I got into Dylan when I started guitar lessons back in 1985 - I got into the Dead around 1986, so my musical "heritage" has long linked the two. Now this summer I find myself doing much (probably too much reading) on Dylan as a performer. The question I have is why does there seem to be so much disdain for the dead in "dylan" circles. By "dylan" circles I mean people who enjoy Dylan but not necessarily the dead? I ask this for a couple of reasons: 1. The more I read about Dylan as performer, the more I see links between him and the GD in terms of attitudes towards playing live. That is, changing songs from night to night to even recording and releasing "live" takes in the studio. For example, the final four tracks on Dylan's "Bringing it All Back Home" were recorded in one night, with no breaks or playbacks between the "performances." Second, there are obvious connections in terms of where these guys come from musically - both steeped in "American" music, for lack of better term. Third, the obvious connections in terms of the 86-87 collaborations and then dylan's eulogy for Jerry. Finally, dylan's and the GD's reluctance to be anybody's political whipping boy or political whore seems to definitely put these performers in similar territory. Thoughts anyone?