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.
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)