Bands need more guys like Bob Bittman. He’s the perfect fan: he buys all the records, he goes to all the shows, he’s faithful (he doesn’t even like other bands), and he’s got enough dough not to care about the whole file-swapping thing. Bob’s band is the Grateful Dead, and whether they know it or not, they’re glad to have him.
Bob Bittman has been following the Dead for 30 years. In addition to official releases, he’s got over 300 shows on tape. After unsuccessfully bidding on some bizarre van/limo thing that Jerry Garcia used to tour in, Bob recently out-clicked (and out-spent) the eBay competition to take home a prize package that would have any Dead Head drooling in his “Dark Star.” For just under $17 grand, Bob bought himself a key to the kingdom. That’s right, he’ll be getting a grand tour of Grateful Dead Productions, the Northern California home for all things officially Dead: the studio, the tape vaults, and the rooms where they keep all the psychedelic posters and skeleton stuff. He’ll meet Bob Weir and get his hands on Rhino’s upcoming 12-CD Grateful Dead boxed set, The Golden Road, as well a few other snazzy items. And it’s all for a good cause - net proceeds go to the Dead’s charitable organization, The Rex Foundation, whose mission is to help secure a healthy environment, promote individuality in the arts, provide support to critical and necessary social services, assist others less fortunate than ourselves, protect the rights of indigenous people and ensure their cultural survival, build a stronger community, and educate children and adults everywhere.
Since Bob’s going to Dead Heaven, we figured we’d try to get a full report. He’ll rejoin us in a month or so to tell us all about it, but, in the meantime, here’s a conversation we had regarding his recent eBay victory and his upcoming trip.
What attracted you to the Grateful Dead vault tour?
I’m 47 years old, and I’ve been a Dead Head for 30 years. My first show was the Fillmore East in 1971 or thereabouts. I’ve been very much a Dead Head to this day. I never went on the road with them, but anytime they were in the neighborhood, so to speak... I’ve seen hundreds of shows in my life. I can’t even tell you who my second favorite band is, because I don’t listen to anything else. The Internet has been a means of communication for Dead Heads, but eBay has really opened up some opportunities for things and events. I think this one would be the epitome of events. The vault has always been a mysterious place - - kind of like the Mecca for Dead Heads. The opportunity to actually go to the vault and meet Bob Weir was something that had great appeal to me.
How are you envisioning the vault? What are you hoping to see there?
It’s not so much a ‘see’ as it is a ‘feel.’ I don’t mind saying that my self-imposed limit that I was gonna bid was $5,000. Once I was outbid at that number, I was rationalizing that it wasn’t a matter of money. Whatever I would have perhaps invested in or bought in the future kept coming in second place. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’m 47 years old. I’ve met Phil Lesh on a number of occasions in eBay related auctions for his charity and foundation. I guess one of my rationalizations was that it’s for the Grateful Dead charity, The Rex Foundation.
What’s the most you would’ve paid?
I can’t even say. I got caught up in it. I think when you’re in that mode, it’s a different mode. It’s hard to say. I was online at the end of the auction, and at that point I was prepared to go on, but I don’t know how far. I had to come to terms with my wife, because the $5,000 limit was mutually agreed upon. If there hadn’t been a charitable aspect to it, I imagine I would’ve dropped out long before the end.
Seems like you have a few bucks to your name. How do you make your living?
Being in Nevada, I work at a company, IGT (International Game Technology), that designs and manufactures gaming machines. Probably about 65% of the gaming machines that one would see in any casino in the U.S. are from our company. I’m a vice president in charge of product development. I’m in charge of the design of the games and technology. They hired me 16 years ago, and I moved to Reno with my wife and three children.
How does your wife feel about your Dead-Headed ways?
She’s what I call a level-two Dead Head. She enjoys them, but she enjoys varied music, so she’s not nearly as maniacal as I am. We met in a way that the Grateful Dead were involved. We met right after the Dylan And The Dead release, and we had this Grateful Dead mutual interest. I had just gotten the tape that had just been released, and I lent it to her. We’ve been to many shows together. I’m a level-one, she’s a level-two. When it comes to music, they cover all the musical dimensions that I need. Since Jerry’s passing, it’s been a tough road - - it has been for all Dead Heads - but it’s evolving nicely between Rat Dog and Phil Lesh & Friends.
Are you into some of the other jam bands - Phish, Widespread Panic, String Cheese?
Nope. Phil & Friends, Rat Dog, anything that evolved from the Grateful Dead. I don’t have time either. I have probably about 300 shows, and they’re real quality ones. That’s all I listen to.
What’s playing in your car stereo right now?
I’ll flip it on. Phil & Friends. I think it’s from a show from the Spring tour this year. (plays me a brief snippet) That’s all I do. (laughs)
Tell us about some of your memorabilia.
A lot of the stuff that was used for charity auctions - - a bunch of signed felt posters that they used to provide to charity - - and backstage passes, signed record albums.
Are you excited about this boxed set?
Absolutely. It’s a lot of listening.
And as you know, this boxed set covers 1965-73. Were you into the Dead back then?
Yeah. I was 17 years old when I got into them, so it was probably 1971. I quickly got into everything they had done prior. ’71 was my first concert - - before that it was the studio albums. It was definitely The Fillmore East. I believe New Riders [Of The Purple Sage] opened up.
You won a couple of extra things along with the vault tour. What will you talk to Bob Weir about when you meet him? What beverage will you enjoy from your Grateful Dead drinking glasses?
I’m not quite the drinker anymore. I’m more into holistic kinds of things - - that taps into the martial arts and yoga. I’ve never met Bob Weir. I guess we’ll see how it goes. The magic that I sensed when he was on stage with Phil Lesh - - I’d like to know if maybe that’s gonna go somewhere. I almost get the shivers thinking about that, seeing them on stage together. The thing is, they’re both doing great stuff leading their own bands.
I heard something about you and one of Jerry Garcia’s old cars.
I bid on it, but I didn’t win it. That was up on eBay. It was a van/limousine, a ’94 Dodge van customized to be a limo, and, according to what the listing said, it was used - - from ’94 until Jerry passed away - - to go from concert to concert. I have no other personal knowledge of it. I think it went for $65 grand. That’s one that got away.
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