"The standard text for firsthand Dead wisdom" ( Rolling Stone ), updated with band-member interviews, and a new introduction by the author. A collection of interviews-some vintage, some recent, and some brand-new- Conversations with the Dead is the first (and only) book in which the Grateful Dead speak in their own words about their music and their lives. David Gans, a self-professed Deadhead and host of the nationally syndicated radio show "The Grateful Dead Hour," asked Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and the rest of the band the questions their fans would have asked if given the chance. And Gans goes far beyond the musicians, talking with such often-overlooked key players as the recording engineer, sound man, and road crew -those who have had the coveted opportunity to witness the Dead's decades of music-making. This updated and expanded edition includes rare, never-before-published interviews with former and current members of the band and a new introduction by the author. With a readable combination of intensity, inquisitiveness, and candor, Gans has created an unprecedented portrait of a band who, after more than thirty years of music-making, have earned a unique place in American culture.