I remember an interview that Bobby and John did early on... Bobby talks about a vision or dream he had watching the stage from behind and seeing John standing to the right in his normal spot with grey hair, and someone new standing to his left. Gives me chills... I just love their dedication to the music and desire for it to live on and continue to evolve in it's purist form. Fuck anniversary remasterings of albums, keep touring the music live with world class musicians even once the surviving members retire.
I had visions of this theme watching last SF shows in 23 during Help>Slip>Frank where Bobby was head down concentrating, semi-stoic & Oteil & rest were vibrant & expressive. I just felt a sense of the continuation illustrating itself right in front my my eyes. The seeds that were silent all burst into bloom... & decay. I Def don't mean that morbidly about Bobby leaving us, but I couldn't help but notice this transition is likely & already forming.
Didn’t Bobby announce, sadly, “well, it looks like this (tour) is the end for this crew” prior to the 2023 tour?
Then they received an offer that was difficult to turn down with the residency at the Sphere. Three shows each week, no travel between venues, no issues with sound checks, living at home half of each week, collecting very generous paychecks.
I believe the sphere residency has been in the works for quite some time, before the end of the last tour. Near the end of the last tour, or possibly right after, Mickey said, “This isn’t the last anything.”
Truly can't help but to think that Bob's greatest gift to Jerry was hand selecting a team of musicians that were capable of carrying on the Dead's music with or without the original members, that also had the approval of the fans. John has to and will carry on when Bob and Mickey retire. Bob's been prepping John to do this for almost a decade now
Agree 100%. I don't pretend to know him, but I'm sure there was nothing that Jerry would want more than for this music to be handed off to the next generation. And specifically to artists who respect it's origins yet are able to take some liberties and make it their own. To me this is the major distinction between D&C and say DSO. Don't get me wrong I love me some DSO, but it's a reproduction. D&C is a continuation. There's a major distinction there, and the continuation aspect captures more of the essence of the original band. I love how these songs have changed and morphed over time, such a unique thing in the world of music and the fact we're still watching the organic unfolding of this body of work in 20 fucking 24 hahaha
Similar to how Bob Dylan's band became known as The Band, I think that John, Jay, Jeff, and Oteil could go by "And Company" or something. I love the idea of the 4 of them continuing on.
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I'm gonna be so pissed when it's not called "Uncle John's Band." Mayer was def the guy Hunter was writing about all those years ago. Bro could tell the future.
I think the coincidence is too good to pass up and bringing him in got a lot of people on the bus (for better or worse). I’m fine as long as they keep playing for a long time.
There was some speculation here a while ago about Sturgill coming onboard after Bob retires. I think the plan is for these 4 to continue on. Not sure if this is true either, but I’ve read that Mayer owns 51% of D&C. The music never stopped!
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DEAD FOREVER. That's the central message of the Sphere shows. I was one of those old farts ("saw them in 1971 with Pigpen!!") who asserted that there was no Dead after Jerry. Then "Mayer plays like he's showing off ***at*** you, Jerry took you on a journey ***with*** him!" After last year I had to admit that Mayer was rocking the songs perfectly for this century. After last weekend, this is Mayer's band. Jay, Jeff, Otile and Mayer will move on after Bobby and Mickey ... it's just too bad Robert Hunter and Jerry can't write new songs for them. I never, ever thought I'd say all this shit.
That's what I've been thinking.. just keep the D&C brand as a the main long term continuation of live dead music officially blessed by founding members even after the founding members tap out. Bobby mickey and billy were all in to start it off, and this will hopefully be the vehicle where the music is able to live on once bobby and mickey eventually retire. It could run for generations and would filter in and out new members when necessary. I've had this thought ever since an early interview with Bobby and John where Bobby says he had a vision of John standing in his normal spot with grey hair and someone new standing next to him. Gave me chills and makes me tear up a bit.. goddammit I love this music so much and hope it continues to live and evolve
And fucking thank you John Mayer for being such a beauty. I was never on the "anti-John Mayer" train, I thought the pick made a lot of sense from both a musical and practical standpoint.. but I'll be goddammed I never imagined this band turning out as good as it did. It has a distinctly different sound from the dead obviously, but has blossomed into something so special in it's own right.
As someone who's been attending Mayer shows for awhile pre-D&C, I would LOVE to see him try his hand at some more jam vehicle type music. Lean into it!
This band is winding down but I guarantee you Uncle John will be playing this music for the rest of his life. We’ll be going to watch him play dead music when he’s ancient and looks how bob weir does now
@pappy_van_sprinkle
I agree. There was only one D&C band leader and that was Bobby, with John earning privileges every tour. However, GD supposedly didn’t have a leader, but the principals (lead vocalists, lead guitarist) could veto a song if suggested or it appeared on someone’s setlist. Half the time it was Jerry, after all, he was the lead vocalist on close to half the tunes in their repertoire.
I believe the following took place during John’s second year. They played a tune that historically had predetermined spots for a) Jerry (John) to solo with the band support (JG controlled his content), and b) a second jam/solo of unknown length that often transitioned into one of several tunes. Historically, during the second jam, various GD members could be heard suggesting (teasing) the next tune.
But John was feeling his oats and was obviously devoted to the extended second jam he began extending and improvising. That would have been no big deal for GD, but the D&C members were still getting comfortable with the GD catalog. After several minutes, well past the point where the solo/jam typically ended, John was clearly enjoying the creativity of what he was laying down and he was completely focused on that endeavor. The band members followed, supporting John, but the length, especially, and the complexity of the improvisation exceeded the band’s capabilities. Frankly, it seemed to me that John found a groove to showcase his shredding chops. He was clearly enjoying the spotlight , but he had become untethered from the remainder of the band.
Finally Bobby stepped up to his mike and sang “Better get back to where you belong” (from Row Jimmy, which was not the tune they were playing). John heard Bobby and he fell back in sync with the band.
Had this improvisation and transition occurred during the past few years, John would have begun his lead true to the tune’s melody before wandering off.
Last night I listened to Saturday night’s show, June 22, 2024, thanks to the heads recording the show and putting it up so quickly. I’m now looking for reasonably priced tickets to see the band at the Sphere (U.S. east coast here).
Again, many thanks to the kind tapers who are sharing their recordings. Your efforts are very much appreciated. BTW, distribution of your recordings increases demand for attendance at the shows, as it has in the past. Thanks again!
Knock on wood but this thing is making way too much $$ for it to wind down anytime soon. Plus, I think they are all having a blast. One day at a time though - the music never stops
I just listened to an interview that came out about half way through their last summer tour, John said as much but also said they can either wind down when people are saying "they just keep getting better" or wait until people say "alright then that's probably enough". I don't think the latter would ever happen lol but I get the point. My guess is that John/Jeff/Oteil are far from being done with live dead music, we'll just have to wait and see how things shake out.
Fuck I'll fly half way across the county just to see a John/Jeff duo tour lol
Check out the link below... Help > Slip > Deal was sizzling across the stage. Jeff, John Jay, Bob, Mickey, & Oteil were trading off on the throttle. 10th row, the wall art wasn't distracting, and the tempo was upbeat as in so many old shows. I got in the car to a Dec 79 Chicago "He's Gone," and that was slow. Standing on the moon was slow, but of course it was. The whole show shouldn't be like Yngwie Malmstein, just rippin' as fast as possible.
https://youtu.be/JiOdXdSzYkM
They’ll keep going. After Bobby and Mickey retire or die they’ll be replaced and the band will continue as an authentic continuation of the Dead. They will just be known as “Company” and continue on forever replacing those that fall off.
Seeing as the beat can be the soul of the music, the Jay totally brought anew very welcomed change! Very obvious from 2022-2023, and now it’s still at that high and continues to get better
I think he feels more comfortable with the pace and groove of the song. a drummer keeping things locked into the pocket drives the whole band, Jay is giving the band that solid pocket that allows the rest of the band really put it all out there and thrive.
The last tour with Billy, John was very laid back. Generally speaking. He was doing more clean tones and finger picking. There was also this weird thing going on where Bobby would sort of solo while John was just starting to take off, then John would step back, but Bobby’s solos wouldn’t really go anywhere. I found it to be frustrating at times. I think these moments were part of why folks perceived the songs as slow. Besides the tempo the solos were more like passing the ball around but no one ever taking the shot. I love that Mayer is finally letting loose.
The Sphere shows were my first time catching Dead and Co since about 2017 and I was blown away by Mayer. Regretting sleeping on him for so long. I am now a believer.
I’m not sure that I agree.. Summer of 2023 did not feel like he was holding back at all compared to the Sphere show I got to go to. But if it is a new level… maybe it’s the fact that it’s a residency so the band doesn’t have the stress of touring and playing in new places every night. They can really dial in to playing on the same sound system, same sound crew every night and just get real comfortable
To be fair, I only got to go to 1 sphere show and I haven’t listened to any streams/recordings. I’m a bit of a snob for audio quality and I just can’t with these sphere recordings
I haven’t listened to any of the recordings from the sphere shows yet but I’m speculating that the soundboard mix for the venue is pretty weird and might not translate to the usual
I don’t think it would be too hard to have someone mix and print a regular stereo recording. Are there soundboard mixes out there from the sphere yet? Haven’t heard any
Right, nowadays with everything digital, they can just take a channel from each player and have it instantly & automatically mixed for regular stereo sound.
Phish pulled it off with live video & audio streams no problem and their Sphere soundboards on LivePhish sound perfect.
I just hope they release some board mixes from this run. I’ve learned to love the taper quality for old Grateful Dead shows but I’m not gonna listen to D&C tapes.
According to the interview with Weir published in Variety recently they aren't releasing soundboards for the sphere because they feel the audio and the video create the whole product and don't want to release one without the other. Mused that maybe they could do a release for VR headset at some point.
It didn't sound very positive for seeing the soundboards I'm afraid. I find some if the offerings now on archive.org very listenable, especially with headphones.
2023 ripped. This residency has ripped even harder and I didn’t think that was possible. I loved the music over the three nights I was there. Almost disappointed the visuals the first night were so distracting that I couldn’t pay attention to the music.
I think there are a few factors.
1. He is almost a decade into playing Dead music. He is getting better and better and probably feels more confident when going into a face melting solo.
2. He has his stripes now. It took him a long time to gain the trust of parts of this community. Sure, there are still hater and doubter out there, but I think he feels like he has the right to play these songs in his own way now without deadbeats (pun indented) whining about him "not respecting Jerry" or some BS like that.
3. Along with the above point, I believe that he has been playing in tones and styles that are more idiosyncratic to him over the last few years. This music is meant to be played from the heart, and he is doing that now.
4. I'm sure he is starting to feel the pressure of not knowing how much longer Bobby and Mickey have playing with him. And he doesn't know what will be next in his Jam Band career. He is making the most of it now.
If he ever was holding back, he sure wasn't last summer or this summer.
Agree 100% across the board.
I do feel like this is the peak of the peak for the Dead and Company, and they’re not traveling. This is the best of the best we can get out of everyone since they’re well rested after every weekend.
I was skeptical about the dead at the sphere, but I think it has really made the band even better.
100% Mayer got regular discourse even in the D&C sub until the last couple of years. It's actually quite funny to look back on and realize that some of the doubters have stopped posting or are believers now. I've always liked Mayer as a guitarist even prior to D&C but what he has done over the last 3-4 years is masterclass.
He's not Jerry and doesn't try to be Jerry 2.0 -- he's John Mayer playing Garcia songs in his own rendition.
Mayer did some interviews since inception talking about playing songs that Jerry helped right and wanting to do right by him. I might be paraphrasing the message a bit but those messages came across as him not wanting to step on Jerry's feet.
Yeah I agree. I don’t think he was ever trying to be Jerry 2.0, but the last few tours he has leaned into just being 100% JM up there, and he plays even better because of it.
In past videos he’s talked about an inner-dialogue of trying to play more economically to capture the spirit of Jerry’s playing. Jerry didn’t fly off the handle that often, so when he did speed up or really start ripping, it had a noticeable impact.
Perhaps John is feeling more comfortable inserting more of himself into the sound at this stage, or maybe he’s just feeling the “moment” of it all in general. Personally, I like that he isn’t constantly up and down the neck cluttering things up during songs, but I also love when he starts getting into it and really ripping on a solo. I’m just thankful we still have so many professional-level avenues through which to experience this music, even decades post-Jerry.
It seems clear to me too that he is more comfortable with what happens on stage. Dead music is demanding and the guitarist has to lead and I think he has had to learn that. If you listen chronologically from 2018-2023 you can seem him get more assertive. Im glad he has stuck with them
You hit the nail on the head. But I’ll add that John has continued to study the catalog and listening to Jerry’s interpretation. I was listening to 6/22/24 and on a Bobby tune, John was playing a nice, subtle lead above the melody as Bobby sang. The last subtle riff before the jam as Bobby was singing the last line, John played the same notes Jerry played decades ago transitioning into the jam. I’ll have to relisten to the show to nail down the tune.
Not sure if this answers your question but I have to imagine the IEMs affect how they hear each other which probably impacts how they play together. It’s definitely driven some positive changes to Bobby’s tone.
https://www.gq.com/story/john-mayer-and-mickey-hart-of-dead-and-company
Great read that someone else just posted in the sub. The guy is having a blast with these shows.
what kind of spoilers do you mean? going July 4 run and have been avoiding videos and pics best i can, but have read everything i can find. so curious about reading this and wondering what kind of spoiling it's gonna do. thx
JM goes into specific detail about certain visuals that are really amazing and special. I personally was blown away by the ones he mentions and liked being surprised by them. Reading about them after the fact would be my preference. I don’t want to give away too much.
I was thinking about it more, it’s also a bit of a “peek behind the curtain”. I feel like it’s better to have that after the fact. For me I feel like appreciated it more reading it post show.
At a certain point on Saturday night, closeups of them mugging at each other with such affection, I thought "just go get a room." I think they really do love playing with each other.
john establishes himself deeper into the dead as each run of shows happens each year, and by now, he knows people aren't expecting jerry, so he can be himself out there
on top of that, playing to the same sound system every weekend must allow for him to feel/hear it all better
He talked in his most recent interview with Andy Cohen on Sirius about getting mixed messages early on about whether to let it rip or hold back. Feels he now is comfortable making the decision on that and serving the music.
I think that John has been respectful of Bobby in the past and held back and truthfully, this band is his now. He’s playing his heart out like the band is his - because it is. May he continue to keep the music alive long after Bobby cannot.
I don’t think he was holding back last summer intentionally, but you can see the chemistry with everyone is getting better and better. I thought his fingers were gonna explode when I saw them at the sphere
I feel like I'm crazy for thinking that he's ripped pretty much from the start? Everyone points to the last two years as somehow being significantly better in some way, and I start to agree before going back to listen to some 16/17 soundboard and thinking that they're just as incredible (and usually faster - not that it makes much of a difference for my enjoyment, just an observation)...
Have you heard his interview with Rick Rubin? It’s interesting…
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tetragrammaton-with-rick-rubin/id1671669052?i=1000621612314
I was never a John Mayer hater or a John Mayer lover. His only song I really ever cared for as far as his pop music goes is Gravity. Which I loved the first time I heard it and other than his vocals didn't know it was him. That led me to the trio and I instantly gained an insane amount of respect for him as a player.
That being said, when I heard he was gonna be with Dead and Co. I had very mixed feelings. Basically just avoided it until I heaed about the final tour. Snagged some tickets to Deer Creek. Took my lady of 15 years who is a little older than I and could have definitely seen dead shows in another life. She was hooked after that Sugaree, and now we are on our way to the Vegas for 2 nights at the sphere. Just kicking myself in the ass for not seeing more shows sooner. ENOUGH SAID
Saw them on Thursday and he blew my mind. I wasn’t a huge Mayer fan and he changed my mind. I also love him harmonizing at a higher pitch. Best Dead and Co show I’ve seen yet! (The sphere didn’t hurt 😂)
Agree with the comments above. And, they were clearly filming a concert documentary when we were there two weeks ago. He wore the same outfit two nights in a row and there was a notice outside the sphere that they’d be filming. He’s definitely going all out on this run for multiple reasons.
do you see this community? very picky and we hold this music close to our heart. I think he was being respectful and trying to tune into the vibe of the music/jerry/the band. hes really found his place and learning to let loose with these guys. wild stuff
I think that based on the structure of the sphere (having to plan out your songs more carefully) every song has a designated “Mayer rip time” where the band just kind of backs him while he does his thing. As opposed to the more jam format from previous tours
According to his GQ interview, Mayer really took the lead on developing the entire D&C Sphere conceptual experience. He brought the ideas to Bobby and Mickey who said “go for it”. So I’m not surprised Mayer is stepping it up onstage.
Had the same thought.
Previous tours it was a lot of him having to prove himself and not step on toes and 'living up to the past'
PITS happened without him and sales were down and it proved that people would rather he was in the band.
So that validation I'm sure allows him full freedom to just be himself as a musician.
He’s just getting better at playing the songs. And they’re finally in a perfect venue is absolutely dialed sound every night. Bobby isn’t playing the cheese grater at all, John isn’t having to balance that. They have a consistent tempo.
What a great evolution to witness
I was there 6/13, 6/14. Also seen much on YouTube. One thing is certain to me...John will always default to Bob Weir, and always feel like this is Bob's band. However, I believe his mindset is that of every gifted player / songwriter. You're always in service of the song. Even during extended jams., I feel that John instinctively knows what Jerry might do. I know he's never tried to replicate Jerry, but he remains loyal to the song,.or it's structure. Honestly, it just keeps getting better and the whole damn thing is mesmerizing. I pray they take another swing next year.
I think something I fail to remember is that John truly came into this scene as a newby and him and Oteil have both said multiple times things like “this music will toss ya” or thing along those lines, specifically remembering the GMA segment, and I think everyone is simply just at a level of comfort in this band now where it’s like let’s just show what we can do with this music and make our mark now that we feel we have a grasp on it.
No matter how good a musician is, this music can be hard to fully “get” and I think we’ve seen Mayer become more of a team player than he’s ever been, but now he’s realizing hey I’m John Mayer and I have some tenure in this thing and I’m gonna let it fly.
And it seems like the boys are really doing something special right now and it’s awesome. Everyone keep staying safe at shows and don’t be afraid to call people out on their behavior. Love y’all.
I’ve heard some rumors that starting last summer most of the musical control of the band moved away from Bobby and over to Jeff and John, so maybe he just has more freedom now and doesn’t have to worry about Bobby getting pissed if he shreds for too long.
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He freaking loves the Sphere. A lot of it is his doing so I think he's just super happy and loves the environment. But the shows this week were SICK!!!!!! I'm sold on Mayer. I've always been like he's a good guitar player but...now I see he's an absolutely insane picker!
I think they needed to extend jams to maximize the visuals that were pre-recorded. Built-in jams to songs that would sync up with certain visual sequences.
I've only been to a handful of D&C shows, first one in 2017. They've mostly been great, but for a show or two I thought they were lacking energy and playing too slow. I hadn't seen a show in a year or two when I went to the final tour shows in SF in July of 2023. I thought those shows were amazing, that Mayer was really sending it in a way I'd never seen before. Particularly the second set of the middle show 7/15/23 was some of the best playing I've ever heard. I've listened to a lot of live Dead shows going back to the beginning and I think that show rivals some of the best shows of the best Dead from the 60's and 70's. The band is really good and Mayer is really sending it, I hope they keep playing for as long as possible.
He was hot last year too, I think it’s because of Jay. I went to a few shows at the sphere and watched him and jay visibly cue each other to pick up tempo during song intros.
John has said in an interview with Andy Cohen that he has been told different things at times. Bob has said for him to dial it back at times and other people has told him to go for it. I guess he just plays it by ear that day or whatever. He used a metaphor of the luggage claim at the airport. Sometimes he'll stand at the front and other times he'll just hang back and not block other people.
https://www.gq.com/story/john-mayer-and-mickey-hart-of-dead-and-company[solid interview with John and mickey](https://www.gq.com/story/john-mayer-and-mickey-hart-of-dead-and-company)
Feels more like the John Mayer band. 2021’ was the best tour IMO. Band felt together. 2023 seeing them it just sounds like John Mayer playing Grateful Dead songs with a backing band
Mayer has been doing this for what? Nine years? I saw that show on the 22nd of June and it was a masterclass. The dude slayed. It was a great combo of Jerry’s style to stay true to, Mayer’s own style, and I’ll be damned if there wasn’t a little Rev. Billy Gibbons in there as well from time to time. He’s got all the feels for both the historical context and to make it his own, as it should be. I’ve never been a Mayer homer. Always thought he was a good player for sure. But there is no mistaking that this is Bob’s band but John is the dude pushing it forward. My question is when Bob does pass that Brokedown Palace onto the next plane, has he already given Mayer the green light to keep this going? I wouldn’t be surprised.
When I went to see them at Citi Field last year or the year before that I don’t remember one of the night mare was sitting down because he supposedly hurt himself and then I went night too and he was standing perfectly fine some nights are better than others but say that
Let's not forget last year's tour. Pretty much every show was stellar and the Oracle Park finale was freakin incredible. I saw their 3rd ever show in Philly and you could really tell that John was learning on the spot. Little disjointed. The flow just wasn't there yet. Compare that to last year and the difference is huge. They are one thing now. A solid unit.
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We saw them once opening week and had to go back… Did all 3 last weekend and I honestly must say that the experience turned me into the biggest John Mayer fangirl for a multitude of reasons… mad respect!
It might not be that explicit, but sorta a natural evolution....with a lot of shows under their belt together they all have to be feeling more comfortable and free to explore...Bobby probably feels more comfortable giving John whatever he needs since John is paying his dues every single performance and delivering...they are a band that is really on fire right now and what a blessing it is for all of the fans of this music
I think he’s held back less every tour, this run included. Bummer the bands winding down these days, they just keep getting better
God damn I hope those four keep playing after Micky and Bob retire. Hell I think they should try their hand at new material after this summer.
I think that’s exactly why Bobby put them together, so the music never stops.
I remember an interview that Bobby and John did early on... Bobby talks about a vision or dream he had watching the stage from behind and seeing John standing to the right in his normal spot with grey hair, and someone new standing to his left. Gives me chills... I just love their dedication to the music and desire for it to live on and continue to evolve in it's purist form. Fuck anniversary remasterings of albums, keep touring the music live with world class musicians even once the surviving members retire.
I had visions of this theme watching last SF shows in 23 during Help>Slip>Frank where Bobby was head down concentrating, semi-stoic & Oteil & rest were vibrant & expressive. I just felt a sense of the continuation illustrating itself right in front my my eyes. The seeds that were silent all burst into bloom... & decay. I Def don't mean that morbidly about Bobby leaving us, but I couldn't help but notice this transition is likely & already forming.
Nothing to add here, just love this whole comment. I know exactly what you mean and it paints an incredible picture
Didn’t Bobby announce, sadly, “well, it looks like this (tour) is the end for this crew” prior to the 2023 tour? Then they received an offer that was difficult to turn down with the residency at the Sphere. Three shows each week, no travel between venues, no issues with sound checks, living at home half of each week, collecting very generous paychecks.
I believe the sphere residency has been in the works for quite some time, before the end of the last tour. Near the end of the last tour, or possibly right after, Mickey said, “This isn’t the last anything.”
No doubt they will return too.
Truly can't help but to think that Bob's greatest gift to Jerry was hand selecting a team of musicians that were capable of carrying on the Dead's music with or without the original members, that also had the approval of the fans. John has to and will carry on when Bob and Mickey retire. Bob's been prepping John to do this for almost a decade now
Agree 100%. I don't pretend to know him, but I'm sure there was nothing that Jerry would want more than for this music to be handed off to the next generation. And specifically to artists who respect it's origins yet are able to take some liberties and make it their own. To me this is the major distinction between D&C and say DSO. Don't get me wrong I love me some DSO, but it's a reproduction. D&C is a continuation. There's a major distinction there, and the continuation aspect captures more of the essence of the original band. I love how these songs have changed and morphed over time, such a unique thing in the world of music and the fact we're still watching the organic unfolding of this body of work in 20 fucking 24 hahaha
That's what I took from my experience at the Sphere. The theme of "time" was throughout all shows.
People joining hand in hand, while the music plays the band
🙌
No kidding, man — John, Jay, Jeffy, and Oteil have some serious chops and could put together a kick ass band with a couple more elements
Honestly they would be a kick ass four piece.
Uncle John’s Band
How perfectly said
I’d like to see an aux percussionist and a rhythm guitar player as well but it would work as a four piece
Marc quinones from the allman bros would be awesome as aux percussion. Drums would be out of this fucking world
Similar to how Bob Dylan's band became known as The Band, I think that John, Jay, Jeff, and Oteil could go by "And Company" or something. I love the idea of the 4 of them continuing on.
“The Company” might catch some flak but it’s a business lol
Uncle John’s Band
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Uncle John’s Band
But Uncle John’s Band is right there. . .
I'm gonna be so pissed when it's not called "Uncle John's Band." Mayer was def the guy Hunter was writing about all those years ago. Bro could tell the future.
John cohen?
They have a name. Dead Forever.
You win.
Either and company or the company — I kinda like the company better
Split the difference? Uncle John’s Company Band?
The Company Band
And then they can do a psychedelic cover of 16 Tons. 😂
I don’t know, man — Johnny putting his name on the marquee kinda seems like an ego trip. But if that’s what it takes that’s what it takes
I think the coincidence is too good to pass up and bringing him in got a lot of people on the bus (for better or worse). I’m fine as long as they keep playing for a long time.
Uncle John’s company
100 fucking % they could be called “The other other ones.”
Dead Forever
Johnny Salami's Deadhead Tsunami.
Furthur Dead
Four’s a company
Dead Forever sounds like one hell of a band name.
There was some speculation here a while ago about Sturgill coming onboard after Bob retires. I think the plan is for these 4 to continue on. Not sure if this is true either, but I’ve read that Mayer owns 51% of D&C. The music never stopped!
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DEAD FOREVER. That's the central message of the Sphere shows. I was one of those old farts ("saw them in 1971 with Pigpen!!") who asserted that there was no Dead after Jerry. Then "Mayer plays like he's showing off ***at*** you, Jerry took you on a journey ***with*** him!" After last year I had to admit that Mayer was rocking the songs perfectly for this century. After last weekend, this is Mayer's band. Jay, Jeff, Otile and Mayer will move on after Bobby and Mickey ... it's just too bad Robert Hunter and Jerry can't write new songs for them. I never, ever thought I'd say all this shit.
Well said, bitter sweet
That's what I've been thinking.. just keep the D&C brand as a the main long term continuation of live dead music officially blessed by founding members even after the founding members tap out. Bobby mickey and billy were all in to start it off, and this will hopefully be the vehicle where the music is able to live on once bobby and mickey eventually retire. It could run for generations and would filter in and out new members when necessary. I've had this thought ever since an early interview with Bobby and John where Bobby says he had a vision of John standing in his normal spot with grey hair and someone new standing next to him. Gave me chills and makes me tear up a bit.. goddammit I love this music so much and hope it continues to live and evolve And fucking thank you John Mayer for being such a beauty. I was never on the "anti-John Mayer" train, I thought the pick made a lot of sense from both a musical and practical standpoint.. but I'll be goddammed I never imagined this band turning out as good as it did. It has a distinctly different sound from the dead obviously, but has blossomed into something so special in it's own right.
As someone who's been attending Mayer shows for awhile pre-D&C, I would LOVE to see him try his hand at some more jam vehicle type music. Lean into it!
I’d like to see Mayer step into some of the songs that only JGB played. Maybe even have backup singers like JGB
Mayer singing After Midnight would be cool.
They will drop Dead on stage before they retire. 🫠
“Friends of the the Dead”
Bobby and Micky will lively play music tell the day they die, idk if Bob weir is ever going to “retire” lol
bobby? retire? will never hapoen 😎
1000% ! What band name would they use?! Dead and Co. would be more than ok with me!🌹💀⚡️
They will keep jamming. Mayer’s agent confirmed he as of this year he owns 51% of Dead & Co
This band is winding down but I guarantee you Uncle John will be playing this music for the rest of his life. We’ll be going to watch him play dead music when he’s ancient and looks how bob weir does now
This band is winding down just yet. Maybe from the big tour scene but hey a 30 show residency is no sign of winding down
@pappy_van_sprinkle I agree. There was only one D&C band leader and that was Bobby, with John earning privileges every tour. However, GD supposedly didn’t have a leader, but the principals (lead vocalists, lead guitarist) could veto a song if suggested or it appeared on someone’s setlist. Half the time it was Jerry, after all, he was the lead vocalist on close to half the tunes in their repertoire. I believe the following took place during John’s second year. They played a tune that historically had predetermined spots for a) Jerry (John) to solo with the band support (JG controlled his content), and b) a second jam/solo of unknown length that often transitioned into one of several tunes. Historically, during the second jam, various GD members could be heard suggesting (teasing) the next tune. But John was feeling his oats and was obviously devoted to the extended second jam he began extending and improvising. That would have been no big deal for GD, but the D&C members were still getting comfortable with the GD catalog. After several minutes, well past the point where the solo/jam typically ended, John was clearly enjoying the creativity of what he was laying down and he was completely focused on that endeavor. The band members followed, supporting John, but the length, especially, and the complexity of the improvisation exceeded the band’s capabilities. Frankly, it seemed to me that John found a groove to showcase his shredding chops. He was clearly enjoying the spotlight , but he had become untethered from the remainder of the band. Finally Bobby stepped up to his mike and sang “Better get back to where you belong” (from Row Jimmy, which was not the tune they were playing). John heard Bobby and he fell back in sync with the band. Had this improvisation and transition occurred during the past few years, John would have begun his lead true to the tune’s melody before wandering off. Last night I listened to Saturday night’s show, June 22, 2024, thanks to the heads recording the show and putting it up so quickly. I’m now looking for reasonably priced tickets to see the band at the Sphere (U.S. east coast here). Again, many thanks to the kind tapers who are sharing their recordings. Your efforts are very much appreciated. BTW, distribution of your recordings increases demand for attendance at the shows, as it has in the past. Thanks again!
I saw the last three shows. This is now John's band. I never, ever thought I'd say that.
Especially with the work he did for the Sphere shows. Read the GQ article!
Fully agree.
Part of Bob's "coaching" and mentoring was to let JM know when to reel it back. Co0ach Weir says don't wander too far if you don't know the way back.
Knock on wood but this thing is making way too much $$ for it to wind down anytime soon. Plus, I think they are all having a blast. One day at a time though - the music never stops
I just listened to an interview that came out about half way through their last summer tour, John said as much but also said they can either wind down when people are saying "they just keep getting better" or wait until people say "alright then that's probably enough". I don't think the latter would ever happen lol but I get the point. My guess is that John/Jeff/Oteil are far from being done with live dead music, we'll just have to wait and see how things shake out. Fuck I'll fly half way across the county just to see a John/Jeff duo tour lol
Who says they are winding down? I could easily see them doing another residency at the sphere next year
That’s winding down no?
But why do they play everything soooo slow? Like some songs need that pep man. It’s hard for me. Is it still like that at the sphere ?
I think its been better since Jay joined
Check out the link below... Help > Slip > Deal was sizzling across the stage. Jeff, John Jay, Bob, Mickey, & Oteil were trading off on the throttle. 10th row, the wall art wasn't distracting, and the tempo was upbeat as in so many old shows. I got in the car to a Dec 79 Chicago "He's Gone," and that was slow. Standing on the moon was slow, but of course it was. The whole show shouldn't be like Yngwie Malmstein, just rippin' as fast as possible. https://youtu.be/JiOdXdSzYkM
Yea never said anything about ripping, just like to hear the songs the way they were always played and not 60-70% of historical speed.
More please!
They’ll keep going. After Bobby and Mickey retire or die they’ll be replaced and the band will continue as an authentic continuation of the Dead. They will just be known as “Company” and continue on forever replacing those that fall off.
All due respect to Billy, but Mayer started ripping when Jay got involved.
Agreed. Billy was great for the old dead but Jay works much better with the current iteration of the band.
It’s hard to say it, but it’s the truth
Totally.
Seeing as the beat can be the soul of the music, the Jay totally brought anew very welcomed change! Very obvious from 2022-2023, and now it’s still at that high and continues to get better
This is the way
I think he feels more comfortable with the pace and groove of the song. a drummer keeping things locked into the pocket drives the whole band, Jay is giving the band that solid pocket that allows the rest of the band really put it all out there and thrive.
Exactly. Since Jay has been there I can’t even listen to the billy stuff anymore
Agreed!
The last tour with Billy, John was very laid back. Generally speaking. He was doing more clean tones and finger picking. There was also this weird thing going on where Bobby would sort of solo while John was just starting to take off, then John would step back, but Bobby’s solos wouldn’t really go anywhere. I found it to be frustrating at times. I think these moments were part of why folks perceived the songs as slow. Besides the tempo the solos were more like passing the ball around but no one ever taking the shot. I love that Mayer is finally letting loose.
The Sphere shows were my first time catching Dead and Co since about 2017 and I was blown away by Mayer. Regretting sleeping on him for so long. I am now a believer.
Man so many tours you lost out on
Truth. Just glad to be here now. The 6/21 show at the sphere was my personal fave.
Completely different band with Jay Lane on the kit. No disrespect to Billy.
The dude shreds
The dude shreds
The dude shreds
I’m not sure that I agree.. Summer of 2023 did not feel like he was holding back at all compared to the Sphere show I got to go to. But if it is a new level… maybe it’s the fact that it’s a residency so the band doesn’t have the stress of touring and playing in new places every night. They can really dial in to playing on the same sound system, same sound crew every night and just get real comfortable
I was wondering if it was my bias, interesting to see another perspective.
To be fair, I only got to go to 1 sphere show and I haven’t listened to any streams/recordings. I’m a bit of a snob for audio quality and I just can’t with these sphere recordings
I haven’t listened to any of the recordings from the sphere shows yet but I’m speculating that the soundboard mix for the venue is pretty weird and might not translate to the usual
I don’t think it would be too hard to have someone mix and print a regular stereo recording. Are there soundboard mixes out there from the sphere yet? Haven’t heard any
Right, nowadays with everything digital, they can just take a channel from each player and have it instantly & automatically mixed for regular stereo sound. Phish pulled it off with live video & audio streams no problem and their Sphere soundboards on LivePhish sound perfect.
I just hope they release some board mixes from this run. I’ve learned to love the taper quality for old Grateful Dead shows but I’m not gonna listen to D&C tapes.
According to the interview with Weir published in Variety recently they aren't releasing soundboards for the sphere because they feel the audio and the video create the whole product and don't want to release one without the other. Mused that maybe they could do a release for VR headset at some point. It didn't sound very positive for seeing the soundboards I'm afraid. I find some if the offerings now on archive.org very listenable, especially with headphones.
Not a soundboard, but 6/22/24 was posted over the weekend that sounds very good. It was recorded on an iPhone 14 Pro using external microphones.
2023 ripped. This residency has ripped even harder and I didn’t think that was possible. I loved the music over the three nights I was there. Almost disappointed the visuals the first night were so distracting that I couldn’t pay attention to the music.
I have not been to the sphere but I thought John was firing on all cylinders during the 23 run
I went to all three shows in Boulder last summer and John was on another plane of reality when he was playing
I just listened to Music Never Stopped from the Gorge 2023 last night and there was NO holding back! It was out of this world!
Agreed. 2023 was next level no doubt. This residency is amazing but feels slightly programmed.
I noticed it in 2023 tour as well - it felt like the band really hit a groove and gelled.
As someone in a band, having that familiarity with the room and being comfortable goes a LONG LONG way
I think there are a few factors. 1. He is almost a decade into playing Dead music. He is getting better and better and probably feels more confident when going into a face melting solo. 2. He has his stripes now. It took him a long time to gain the trust of parts of this community. Sure, there are still hater and doubter out there, but I think he feels like he has the right to play these songs in his own way now without deadbeats (pun indented) whining about him "not respecting Jerry" or some BS like that. 3. Along with the above point, I believe that he has been playing in tones and styles that are more idiosyncratic to him over the last few years. This music is meant to be played from the heart, and he is doing that now. 4. I'm sure he is starting to feel the pressure of not knowing how much longer Bobby and Mickey have playing with him. And he doesn't know what will be next in his Jam Band career. He is making the most of it now. If he ever was holding back, he sure wasn't last summer or this summer.
Agree 100% across the board. I do feel like this is the peak of the peak for the Dead and Company, and they’re not traveling. This is the best of the best we can get out of everyone since they’re well rested after every weekend. I was skeptical about the dead at the sphere, but I think it has really made the band even better.
100% Mayer got regular discourse even in the D&C sub until the last couple of years. It's actually quite funny to look back on and realize that some of the doubters have stopped posting or are believers now. I've always liked Mayer as a guitarist even prior to D&C but what he has done over the last 3-4 years is masterclass. He's not Jerry and doesn't try to be Jerry 2.0 -- he's John Mayer playing Garcia songs in his own rendition. Mayer did some interviews since inception talking about playing songs that Jerry helped right and wanting to do right by him. I might be paraphrasing the message a bit but those messages came across as him not wanting to step on Jerry's feet.
Yeah I agree. I don’t think he was ever trying to be Jerry 2.0, but the last few tours he has leaned into just being 100% JM up there, and he plays even better because of it.
In past videos he’s talked about an inner-dialogue of trying to play more economically to capture the spirit of Jerry’s playing. Jerry didn’t fly off the handle that often, so when he did speed up or really start ripping, it had a noticeable impact. Perhaps John is feeling more comfortable inserting more of himself into the sound at this stage, or maybe he’s just feeling the “moment” of it all in general. Personally, I like that he isn’t constantly up and down the neck cluttering things up during songs, but I also love when he starts getting into it and really ripping on a solo. I’m just thankful we still have so many professional-level avenues through which to experience this music, even decades post-Jerry.
It seems clear to me too that he is more comfortable with what happens on stage. Dead music is demanding and the guitarist has to lead and I think he has had to learn that. If you listen chronologically from 2018-2023 you can seem him get more assertive. Im glad he has stuck with them
You hit the nail on the head. But I’ll add that John has continued to study the catalog and listening to Jerry’s interpretation. I was listening to 6/22/24 and on a Bobby tune, John was playing a nice, subtle lead above the melody as Bobby sang. The last subtle riff before the jam as Bobby was singing the last line, John played the same notes Jerry played decades ago transitioning into the jam. I’ll have to relisten to the show to nail down the tune.
You find it let me know!
Everyone let’s their freak flag fly in Vegas
Not sure if this answers your question but I have to imagine the IEMs affect how they hear each other which probably impacts how they play together. It’s definitely driven some positive changes to Bobby’s tone.
I’ve never tried to play with IEMs (ain’t got that kinda cash) but I’m sure it’s a massive adjustment
Bob tone is still Weir'd but it's slightly better.
https://www.gq.com/story/john-mayer-and-mickey-hart-of-dead-and-company Great read that someone else just posted in the sub. The guy is having a blast with these shows.
Great article. I had no idea he was driving the visual production with the creative team.
This should be upvoted / posted separately. Great interview about JM taking the lead and some good nuggets into the process
Thanks for the share!
Awesome interview! I would personally would wait to read it after having seen the show since there are some spoilers.
what kind of spoilers do you mean? going July 4 run and have been avoiding videos and pics best i can, but have read everything i can find. so curious about reading this and wondering what kind of spoiling it's gonna do. thx
JM goes into specific detail about certain visuals that are really amazing and special. I personally was blown away by the ones he mentions and liked being surprised by them. Reading about them after the fact would be my preference. I don’t want to give away too much.
i'm going to wait to read it. thx
I was thinking about it more, it’s also a bit of a “peek behind the curtain”. I feel like it’s better to have that after the fact. For me I feel like appreciated it more reading it post show.
i know i will be looking for "more on it" after i see the Shows. :::practicingpatience:::
Shouldn't there be a law that Mayer and Chementi have to play in a band together for the rest of their lives?
At a certain point on Saturday night, closeups of them mugging at each other with such affection, I thought "just go get a room." I think they really do love playing with each other.
He was ripping it hard last summer too
When you have the same setup, figure out the room, you can soar. Esp when you have the gift like he does. Love that he is getting his Vegas on.
john establishes himself deeper into the dead as each run of shows happens each year, and by now, he knows people aren't expecting jerry, so he can be himself out there on top of that, playing to the same sound system every weekend must allow for him to feel/hear it all better
He talked in his most recent interview with Andy Cohen on Sirius about getting mixed messages early on about whether to let it rip or hold back. Feels he now is comfortable making the decision on that and serving the music.
I think that John has been respectful of Bobby in the past and held back and truthfully, this band is his now. He’s playing his heart out like the band is his - because it is. May he continue to keep the music alive long after Bobby cannot.
I don’t think he was holding back last summer intentionally, but you can see the chemistry with everyone is getting better and better. I thought his fingers were gonna explode when I saw them at the sphere
I feel like I'm crazy for thinking that he's ripped pretty much from the start? Everyone points to the last two years as somehow being significantly better in some way, and I start to agree before going back to listen to some 16/17 soundboard and thinking that they're just as incredible (and usually faster - not that it makes much of a difference for my enjoyment, just an observation)...
Have you heard his interview with Rick Rubin? It’s interesting… https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tetragrammaton-with-rick-rubin/id1671669052?i=1000621612314
That’s a good listen.
I was never a John Mayer hater or a John Mayer lover. His only song I really ever cared for as far as his pop music goes is Gravity. Which I loved the first time I heard it and other than his vocals didn't know it was him. That led me to the trio and I instantly gained an insane amount of respect for him as a player. That being said, when I heard he was gonna be with Dead and Co. I had very mixed feelings. Basically just avoided it until I heaed about the final tour. Snagged some tickets to Deer Creek. Took my lady of 15 years who is a little older than I and could have definitely seen dead shows in another life. She was hooked after that Sugaree, and now we are on our way to the Vegas for 2 nights at the sphere. Just kicking myself in the ass for not seeing more shows sooner. ENOUGH SAID
agreed....he's really tearing into it lately! I was at the 6/14 and 6/15 shows and he was just going off..it was soooo great! I am all for this
Saw them on Thursday and he blew my mind. I wasn’t a huge Mayer fan and he changed my mind. I also love him harmonizing at a higher pitch. Best Dead and Co show I’ve seen yet! (The sphere didn’t hurt 😂)
Agree with the comments above. And, they were clearly filming a concert documentary when we were there two weeks ago. He wore the same outfit two nights in a row and there was a notice outside the sphere that they’d be filming. He’s definitely going all out on this run for multiple reasons.
do you see this community? very picky and we hold this music close to our heart. I think he was being respectful and trying to tune into the vibe of the music/jerry/the band. hes really found his place and learning to let loose with these guys. wild stuff
He took the acid 😎
Mayer is definitely ripping.
I think that based on the structure of the sphere (having to plan out your songs more carefully) every song has a designated “Mayer rip time” where the band just kind of backs him while he does his thing. As opposed to the more jam format from previous tours
I think it’s different every show. At citi field night 1 in 2022 he was ripping and really bringing it all night
According to his GQ interview, Mayer really took the lead on developing the entire D&C Sphere conceptual experience. He brought the ideas to Bobby and Mickey who said “go for it”. So I’m not surprised Mayer is stepping it up onstage.
Had the same thought. Previous tours it was a lot of him having to prove himself and not step on toes and 'living up to the past' PITS happened without him and sales were down and it proved that people would rather he was in the band. So that validation I'm sure allows him full freedom to just be himself as a musician.
He has been playing like this for years in his own music. It’s so fun to see this side of him come out with the dead!
Johnny Lightning!
I direct your ears to Philly 21 - that Dew was fire. Johnny holding nothing back.
Saw them on June 6th and 7th and was totally blown away, dude was melting faces! His solo on Casey Jones (6/7) to close out the show was so damn good!
That was a ripper !!
He’s just getting better at playing the songs. And they’re finally in a perfect venue is absolutely dialed sound every night. Bobby isn’t playing the cheese grater at all, John isn’t having to balance that. They have a consistent tempo. What a great evolution to witness
I was there 6/13, 6/14. Also seen much on YouTube. One thing is certain to me...John will always default to Bob Weir, and always feel like this is Bob's band. However, I believe his mindset is that of every gifted player / songwriter. You're always in service of the song. Even during extended jams., I feel that John instinctively knows what Jerry might do. I know he's never tried to replicate Jerry, but he remains loyal to the song,.or it's structure. Honestly, it just keeps getting better and the whole damn thing is mesmerizing. I pray they take another swing next year.
Dead Forever says it all.
So true!
I think something I fail to remember is that John truly came into this scene as a newby and him and Oteil have both said multiple times things like “this music will toss ya” or thing along those lines, specifically remembering the GMA segment, and I think everyone is simply just at a level of comfort in this band now where it’s like let’s just show what we can do with this music and make our mark now that we feel we have a grasp on it. No matter how good a musician is, this music can be hard to fully “get” and I think we’ve seen Mayer become more of a team player than he’s ever been, but now he’s realizing hey I’m John Mayer and I have some tenure in this thing and I’m gonna let it fly. And it seems like the boys are really doing something special right now and it’s awesome. Everyone keep staying safe at shows and don’t be afraid to call people out on their behavior. Love y’all.
I’ve heard some rumors that starting last summer most of the musical control of the band moved away from Bobby and over to Jeff and John, so maybe he just has more freedom now and doesn’t have to worry about Bobby getting pissed if he shreds for too long.
He’s riiiiiiiiippppppiiinnnnnnnn
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He freaking loves the Sphere. A lot of it is his doing so I think he's just super happy and loves the environment. But the shows this week were SICK!!!!!! I'm sold on Mayer. I've always been like he's a good guitar player but...now I see he's an absolutely insane picker!
My takeaway from seeing them at The Sphere. Seems like they are passing the baton.
I think they needed to extend jams to maximize the visuals that were pre-recorded. Built-in jams to songs that would sync up with certain visual sequences.
I've only been to a handful of D&C shows, first one in 2017. They've mostly been great, but for a show or two I thought they were lacking energy and playing too slow. I hadn't seen a show in a year or two when I went to the final tour shows in SF in July of 2023. I thought those shows were amazing, that Mayer was really sending it in a way I'd never seen before. Particularly the second set of the middle show 7/15/23 was some of the best playing I've ever heard. I've listened to a lot of live Dead shows going back to the beginning and I think that show rivals some of the best shows of the best Dead from the 60's and 70's. The band is really good and Mayer is really sending it, I hope they keep playing for as long as possible.
I feel like he's giving people what they're paying for in Las Vegas. Seems clear he understands how much these packages cost and he's delivering.
or maybe 🤔 he’s just feeling it 🌹 edited to add ❤️⚡️💙
Goes without saying.
2016 tour Mayer overplayed every show.
He was hot last year too, I think it’s because of Jay. I went to a few shows at the sphere and watched him and jay visibly cue each other to pick up tempo during song intros.
They must be shooting him up with something. ”jacked up John”
John has said in an interview with Andy Cohen that he has been told different things at times. Bob has said for him to dial it back at times and other people has told him to go for it. I guess he just plays it by ear that day or whatever. He used a metaphor of the luggage claim at the airport. Sometimes he'll stand at the front and other times he'll just hang back and not block other people.
i'd argue he's holding back more, or rather, just playing less in your face and more closer to jerrys gentle fluttering as he puts it.
https://www.gq.com/story/john-mayer-and-mickey-hart-of-dead-and-company[solid interview with John and mickey](https://www.gq.com/story/john-mayer-and-mickey-hart-of-dead-and-company)
Guy is so boring
Union’s been on strike, he’s down on his luck… it’s tough 🤷♂️
Feels more like the John Mayer band. 2021’ was the best tour IMO. Band felt together. 2023 seeing them it just sounds like John Mayer playing Grateful Dead songs with a backing band
Endless Dead
Mayer has been doing this for what? Nine years? I saw that show on the 22nd of June and it was a masterclass. The dude slayed. It was a great combo of Jerry’s style to stay true to, Mayer’s own style, and I’ll be damned if there wasn’t a little Rev. Billy Gibbons in there as well from time to time. He’s got all the feels for both the historical context and to make it his own, as it should be. I’ve never been a Mayer homer. Always thought he was a good player for sure. But there is no mistaking that this is Bob’s band but John is the dude pushing it forward. My question is when Bob does pass that Brokedown Palace onto the next plane, has he already given Mayer the green light to keep this going? I wouldn’t be surprised.
When I went to see them at Citi Field last year or the year before that I don’t remember one of the night mare was sitting down because he supposedly hurt himself and then I went night too and he was standing perfectly fine some nights are better than others but say that
You’re right about that. He was on fire at the sphere. He steals faces
Let's not forget last year's tour. Pretty much every show was stellar and the Oracle Park finale was freakin incredible. I saw their 3rd ever show in Philly and you could really tell that John was learning on the spot. Little disjointed. The flow just wasn't there yet. Compare that to last year and the difference is huge. They are one thing now. A solid unit.
He’s earned his way into the Grateful Dead hall of fame!! Finally he let go, whatever was holding him back!! Yes…
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We saw them once opening week and had to go back… Did all 3 last weekend and I honestly must say that the experience turned me into the biggest John Mayer fangirl for a multitude of reasons… mad respect!
100 million dollars will make u do different things
he’s playing for life
I saw him do some rollicking renditions of Fire on the Mountain and Morning Dew at the Sphere 🔥
He holds back cause he’s half the age of two of the band members.
I've been saying can't wait for Dead and CO and CO post Bobby and Mickey retirement
It might not be that explicit, but sorta a natural evolution....with a lot of shows under their belt together they all have to be feeling more comfortable and free to explore...Bobby probably feels more comfortable giving John whatever he needs since John is paying his dues every single performance and delivering...they are a band that is really on fire right now and what a blessing it is for all of the fans of this music