Bobby Weir Reflects On Phil Lesh, Playing With Bill Kreutzmann Again & More With Rolling Stone

Grateful Dead/Dead & Company guitarist Bobby Weir spoke to Rolling Stone’s Angie Martoccio for a check-in prior to Dead & Co. returning to the Las Vegas Sphere tonight. Weir spoke about the pending residency at the technologically enhanced venue, as well as the loss of his former bandmate Phil Lesh, who died in October 2024 at age 84, the prospect of playing again with drummer Bill Kreutzmann and more during the wide-ranging interview.

In November 2024, Weir, Kreutzmann and Grateful Dead/Dead & Co. drummer Mickey Hart revealed they had discussed plans to perform this year with Lesh as a foursome to mark the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. Lesh last played with Weir, Kreutzmann and Hart in 2015 for the five “Fare Thee Well” shows celebrating the Dead’s 50th anniversary.

“I think when Phil checked out, so did that notion, because we don’t have a bass player who’s been playing with us for 60 years now,” Weir said regarding the unrecognized reunion. “And that was the intriguing prospect… I think you need somebody holding down the bottom. Phil had all kinds of ideas that were pretty much unique to him. I grew up with Phil holding down the bottom in his unique way.”

Weir was asked about the possibility of playing again with Kreutzmann, who was a member of Dead & Company from its founding in October 2015 through his departure in April 2023, when Jay Lane joined Hart on drums. Admitting that the idea was just occurring, Weir left open the possibility of putting together a bass-less band with just Hart and Kreutzmann.

“I suppose I could go back out,” Weir pondered. “I wouldn’t put anybody in [Lesh’s] place, so it would be a trio at this point. It’d be me and two drummers. I’d have to think about that. I haven’t thought about it — it’s just now occurring to me that it’s a possibility that we could do that, since you asked.… I guess we’ll just see what the three of us can pull together.”

Weir’s interview touched on recent Kennedy Center and MusiCares honors bestowed upon the Grateful Dead, Bobby’s long-in-the-works book, his current work-out regimen, the Martin Scorsese-attached Jerry Garcia biopic, returning to the Sphere and more.

Visit Rolling Stone to read the full interview.