I didn't find that overly long at all. Having neve...

2006-08-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

I didn't find that overly long at all. Having never been to a Dead show, I'm not sure how qualified I am to agree or disagree with your theses. In all fairness, though Ann Coulter is a total bitch, I think some of her ideas just sound more stupid than they actually are. For example, when she says she "actually liked the music," I think she's not saying that normal people have to be high to enjoy it. On the other hand, the crossover between the Dead and Greek Culture might actually be the marijuana.

These days, smoking cigarettes almost carries a larger stigma than marijuana, and I have more than a few friends who smoke pot but not tobacco. Go to any frat house and notice how many bongs are prominently displayed on the mantle.

I've been to several Phish shows, which are similar in drug culture to the Dead. There were true phanatics who followed them everywhere, knew set lists, and discussed the meanings behind their often nonsensical lyrics and there were people who went mostly for the music; but for a few, going to a Phish show was just a big excuse to get really really high. There's nothing wrong with that, but it does tend to diminish the experience of community and shared experience that goes together with being at a giant concert. Of course, I got plenty high as well, but the concert wasn't an excuse for it.

On a slightly different note, I think it's totally pretentious for people to think that fans are "supposed to" dislike a song for being commerically successful. "Free," Phish's only bona fide hit is a good song - there's a reason songs are successful. It's not my favorite of theirs, but I'm not going to dislike it just because it had some success. Similarly, I hope nobody hates me because I like "Touch of Grey" (not my favorite either, but I don't hit skip when it comes up on shuffle either).

Comments on the blog of david bryan: Ann Coulter, Ratdog, and deadhead Identity {First...

I didn't find that overly long at all. Having neve...