America’s Dead, a new limited-run podcast from Sonos Radio and Grammy-winning filmmaker, producer, and manager Emmett Malloy, offers a deep dive into the some of the many ways that the Grateful Dead changed music, culture, and consciousness forever.
Hosted by Malloy, who has made documentaries on The White Stripes and Notorious B.I.G., co-founded Brushfire Records, and managed Jack Johnson, the ten-episode series features interviews with musicians including Vampire Weekend‘s Ezra Koenig, Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir, Margo Price, Mac DeMarco, Animal Collective, Lila Downs, and Branford Marsalis, as well as religious scholar Dr. Varun Soni, mycologist Paul Stamets, Dead tour manager Sam Cutler, contemporary artist ESPO, streetwear label Online Ceramics, and more.
Ezra Koenig discusses what has inspired him most as a songwriter, and why he thinks Kurt Cobain would too be a Deadhead if he were alive today. Dr. Varun Soni argues that the Dead are actually a religion, and talks with a student whose encounter with the band’s music guided both her gender transition and spiritual growth. Grateful Dead’s 1969-1974 tour manager Sam Cutler shares incredible stories, there’s an amazing conversation between Margo Price and Bob Weir, insight from world-famous mycologist Paul Stamets on how the Dead made mushrooms mainstream, plus Mac DeMarco and members of Animal Collective on the ways that bands today draw inspiration from the Dead.
Six-time GRAMMY-winner Lila Downs reflects on her days traveling with the Dead and selling jewelry on Shakedown Street, artist ESPO and LA streetwear label Online Ceramics discuss the visual language and staying power of Dead artwork, jazz legend Branford Marsalis talks about the unforgettable audience when playing an iconic series of 1990s-era Deadshows, and for the final installment, Grateful Don, founder of the sobriety group Wharf Rats, tells his story.
Related: New Book Explores Grateful Dead Tapers & Cassette Tape Trading Culture [Video]
All ten episodes of America’s Dead are now available on all streaming platforms. Listen via Apple Podcasts and Spotify in the players below.
