DEAD GRATEFUL

The only time the Grateful Dead are mentioned in Calendar is when another musician mentions them, such as Lone Justice member Ryan Hedgecock did (“When You Wish Upon a Star,” by Robert Hilburn, April 7).

I have never seen Hilburn do a review of their L.A. shows. Last year, in fact, there was no review at all. Hilburn praises the new American root thing. Well, the Dead have been singing of traditional values such as God, love and treating others as one would like to be treated for more than 20 years.

One of Hilburn’s other pet peeves is songs with a message. How about “Commissars and pin- striped bosses roll the dice, any way they fall guess who gets to pay the price? Moneyed green and proletariat gray, sending guns instead of food today”?

This is among their new material, which I know Hilburn has not heard. Has he ever been to a Dead show? I know they don’t wear leather jackets or talk with funny accents.

I challenge Hilburn to go see the Dead at their Irvine shows and say they are an old band. They may not be pretty, as the growing MTV generation prefers instead of talent. But they still love “playing in the band.” See you, if you dare.

Gratefully Deadicated

JEFFREY J. McANALLY

Santee