{"id":2195,"date":"2026-01-18T19:01:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T00:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rthomas.xyz\/?p=2195"},"modified":"2026-01-18T19:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T00:01:09","slug":"touch-of-grey-a-90s-teenagers-viewpoint-of-the-grateful-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rthomas.xyz\/?p=2195","title":{"rendered":"Touch of Grey: A 90s Teenager\u2019s Viewpoint of the Grateful Dead"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Greatful<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Above photo from Grunge.com<\/a> \/ RIP Bob Weir<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first time hearing The Grateful Dead was when I was about 10 years old. I remember seeing the In The Dark CD Cover (remember those?), and before I heard the music on that CD, I thought these guys were Hard Rock or Metal. I remember asking somebody about the band if they fall in that category, they said no, they are Classic Rock. So I thought that perhaps they are hardcore in the lyrics, not so much in the music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I first heard Touch of Grey<\/em>, I hated it. At that time, looking at that CD cover and the song wasn’t up to the hardcore standard that I wanted at the time, I thought the song sucked (at that time), and I really didn’t enjoy the whole album, minus Black Muddy River. Black Muddy River<\/em> had some elements of that song that I enjoyed, and it was about 6 minutes long. I do like my six, seven, and eight-minute songs. So, that was my first liking of the Grateful Dead. I heard other tracks like Tennessee Jed, I hated that song a lot back when I was 10, and I still don’t like it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 5th grade in 93-94, my wannabe Grunge self made a few friends, including a popular kid named Drew. Drew and I were enemies in the early years of Elementary School, but when he discovered I was a fan of Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, and U2, I was worthy of his respect. Drew really hated the Grateful Dead. I remember a poem he made up: “Grateful Dead, lost his head, found him dead, naked in his bed.” Down the road, I recall a time we were talking crap about the Grateful Dead, later bashing ‘Tennessee Jed’. I did say that I like Black Muddy River<\/em>; his opinion was the total opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, I will stop bashing the Grateful Dead. Around that time, I heard the song Casey Jones<\/em> and I actually liked it. I probably heard it on WCSX, Detroit’s Classic Rock station. I barely listen to FM radio these days, but when I do, WCSX has played Nirvana, ’90s R.E.M., and Stone Temple Pilots. I’m getting old. I don’t think I ever told Drew that I liked Casey Jones<\/em>. As mentioned in my blog, my friend Jan (the one I watched the O.J. Simpson Chase<\/a> with) was a serious Grateful Dead fan. He introduced me to some other stuff they did that I liked. And I finally took a liking to Touch of Grey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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