[tigerstrat]

from the interview at Jambase: http://www.jambase.com/Articles/18319/M ... he-Weeds/2

Conversation turns to another great musician no longer with us, Jerry Garcia, an undeniable but not oft-cited influence on the Meat Puppets. His ghost lingers powerfully in many passages of their catalog.

"Fuck the ghost, you're never gonna escape the guitar playing! It's Jerry for crissakes! God bless him. The Meat Puppets wouldn't have existed without the Grateful Dead. You want to know where the fucking attitude shift came from that we passed onto the punkers, well, it's largely from the Dead and the rich musical background they echoed back to," offers Kirkwood. "They're just a bunch of guys that really fucking dig music and really like playing it and aren't constrained by the times. It's a kind of art that's always been around in a way. They're steeped in romance and tradition in the way a lot of good art is, and so are we. But, fuckin' Jerry, that's just a one of a kind guy."

[dogstarz]

It sort of doesn't surprise me that Kirkwood likes the Grateful Dead. The Meat Puppets did have a major shift in music styles over the years and the countryish stuff that they have done could be influenced by Workingman's Dead, American Beauty, Reckoning or even Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.

[astroman99]

Seen the puppets about five times. Not since the early nineties..love'em, and I just found out they are playing in my town in November, can you say PSYCHED>>Oh yeah!!