Adam:
 
What can I say?  A live Dead show, when the muse graced us with it's presence, was the nearest thing to a religious experience I've ever been privy to.  It was more than music.  I love a lot of different types of music, from Bob Wills to Beethoven, but, as many before me have noted: There is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert.  
 
After Winterland closed, Bill Graham had the following painted on the side:  They're not the best at what they do.  They're the only ones that do what they do.  The Dead had their own, unique approach to music and the music business.  They were in it for the art/music/whatever you want to call it.  No selling out (arguably, towards the end they played in larger venues than they wanted because they had a family of about 60 employees to support .... but not for personal gain).  The bottom line is that when they were running on all cylinders, we together took our minds, spirits, (and sometimes bodies!) on a breathtakingly beautiful trip through the cosmos.  By we I mean not only the guys up on stage, but also the 5000 or so of us crowded into Winterland.  At those magical moments the audience was every part a member of the band as any of the instrumentalists.  And I don't mean it in the usual sense it is used in rock 'n roll.  With the Dead it really happened, it was amazing, and it never failed to completely blow my mind.  I miss it.
 
Bill, tgo

I've played in a band since '90 that does about 60% Dead stuff, but it had nothing to do with my interest in Alembic.  I grew up as a big fan of several bands where the bassists played Alembic at one point or another (The Who, Zeppelin, Airplane), but that had nothing to do with me coming here.
 
I came to Alembic basses because I was able to play one or two and they were the best.
 
-bob

I was 16 when I saw a pic of the mighty Jack Casady playing 72-001 in Crawdaddy.  I'd been playing bass for about six months and knew that some day, one day, I would own a bass from whoever made that one.  It only took me 26 years, but I finally made it.  Stanley's was probably the first Alembic I heard.  I was just as blown away by the sound as buy the looks.
 
Got more into the Dead about 15 years ago

i came to alembic through the dead...
 
Fell in love with Phils tone on europe '72...

Non-deadhead here.
 
Jimmy Johnson with James Taylor was the first Alembic I ever saw.

Okay, what if you are a deadhead, a huge fan of the New Riders, and yet, came to Alembic by way of Stanley Clarke ( or just by way of recognizing bass engineering genius when you saw it)?  Is this bad?
 
rick

(cough cough)
Anybody know any Dead?
Sure, you know Friend of the Devil?
Yea, what key?
I don't know, how about G.
Cool ..
(cough)
[15 minutes later]
Wow, that was great!

Being turned on to Stanley Clarke and Alembic (simultaneously, of course) was a big factor in my being a bass player.
 
But I'm most definitely a Deadhead.

lol...good one Dave....

Geez, Dave, stamina issues?

No Bob, I broke a string.

Okay, what I gather from Bill's statement is that it is the Dead's live shows that kicked it for him and most likely the rest of you. I can dig it, I mean that is the way to truly appreciate music IMHO.  
 
Which string Dave?

Adam; I usually break the D string at the bridge; however, at our last gig I broke the G string at the ball.
 
We have China Cat and Eyes Of The World in our set list.  I love playing both tunes.

It's great stuff.  You only have to learn one or two tunes and you can do a set.  A dozen songs is enough for a whole night's entertainment!  Dave, I can't say that we ever tried to stretch FoD to 15 minutes.  That must have been something!

You know Dave I would reword lines that talk about breaking G strings at the ball. :-)  
 
Keith