15
By: David Browne
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Descent into Darkness
- Pearl Harbor, 1941, A Navy Diver's Memoir
- By: Edward C. Raymer
- Narrated by: Peter Johnson
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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On December 7, 1941, as the great battleships Arizona, Oklahoma, and Utah lie paralyzed and burning in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A crack team of U.S. Navy salvage divers headed by Edward C. Raymer are hurriedly flown to Oahu from the mainland. Their two-part orders are direct and straightforward: (1) rescue as many trapped sailors and Marines as possible, and (2) resurrect what remains of America's once mighty pacific fleet. Descent Into Darkness tells their story.
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A Massive Disappointment
- By Matthew on 10-14-15
By: Edward C. Raymer
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Heads
- A Biography of Psychedelic America
- By: Jesse Jarnow
- Narrated by: Jesse Jarnow
- Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America uncovers a hidden history of the biggest psychedelic distribution and belief system the world has ever known. Through a collection of fast-paced interlocking narratives, it animates the tale of an alternate America and its wide-eyed citizens.
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Disappointed
- By Rick Greene on 05-09-22
By: Jesse Jarnow
What listeners say about This Is All a Dream We Dreamed
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Headhunter
- 01-08-16
Really Good. Gave me a new appreciation for band.
I thought I knew the story but learned a lot. gave me a new appreciation for The Dead.
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3 people found this helpful
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- David
- 10-18-16
makes you wish you were there
books is from many different points of view, help to understand the performing point of view. and how they came to their setlistidea ideas
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- Eyeseeitall
- 03-20-18
Better to be ahead...
What did you love best about This Is All a Dream We Dreamed?
If you love the Grateful Dead- you will love this.
What was one of the most memorable moments of This Is All a Dream We Dreamed?
Too many to list.
What three words best describe the narrators’s performance?
Tough. It is tough because we are so familiar with these voices in reality, listening to someone 'play' Jerry, Bobby and so on- it is difficult. I got over it mostly.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Another must view!
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- Kevin
- 11-29-16
Dead Book
Would you consider the audio edition of This Is All a Dream We Dreamed to be better than the print version?
This book is one of the few I have not read in hard copy. I kinda stopped reading GD books because there was rarely something new. It was cool hearing this book for a couple of weeks going to work and back home. Nice feel .
What was one of the most memorable moments of This Is All a Dream We Dreamed?
Early GD stuff.
What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Warm and not showy like trying to be any ot the members. Maybe the guy who played Phil was trying and he pulled it off.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Early GD was my time 67-72
Any additional comments?
NFA
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-18-23
Gr8 Time
voice acting is very annoying at times but probably pretty accurate!! overearnest conflict-avoidant visionary rockin hippies get their minds blown and destroy themselves with drugs, money, and hot hamburger sandwiches only in the USA baybay RIP jerry RIP piggy
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- Dane Joseph
- 03-18-24
amazing way he pieces together different perspective in a historical stories but with the passion of any of us other deadheads.
David Ganz writing and ability to chronologically peace together. the beautiful People's perspectives and historical story of the band with fun tales. very inspirational read. Thanks David. I love your music too, caught you in 2009 at summer camp in Illinois;)
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- Allen
- 03-22-24
I like the way the booked flowed
I found this book well written by the authors. Overall I am pleased with myself for purchasing this book and look forward to hearing it again. However, there is one particular option I had a hard time swallowing. Saying that the addition of a second drummer in the reason for the the musical decline over the years is simply absurd to me. You know, the second drummer who is responsible for creating that signature percussive sound of the Grateful Dead? Anybody with eyes and ears can tell why the music started to decline. You could hear it in his playing, you could hear it in his singing, and you could see it in his physical statue. as much as I loved Jerry, I refuse to dump his baggage on someone else
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- Mike
- 06-09-16
Love this unique format.
Not so much a book but more an audio documentary compiled from quotes to form a chronological story. I particularly enjoyed hearing the views of the surrounding family and friends. This really is a special insight to the Grateful Dead.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Charles A. Prince, Jr
- 02-17-20
There Is Nothing Like A Grateful Dead History
With so many books about this group, it's refreshing to have two pros covering the history of the Grateful Dead from other points of view( look at it as the Grateful Dead as this musical hurricane, and the friends, associates, managers and alike as the eye of the this musica; vortex of creativity and the experience of being with the best rock band ever. With my first show, 17 November 1973 at UCLA Pauley Pavilion and that Wall Of Sound and then full on the bus in 1980, the Dead is what music is all about --playing as it is going on now, the improvisation the what does this lead to and how do we get out of this and go somewhere else. Mr. Gans and Mr. Jackson who have dones their homework on the Dead now covers the story of the dead with a fantastic point of view more details of what it was like to be this band and how they got to be in the words of Bill Graham,"They're Not The Best At What They Do, They're The Only Ones That Do What They Do". Sit down, plug in(whatever refreshment you desire and listen, listen to the passions, the excitement and the love that this band gave and received. Enjoy!!!
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1 person found this helpful