Earlier today we revealed a new band called “Dead And Company” will play a Halloween show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The group features Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart joined by John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. In an exclusive report, Billboard shared the news that Phish bassist Mike Gordon practiced with the group but ultimately bowed out.

“Mike has way more stuff on his plate than he can manage now. Oteil was a natural go- to and he’s more than up to the task,” Weir told Billboard. A photo from one of the practice sessions featuring Gordon at TRI Studios emerged a few months back and can be viewed above. Could a new Phish album be part of the reason for the bassist passing on the project?

Weir also revealed the band is still booking a tour that will start on Halloween at Madison Square Garden. “It’s kind of late in the year to put together a tour, but we’re gonna try,” Bobby said. For his part, Mayer had strong words about Trey Anastasio’s performance at this summer’s Fare Thee Well shows. “So brilliant,” the guitarist said. “Trey was such a tasteful player. He did something incredible to the legacy — and didn’t leave it any easier for me to pick up the baton.”

Mayer stopped work on an album he was recording to focus on learning the music of the Grateful Dead which isn’t far off from what Trey did at the beginning of the year. John also mentioned the decision to form Dead & Company wasn’t fully made until after Fare Thee Well. “It was all on hold until those guys could honor those shows and also see if they liked them,” said Mayer, who went to all five shows. It didn’t take long for the guitarist to realize he wanted in. “I went, ‘Oh, this has to happen,’” John recalled. “They’re too good still, they’re too great to roll this back in the shop and call it a day.”

Head to Billboard for more on Dead & Company. Tickets for Dead & Company at MSG go on sale viaTicketmaster on August 10 at 10 a.m. ET for American Express cardholders followed by the general on-sale August 14 at 10 a.m. ET.