“Aw, go away, you cop!” -Garcia

Stoked to be part of the 5-year anniversary meltdown of Dead Inside, Chicago’s finest Dead Night. I’ll be slinging and signing copies of LOUD AND CLEAR alongside a bunch of other righteous vendors. Sat 12/20 @ Sleeping Village. 8-12. 21+. Come hang. Guaranteed deep trip. 🎨: @longyaaawn (IG)

Really like "Loud and Clear" by @thebanderson.bsky.social. 300 pages on a PA, good good stuff.

I was there. Core memories.

Shoutout Bookshop Santa Cruz for including LOUD AND CLEAR on its best of 2025 nonfiction list. A real honor to get a nod from a longtime indie bookseller in Dead country. Support your local.

I totally get this approach to things. I couldn't do it with a band, but have done/am doing similar with decades-long runs of newspaper comic strips and similar... (next up on that list, the complete runs of Pogo and MAD.)

This is hardcore.

A few months ago, something occurred to me: While I’ve listened to nearly every Dead show for which there is a publicly available recording, many of them too many times to count (to the point they’re in my bones), I’ve never consumed the full 30-year run in chronological order.

I started @thebanderson.bsky.social's new book a couple of days ago, and I'm really enjoying it. (Audiobook read by the author) Check it out if you're into the Dead (obviously), music tours in the 70s, the history of concert sound, and more.

Honored to have been interviewed for this obit. www.wsj.com/arts-culture...

Fascinating. If only there was an entire book written on this very wall of speakers.

To capture psychedelic sounds in their purest form, the Grateful Dead developed a mammoth PA system called the "Wall of The Sound." Henry Carrigan's latest READING ROOM considers a new book by Brian Anderson that explores the Dead's audio experiment. Read here: nodepression.org/the-reading-...

The older I get, the more I realize the true enduring lesson of the Dead—for me, at least—is one of compassionate worldbuilding and imagining better possible future tomorrows, even (especially) in times of confusion, darkness, and tragedy.

This time last year, my editor, publisher, and I were finalizing the book. Been a ride.

An invite to join the parade of authors at this year’s Chicago Public Library Foundation Awards was a highlight of my year. You know I had to hit ‘em with the double peace sign followed by the doom metal prayer hands. Watch the full program: m.youtube.com/watch?v=pCuT...

“I mean, shit, man” - Garcia

“Anderson is just the right person to tell this story.” nodepression.org/the-reading-...

Thanks to Jim Schutt for sending over this Wall-inspired painting. Hazy tie-dye acrylic on canvas. 24x32 inch. Phone camera doesn’t do it justice but I love how this captures Bear’s original visions of sound as “interacting waves of color.” That has to be my artifact in there, too. Heady!

Really great chat- Brian’s so good at this, and of course, my wife is the best at what she does- so put it in your earholes!

Had a great time chatting about the Dead, the Wall of Sound, and LOUD AND CLEAR on the Behind the Song pod. Thanks for having me, Janda! Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...

In the new episode of the Behind The Song podcast, listen in on my chat with Brian Anderson, author of the page-turning book “Loud and Clear: The Grateful Dead’s Wall of Sound and the Quest for Audio Perfection” about this fascinating subject. 🎧 Listen where ever you get your podcasts!

Thank you, Donna Jean. Sleep in the stars.

Incredible out of context observation

I’ve been reflecting on the book now that it’s been out in the world for a few months. And the more time goes on the more I consider it a miracle that it made the NYT Bestsellers List, even for just a week.

This conversation was a blast. Thanks for having me Janda! Episode drops next week.

Change the whole vibe of a book by adding a word to a title. SPEAKER FOR THE GRATEFUL DEAD

Another photo for the wall. If you saw my recent post about The Trinket, you’ll recognize this Rosie McGee shot. Peace to the late Dead roadies Mark “Sparky” Raizene & Rex Jackson, seen here setting up the band’s tie-dye rig on 6/21/71, Château d’Hérouville, France. Big thanks to Rosie & Wizard.

Really honored to be among such good company of guest authors at this year’s Chicago Public Library Foundation Awards. cplfoundation.org/guest-authors/

A good “Minneapolis 10/19/71” to all who observe. A GOAT gig at the tail end of the tie-dye rig era. Keith’s first with the band. Six songs debuted: Tennessee, Jack Straw, Mexicali, Comes a Time, Saturday Night, and Ramble on. If I had a time machine… SBD: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Shqo...

I checked this book out from my local @oaklibrary.bsky.social and upon finishing it would give it the following rating: JUST EXACTLY PERFECT

Listening to rainy day Dead at the record shop.

Tonight! Will get heady. I’ll post my picks—the handful of short-ish live song recordings I’m going to talk about—after this evening’s session is done.

It’s been said but it bears repeating: in addition to the people being abducted, all Chicagoans are being psychologically terrorized. Seeing feds driving/walking around and videos of violent attacks in places you know and love will fuck you up. Get ready, it’s coming to all of America soon.

Haven’t been posting as much about head shit and other fun stuff so here’s a sticker for @thebanderson.bsky.social book Loud & Clear: The Grateful Dead’s Wall of Sound and the Quest for Audio Perfection. A NYT’s bestseller, I might add. It looks like a sheet of acid- you know how much I love it

Had a total blast talking about the book, the Dead, the Wall, and where all of those things collide with cannabis (and other consciousness-expanding substances) with David Bienenstock on the Great Moments in Weed History pod. Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...

A few months back, a source from the book—someone I’ve been talking to, on and off, for years—asked for my mailing address. He said he had something to send me. “It’s just a trinket,” he explained.

WOOK CLUB: 10/31/91 #GratefulDead is up on YouTube (minus the musical clips because al-go-rhythm / the uncut in on Volume) @thebanderson.bsky.social joined us to break down one of the greatest late era Grateful Dead shows (with Gary Duncan and Ken Kesey on set 2) www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOWW...

Video proof of Brian’s Bears. Two guitars and big saxy. This past Friday at Rattleback Records

Nothing wrong with straight karaoke style cover versions, but more out-of-the-box interpretations of the Dead songbook are where it’s at. Using the tunes as launching pads to explore new space(s) is always exciting. A three-piece composed of dueling guitars and sax? You have my attention.

Brian’s Bears 10/3/25 @ Rattleback Records, Chicago, IL Eyes of the World Ripple Ramble on Rose Short and sweet. Really wonderful arrangements. The kids are alright.

Q: What’s the greatest Dead show opener? A: “Feedback”

See y’all tomorrow night in the beautiful city of Chicago.

This was fun. Got to use the phrase “welcome to the haunted house of your mind”

This band has been haunting (complimentary) me my whole life. Looking forward to hanging, getting freaky, and talking Halloween Dead tonight. Join us.

Surely anyone who has ever published a book knows this, but it’s the kind and thoughtful words and messages from readers, total strangers, who engaged with the work that mean the most. Thank you.

From one Chicago guy to another, congrats @jasondiamond.bsky.social. Can’t wait to read.

My favorite music newsletter. Actually just my favorite newsletter, period.

Another artifact in flight. 🥲

It’s funny, after writing and releasing an entire book on the Wall of Sound, a system known for its distortion-free clarity, I’m just zoning Feedback Dead hard.