When Garcia died, and I decided not to play, I came out here.

I mean, when it gets down to it I just wanted to play the drums. The rest of it never meant that much to me.

I saw a drummer play once when I was a kid and I thought, that’s really cool. You know, you’re moving. You’re using your arms and fingers. So I tried it and I loved it.

I’m really thankful and complimented when people come to me and say, thank you for the great times for all these years. But I don’t think about it as being a leader.

I am just a guy who plays drums.

Well, to tell you the straight honest truth, it was like a Grateful Dead cover band. I didn’t feel – and nothing against the guys – I didn’t feel that they were opening up like they should. I’ll tell you what, with guitar players, Steven has what I like in guitar players.

I made that decision back in 1985. I was out here getting certified in SCUBA with Garcia in Kona and I thought to myself, this is a place to wake up in in the morning.

It’s not the same without Jerry. It never will be.

I mean, we just started, it’s a new thing. We’re doing this for fun and we’re going to see where it goes.

I love the farm, I love growing stuff.

I’d rather play here in this small bar and just do a good show. Because it’s fun and there’s no expectations, it’s encouragement to be different, do something new.

Oh yeah, it’s great see music and to play music in small places. And it’s really fun for me to play here because, you know, I played two feet from people all night. And after all those years, it’s great to be able to talk to folks.

I care about being able to play. If you’re playing with integrity in the music, then that’s what matters. But it wasn’t that great for me because it was kinda like going back into the old times without the guy.

At first I missed it, but it was the amazing energy thing that happened during shows, when a lot of people were like Yay Yay Yeah! I missed that for a while. But I don’t miss the regular and the business side of that whole thing.

I always thought it would be really cool to be playing the drums in the show and then have your astral body or whatever travel all through the audience and dig whatever it’s like out there.

When Garcia died, and I decided not to play, I came out here.

In the very beginning we were a real tight family but now it’s different. You know, toward the end, we had separate limos, stuff like that. It’s hard to get six giant egos in the same place.

I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t fun. It’s just a whole different thing these days.

My dad loved black singers. So listening to New Orleans music, eventually I wanted to play an instrument.

I’ve gone through guys who want to lay on their backs and play like they’re full of themselves. You know, I don’t care about posing. I mean look at me, do I care about posing?