POP/ROCK - Aug. 30, 1990

Better Off Dead: The keyboard player for the Tubes, Vince Welnick, 39, will replace the late Brent Mydland in the Grateful Dead band. “I woke up one day and I was Dead,� Welnick said. “Now I’m Grateful Vince.� Welnick was one of less than a half dozen players to audition for the spot following the drug-overdose death of Mydland last month. His first Dead appearance will be Sept. 7 in Cleveland. Other auditioners included Peter Sears, formerly of the Jefferson Starship, and Tim Gorman, who has toured with the Who.