The latest installment in the monthly A Beginner's Guide to the Grateful Dead Live series has just posted. The goal of the series, which launched back in February on Dead.net, is for notable fans of the band to “offer five live takes that they would recommend for new fans and the reasons why. Journey along through many different eras, many years, and soon you'll find you've found the moments that make you dance, make you cry, make you smile, smile, smile."
This month’s trusted Deadhead is Michael Chernus, who is the seventh individual to participate. He offers this reflection on the matter at hand: “When I first got into listening to the Dead, especially once I started collecting tapes, I was pretty overwhelmed. The sheer volume of music available was intimidating. And the scene felt like a secret society, so many inside jokes and references. I wanted to alleviate that stress for any beginners who are just discovering this music. There is no right way to be a Deadhead. There is no barrier to entry, there is truly something for everyone here.”
Chernus is an acclaimed stage actor, with an Obie award to his credit. He also has appeared in such film and television shows as Severance, Orange Is The New Black, Dead Ringers, Spiderman: Homecoming, Patriot, Manhattan and most recently and Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy in which he portrayed Gacy.
“I was deeply honored to be asked to do Volume 7 of the Beginners Guide to the Grateful Dead Live,” Chernus tells Relix. “The music of the Grateful Dead means so much to me. I got on the bus in the mid-90s and being a Deadhead is a core part of who I am. My wedding vows included lyrics from ‘Looks Like Rain’ (not the street cats making love part though), I had a three-legged dog named ‘Jerry’ who sadly passed in 2022, and I have been trying to persuade my pregnant wife that we should name our second daughter Sugaree. But seriously, it was a super daunting task to choose just five live Dead tracks. I tried to mix it up a bit and think a little outside the box. Hope folks enjoy!”
To hear the music and read the accompanying commentary from Chernus, click here.
