Clive Burr, Ex-Iron Maiden Drummer, Dead at 56

Clive Burr, the former drummer of Iron Maiden, died last night at the age of 56. Burr had been suffering from multiple sclerosis, and he died in his sleep.

"This is terribly sad news," said Maiden founder/bassist Steve Harris on the group's official site. "Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time."

13 Tours We'd Like to See in 2013: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motorhead

Born on March 8th, 1957, in East Ham, London, Burr was a member of another up-and-coming British metal band, Samson, before joining Maiden in 1979. As one of the leaders of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" (which included such groups as Def Leppard, Saxon and Diamond Head), Maiden quickly showcased a sound that, early on, merged the energy of punk with the power of metal. 

It was Burr's drumming that proved a major ingredient on such early Maiden classics as 1980's self-titled debut, 1981's Killers and 1982's The Number of the Beast, and such headbanging anthems as "Running Free," "Wrathchild" and "Run to the Hills." However, during this early era, Maiden members would often come and go, and by December 1982, Burr had exited the group – just as they were about to become a global stadium headliner.

After leaving Maiden, Burr appeared on recordings by such metal acts as Trust, Stratus, Gogmagog, Elixir, Desperado (which included Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider) and Praying Mantis. Burr was eventually diagnosed with MS, and his former Maiden bandmates came to his aid by performing charity concerts and helping to form the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund. In the last years of his life, Burr was confined to a wheelchair.

"I first met Clive when he was leaving Samson and joining Iron Maiden," added Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson on the group's site. "He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full. Even during the darkest days of his MS, Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family."

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Clive Burr, Ex-Iron Maiden Drummer, Dead at 56

Clive Burr, the former drummer of Iron Maiden, died last night at the age of 56. Burr had been suffering from multiple sclerosis, and he died in his sleep.

"This is terribly sad news," said Maiden founder/bassist Steve Harris on the group's official site. "Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time."

13 Tours We'd Like to See in 2013: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Motorhead

Born on March 8th, 1957, in East Ham, London, Burr was a member of another up-and-coming British metal band, Samson, before joining Maiden in 1979. As one of the leaders of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" (which included such groups as Def Leppard, Saxon and Diamond Head), Maiden quickly showcased a sound that, early on, merged the energy of punk with the power of metal. 

It was Burr's drumming that proved a major ingredient on such early Maiden classics as 1980's self-titled debut, 1981's Killers and 1982's The Number of the Beast, and such headbanging anthems as "Running Free," "Wrathchild" and "Run to the Hills." However, during this early era, Maiden members would often come and go, and by December 1982, Burr had exited the group – just as they were about to become a global stadium headliner.

After leaving Maiden, Burr appeared on recordings by such metal acts as Trust, Stratus, Gogmagog, Elixir, Desperado (which included Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider) and Praying Mantis. Burr was eventually diagnosed with MS, and his former Maiden bandmates came to his aid by performing charity concerts and helping to form the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund. In the last years of his life, Burr was confined to a wheelchair.

"I first met Clive when he was leaving Samson and joining Iron Maiden," added Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson on the group's site. "He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full. Even during the darkest days of his MS, Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family."

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David Bowie 'Likes the Struggle' of Winning Fans, Says Drummer Zack Alford

Zachary Alford and David Bowie

For the past year and a half drummer Zachary Alford has been forced to walk around with the secret that he plays on David Bowie's new album. "It's been torture," he says. "Everyone always says to me, 'So, what's David up to?' I just had to shrug my shoulders and say, 'I wish I knew.'" 

Now that the secret is out, Zachary is finally able to talk to us about the secretive recording sessions for The Next Day. We also spoke with him about his tenure in Bruce Springsteen's "Other Band" in 1992-'93. 

Let's start at the very beginning. Tell me how you first heard about this new Bowie album?
David sent me an email asking if I was available in the first two weeks of May of 2011. It was out of the blue. I mean, we'd been in email contact, but there was never any talk about work. 

What was your first reaction?
I said yes. [Laughs] Luckily I was available, so I was just really happy about that. But I didn't know what it was. But whatever it was, I'm available. [Laughs]

Flashback: Bowie Belts Out 'Heroes'

He asked if you were available, but he didn't tell you it was for a new album?
There was a time where I didn't know what it was. He wouldn't even say where it was or what it was. I remember [bassist] Gail [Ann Dorsey] and I talking about it, like, "Oh, did he contact you too?" "Yeah, he contacted me." "What's it for?" "I don't know." 

We didn't know if it was a performance or a recording or anything. It wasn't until maybe a week before that he said, "Yes, be here at this studio on this day." Then somehow it leaked out.

What do you mean?
Well, I got an email from David saying, "Do you know a photographer named so and so?" I could find the name, but I don't remember offhand. I said, "No." It's a good thing I didn't know him. [Laughs] Apparently this photographer had called someone from David's office and asked if it was OK for him to take pictures of David at the studio. They were like, "What? Who told you there was even a session?" Obviously, someone from the studio leaked it out. We got an email after that saying, "OK, change of plan. We're doing it at Magic Shop." 

By this point, are you shocked to learn that he's making a new album?
Um . . . I'd say I was relieved that he's finally back in the saddle, and I was relieved that I got the call.

Tell me about the first day of recording. Did he lay out his vision for the album, or did you just start cutting tracks?
It was all very matter-of-fact. We weren't allowed to hear any of the songs before that, because he didn't want anything out there circulating. So we basically walked in, and there wasn't much discussion. It's like, "Here's the first tune." Usually he'd play us a demo. It would be a home demo with a drum machine and a synth. Then he'd play a rehearsal demo, because they had actually rehearsed some of the material up from the initial demo stage in November. I guess that was in 2010. And so we listened to both, and then we'd go in the room and start playing it.

Is this you, Gail, Gerry Leonard and David?
Yes, and David Torn. The first week in May we actually had both guitar players, David Torn and Gerry Leonard. Gail was on bass and David was on either synths or he'd play acoustic guitar or piano, depending on the song.

Gerry would hand out charts while we listened to the song so we'd have something to follow, and we could make any notes we needed. We listened to the songs about two or three times, and then it was time to go play it. That was the drill.

I assume David told you that you couldn't tell a soul about the sessions.
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. He handed out nondisclosure forms for everyone to sign.

Did you even tell your family?
Yes. I told my wife and my kids. But we home-school, so I didn't have to worry about them blabbing it all over school.

It's pretty amazing in this day and age that it didn't get out there.
Yeah. I think it's a real testament to the value of privacy. This is zero promotion. Basically, him saying nothing is almost promoting the record itself.

Being quiet a whole decade and doing no interviews makes him this real mysterious character. It's almost like he's this ghost, and I can understand why he's reluctant to give that up.
In this day and age, people are so distracted that it's hard to show them anything they'll pay attention to. By actually giving them nothing, they want to know more.

I've only heard the single, but everyone keeps telling me the rest of the album sounds much different than that song.
Oh yeah. There's definitely a lot of up-tempo material. That's some kind of Sixties doo-wop-ish material. Although I don't remember a lot of the songs. I mean, it'll be two years in May since we did it. I haven't heard any of it since. I hope to have the chance to hear it soon myself.

So you basically only spent three total weeks working on the album?
Yeah.

Can you walk me through your average day of recording? What was the routine?
Well, the routine was very much like going to work. It was a lot of fun for me, because I don't live in the city anymore, but I grew up there. This was a nice way to come back. Every morning I'd stroll through Soho to go to the Magic Shop. I'd show up around 10:30 a.m. David was almost always already there. He'd be in the control room strumming away on something. Then he'd come back when we were all gathered and drinking our coffees. He'd then throw on a demo. Gerry would hand out charts, we'd take notes, and after hearing it two or three times he'd say, "Everybody ready?" We'd say "Yeah," and we'd go in and play it through. We'd only do two or three takes and he'd say, "Either we've got it or we don't."

On one occasion I recall we came back in and he still wasn't happy, so he wanted us to move on. He'd rather keep the momentum going and keep the juices flowing than sit there and hammer out a tune until it's perfect. 

So we'd do the first one, then we would break for lunch. Then the same drill. We'd listen to another one, takes notes, go in . . . Usually we'd finish by five or six.

Roughly how many takes do you think you did of most of the songs?
I would say between two and five takes for all the songs. 

Is that sort of low in your experience?
That is low, actually. It may not sound like it, but you can do a lot of takes in no time. Because they're all rehearsals. I can't tell you how many sessions I go to and I say, "Oh, wow, let's listen to the third take. That was the best one." And someone will say, "That was actually the sixth take." You forget how many times you've done something. So this was pretty low. On a couple of occasions it was only one take.

You said some of the songs were sort of doo-wop. Earl Slick told me some were Rolling Stones-esque. Can you describe the sound of the songs a little more?
There are a couple that remind me of the Scary Monsters period, because they're a bit more angular and aggressive-sounding, so I would approach them that way, because naturally I'm trying to tie the material into my association of what Bowie music sounds like.

There's another number that's a straight-up country song. There was another one that was based on a blues riff, but we had specific instructions to not make it sound like the blues. There were two songs that sort of had a Bo Diddley feel. I remember specifically shying away from that because I didn't want it to sound like "Panic in Detroit."

Do you know any of the songs titles?
They've changed. The only ones that have remained from my initial days are "The Stars (Are Out Tonight) and . . . is there one called "Ya Ya?" 

I don't think so.
I remember "Boss of Me." We cut that with Tony Levin on bass. I remember specifically thinking, "Oh, this one sounds kind of funky. Wouldn't it be great if he played the [Chapman] Stick?" I suggested that, and Tony wasn't thrilled with that, because there were a lot of chord changes. He doesn't like to do songs with chord changes on the Stick, but everybody thought it sounded great. That sounded almost Peter Gabriel-like, like something from the "Big Time" era.

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David Bowie 'Likes the Struggle' of Winning Fans, Says Drummer Zack Alford

Zachary Alford and David Bowie

For the past year and a half drummer Zachary Alford has been forced to walk around with the secret that he plays on David Bowie's new album. "It's been torture," he says. "Everyone always says to me, 'So, what's David up to?' I just had to shrug my shoulders and say, 'I wish I knew.'" 

Now that the secret is out, Zachary is finally able to talk to us about the secretive recording sessions for The Next Day. We also spoke with him about his tenure in Bruce Springsteen's "Other Band" in 1992-'93. 

Let's start at the very beginning. Tell me how you first heard about this new Bowie album?
David sent me an email asking if I was available in the first two weeks of May of 2011. It was out of the blue. I mean, we'd been in email contact, but there was never any talk about work. 

What was your first reaction?
I said yes. [Laughs] Luckily I was available, so I was just really happy about that. But I didn't know what it was. But whatever it was, I'm available. [Laughs]

Flashback: Bowie Belts Out 'Heroes'

He asked if you were available, but he didn't tell you it was for a new album?
There was a time where I didn't know what it was. He wouldn't even say where it was or what it was. I remember [bassist] Gail [Ann Dorsey] and I talking about it, like, "Oh, did he contact you too?" "Yeah, he contacted me." "What's it for?" "I don't know." 

We didn't know if it was a performance or a recording or anything. It wasn't until maybe a week before that he said, "Yes, be here at this studio on this day." Then somehow it leaked out.

What do you mean?
Well, I got an email from David saying, "Do you know a photographer named so and so?" I could find the name, but I don't remember offhand. I said, "No." It's a good thing I didn't know him. [Laughs] Apparently this photographer had called someone from David's office and asked if it was OK for him to take pictures of David at the studio. They were like, "What? Who told you there was even a session?" Obviously, someone from the studio leaked it out. We got an email after that saying, "OK, change of plan. We're doing it at Magic Shop." 

By this point, are you shocked to learn that he's making a new album?
Um . . . I'd say I was relieved that he's finally back in the saddle, and I was relieved that I got the call.

Tell me about the first day of recording. Did he lay out his vision for the album, or did you just start cutting tracks?
It was all very matter-of-fact. We weren't allowed to hear any of the songs before that, because he didn't want anything out there circulating. So we basically walked in, and there wasn't much discussion. It's like, "Here's the first tune." Usually he'd play us a demo. It would be a home demo with a drum machine and a synth. Then he'd play a rehearsal demo, because they had actually rehearsed some of the material up from the initial demo stage in November. I guess that was in 2010. And so we listened to both, and then we'd go in the room and start playing it.

Is this you, Gail, Gerry Leonard and David?
Yes, and David Torn. The first week in May we actually had both guitar players, David Torn and Gerry Leonard. Gail was on bass and David was on either synths or he'd play acoustic guitar or piano, depending on the song.

Gerry would hand out charts while we listened to the song so we'd have something to follow, and we could make any notes we needed. We listened to the songs about two or three times, and then it was time to go play it. That was the drill.

I assume David told you that you couldn't tell a soul about the sessions.
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. He handed out nondisclosure forms for everyone to sign.

Did you even tell your family?
Yes. I told my wife and my kids. But we home-school, so I didn't have to worry about them blabbing it all over school.

It's pretty amazing in this day and age that it didn't get out there.
Yeah. I think it's a real testament to the value of privacy. This is zero promotion. Basically, him saying nothing is almost promoting the record itself.

Being quiet a whole decade and doing no interviews makes him this real mysterious character. It's almost like he's this ghost, and I can understand why he's reluctant to give that up.
In this day and age, people are so distracted that it's hard to show them anything they'll pay attention to. By actually giving them nothing, they want to know more.

I've only heard the single, but everyone keeps telling me the rest of the album sounds much different than that song.
Oh yeah. There's definitely a lot of up-tempo material. That's some kind of Sixties doo-wop-ish material. Although I don't remember a lot of the songs. I mean, it'll be two years in May since we did it. I haven't heard any of it since. I hope to have the chance to hear it soon myself.

So you basically only spent three total weeks working on the album?
Yeah.

Can you walk me through your average day of recording? What was the routine?
Well, the routine was very much like going to work. It was a lot of fun for me, because I don't live in the city anymore, but I grew up there. This was a nice way to come back. Every morning I'd stroll through Soho to go to the Magic Shop. I'd show up around 10:30 a.m. David was almost always already there. He'd be in the control room strumming away on something. Then he'd come back when we were all gathered and drinking our coffees. He'd then throw on a demo. Gerry would hand out charts, we'd take notes, and after hearing it two or three times he'd say, "Everybody ready?" We'd say "Yeah," and we'd go in and play it through. We'd only do two or three takes and he'd say, "Either we've got it or we don't."

On one occasion I recall we came back in and he still wasn't happy, so he wanted us to move on. He'd rather keep the momentum going and keep the juices flowing than sit there and hammer out a tune until it's perfect. 

So we'd do the first one, then we would break for lunch. Then the same drill. We'd listen to another one, takes notes, go in . . . Usually we'd finish by five or six.

Roughly how many takes do you think you did of most of the songs?
I would say between two and five takes for all the songs. 

Is that sort of low in your experience?
That is low, actually. It may not sound like it, but you can do a lot of takes in no time. Because they're all rehearsals. I can't tell you how many sessions I go to and I say, "Oh, wow, let's listen to the third take. That was the best one." And someone will say, "That was actually the sixth take." You forget how many times you've done something. So this was pretty low. On a couple of occasions it was only one take.

You said some of the songs were sort of doo-wop. Earl Slick told me some were Rolling Stones-esque. Can you describe the sound of the songs a little more?
There are a couple that remind me of the Scary Monsters period, because they're a bit more angular and aggressive-sounding, so I would approach them that way, because naturally I'm trying to tie the material into my association of what Bowie music sounds like.

There's another number that's a straight-up country song. There was another one that was based on a blues riff, but we had specific instructions to not make it sound like the blues. There were two songs that sort of had a Bo Diddley feel. I remember specifically shying away from that because I didn't want it to sound like "Panic in Detroit."

Do you know any of the songs titles?
They've changed. The only ones that have remained from my initial days are "The Stars (Are Out Tonight) and . . . is there one called "Ya Ya?" 

I don't think so.
I remember "Boss of Me." We cut that with Tony Levin on bass. I remember specifically thinking, "Oh, this one sounds kind of funky. Wouldn't it be great if he played the [Chapman] Stick?" I suggested that, and Tony wasn't thrilled with that, because there were a lot of chord changes. He doesn't like to do songs with chord changes on the Stick, but everybody thought it sounded great. That sounded almost Peter Gabriel-like, like something from the "Big Time" era.

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Former Drummer Sues Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Ariel Marcus Rosenberg aka Ariel Pink performs on stage with drummer, Aaron Sperske, during Coachella Valley Music Festival on April 15, 2011.

Aaron Sperske, former drummer for Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, is suing the band for pushing him out, reports Entertainment Law Digest.

Sperske's suit claims that he and the three current members of the band had formed an "oral partnership" in 2008 in which the musicians would write songs together and share equally in the band's profits and expenses. He says that the four band members co-wrote the 12 songs on the forthcoming album, Mature Themes, and that he had performed "diligently and competently" as part of the band before the others tried to kick him out in May.

Sperske is claiming now that his ouster from the band was in violation of their partnership agreement. In the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Sperske is seeking $1 million in punitive damages, as well as a declaration from the band stating that he is still a partner in Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, and therefore entitled to a share of its profits from royalties and performances.

Mature Themes is due out on August 21st and the band kicks off a North American tour in Austin on September 7th. 

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Former Drummer Sues Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Ariel Marcus Rosenberg aka Ariel Pink performs on stage with drummer, Aaron Sperske, during Coachella Valley Music Festival on April 15, 2011.

Aaron Sperske, former drummer for Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, is suing the band for pushing him out, reports Entertainment Law Digest.

Sperske's suit claims that he and the three current members of the band had formed an "oral partnership" in 2008 in which the musicians would write songs together and share equally in the band's profits and expenses. He says that the four band members co-wrote the 12 songs on the forthcoming album, Mature Themes, and that he had performed "diligently and competently" as part of the band before the others tried to kick him out in May.

Sperske is claiming now that his ouster from the band was in violation of their partnership agreement. In the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Sperske is seeking $1 million in punitive damages, as well as a declaration from the band stating that he is still a partner in Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, and therefore entitled to a share of its profits from royalties and performances.

Mature Themes is due out on August 21st and the band kicks off a North American tour in Austin on September 7th. 

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King's X Set Up Donation for Ailing Drummer

Jerry Gaskill of King's X performs in England in 2009.

On February 26th, a little more than a month before the veteran metal group King's X was to launch their latest tour, drummer Jerry Gaskill suffered a heart attack and had to undergo emergency surgery. Gaskill has remained in a hospital ever since, and the group is offering an exclusive live recording of a vintage 1991 concert to each person who donates to help offset the drummer's mounting medical expenses.

Available for download via the Molken Music website, Burning Down Boston: Live at The Channel 6.12.91 is an 89-minute, 14-track recording that captures the group while they were still touring in support of their most commercially successful release, 1990's Faith Hope Love, which spawned the MTV and rock radio hit "It's Love." In addition to that song, the set also includes renditions of such King's X classics as "Over My Head" and "Moanjam," among others.

King's X bassist Doug Pinnick recently offered an update about Gaskill's condition via his Facebook page: "Saw Jerry and he smiled and gave the thumbs-up. He seemed to recognize everyone and seems on it. Really cool. He is having some difficulty with the breathing, but overall looks sharp. Feel much better about this. Very excited. Just want to share that with you guys. Julie [Gaskill's fiancée] is amazing."

In addition to purchasing Burning Down Boston, anyone who wants to send a donation can mail a check (made out to Jerry Gaskill) to the following address: Jerry Gaskill, c/o World Entertainment Inc., P.O. Box 3095, Sea Bright, NJ 07760.

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King's X Set Up Donation for Ailing Drummer

Jerry Gaskill of King's X performs in England in 2009.

On February 26th, a little more than a month before the veteran metal group King's X was to launch their latest tour, drummer Jerry Gaskill suffered a heart attack and had to undergo emergency surgery. Gaskill has remained in a hospital ever since, and the group is offering an exclusive live recording of a vintage 1991 concert to each person who donates to help offset the drummer's mounting medical expenses.

Available for download via the Molken Music website, Burning Down Boston: Live at The Channel 6.12.91 is an 89-minute, 14-track recording that captures the group while they were still touring in support of their most commercially successful release, 1990's Faith Hope Love, which spawned the MTV and rock radio hit "It's Love." In addition to that song, the set also includes renditions of such King's X classics as "Over My Head" and "Moanjam," among others.

King's X bassist Doug Pinnick recently offered an update about Gaskill's condition via his Facebook page: "Saw Jerry and he smiled and gave the thumbs-up. He seemed to recognize everyone and seems on it. Really cool. He is having some difficulty with the breathing, but overall looks sharp. Feel much better about this. Very excited. Just want to share that with you guys. Julie [Gaskill's fiancée] is amazing."

In addition to purchasing Burning Down Boston, anyone who wants to send a donation can mail a check (made out to Jerry Gaskill) to the following address: Jerry Gaskill, c/o World Entertainment Inc., P.O. Box 3095, Sea Bright, NJ 07760.

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Ex-Cake Drummer Charged with Child Molestation

Former Cake drummer Peter McNeal has been hit with child molestation charges by Los Angeles police. McNeal was busted in L.A. last month and released on $250,000 bail. On Friday, the drummer appeared in court to hear a single felony count against him for oral copulation and sexual penetration of a child under the age of 10.

McNeal, 45, is suspected by the Los Angeles Police Department of previous incidents with other victims, and they are urging the public to help locate other children who may have been sexually assaulted by the musician. McNeal was previously arrested in 2009 on a separate charge of attempted molestation of a young girl, but the status of that case is not clear.

McNeal served as a member of Cake from 2001 to 2004 and has since worked as a session player, appearing on records by Norah Jones and Mike Doughty.

"I was devastated to hear of the arrest," Doughty told Fox News. "There is nothing in my experience of Pete that indicates he's a monster. But someone accused of child molestation usually gets labeled as a monster permanently, regardless of what a jury decides."

McNeal will be arraigned on February 10th, with pretrial and trial dates to be set afterward.

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Ex-Cake Drummer Charged with Child Molestation

Former Cake drummer Peter McNeal has been hit with child molestation charges by Los Angeles police. McNeal was busted in L.A. last month and released on $250,000 bail. On Friday, the drummer appeared in court to hear a single felony count against him for oral copulation and sexual penetration of a child under the age of 10.

McNeal, 45, is suspected by the Los Angeles Police Department of previous incidents with other victims, and they are urging the public to help locate other children who may have been sexually assaulted by the musician. McNeal was previously arrested in 2009 on a separate charge of attempted molestation of a young girl, but the status of that case is not clear.

McNeal served as a member of Cake from 2001 to 2004 and has since worked as a session player, appearing on records by Norah Jones and Mike Doughty.

"I was devastated to hear of the arrest," Doughty told Fox News. "There is nothing in my experience of Pete that indicates he's a monster. But someone accused of child molestation usually gets labeled as a monster permanently, regardless of what a jury decides."

McNeal will be arraigned on February 10th, with pretrial and trial dates to be set afterward.

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Black Sabbath Pledge To Carry on Without Drummer Bill Ward

Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath at a press conference.

Black Sabbath have responded to drummer Bill Ward's open letter pledging to leave the band unless he is presented with a "signable contract." In a statement on Facebook, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler indicated they they will carry on with their new album and reunion tour without him. "We were saddened to hear yesterday via Facebook that Bill declined publicly to participate in our current Black Sabbath plans," they wrote. "We have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open...We are still in the UK with Tony. Writing and recording the new album and on a roll...See you at Download!!!"

Tony Iommi was recently diagnosed with lymphoma, causing the band to move their recording sessions from Los Angeles to England, where the guitarist is receiving treatment. They reportedly backed out of a planned headlining slot at Coachella and their European summer tour seemed to be in jeopardy, though the above statement makes it clear they plan on performing at the Download Festival on June 10th.

Black Sabbath toured without Bill Ward when the original line-up reformed in 1997, but he joined up with the group the following year. In 2004 a contract dispute nearly caused him to not participate on that summer's Ozzfest tour, but he eventually wound up signing on. "After the last tour I vowed to never again sign on to an unreasonable contract," Ward wrote in his recent letter.  "I want a contract that shows some respect to me and my family, a contract that will honor all that I've brought to Black Sabbath since its beginning."

He also addresses the possibility that the group might replace him. "If I'm replaced, I have to face you, the beloved Sabbath fans," he wrote. "I hope you will not hold me responsible for the failure of an original Black Sabbath lineup as promoted.  Without fault finding, I want to assure everyone that my loyalty to Sabbath is intact." 

It's unclear who the group plans to bring in to play drums on their new projects, though in the past Faith No More's Mike Bordin and Vinny Appice have played in Black Sabbath when Ward was unavailable. 

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Drummer Bill Ward Threatens to Quit Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath appear at a press conference to announce their first new album in 33 years.

The Black Sabbath reunion has hit another speed bump. Last month Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi announced that he was diagnosed with lymphoma, forcing to band to move their recording sessions to London and reportedly pull out of a planned Coachella headlining slot. Now drummer Bill Ward has issued a long statement indicating that he will not participate in the reunion unless he is presented with "signable contract" that "reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band."

This is not the first time that Ward has publicly battled with Black Sabbath's management team. In 2004, Sharon Osbourne announced that Faith No More's Mike Bordin would be filling in for Ward on the Ozzfest tour. "Last week I did receive a proposal which allowed no room for negotiation," Ward said at the time. "It was a cul-de-sac proposal, in my opinion, where the only answer was yes or no." The two parties eventually came to an agreement before the tour, and Ward did participate.

Ward was also going to play drums in the Ronnie James Dio-era Black Sabbath reunion (billed as Heaven and Hell) in 2006, but he backed out for unknown reasons. Let's all hope that the two parties are able to come together this time. Below is the complete text of Bill Ward's letter.

Dear Sabbath Fans, Fellow Musicians and Interested Parties,

At this time, I would love nothing more than to be able to proceed with the Black Sabbath album and tour. However, I am unable to continue unless a "signable" contract is drawn up; a contract that reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band. Last year, I worked diligently in good faith with Tony, Ozzy and Geezer. And on 11/11/11, again in good faith, I participated in the L.A. press conference. Several days ago, after nearly a year of trying to negotiate, another "unsignable" contract was handed to me. 

Let me say that although this has put me in some kind of holding pattern, I am packed and ready to leave the U.S. for England.  More importantly, I definitely want to play on the album, and I definitely want to tour with Black Sabbath.

Since the news of Tony's illness, and the understanding that the band would move production to the U.K., I've spent every day getting to or living in a place of readiness to leave. That involves something of a task, and as I've tried to find out what's going on with the U.K. sessions, I've realized that I've been getting "the cold shoulder" (and, I might add, not for the first time). Feeling somewhat ostracized, my guess is as of today, I will know nothing of what's happening unless I sign "the unsignable contract."

The place I'm in feels lousy and lonely because as much as I want to play and participate, I also have to stand for something and not sign on. If I sign as-is, I stand to lose my rights, dignity and respectability as a rock musician. I believe in freedom and freedom of speech. I grew up in a hard rock/metal band. We stood for something then, and we played from the heart with honesty and sincerity. I am in the spirit of integrity, far from the corporate malady, I am real and honest, fair and compassionate.

If I'm replaced, I have to face you, the beloved Sabbath fans. I hope you will not hold me responsible for the failure of an original Black Sabbath lineup as promoted.  Without fault finding, I want to assure everyone that my loyalty to Sabbath is intact.

So here I am. I lay my truth down before you. I'm good to go IF I get a "signable" contract. I don't want to let anyone down, especially Black Sabbath and all the Sabbath fans. You know I love you. It would be a sad day in Rock if this current situation fell to the desires of a few.

My position is not greed-driven.  I'm not holding out for a "big piece" of the action (money) like some kind of blackmail deal. I’d like something that recognizes and is reflective of my contributions to the band, including the reunions that started fourteen years ago. After the last tour I vowed to never again sign on to an unreasonable contract.  I want a contract that shows some respect to me and my family, a contract that will honor all that I've brought to Black Sabbath since its beginning.

That's the story so far.

Stay safe and stay strong.

I love every single one of you.

– Bill Ward

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Black Sabbath Pledge To Carry on Without Drummer Bill Ward

Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath at a press conference.

Black Sabbath have responded to drummer Bill Ward's open letter pledging to leave the band unless he is presented with a "signable contract." In a statement on Facebook, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler indicated they they will carry on with their new album and reunion tour without him. "We were saddened to hear yesterday via Facebook that Bill declined publicly to participate in our current Black Sabbath plans," they wrote. "We have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open...We are still in the UK with Tony. Writing and recording the new album and on a roll...See you at Download!!!"

Tony Iommi was recently diagnosed with lymphoma, causing the band to move their recording sessions from Los Angeles to England, where the guitarist is receiving treatment. They reportedly backed out of a planned headlining slot at Coachella and their European summer tour seemed to be in jeopardy, though the above statement makes it clear they plan on performing at the Download Festival on June 10th.

Black Sabbath toured without Bill Ward when the original line-up reformed in 1997, but he joined up with the group the following year. In 2004 a contract dispute nearly caused him to not participate on that summer's Ozzfest tour, but he eventually wound up signing on. "After the last tour I vowed to never again sign on to an unreasonable contract," Ward wrote in his recent letter.  "I want a contract that shows some respect to me and my family, a contract that will honor all that I've brought to Black Sabbath since its beginning."

He also addresses the possibility that the group might replace him. "If I'm replaced, I have to face you, the beloved Sabbath fans," he wrote. "I hope you will not hold me responsible for the failure of an original Black Sabbath lineup as promoted.  Without fault finding, I want to assure everyone that my loyalty to Sabbath is intact." 

It's unclear who the group plans to bring in to play drums on their new projects, though in the past Faith No More's Mike Bordin and Vinny Appice have played in Black Sabbath when Ward was unavailable. 

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Drummer Bill Ward Threatens to Quit Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath appear at a press conference to announce their first new album in 33 years.

The Black Sabbath reunion has hit another speed bump. Last month Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi announced that he was diagnosed with lymphoma, forcing to band to move their recording sessions to London and reportedly pull out of a planned Coachella headlining slot. Now drummer Bill Ward has issued a long statement indicating that he will not participate in the reunion unless he is presented with "signable contract" that "reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band."

This is not the first time that Ward has publicly battled with Black Sabbath's management team. In 2004, Sharon Osbourne announced that Faith No More's Mike Bordin would be filling in for Ward on the Ozzfest tour. "Last week I did receive a proposal which allowed no room for negotiation," Ward said at the time. "It was a cul-de-sac proposal, in my opinion, where the only answer was yes or no." The two parties eventually came to an agreement before the tour, and Ward did participate.

Ward was also going to play drums in the Ronnie James Dio-era Black Sabbath reunion (billed as Heaven and Hell) in 2006, but he backed out for unknown reasons. Let's all hope that the two parties are able to come together this time. Below is the complete text of Bill Ward's letter.

Dear Sabbath Fans, Fellow Musicians and Interested Parties,

At this time, I would love nothing more than to be able to proceed with the Black Sabbath album and tour. However, I am unable to continue unless a "signable" contract is drawn up; a contract that reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band. Last year, I worked diligently in good faith with Tony, Ozzy and Geezer. And on 11/11/11, again in good faith, I participated in the L.A. press conference. Several days ago, after nearly a year of trying to negotiate, another "unsignable" contract was handed to me. 

Let me say that although this has put me in some kind of holding pattern, I am packed and ready to leave the U.S. for England.  More importantly, I definitely want to play on the album, and I definitely want to tour with Black Sabbath.

Since the news of Tony's illness, and the understanding that the band would move production to the U.K., I've spent every day getting to or living in a place of readiness to leave. That involves something of a task, and as I've tried to find out what's going on with the U.K. sessions, I've realized that I've been getting "the cold shoulder" (and, I might add, not for the first time). Feeling somewhat ostracized, my guess is as of today, I will know nothing of what's happening unless I sign "the unsignable contract."

The place I'm in feels lousy and lonely because as much as I want to play and participate, I also have to stand for something and not sign on. If I sign as-is, I stand to lose my rights, dignity and respectability as a rock musician. I believe in freedom and freedom of speech. I grew up in a hard rock/metal band. We stood for something then, and we played from the heart with honesty and sincerity. I am in the spirit of integrity, far from the corporate malady, I am real and honest, fair and compassionate.

If I'm replaced, I have to face you, the beloved Sabbath fans. I hope you will not hold me responsible for the failure of an original Black Sabbath lineup as promoted.  Without fault finding, I want to assure everyone that my loyalty to Sabbath is intact.

So here I am. I lay my truth down before you. I'm good to go IF I get a "signable" contract. I don't want to let anyone down, especially Black Sabbath and all the Sabbath fans. You know I love you. It would be a sad day in Rock if this current situation fell to the desires of a few.

My position is not greed-driven.  I'm not holding out for a "big piece" of the action (money) like some kind of blackmail deal. I’d like something that recognizes and is reflective of my contributions to the band, including the reunions that started fourteen years ago. After the last tour I vowed to never again sign on to an unreasonable contract.  I want a contract that shows some respect to me and my family, a contract that will honor all that I've brought to Black Sabbath since its beginning.

That's the story so far.

Stay safe and stay strong.

I love every single one of you.

– Bill Ward

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Fleet Foxes Drummer Leaves Band

Josh Tillman of Fleet Foxes performs during the Lollapalooza music festival.

Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman announced his departure from the band in a post on his Tumblr yesterday. "Tokyo is my last show with the Foxes," he wrote, referring to the folk rock group's gig at Studio Coast tonight. Tillman was self-deprecating in the brief message: "Back into the gaping maw of obscurity I go," he joked, apologizing if he ever seemed "distant and obtuse" during meetings with fans.

Tillman was an active solo artist both before and during his time as a member of Fleet Foxes. His most recent solo LP, Singing Ax, was issued by Western Vinyl last year.

Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott of Fleet Foxes have also announced a new project, though they will not be leaving the band. The two have formed a new group called Poor Moon, and they will be releasing a debut EP called Illusion through Fleet Foxes' label, Sub Pop, on March 27th.

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Fleet Foxes Drummer Leaves Band

Josh Tillman of Fleet Foxes performs during the Lollapalooza music festival.

Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman announced his departure from the band in a post on his Tumblr yesterday. "Tokyo is my last show with the Foxes," he wrote, referring to the folk rock group's gig at Studio Coast tonight. Tillman was self-deprecating in the brief message: "Back into the gaping maw of obscurity I go," he joked, apologizing if he ever seemed "distant and obtuse" during meetings with fans.

Tillman was an active solo artist both before and during his time as a member of Fleet Foxes. His most recent solo LP, Singing Ax, was issued by Western Vinyl last year.

Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott of Fleet Foxes have also announced a new project, though they will not be leaving the band. The two have formed a new group called Poor Moon, and they will be releasing a debut EP called Illusion through Fleet Foxes' label, Sub Pop, on March 27th.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Grateful Dead Drummer: Jerry Garcia 'Wasn’t Really Happy Playing' at Band's End

Grateful Dead's Bill Kreutzmann performs with 7 Walkers on Jam Cruise 10.

Leaving the Grateful Dead behind in 1995 was as much a defining force in drummer Bill Kreutzmann's life as was forming the band with Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan 30 years earlier. And, in some ways, he's still dealing with the fallout. As Kreutzmann discusses exclusively with Rolling Stone, when the group disbanded following Garcia's untimely death, he took off for Hawaii and disappeared for awhile. Part of the reason for Kreutzmann's reclusive period was to honor his word to his fallen bandmate and partly to get his health – and his head – back together. Surprisingly, he says that he believes the Grateful Dead were at the end of the line, even if Garcia had survived.

And while Kreutzmann toured off and on with Grateful Dead spinoff bands such as the Dead and the Other Ones throughout the following decade, it wasn't until much more recently that he finally found a musical project as satisfying as performing in the Grateful Dead proper. Last year, Kreutzmann formed 7 Walkers with bluesman Papa Mali, bassist George Porter Jr. (the Meters) and keyboardist Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson). Joined by special guest Steve Kimock on guitar – and featuring ample cameos from Karl Denson and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, among others – the group set sail on the high seas with Jam Cruise last week, performing a pair of shows on a sold-out ship bound for Haiti, Jamaica and all points jammed between. Between his sets with 7 Walkers and late-night appearances in the never-ending Jam Room, Kreutzmann sat down with Rolling Stone in the ship's wine bar to take a look back at yet another long strange trip.

The Grateful Dead are often credited as the forefathers of the jam band scene upon which the vibe of Jam Cruise is based. Can you talk about being one of the elder statesmen on the ship?
First of all, I love doing Jam Cruise. This is the second one I've done. I like doing it so much. The audience, the people on board are just as cool as can be and they're all into jam music. And I get to meet all these musicians that I don't normally get to hang with. So I get to rub shoulders and hang out with these different people and we get to play, like tonight in the Jam Room – it's going to be insane. I heard it's been kinda quiet in there the last few nights, so I figured I better show up. George Porter Jr. is going to show up and then Papa Mali too, so we'll get it raging in there; we'll warm it up.

Jam Cruise is sort of because of the jam scene, and the Grateful Dead often get complimented for starting the jam band scene. And maybe that is true, but in my head jazz musicians jammed forever, way before rock musicians. We might be one of the first rock bands to really jam and that might be the truth and that's cool; when I see all these new musicians playing great music and jamming like crazy, I'm really honored. It's not that I'm honored personally, I'm honored to the music – the music is being honored by musicians keeping it alive. And that's what I really like.

You've already been in one of the world's most successful bands – for three decades. You don't need to do anything for a living anymore. You could retire and live happily ever after. So why still do it?
I just don't see myself as retiring. As long as I'm healthy and can play the drums, that's what I'm going to do because that's the most fun thing that I know how to do. And to make people happy from playing music is the best reward you can have in your life – instead of being an insurance salesman or whatever, whatever, you know. Playing music is just one of the best things. I can't retire.

When Jerry left us in '95, besides being totally hurt and forlorn, basically lonesome, I was lost in every direction. I didn't know what to do. I went to Kauai mostly to heal. Jerry and I had this gentlemen's agreement that if the Grateful Dead ever stopped, we were both going to move to Hawaii. Unfortunately he couldn't keep his part of the deal, but I moved there after the Grateful Dead ended in the Summer of '95 because I needed to heal. I had really been burning hard and doing the things that everybody knows that rockers do on the road and this gave me a chance to really catch my breath and heal again. And get healthy. I surf and I got in much better shape and took care of my life. That was very, very important.

But the thing that was missing was a band that could fill the level that I like to have with music that the Grateful Dead did. And I don't mean a copy band of any sort; the bands that I played in afterward, the Dead and the Other Ones and all that, up until 2009, they were okay bands – the musicians were always really great – but I always missed one guy. I couldn't help that in my heart. The Grateful Dead without Jerry Garcia was like the Miles Davis Band without Miles Davis.

So, finally, 15 years after Jerry left, I got to meet Papa Mali. And that was like one of the most fortunate things to ever happen to me. My girlfriend Amy, who is now my wife, introduced me to Papa Mali. She played his music for me at home in Hawaii and I just went, "Oh man, that cat's for real!" And I've always loved New Orleans music. I always loved it when the Neville Brothers opened up for the Grateful Dead, and the Dirty Dozen and all that.

And finally I met a guy that I could totally believe in as a musician. As Jerry did, [Mali] has total knowledge of all kinds of music. He's got like 10,000 vinyl records, got them on every wall on his house, so knowledgeable and just a really wonderful person to play music with and he sings great and he's the one person I've heard sing Jerry songs that I really like his voice doing it. I mean, 7 Walkers doesn't have all the instrumentation that the Grateful Dead did, but I just like the way we approach it. What I'm getting at is that I've had to wait this long, 15 years, to really get back. And that's the reason I'm here on Jam Cruise; I'm back playing again with musicians I really believe in. And that's very important to me. These guys have got to be the guys or else I don't want to do it.

You say you can't retire from music. All of the other remaining members of the Grateful Dead seem to feel the same way. Do you think if Jerry Garcia was still around that the Grateful Dead would still be touring?
No, I don't think so. I think that Jerry had gotten kind of bored with the Grateful Dead, and it was sort of like a marriage that had maybe gone on too long. And other people in the band wanted to start to express themselves in their bands and so forth and so on, that I'm pretty sure Jerry would've stopped playing in the Grateful Dead. I think a lot of it, I hate to say, was really a financial obligation. He needed to earn the money for some things and that's too bad. But it's hard. He was a true artist and I can tell you he wasn't really happy playing in the Grateful Dead at the end. I hate to say that. I know the audience is going to hear me say that and go, "Oh, that's not true," but if people really think about some of the shows that were there in the last year and some of the troubles that poor Jerry had, they know that I'm not BS'ing.

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. It's hard for me, too. Once again, I said it earlier, but the reason I went to Hawaii was to heal those things.

In talking about the new Dave's Picks live release series, Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux recently told Rolling Stone that he informs everyone in the band what the next live release will be. He sends them advance copies, but he's not sure any of the band members actually ever put them on. When a new live Grateful Dead release comes out, do you listen to it?
I do. And the one that comes to mind right away is the new Europe '72 [The Complete Recordings] release. I went back and listened and on a couple of the CDs in that set – there's one that has "The Other One" into some kind of jam back into "The Other One" – the music is just fantastic. It blows my mind to this moment. I like that music, the looser music like "Bird Song" or "The Other One," because they're really heavily jam-oriented. The Garcia songs are always my favorite, but the jam parts are really my favorite.

There's now even a Grateful Dead video game on the market. Do you pay attention to that stuff? I mean, the non-musical commercial releases, licensing and merchandising?
I don't always; some of it I do and some of it I don't. I trust David Lemieux a million percent and when he says something is worth going for, then I do it. And I don't have to listen to everything or get everything – my house would be awful full of stuff. Whatever it is: dog collars . . . there's a company now that makes Grateful Dead dog toys, and since I'm a dog lover and have dogs at home I said, "Yeah, go ahead."

While on Jam Cruise, do you go on shore and take advantage of the port stops?
I do. I got in the water today. We were in Haiti, and I got off at the port and went swimming at the designated beach, because the water is so warm; it's warmer than where I live in Hawaii right now . . . they had to drag me out of the water, just about.

Do you have a favorite Jam Cruise memory?
Yes, I do. It's from the last Jam Cruise I went on. It was after my last show with the Rhythm Devils – I played that cruise with the Rhythm Devils and Mickey Hart – and I went to the Jam Room after midnight and George [Porter Jr.] was holding court there, and I played with him for awhile. I got a little tired, and I stopped and then Johnny Vidacovich sat in, a fantastic drummer. And that guy, Johnny V., is the reason drumming is what it is in New Orleans today, a lot of it. A lot of really good studio stuff, too. George was holding court, playing in the Jam Room, and I couldn't leave. Me and Amy sat back there, we were beat, we actually sat back a bit off to the right side of the stage, behind it, and my jaw just dropped just listening to them play. So I remember that the most because that was just so much fun.

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Grateful Dead Drummer: Jerry Garcia 'Wasn’t Really Happy Playing' at Band's End

Grateful Dead's Bill Kreutzmann performs with 7 Walkers on Jam Cruise 10.

Leaving the Grateful Dead behind in 1995 was as much a defining force in drummer Bill Kreutzmann's life as was forming the band with Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan 30 years earlier. And, in some ways, he's still dealing with the fallout. As Kreutzmann discusses exclusively with Rolling Stone, when the group disbanded following Garcia's untimely death, he took off for Hawaii and disappeared for awhile. Part of the reason for Kreutzmann's reclusive period was to honor his word to his fallen bandmate and partly to get his health – and his head – back together. Surprisingly, he says that he believes the Grateful Dead were at the end of the line, even if Garcia had survived.

And while Kreutzmann toured off and on with Grateful Dead spinoff bands such as the Dead and the Other Ones throughout the following decade, it wasn't until much more recently that he finally found a musical project as satisfying as performing in the Grateful Dead proper. Last year, Kreutzmann formed 7 Walkers with bluesman Papa Mali, bassist George Porter Jr. (the Meters) and keyboardist Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson). Joined by special guest Steve Kimock on guitar – and featuring ample cameos from Karl Denson and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, among others – the group set sail on the high seas with Jam Cruise last week, performing a pair of shows on a sold-out ship bound for Haiti, Jamaica and all points jammed between. Between his sets with 7 Walkers and late-night appearances in the never-ending Jam Room, Kreutzmann sat down with Rolling Stone in the ship's wine bar to take a look back at yet another long strange trip.

The Grateful Dead are often credited as the forefathers of the jam band scene upon which the vibe of Jam Cruise is based. Can you talk about being one of the elder statesmen on the ship?
First of all, I love doing Jam Cruise. This is the second one I've done. I like doing it so much. The audience, the people on board are just as cool as can be and they're all into jam music. And I get to meet all these musicians that I don't normally get to hang with. So I get to rub shoulders and hang out with these different people and we get to play, like tonight in the Jam Room – it's going to be insane. I heard it's been kinda quiet in there the last few nights, so I figured I better show up. George Porter Jr. is going to show up and then Papa Mali too, so we'll get it raging in there; we'll warm it up.

Jam Cruise is sort of because of the jam scene, and the Grateful Dead often get complimented for starting the jam band scene. And maybe that is true, but in my head jazz musicians jammed forever, way before rock musicians. We might be one of the first rock bands to really jam and that might be the truth and that's cool; when I see all these new musicians playing great music and jamming like crazy, I'm really honored. It's not that I'm honored personally, I'm honored to the music – the music is being honored by musicians keeping it alive. And that's what I really like.

You've already been in one of the world's most successful bands – for three decades. You don't need to do anything for a living anymore. You could retire and live happily ever after. So why still do it?
I just don't see myself as retiring. As long as I'm healthy and can play the drums, that's what I'm going to do because that's the most fun thing that I know how to do. And to make people happy from playing music is the best reward you can have in your life – instead of being an insurance salesman or whatever, whatever, you know. Playing music is just one of the best things. I can't retire.

When Jerry left us in '95, besides being totally hurt and forlorn, basically lonesome, I was lost in every direction. I didn't know what to do. I went to Kauai mostly to heal. Jerry and I had this gentlemen's agreement that if the Grateful Dead ever stopped, we were both going to move to Hawaii. Unfortunately he couldn't keep his part of the deal, but I moved there after the Grateful Dead ended in the Summer of '95 because I needed to heal. I had really been burning hard and doing the things that everybody knows that rockers do on the road and this gave me a chance to really catch my breath and heal again. And get healthy. I surf and I got in much better shape and took care of my life. That was very, very important.

But the thing that was missing was a band that could fill the level that I like to have with music that the Grateful Dead did. And I don't mean a copy band of any sort; the bands that I played in afterward, the Dead and the Other Ones and all that, up until 2009, they were okay bands – the musicians were always really great – but I always missed one guy. I couldn't help that in my heart. The Grateful Dead without Jerry Garcia was like the Miles Davis Band without Miles Davis.

So, finally, 15 years after Jerry left, I got to meet Papa Mali. And that was like one of the most fortunate things to ever happen to me. My girlfriend Amy, who is now my wife, introduced me to Papa Mali. She played his music for me at home in Hawaii and I just went, "Oh man, that cat's for real!" And I've always loved New Orleans music. I always loved it when the Neville Brothers opened up for the Grateful Dead, and the Dirty Dozen and all that.

And finally I met a guy that I could totally believe in as a musician. As Jerry did, [Mali] has total knowledge of all kinds of music. He's got like 10,000 vinyl records, got them on every wall on his house, so knowledgeable and just a really wonderful person to play music with and he sings great and he's the one person I've heard sing Jerry songs that I really like his voice doing it. I mean, 7 Walkers doesn't have all the instrumentation that the Grateful Dead did, but I just like the way we approach it. What I'm getting at is that I've had to wait this long, 15 years, to really get back. And that's the reason I'm here on Jam Cruise; I'm back playing again with musicians I really believe in. And that's very important to me. These guys have got to be the guys or else I don't want to do it.

You say you can't retire from music. All of the other remaining members of the Grateful Dead seem to feel the same way. Do you think if Jerry Garcia was still around that the Grateful Dead would still be touring?
No, I don't think so. I think that Jerry had gotten kind of bored with the Grateful Dead, and it was sort of like a marriage that had maybe gone on too long. And other people in the band wanted to start to express themselves in their bands and so forth and so on, that I'm pretty sure Jerry would've stopped playing in the Grateful Dead. I think a lot of it, I hate to say, was really a financial obligation. He needed to earn the money for some things and that's too bad. But it's hard. He was a true artist and I can tell you he wasn't really happy playing in the Grateful Dead at the end. I hate to say that. I know the audience is going to hear me say that and go, "Oh, that's not true," but if people really think about some of the shows that were there in the last year and some of the troubles that poor Jerry had, they know that I'm not BS'ing.

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. It's hard for me, too. Once again, I said it earlier, but the reason I went to Hawaii was to heal those things.

In talking about the new Dave's Picks live release series, Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux recently told Rolling Stone that he informs everyone in the band what the next live release will be. He sends them advance copies, but he's not sure any of the band members actually ever put them on. When a new live Grateful Dead release comes out, do you listen to it?
I do. And the one that comes to mind right away is the new Europe '72 [The Complete Recordings] release. I went back and listened and on a couple of the CDs in that set – there's one that has "The Other One" into some kind of jam back into "The Other One" – the music is just fantastic. It blows my mind to this moment. I like that music, the looser music like "Bird Song" or "The Other One," because they're really heavily jam-oriented. The Garcia songs are always my favorite, but the jam parts are really my favorite.

There's now even a Grateful Dead video game on the market. Do you pay attention to that stuff? I mean, the non-musical commercial releases, licensing and merchandising?
I don't always; some of it I do and some of it I don't. I trust David Lemieux a million percent and when he says something is worth going for, then I do it. And I don't have to listen to everything or get everything – my house would be awful full of stuff. Whatever it is: dog collars . . . there's a company now that makes Grateful Dead dog toys, and since I'm a dog lover and have dogs at home I said, "Yeah, go ahead."

While on Jam Cruise, do you go on shore and take advantage of the port stops?
I do. I got in the water today. We were in Haiti, and I got off at the port and went swimming at the designated beach, because the water is so warm; it's warmer than where I live in Hawaii right now . . . they had to drag me out of the water, just about.

Do you have a favorite Jam Cruise memory?
Yes, I do. It's from the last Jam Cruise I went on. It was after my last show with the Rhythm Devils – I played that cruise with the Rhythm Devils and Mickey Hart – and I went to the Jam Room after midnight and George [Porter Jr.] was holding court there, and I played with him for awhile. I got a little tired, and I stopped and then Johnny Vidacovich sat in, a fantastic drummer. And that guy, Johnny V., is the reason drumming is what it is in New Orleans today, a lot of it. A lot of really good studio stuff, too. George was holding court, playing in the Jam Room, and I couldn't leave. Me and Amy sat back there, we were beat, we actually sat back a bit off to the right side of the stage, behind it, and my jaw just dropped just listening to them play. So I remember that the most because that was just so much fun.

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