Grateful Shred - Might As Well
LE 100
HWF Exclusive Orange Blossom colored vinyl
THIS ITEM IS A PREORDER & WILL SHIP IN JUNE, 2025. ALL ITEMS PURCHASED WITH THIS PREORDER WILL SHIP IN JUNE.
Heady Wax Fiends is pumped to celebrate the music of The Grateful Dead with Grateful Shred’s first studio album, Might As Well!
LOS ANGELES, CA– Celebrated for balancing their sun-soaked reinventions of Grateful Dead classics with a punk rock ethos, Grateful Shred flips the Grateful Dead’s unfinished studio business into a tight and personal indie manifesto on their first-ever studio album, Might As Well. Set for release June 6 via their own independent imprint Liberty Hair Farm Records, Might As Well will be available via vinyl and digital formats, with pre-orders live now. The announcement arrives alongside the release of the band’s blues-drenched single “Sweet Baby”, a fiery preview of the band’s mission to reimagine songs the Dead never committed to tape.
A kinetic collective of West Coast roots chemists, Grateful Shred have taken these eight songs, and put their own unique patina on them, showcasing with otherworldly fluidity, channeling 1970’s Los Angeles ~ Laurel Canyon magic. Might As Well marks a milestone for this canon of material: a full-length studio effort reimagining songs the Grateful Dead never recorded in-studio. Might As Well was recorded at UHF Studio in Glendale, CA, and the album shines with the band’s signature communal energy, combining deep-cut Dead gems like “Lazy River Road” and “Sitting In Limbo” (a Jerry Garcia Band staple), and rugged classic like “Cassidy” and “Jack A Roe” with fresh Shred twists.
"Shred has tossed around the idea of recording a LP for a while now, and let’s face it, making records is fun! So we thought we Might as Well,” laughs bassist/producer Dan Horne (Circles Around the Sun, Cass McCombs). “We wanted to highlight some of the tunes we’ve worked up into our own vibe that shows off the essence of Shred. We tried to unearth some deeper cuts and rare gems. The concept we ended up going with were songs that the Dead never recorded in the studio.”
“Sweet Baby”, the album’s fiery lead single, written by Donna-Jean Godcheaux. Though never officially recorded by the Dead in the studio, the song became a surprise favorite during their mid-seventies tours. Grateful Shred’s rendition honors the original’s gritty Americana spirit while injecting their own loose-limbed groove. “We’re exploring the endlessly inspiring Grateful Dead songbook, ” adds Horne. “We hope you love it!”
Joining Grateful Shred’s core lineup— Austin McCutchen (guitar/vocals), Dan Horne (bass/pedal steel), Adam MacDougall (keys), Alex Koford(drums/vocals), Austin Beede (drums), and John Lee Shannon (guitar/vocals)—is Mikaela Davis. The acclaimed harpist/vocalist, a veteran who has collaborated with the likes of Bon Iver and Lake Street Dive, has frequently performed with the Shred camp over the years. Davis graced several tracks with haunting vocal contributions including shimmering harmonies and also takes the lead on “Sweet Baby”, and “To Lay Me Down”