Are you looking for that psychedelic sound? Can’t decide between the noisy tapestry
painted by Pink Floyd or the groovy jams laid down by the Grateful Dead? Now you don’t have
to because Colorado’s own Dead Floyd will be performing at the Mishawaka Amphitheater on
September 13th! In their 15th year as a tribute band, Dead Floyd plays the hit songs from both of
these legendary bands. I was afforded the opportunity to ask Stu Crair, the drummer and vocalist
for Dead Floyd, a few questions to get to know what the band has in store for their upcoming
show.
The first question, of course, came down to who is better, Floyd or the Dead? Crair said
“I grew up listening to them both a ton, so I don’t know I could say one is ‘better’ than the other.
They have very different styles about them and it’s a matter of taste really. I love the Dead’s
songwriting and lyrics, and I love the composition and moody aspect of Floyd. Both are very
blues-based and they mix surprisingly well together.” Crair also thinks that Animals and
American Beauty are Pink Floyd and the Grateful Dead’s best albums. Objectively, the
correct answers.
It’s also important to understand what other bands play a role in influencing their music.
Crair said that “the Allman Brothers, Phish and Little Feat” influence him the most. He added
“Those drummers have such great grooves and knew how to fit the music. All while being able
to improvise in creative ways. Today, I listen to more funk like Galactic and New Mastersounds,
which influences my playing.”
Knowing that the Dead and Pink Floyd are both incredibly performative bands, I wanted
to know if Crair had ever seen either of them live while they were still around. Sadly, he did not;
however, he saw Roger Waters, the guitarist and creative mind behind the Wall, live on his last
two tours. “Seeing those Floyd tunes live gave me a new appreciation for the live energy versus
the studio. They are always making tweaks to the arrangements, which I loved to hear.” He also
talked about seeing John Russo’s Almost Dead, a widely renowned Grateful Dead cover band,
saying “when I have seen JRAD, it is always a good reminder of what one drummer can do to
sound like the two of the original Dead. Joe Russo is incredible at that.”
Next, I asked Crair how he and the band managed to combine the two distinctive sounds
of both bands into one show. “They both touch on so much of the same improvisational and
psychedelic ideas. Sometimes noisy, sometimes articulate and composed. People associate the
Dead with noodling and jamming more, but they were incredible composition songwriters. And
even better listeners to make every show unique. Floyd is thought of as more composed, but
they drifted into space and complete noise sounds as much as anyone in a live show. In the end, I
think we approach playing the music in our own interpretation which always combines the
elements of both.”
Dead Floyd is not the only project that the band has worked on. According to their
website, they have formed multiple different bands with different ideas behind them. So how did
they become such a big tribute band that’s been touring for 15 years? Crair said “The timing was
just one of those things…Charlie [the guitarist and vocalist for the band] and I had been playing
before in an original band called The Grippe but that was slowing down. We were looking for
something new and fun to do. Nothing too serious. I had the idea and thought it would be fine
as a one-time ‘monsters of rock’ type of show. As we started learning songs, we quickly realized
that the Dead and Floyd songbooks came really easy, and it just grew from there. I still love
writing and playing original music. Matt (keys) and I both play in a blues-rock band called
‘Musketeer Gripweed’. The balance of being in Dead Floyd and other bands keeps me really
creative and still having fun.”
Having heard about the band, their unique combinations of sounds, and how they got
started, I wanted to get more personal with Crair and get into how the band came to be,
specifically how music has affected his life. “It’s the true soundtrack to my life. Every important
memory I can think of is tied to some music, and it is just an amazing feeling to bring people
together to celebrate and enjoy life as a community for a few hours. That never gets old and has
driven me for decades now. I don’t know if anyone said it better than Tom Petty, ‘Music is
probably the one real magic I have encountered in my life.’ I couldn’t agree more.”
I also wanted to know if, when Crair was a kid, he ever imagined he would be in a psychedelic
rock band performing all over Colorado. Crair said “As a teenager, I stood third row for the
Allman Brothers watching two drummers and a percussionist just blow my mind as to what was
possible for rock music. Yes, things changed then and there. I never thought I’d play in a cover
band, but I couldn’t think of a more fun one than this.”
But of course, anyone who hasn’t seen Dead Floyd is wondering what they should expect
from one of their shows. Crair said that the band takes “a lot of time to write carefully crafted set
lists, so our fans have a lot of fun. Songs they love and will sing along with us, some deep cuts,
and a lot of improvised sections. We always say we don’t want to sound like a tape recorder, and
we are stewards of this music. Our goal is to always do right by the music, but also to make it
our own to fit a live show too. Sometimes the Floyd songs have some Dead vibes and vice versa.
We just have fun interpreting it”
Besides the show at Mishawaka on the 13th, what are the plans for Dead Floyd and its
members? Crair says that the band has no plans of stopping anytime soon. “We’re having too
much fun. We would love to do more out-of-state tours as our schedules allow.”
Dead Floyd is also local to Fort Collins, and I wanted to know what Crair’s favorite place
in town is. He said “Easy…The Mishawaka. See you there on Friday the 13th!”