MUS 205 — Saint of Circumstance: The Music of Bob Weir
Quarter: Fall
Instructor(s): David Gans
Date(s): Sep 29—Nov 3
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Tuesdays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 5:30—7:20 pm (PT)
Tuition: $430
Refund Deadline: Oct 1
Unit(s): 1
Status: Registration opens Aug 17 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Fall
Day: Tuesdays
Duration: 6 weeks
Time: 5:30—7:20 pm (PT)
Date(s): Sep 29—Nov 3
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $430
Refund Deadline: Oct 1
Instructor(s): David Gans
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Aug 17 8:30 am (PT)
At 17, Bob Weir dropped out of high school to join a band. He began as its least accomplished musician; within a decade, he had become one of its central creative forces. Often overshadowed by Jerry Garcia, Weir shaped the sound and evolution of the Grateful Dead through a highly original approach to rhythm guitar, using shifting chords, open space, and constant interplay with the band. This course traces that transformation, from the Dead’s early years in the 1960s through Weir’s creative surge in the 1970s, when his songs pushed them into new harmonic and structural territory and his stage presence defined their live shows. After the band's final chapter in 1995, Weir continued to reinvent his work through new collaborations, including performances with symphony orchestras, and remained a vital creative presence until his death in January 2026. Participants will gain a deep appreciation for Weir’s restless creativity and artistry and the sound he wove into the fabric of American music.
Guest speakers include:
Blair Jackson
A leading chronicler of the Grateful Dead's history, Blair Jackson is the author of Garcia: An American Life and Grateful Dead Gear, and co-author of This Is All a Dream We Dreamed: An Oral History of the Grateful Dead. He co-founded and published The Golden Road, a celebrated fanzine devoted to the band.
Jesse Jarnow
Writer, DJ, and co-producer of the official podcast The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast, Jesse Jarnow brings deep context and enthusiasm to the world of the Grateful Dead. Since 2009, he has been documenting every era of the band’s history, and his book Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America reveals his knack for connecting music to broader cultural stories.
Gary Lambert
With more than five decades in the music industry and a deep affinity for the Grateful Dead, Gary Lambert is the founding editor of The Grateful Dead Almanac, the band’s official newsletter. He is the co-host of the SiriusXM radio show Tales from the Golden Road. His rich archive of commentary and storytelling makes him a trusted voice on the band's legacy.
Nate LaPointe
Multi-instrumentalist and freelance musician Nate LaPointe's connection to the Grateful Dead began in childhood and included a backstage experience with Jerry Garcia. He studied jazz at California Institute of the Arts before becoming a longtime member of the SoCal Dead tribute band Cubensis. He has also shared the stage with Phil Lesh, Stu Allen, Barry Sless, and other luminaries of the Dead and jam band scenes.
Don Was
A Grammy-winning producer, bassist, and president of Blue Note Records since 2011, Don Was has shaped albums for artists from The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. His ties to the Grateful Dead run deep—from 2018 until Bob Weir's death in 2026, Was toured as a member of Weir's band, Wolf Bros, bringing his signature musicianship to the Dead's continuing legacy.
Guest speakers include:
Blair Jackson
A leading chronicler of the Grateful Dead's history, Blair Jackson is the author of Garcia: An American Life and Grateful Dead Gear, and co-author of This Is All a Dream We Dreamed: An Oral History of the Grateful Dead. He co-founded and published The Golden Road, a celebrated fanzine devoted to the band.
Jesse Jarnow
Writer, DJ, and co-producer of the official podcast The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast, Jesse Jarnow brings deep context and enthusiasm to the world of the Grateful Dead. Since 2009, he has been documenting every era of the band’s history, and his book Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America reveals his knack for connecting music to broader cultural stories.
Gary Lambert
With more than five decades in the music industry and a deep affinity for the Grateful Dead, Gary Lambert is the founding editor of The Grateful Dead Almanac, the band’s official newsletter. He is the co-host of the SiriusXM radio show Tales from the Golden Road. His rich archive of commentary and storytelling makes him a trusted voice on the band's legacy.
Nate LaPointe
Multi-instrumentalist and freelance musician Nate LaPointe's connection to the Grateful Dead began in childhood and included a backstage experience with Jerry Garcia. He studied jazz at California Institute of the Arts before becoming a longtime member of the SoCal Dead tribute band Cubensis. He has also shared the stage with Phil Lesh, Stu Allen, Barry Sless, and other luminaries of the Dead and jam band scenes.
Don Was
A Grammy-winning producer, bassist, and president of Blue Note Records since 2011, Don Was has shaped albums for artists from The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. His ties to the Grateful Dead run deep—from 2018 until Bob Weir's death in 2026, Was toured as a member of Weir's band, Wolf Bros, bringing his signature musicianship to the Dead's continuing legacy.
This course combines close listening, guided discussion, and guest speakers.
DAVID GANS
Producer and Host, Grateful Dead Hour
David Gans has been curating Grateful Dead music on the radio since 1985 as the producer and host of the nationally syndicated Grateful Dead Hour. Since 2008, he has been a co-host of Tales From the Golden Road, a two-hour weekly talk show on SiriusXM’s Grateful Dead Channel. Gans is the author or co-author of five books about the Grateful Dead. He has also produced several box sets and compilation albums of Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia music. Textbooks for this course:
(Optional) Blair Jackson & David Gans, This Is All a Dream We Dreamed: An Oral History of the Grateful Dead (ISBN 978-1250098160)
(Optional) Dennis McNally, A Long, Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead (ISBN 978-0767911863)
(Optional) David Browne, So Many Roads: The Life and TImes of the Grateful Dead (ISBN 978-0306824470)
(Optional) David Gans, Conversations with the Dead: The Grateful Dead Interview Book (ISBN 978-0306810992)
(Optional) Dennis McNally, A Long, Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead (ISBN 978-0767911863)
(Optional) David Browne, So Many Roads: The Life and TImes of the Grateful Dead (ISBN 978-0306824470)
(Optional) David Gans, Conversations with the Dead: The Grateful Dead Interview Book (ISBN 978-0306810992)