About Bill Kreutzmann: William "Bill" Kreutzmann, Jr. is an American drummer who played with the music group the Grateful Dead for its entire thirty-year career. He also performs with his own bands BK3, 7 Walkers and Billy & the Kids.
At first I missed it, but it was the amazing energy thing that happened during shows, when a lot of people were like Yay Yay Yeah! I missed that for a while. But I don't miss the regular and the business side of that whole thing.
Playing music is just one of the best things. I can't retire.
In the very beginning we were a real tight family but now it's different. You know, toward the end, we had separate limos, stuff like that. It's hard to get six giant egos in the same place.
I saw a drummer play once when I was a kid and I thought, that's really cool. You know, you're moving. You're using your arms and fingers. So I tried it and I loved it.
I always thought it would be really cool to be playing the drums in the show and then have your astral body or whatever travel all through the audience and dig whatever it's like out there.
No matter how nice a hotel is, it's not home.
My dad loved black singers. So listening to New Orleans music, eventually I wanted to play an instrument.
I'm really thankful and complimented when people come to me and say, thank you for the great times for all these years. But I don't think about it as being a leader.
I care about being able to play. If you're playing with integrity in the music, then that's what matters. But it wasn't that great for me because it was kinda like going back into the old times without the guy.
Oh yeah, it's great see music and to play music in small places. And it's really fun for me to play here because, you know, I played two feet from people all night. And after all those years, it's great to be able to talk to folks.
I'd rather play here in this small bar and just do a good show. Because it's fun and there's no expectations, it's encouragement to be different, do something new.
I really like to go for the essence of things - the most beautiful parts of things - of human beings or of music. If there are things in there that are getting in the way and complicating it, it's just not good for me.
When you go on the stage before thousands of people, you can be excited and nervous, but it's not fear.
I love the farm, I love growing stuff.
I mean, we just started, it's a new thing. We're doing this for fun and we're going to see where it goes.
When Garcia died, and I decided not to play, I came out here.
I mean, when it gets down to it I just wanted to play the drums. The rest of it never meant that much to me.
I am just a guy who plays drums.
I've gone through guys who want to lay on their backs and play like they're full of themselves. You know, I don't care about posing. I mean look at me, do I care about posing?
It's not the same without Jerry. It never will be.
