• Deal

  • My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs with the Grateful Dead
  • By: Bill Kreutzmann, Benjy Eisen
  • Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
  • Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (553 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Deal  By  cover art

Deal

By: Bill Kreutzmann, Benjy Eisen
Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.90

Buy for $17.90

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

On their 50th anniversary comes a groundbreaking rock-and-roll memoir by one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead.

The Grateful Dead are perhaps the most legendary American rock band of all time. For 30 years, beginning in the hippie scene of San Francisco in 1965, they were a musical institution, the original jam band that broke new ground in so many ways. From the music to their live-concert sound systems and fan recordings, they were forward-thinking champions of artistic control and outlaw artists who marched to the beat of their own drums.

Bill Kreutzmann, one of their founding members and drummer for every one of their over 2,300-odd concerts, has written an unflinching and wild account of playing in the greatest improvisational band of all time. Everything a rock music fan would expect is here, but what sets this apart is Bill's incredible life of adventure, which was at the heart of the Grateful Dead experience. This was a band that knew no limits, and Bill lived life to the fullest, pushing the boundaries of drugs, drums, and high times, through devastating tragedy and remarkable triumph.

But at this book's beating heart is the music - theirs and others. Some of the greatest musicians and concerts were a part of the Grateful Dead's career, from sharing the stage with Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and the Who, to playing in the Acid Tests, the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock, and Altamont. Bill's life is a chronicle of American music and pop-culture history, and his epic personal journey is one of sonic discovery and thrilling experiences.

©2015 Bill Kreutzmann (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Deal

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    408
  • 4 Stars
    92
  • 3 Stars
    33
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    8
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    288
  • 4 Stars
    103
  • 3 Stars
    50
  • 2 Stars
    26
  • 1 Stars
    25
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    376
  • 4 Stars
    78
  • 3 Stars
    22
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    7

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Decent but not great

The narrators voice was really annoying making Billy sound like a total hillbilly crack addict. Some chapters in the early years drag on a bit but overall pretty good story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome 1st hand account of the long strange trip!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Billy, of course!! I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the music meant the same thing to him as it does to me!

Have you listened to any of Peter Berkrot’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I was a little disappointed that Billy didn't do the narration but I thought Peter Berkrot did a fine job! He captured the important emotions toward the end of the book for sure.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

My husband and I listened to it traveling to all the shows we went to this summer (Chicago and Phish shows after that). It was a long read but full of beautiful memories and tales from the road. It was never boring or boastful. Great to share the listen with someone so we could discuss what we were hearing!

Any additional comments?

This is a MUST READ for any deadhead. It offers a unique perspective that you won't find when you read Phil's "Search for the Sound". I definitely came away from it with a newfound love and appreciation for Billy K.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Decent book awful narration

My god the narrator is annoying as heck. Almost makes it unlistenable. Some decent stuff in here but Bill takes some cheap shots at his band mates both alive and dead which don't really add anything and come off as petty meanness more then anything else. Would read Phil's book or one of the other available histories before picking this one up

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The Narrator

The book was okay but had a tough time getting through it because the narrator has such an annoying voice.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Grate inside story of a truly amazing band

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale through the eyes of Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. It spans the length of his career with the band and goes on into the 2000s for the last couple of chapters. I think it was fairly well written and it kept me entertained for its entirety. I would suggest reading this book to any deadhead or anyone wanting a look into the movement that they were part of.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

happy book unlike most gd stoties

as someone that lived through it as a fan it brings back good memoriesand personal tour memories

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

I’ll physically read the book

Oh my goodness, I just couldn’t….the narrator! His voice and inflection reminds me of every annoying scene kid from the NE in the early 80’s.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Love the Dead, Like the Story, but the Narration..

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I'd recommend the book for those who want different band members' viewpoints on history and events. This is a story of friendship and brotherhood spanning 30 years and all that entails. It's good. Not fantastic, but good.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

We all know how it ends.

How could the performance have been better?

OMG. Is nobody else bothered by the narrator? His rendition of a cliche stoner is like a bad drunken version of Sean Penn's character in Fast Times. It's insulting to the Dead fan and to Bill alike. It was so distracting at points, I had to roll my eyes. I did get used to it more toward the end, but I don't know if it's because he toned it down, or if I just got used to it. Anyway, I doubt Bill sounds anything like that!

Was Deal worth the listening time?

Yes, I enjoyed the story. Just not the narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

beautiful

brought me to tears numerous times. so honest and beautiful. truly a story for everyone.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story marred by over-the-top performance

I don't know what they were thinking when choosing a narrator for this book, but it definitely involved someone saying, "Let's imagine what a drug-taking rock drummer would sound like as a Simpsons character and hire whoever can pull that off." Knowing what Bill Kreutzmann sounds like in real life made it really painful at times to listen to what sounded much like full-blown parody.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!