For most bands, losing a drummer mid-tour would be a crisis.
However, for the Grateful Dead, who often performed with two drummers on stage, it wasn’t the end of the world. Bill Kreutzmann, a founding member, held down one drum kit, while fan-favorite Mickey Hart played the other.
“Absolute Power”: Mickey Hart on the Two-Drummer Dynamic
In a CBS interview during the Dead’s ‘Fare Thee Well’ shows, Mickey Hart explained that having two drummers allowed the band to project “absolute power” from the stage.
This setup enabled them to play different rhythms simultaneously during their legendary jam sessions, with half the band following Hart’s rhythm and the other half following Kreutzmann’s. Hart referred to this layered technique as “polyrhythms.”
A Period of Absence: Mickey Hart Leaves the Band
Despite the unique chemistry between the two drummers, Hart took a leave of absence from February 1971 to October 1974.
Though Kreutzmann managed the drums solo during this period, Hart’s absence left a void in the band’s signature sound.
The Reasons Behind Hart’s Departure
Mickey Hart’s decision to leave the Grateful Dead remains a delicate topic. When asked in a Uproxx interview about the omission of his departure in the 2017 documentary Long Strange Trip,
Hart simply said, “It was my elective to leave the band for a while for personal reasons.”
A Family Crisis: The Impact of Lenny Hart’s Betrayal
The personal reasons that led to Hart’s departure were deeply tied to his father, Lenny Hart, who served as the band’s accountant.
Finding Resolution: Hart’s Return to the Grateful Dead
After years of wrestling with his feelings, Hart eventually decided to return to the band.
“One day I decided it was time to become part of the Grateful Dead again,” Hart remembered. “That was it. Just that simple. No big cathartic thing.”
Welcomed Back: The Grateful Dead Reunion
Mickey Hart’s return was met with open arms by the band, and he played on every one of their albums that followed. His return was also a cause for celebration among Deadheads. “You know, once you’re a part of the Grateful Dead, you’re never out of it,” Hart reflected.
