| Author | Message | ||
| jseitang
Junior Username: jseitang Post Number: 27 Registered: 6-2002 |
just a side note observation: back in the day, alembic did sound and built instruments for the dead. phish has Paul Languedoc doing sound and building instruments for phish | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 378 Registered: 7-2003 |
Jimmy: I can't resist - a couple of "amplifications" LOL: What Alembic did for the Dead was: sound (systems - really an integrated approach to amplifying and shaping the tone of all vocals and individual instruments), (kind-of reinvented and developed, then) built basses, guitars and (innovated new studio and live methods, then) recorded the Dead. All this through the band's formative and, arguably, most creative and productive years. One connection between the Dead and Phish (lots has been written and said, so not new news) is Phil Lesh's relationship/and contributions to Mike Gordon's bass rig and speaker arrays. The also share an affinity for Modulus instruments (not to knock Modulus - I like the sound, but believe Alembics can do more interesting things). I'm looking forward to seeing both bands this summer (same venue - different dates). The Dead are my legacy, Phish will be my 17 year old's. I've been fortunate that my son will allow me to share mine with him and let me share his as well. I think it's interesting how each band has someone or a collection of people whose contribution is immeasurable to the product of their efforts. I've always been interested as well in Robert Hunter's role as songwriter for the Dead (at least for Garcia). Again - instrumental contribution to signature elements of the band's style. Bill (Message edited by bassman10096 on May 12, 2004) | ||
| hollis
Intermediate Member Username: hollis Post Number: 198 Registered: 11-2003 |
I too am looking forward to seeing the Dead with the Allman Brothers and special guest, Robert Hunter. this will be my first Dead show since Jerry's passing.... It's good to know that others interested in these fine instruments, also have similar tastes in other arenas. Of course, The Dead and Alembic are held dear in many of my fondest memories...Some of them even real..... | ||
| keavin
Advanced Member Username: keavin Post Number: 360 Registered: 12-2002 |
One thing i'm proud of is that THE DEAD & ALEMBIC & I, are all from san francisco haight ashbury,s hippy village! | ||
| gbarchus
Member Username: gbarchus Post Number: 66 Registered: 6-2002 |
Phil Lesh introduced me to the sound of Alembic! I was playing Western Swing and Bluegrass at the time. Soon after I was playing the Dead's versions of Merle Haggard tunes and listening to "Old and In the Way." I "Alembicised" my PBass and added a bridge PU. Finally, years later (and NOT too late) I was able to own my own Alembic. I thought about trading my 20th anniversay for a short scale (thanks again Ed!), but really missed the powerful voice I'd grown used to and couldn't get out of my head. What I"d also like to say is, "I'm happy to be part of this great forum!" | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 379 Registered: 7-2003 |
I'm glad to hear your comments. Nice to share good thoughts about the Grateful Dead. Their music, collectively and individually, has taught me more than any other band. I think their outlooks and philosophy toward making music are well worth thinking about if you want it to stay fun! Visiting Alembic, despite a very real and very warm and pleasant visit with Susan and Mica, did have a vague overtone of "walking hallowed halls where giants trod". Maybe it was the painting by Bob Thomas (designer of the Dead's "Steely" logo, the Alembic logo and lots of associated art) in the lobby. Maybe it was holding my own new Alembic... All this left me feeling very connected to my thoughts, feelings and experiences with the Dead... Hollis: Hope you enjoy the show. They are a different, but very, very good band now. I've seen them three times since they regrouped. I'm happy to say there is good, new energy there. Different, but familiar and fun. Bill | ||
| hollis
Intermediate Member Username: hollis Post Number: 199 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks for the good thoughts Bill. Many of us have been touched very deeply by the Grateful Dead's music as well as philosophy. Their shows, their music have always felt like I was going home. I have some very dear friends that I've only ever seen at Grateful Dead (or offshoot's thereof)shows. The last time the Dead was in town.... I wasn't ready to see them without Jerry. I went to a Widespread Panic Show instead... They were excellent. And they gave me hope that the philosophy wasn't lost. I'm ready for the Dead now. It'll be different, and yet familiar... Besides, I'll get to see some old friends... | ||
| dadabass2001
Intermediate Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 130 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey guys, I can't resist taking part in a conversation about that amazing era in American culture. I was very taken by Phil, Jack , and the whole Alembic scene. They've been a part of my musical vocabulary since high school, and I'm 52 now. I'm doing an early 70's style show with my old Dead cover/tribute band, called Ragweeed, on Sat. the 29th at a club in Lake Barrington called The Onion Pub & Brewery. Mike (This temporarily puts me in three bands - hope I can maintain the energy) | ||
| flaxattack
Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 56 Registered: 4-2004 |
ahhh memories- i still think that phil's guild/alembic was the sweetest sounding bass i ever heard--- the hollow body the tower of 12,15,and 18 jbls from the wall of sound- rfk 73 boy would i love to see pull that bass out for just one night http://dozin.com/phil/guitars.html | ||
| hollis
Advanced Member Username: hollis Post Number: 202 Registered: 11-2003 |
Mike, I'd love to hear you guys......Maybe sit in on Lady with a Fan or Stella Blue or ?.... Maybe one day I'll get back to Chicago... (Message edited by hollis on May 12, 2004) | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 381 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hey Mike: I'm gonna check plans with my wife and see if we can get down from Milwaukee to see you guys on the 29th. It'd be great to meet you and hear some Dead music. Bill | ||
| mint_bass
Intermediate Member Username: mint_bass Post Number: 164 Registered: 1-2004 |
ok hear goes i have never heard the gratful dead deh deh deeeeeehhh please dont throw the beer bottles at me lol can someone recomend an album for a first time listener thanks andrew | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 383 Registered: 7-2003 |
Andrew: That's a hard one, as the Dead produced a lot of records and are famous for a live repertoir of unequalled breadth (many songs and covers that never made it to a record). Others may disagree or have other suggestions, but I would start with the "Europe '72" collection (3 record live set). The music is an eclectic mix of R&B/Blues, Country and Rock. It includes some some excellent performances (check out Tennessee Jed, One More Saturday Night, He's Gone, Jack Straw, for starters). But apart from this, it showcases Phil Lesh's Almembic-modified Guild Starfire (see the link above for picture). Clearly, though this bass was a predecessor to the first entirely Alembic-built basses, it had a very cool and very identifiably Alembic sound. Suffice it to say, Phil is a unique player. Hope that helps. | ||
| mint_bass
Intermediate Member Username: mint_bass Post Number: 168 Registered: 1-2004 |
cool thanks for the info i will go tto the record store this afternoon if i have time thanks again | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 444 Registered: 11-2003 |
Andrew, I always liked Anthem of the Sun Sam | ||
| dadabass2001
Intermediate Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 132 Registered: 6-2002 |
Eurpoe 72 is now available as a two CD set. Also, you might want to check the old double album known as "Skull & Roses". It's available as a single CD and contains a shortened "Playing In The Band" (in 10), "Bertha", "The Other One", "Wharf Rat", and "Not Fade Away / Going Down The Road, Feeling Bad" plus other great tracks. Mike | ||
| dadabass2001
Intermediate Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 133 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Bill, I'd love to see you and your senior management at the show. Current plans call for two LOOONGGG sets, culled from 70s repertory: Birdsong, Playin, etc. Hollis, we don't do Stella (Could anybody sing it like Jerry?) but we'll be tapping into Terrapin Station up to Terrapin Transit. Mike | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 542 Registered: 5-2002 |
I agree with Bill that Europe 72 would probably be a good first choice for someone who's never heard the Dead. (Message edited by davehouck on May 13, 2004) | ||
| gbarchus
Member Username: gbarchus Post Number: 68 Registered: 6-2002 |
I agree, Europe '72 is agood representation, but don't forget American Beauty and Workingman's Dead, my favorites. Gale | ||
| goatfoot
Junior Username: goatfoot Post Number: 43 Registered: 12-2003 |
Great thread. I got into the Dead after buying my first Alembic. And the music of the Dead introduced me to Phish and other great jam bands (SCI, WSP, Gov't Mule, etc.) and online music trading. Now I have over 250 Dead shows and over 2000 other live recordings. I just got a Jefferson Airplane show from '69 in the mail yesterday. Can't wait to listen to it. Andrew: shoot me an email with your address and I'll send you a recording of a '72 show. But still go out and buy some of their studio work. Kevin | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1657 Registered: 6-2000 |
I use Live Dead as my reference CD. It's my favorite Dead album. Now I gotta go put it on! Many moons ago, Phish had a nice Essence 5 string bass, not sure if Mike still has it or not. Live recordings are usually the ones I like best. There's something magic when you know that what you're hearing actually happened all at the same time. | ||
| bsee
Member Username: bsee Post Number: 57 Registered: 3-2004 |
There are things that happen when capable musicians play off of each other that will never happen in a studio setting. The music always has the potential to go someplace it hasn't been before. I played in a band for ten years that never rehearsed after the first year or two. We picked up new tunes on the fly at our two gigs a month, and everything was always fresh because you never really knew where it would end up. There's so much more energy in that than playing the same song the same way every time. I can't imagine sitting down to my sixth consecutive take of some song in a studio setting and maintaining that same intensity level. | ||
| bassman10096
Advanced Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 384 Registered: 7-2003 |
I struggled with what one album to recommend to Andrew and considered every other suggestion people have made since (plus a few others). If you are up for a second recommendation, I'd go with Mike on "Skull and Roses" in a heartbeat. The medley (? interconected sequence?) of Not Fade Away/Goin' Down the Road is a fantastic example of the Dead's incredible ability as arrangers and jamsters (two sometimes opposite concepts they blend very well). Their propensity to connect strings of songs as a single piece (more dramatic than its individual elements) is pretty unique. I agree with Mike's assessment on the other good songs from the album, too. Bill | ||
| hollis
Advanced Member Username: hollis Post Number: 206 Registered: 11-2003 |
Hi Bob, I guess that's why they call it work.... I get enough of that with my day job! I wouldn't know what to do if I was supposed to play the same lick the same way over and over and over... Must be why I don't play like that... It's all about the moment for me as well..... I saw the Grateful Dead for the first time in 1968 in San Francisco...A night I'll never remember! The next time I got to see them was in LA in the early 70's '73 maybe? Might have been early '74..It's all kind of a blurr. It was at the Universal Ampitheater... All's I know is that the sound system was as tall as the cheap seats... The best sounding concert I had ever been to... After that I was hooked. There was a show at UC Santa Barbara... Full wall of sound.... Just looking at the sound system was always well worth the price of admission! The sound was so pure... a very nice day was had by all. Bob Weir put it very well when he said "I'd like to thank God for the light show"....etc., etc..... Mike, I'm not really sure that anyone could sing any of Jerry's songs quite like Jerry...He really brought Robert Hunter's words to life...I don't even try.... I just sing them like the part of me that they truly are..... Have fun at the show! Mica, Live Dead is one of my favorites! Think I'll go put it on too..... | ||
| pace
New Username: pace Post Number: 4 Registered: 4-2004 |
To what extent was Alembic involved w/ building speaker cabinets & what-not back in the day?!?!?! I sat down w/ Buddy Cage on Monday & he's still using a 2-12" cab from the wall of sound and a chopped twin reverb 'head' that Dan Healy built..... I asked if Alembic had anything to do w/ the cab and he was quick to reply "no, Bear built 'em in our rehearsal space~ he did all the cabinets for the wall there"...... I know that a lot of the cabs that were tailored for their needs throughout the years are referred to as "Hard Trucker", and there's probably a lot of grey area as far as who did what where, and was affiliated with w/ whatever company...... Does anyone care to elaborate, or share what they know?!?!? http://archive.org has been adding complete years of Dead shows to their database for the past month now..... Some real goodies like 1974, 1977, 1969, etc, etc are up and available in a variety of formats (streaming, mp3, shn)..... check it out~ a lot of treasures waiting for you to discover..... I would love to see a modern day take on Phil's Godfather~ 100% Alembic from scratch!!! | ||
| mint_bass
Intermediate Member Username: mint_bass Post Number: 172 Registered: 1-2004 |
hi thanks for all the info and recomedations i will try to get down to a record store today and see what i can find and thanks alot for the offer Kevin but i live in the uk and would this not cost you a lot in shipping but thanks anyway andrew | ||
| jseitang
Junior Username: jseitang Post Number: 28 Registered: 6-2002 |
pace speaking of godfather, i was talking to mica about my next bass, i call "the godfather part II" its basically going to be a modern updated version of the famous godfather.....! | ||
| pace
New Username: pace Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2004 |
lol Jimmy.... in all honesty that has to be my all time favorite sounding bass. I have a short scale EBO w/ flatwounds which I used to think came close to that sound, but the more I listen to Phil (thank god for shn vines~ my tapes were getting warped) I realize how complex the timbre of that bass was...... Let me know how the GFII two comes along. I might have to finish the trilogy!!!!! | ||
| zappahead
Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 69 Registered: 10-2002 |
The Dead were a real renaissance band. They had some peaks and valleys, but they saved a lot of their best music till late in their careers. The shows I saw, quite a few, in the 90s were very good. I was a real bugger on the tours to a lot of the deadheads because I stubbornly prefer the later version of the band with Brent and later with Hornsby to many of the other line ups and eras. I think its also worth noting that the Garcia Band played really well and toured quite a bit in this time too. I think the few Garcia Band CDs that feature his later tours are all very good. For the real best of the 90s Dead your best bet is that site that was linked earlier, thats a fantastic site. | ||
| kmh364
Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 86 Registered: 9-2003 |
(Message edited by kmh364 on May 19, 2004) | ||
| kmh364
Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 87 Registered: 9-2003 |
Ck out dead.net, the official Dead website, for info on all their recorded work up until '73 (all remastered in HDCD, with extra tracks thrown in) or so. It also has the "Dick's Picks" series of recorded concert gems from the vast dead tape archive, amongst other releases (incl. videos). Personally, I'm partial to the live stuff. Official Album-wise, that would be Live Dead, Skull 'n Roses (SkullF**k) and Europe '72 (aka Alembic's Masterpiece). GD records stuff, not on the above site, is also significant. "Wake of the Flood", "Greetings from the Mars Hotel" (Ugly Rumors), and "Blues for Allah" were the main "beef" that fleshed out the Dead's late 70's/early 80's live repertoire. Jerry Garcia's website is offering remastered versions of most of his studio work (extra tracks included), and is in the process of releasing concert recordings of the JGB. His first "Garcia" and "Cats Under The Stars" are particular standouts in my mind. The former album launched a lot of dead concert staples into the dead repertoire. Don't forget about Bob Weir's solo stuff, especially "Ace", his first. A lot of tunes that came off this gem became Dead concert staples. Last but not least, don't dismiss the Dead's Arista period. Besides the great chronicles of the 1980 NYC Radio City/S.F. Warfield shows (BTW, I was at Radio City for that run) entitled Reckoning (acoustic) and Dead Set (Electric), there is Terrapin Station...arguably the best sounding (fidelity-wise) of the entire Dead catalogue (Estimated Prophet and the epic entire-album-side title-track are particularly outstanding). Try WinMX.com to get your feet wet for free, and then progress from there. There's so much Dead, both studio and live (both authorized and bootleg), that there's bound to be something that will light your fire. Enjoy! | ||
| the_mule
Member Username: the_mule Post Number: 79 Registered: 1-2004 |
I'm somewhat of a Deadhead myself, but I only have a small (but growing) collection: - Grateful Dead (1st) - Anthem Of The Sun - Aoxomoxoa - Workingman's Dead - American Beauty - Skull & Roses (live) - Go To Heaven - The Arista Years (2CD collection) - Dick's Picks 1 (2CD live) - Dick's Picks 10 (3CD live) - Dick's Picks 28 (4CD live) - Dick's Picks 29 (6CD live) - So Many Roads (5CD live collection) - Greyfolded (2CD of Dark Star 'plunderphonics') - The Closing Of Winterland (2DVD) (and a selection of solo outings by the various band members I won't mention for the sake of the length of this post) OK, just one special pick: Phil Lesh & Friends - There And Back Again (be sure to get the 2CD version) Although I'm very fond of the Workingman's Dead / American Beauty masterpiece (that's allright, I see them as one, rather than two albums) IMHO the Dead are best experienced live. I particularly love the period 1972-1978, great Alembic sounds to be found there! For a crash-course I can highly recommend the 'Winterland' DVD set I actually picked up after a topic in the Alembic Club. Finally, just to show that there are 'so many roads' that can get you there: I discovered the Dead after purchasing Dick's Picks 10 cheap at a record fair... (BTW: I also like Phish, but certainly not as much as I like the Dead) (Message edited by the_mule on May 23, 2004) | ||
| son_of_magni
Junior Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 41 Registered: 1-2004 |
Umm, not to go OT here or anything, but can someone recommend any Phish recordings that display their jamming style? SoM | ||
| the_mule
Member Username: the_mule Post Number: 85 Registered: 1-2004 |
'Live Phish 03' is a 3 disc live set from Y2K that contains some monster jams. I particularly like it, but according to the reviews on the WWW others have strong feelings AGAINST it, so a listerning session at the music store is recommended. I guess the whole 'Live Phish' series, and certainly the more polished 'Live' 2CD-set make(s) a good starting point. But don't ignore the studio albums, e.g. 'Farm House' and 'The Story Of The Ghost' are very nice actually... | ||
| zappahead
Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 70 Registered: 10-2002 |
I was reading on their site that Phish are apparantly breaking up after this tour. If you guys havent caught them Id find some tickets. Great live show, too bad to hear they are splitting up. | ||
| kmh364
Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 100 Registered: 9-2003 |
You can always go see the original "jam" band: The Dead (sans Jerry, of course) are comin' to a be-in near you this summer. I hadn't seen them since '91, and was reticent to see a show without Jerry. It turns out it's different but the same. No Jerry is weird, but the vibe is the same and it's cool to hear each of the band members (and special guests) take a stab at some old Jerry chestnuts. It's all good! | ||
| ajdover
Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 90 Registered: 11-2003 |
Folks, With all due respect, I just don't get it .. I've listened to the Dead, and yes, it is interesting stuff, but ... I just don't see how folks think they're the second coming. Maybe because I grew up listening to Rush, Genesis, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Yes, Brand X, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, ELP (and many Alembic players among them, BTW), I don't know. .... While I respect what they did (and they did great stuff for musicians and the world of music), I just don't see why folks are so addicted to them. Again, just my opinion, and I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes (or ears!). Maybe I need to go to a live Dead concert to get the vibe... tickets, anyone? If for no other reason, I like the Dead because they forwarded the cause of Alembic. I may not like their music, but their choice in instruments was/is impeccable! :-) Alan | ||
| bassman10096
Senior Member Username: bassman10096 Post Number: 441 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hi Alan: It's hard to figure: Some people love the Dead. Many of the same (myself included) also like other music you mentioned liking. I've seen a few convert after seeing the Dead live once or twice - but not reliably, so it's not just the live performance thing. Speaking for myself, I enjoy the Dead for some reasons that even those close to me wouldn't understand (just not made the same way). But...many of them like the Dead for their own reasons. After puzzling about the Dead's appeal and lack of appeal to different people, I think the only theory that holds water for me is this: The Dead embody a fairly unique set of styles. Sort of like the Doors did (for whom, inexplicably to some friends, I never could generate much of a frenzy). I guess bands whose uniqueness is similarly, well, unique are like that. They light some people up and totally miss with others. Yes is distinctive in that way, too. They've always really gotten to me but I've never had trouble locating people who found them less interesting. Bill | ||
| ajdover
Member Username: ajdover Post Number: 92 Registered: 11-2003 |
Bill, Very interesting insights. However, I must say that if we're talking a "unique set of styles," I think that's not in keeping from what I know of the Dead's music. Their stuff emodied a bunch of styles, none of them unique from what I understand (or could tell - and those of you who are fans, correct me if I'm wrong). I do agree that their music "lights up" some, others "no." I'm in the "others no" category. As far as Yes goes, true, you either like them, hate them, or are indifferent. In any event, you can't deny the talent, even if you don't like the music, much the same as I do with country music (and the Dead). Anyway, the Dead played Alembics. Even if I can't appreciate their music, their choice of instruments is impeccable. Best regards, Alan | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 106 Registered: 9-2003 |
It's just like Harley-Davidsons: If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand, LOL! Seriously: there's nothing like a Grateful Dead Concert (to use another old bumpersticker cliche'). There's so much in the Dead repertoire that there's bound to be something for everyone. I got hooked as a 14yr. old by the newly released "Terrapin Station" LP (actually, 8-track tape, LOL!) and the old standby "GD" (Skull and Roses), thanks to my 4yr-older Dead Head cousin (and a little herb, LOL!). Some people only dug "American Beauty"/"Workingman's Dead"...the "country" albums(?), while others dug "In the Dark" ("Touch of Gray"). It's all good. I dig most all the bands mentioned by Alan (and have seen them at one time or another), but I'm still a Dead Head after all these years (27 and counting). (Message edited by kmh364 on June 02, 2004) | ||
| davehouck
Senior Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 613 Registered: 5-2002 |
We all have our preferences, and those differences are a good thing. Alan suggested that perhaps the reason he never liked the Dead was "maybe because I grew up listening to ..", but I listened to, and liked, those same bands in addition to liking the Dead's music; so I humbly suggest that this theory may not entirely be the answer. I still "study" the Dead's music. I often think about Estimated Prophet, constructing bass lines and working out how to count each of the sections (the entire song is in 7; the head is best counted 4,4,4,2; the chorus is counted 3,4; then there are other sections that are 4,3); and I do the same thing with Help On The Way / Slipknot. The band that I occasionally play with does China Cat Sunflower, which is a great platform for ensemble improvisation; each time we play it, it's a new experience. Here's my suggestion for someone who has trouble "getting it" but is open to a different approach. Listen to Jazz Is Dead. It will give you a totally different perspective on the music. Listen to their version of Help On The Way / Slipknot a few times and then go back and listen to the Dead do it. It's kind of like someone with no Jazz background listening to Coltrane for the first time; initially you may not get it, but over time when viewed fresh with a new perspective, it works. | ||
| dela217
Advanced Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 382 Registered: 6-2002 |
Alan, I don't get it either! I tried to. I want to. Because of this very thread, I went and bought American Beauty. I put it in the CD player of the car and rode around with it for a couple of days. Still don't care for it. But for some reason, I like New Riders Of The Purple Sage. I am not a country freak, but I guess The Dead just isn't country enough for me or something. | ||
| son_of_magni
Junior Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 44 Registered: 1-2004 |
I guess I just have to chime in here too. I've always liked the Dead, pretty much every tune on every album. But their music is the only music that I enjoy listening to that I don't enjoy playing. What could that possibly mean? I do enjoy playing jazz, rock, fusion, jazz, classical, funk, blues, did I mention jazz? (Message edited by son_of_magni on June 02, 2004) | ||
| dela217
Advanced Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 383 Registered: 6-2002 |
Son Of Magni, I think I understand that. I cannot stand to listen to the blues. But I LOVE to play it. Strange huh? I guess it is the same sort of thing. | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 107 Registered: 9-2003 |
If you like NRPS, then you may find it easier to listen to Jerry's solo stuff, first album in particular. Workingman's Dead is also a little more country than American Beauty as well. Weir's Ace album is country tinged as well. I've found that the more you listen to the Dead (and their solo/offshoot stuff), the more there is to listen to (does that make sense?). As Jerry and Bob were bluegrass players first (Jerry on 5-str. banjo!), and Phil was a Major Domo in a marching band, etc., you get a lot of influences and styles thrown in there. Try "Old and in the Way" to get the bluegrass flavor (with David Grisman and Vassar Clements) as well. For something funky and different, Jerry's stuff with Merle Saunders is outstanding. | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 108 Registered: 9-2003 |
For those that care: I pre-ordered the latest GD release...it's neither a "From the Vaults" nor a "Dick's Picks" series member. It's entitled "Rockin the Rhein", the first in-it's-entirety show document culled during the "Europe '72" tour that produced the album of the same name (one of my fave's). It was recorded on April 24, 1972 @ the Rheinhalle in Dusseldorf, (West) Germany. I got it last week, but just opened it today. The HDCD-remastered sound (for a 32 yr. old recording) is excellent and the performances equally as good. It throws in a couple of tunes from the same tour, this time at the Lyceum in London, including the LAST "Lovelight" ever sung by Pigpen. I also got a bonus disc from March '72 (just prior to the European tour) at the Academy of Music (Brooklyn?) in NYC. The recording of the set is credited to Bob Matthews (of Alembic), Betty Cantor, Dennis Leonard, and Jim Furman (of Alembic). You had to know Ron's touch was in there somewhere, LOL! Highly Recommended. | ||
| hollis
Advanced Member Username: hollis Post Number: 221 Registered: 11-2003 |
Read the lyrics. That's where the visualization started with me. Robert Hunter's words paint pictures. The pictures aren't always pleasant, but it's clear they are well painted. In vivid detail that leaves the meaning up to the audience. The meaning has shifted and deepend for me as the years roll on. | ||
| pace
New Username: pace Post Number: 7 Registered: 4-2004 |
The first impression is always the one that sticks, and for the the longest time I "didnt get it" in regards to the GD either. Growing up in the 80's everytime there was a GD concert around here it was treated like a freak show~ "all the burnouts living in a timewarp are back in town, oh the horror, the horror!!!!!" The two things I remember turning me on to the band were: 1)Hearing "Box of Rain" on the radio one Sunday after church. 2) Catching the tail end of a '69 Other One>Feedback on the college station. It amazed me how the same band (1 year difference) could sound worlds apart. ~For me thats what they're all about. The record button was on for the better part of 30 years. To be able to listen to a group of musicians evolve from primal psychedelic-blues to cosmic-country to Miles-esque fusion, to ultimately embody American music as a whole is quite a long strange trip~ I like hearing the tunes take different shape each year, I like hearing the results of new equipment/technology as it was introduced..... etc, etc.... Others who "get it" may be more into the sociological side of following the band around the country, or recording the concerts, or ingesting insane amounts of acid...... I guess my point is that there are so many angles from which people can apreaciate or criticize this group~ there's something for everyone (ie~Alembics!!!!) There are countless times where I'll go through the trouble of searching out a GD show which someone referred to as "hot" or "on", and when I give it a listen I'm like "WTF is the big deal?!?!? The band sucked on this night......." I would hate for that to be my first impression of this band. | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 109 Registered: 9-2003 |
BTW, I've played "Unbroken Chain" (from "Mars Hotel") for people definitely NOT into the Dead (without telling them who it was), and got comments like "realy nice tune", "I didn't know you were into Jazz?", "Great! Who's that", etc. The point being that (as above), there's somethng for everyone in the Dead's music. I heard Phil sing that one during last summer's Dead tour (with Joan Osbourn as back-up) and it still sounds nice (and still slightly out of key...we are talking about Phil's SINGING, here, LOL! As an aside, I had a 20-yr old college kid (waitress) grab me in a restaurant while wearing my tie-die tour shirt from '03. She gushed about how great they were (just like I did when I was her age). She said she was disappointed that they didn't jam longer (i.e, each song wasn't a half-hour long, LOL!) just like I'd have been if I was her age. I replied that this was The Dead NOT the Grateful Dead, that Jerry wasn't with us anymore, and that they were'nt trying to fill Jerry's shoes: they were just making music and carrying on...older and, hopefully, wiser. It was actually cool to hear them move through almost a dozen songs in an hour (there's a first time for everything, LOL!)...what with it being an outdoor gig, 100F @ 100% humidity, and me over 40 with no desire to imbibe in herb or alchohol to "alter" my consciousness, LOL! Hell, it's a b*tch playing for more than a few minutes at a time when you're 60-ish, LOL! | ||
| kayo
Junior Username: kayo Post Number: 35 Registered: 10-2002 |
Food for thought on the dead It truly sheds light on the perception of the GD if you've been to one of the live gigs and dropped a dose or two...... you'll never see them the same way again. I perceive them as movement as much as a band. Having said that, the organic/intricate dynamic that they represent isn't my cup of tea either..... I'd rather see (or hear) John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Al DiMeola, Steve Morse, the late SRV, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, the late Jaco, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock and the likes. Different strokes, right? | ||
| gbarchus
Member Username: gbarchus Post Number: 72 Registered: 6-2002 |
For me they weren't about technical accuracy as in pitch or rhythm, even though I love singing the harmonies of "Uncle John's Band" with three friends and an acoustic guitar. And the challenge of playing the odd meter of "Playing in the Band" or the bouncing bass lines of "Bertha" increased my musical awareness. In fact, I think they were about stretching those limits. But, for sure, they showed me that it's about being in the moment and allowing yourself to be part of something greater than yourself. | ||
| hollis
Advanced Member Username: hollis Post Number: 223 Registered: 11-2003 |
Gale, You are Dead on! It is all about being in the moment... Enjoy | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 116 Registered: 9-2003 |
Food for thought: My appreciation of the Dead's music has led to my appreciation of most forms of music, including classical, jazz, country, reggae, etc. As a teen, I found that the Jersey Deadhead crowd was very prejudicial against any band outside the "circle" of the dead (i.e., NRPS, Airplane/Starship, Janis, Quicksilver, CSNY, etc.). I got caught up with that for a little while, but learned quickly that there is much more out there than the Dead, and Dead-related bands. Before I was into the Dead, I was into all the "current" bands, Like Led Zep, Grand Funk, Alice, Mountain, ELP, Queen, etc. These days, I love all the "old bands", but dig just about everything EXCEPT dance music like Hip-Hop/Techno/Club/Rap (just not my speed). It's all good. Like Kayo, the live shows I appreciate most are with virtuoso players like he mentions. Even if the style/type of music isn't the most accesible, I love to watch players that have mastered their instruments. | ||
| zappahead
Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 71 Registered: 10-2002 |
I gotta say that I agree that the Dead can definetly lead to an appreciation of other musicians if you stay away from getting too zeroed on what the "crowd" is listening too and look more for the influences and others who fit or kinda fit into the genre of the Dead and the basics of what they try to do. I got into the Dead fairly young and branched out into other acts who you can see influenced jam bands. Stuff like Coltrane and Miles Davis and people that guys like Garcia played with here and there (Saunders and Grisman). It also led me to taking a closer look at bands and musicians I may have dismissed or not given a full listen to like the Allmans, Widespread panic and Frank Zappa. I ran into a lot of close mindedness in the Dead crowd, you will find people who have branched out, but you will also find a lot of people stuck in the same sort of cliques of close mindedness that you run into with fans of other forms of music. I remember having a lot of friends who never even gave the opening acts a shot or who would cringe when the tape deck had anything in it but a bootleg of a Dead concert. | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 119 Registered: 9-2003 |
Having been out of the Dead 'scene" for quite some time (Before last summer, I last saw them in '88 after Jerry came out of his diabetic coma and had to relearn the guitar), I was actually shocked how "popular" the Dead's music still is. The newbies took over right where the previous generation(s) left off. In addition, people seem to be starved for (what I call "Dead-inspired") "Jam" bands, hence the popularity of "newbies" Phish, Blues Traveller, Dave Matthews, etc. Obviously, the Allman Bros. are stil going strong as well. I was surprised, however, to see that tons of people brought out their "Dead-style" recording gear at a Warren Haynes (Govt. Mule) show I went to a few months ago. It seems that Jam Bands are to the Baby Boomers (and newbie GenX and GenY'ers) what Jazz was (is) to the previous (counterculture)generation. As I've said before, it's all good. I love Jazz as well (the original "jam" bands, LOL!). So did Jerry (despite his jazzy leanings, a fact that many Dead Heads missed the boat on...maybe it was the smoke or the blotter? LOL!). Jerry used to listen to a lot of Miles, Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins for inspiration and horn phrasing techniques that he could apply to his playing. Would you believe I have a cousin that was inpired to listen to Clasical Music because of the interesting orchestration on the epic "Terrapin Station" title track? I just happened to be in a phase where I was getting into classical, so I was able to help out her further appreciation by recommending some of the more accesible works by mainstream composers. To me, the Dead was allways about melding a myriad of musical styles into their own unique, constantly evolving musical composite. If you're a close-minded "Dead Head", you're really missing out on what they're really all about. | ||
| 811952
Intermediate Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 191 Registered: 10-2003 |
Right now I'm listening to "The O'Franken Factor" on www.airamericaradio.com. They bump into and out of breaks with the Dead. Very nice snippets, although entirely too short. I'm hearing things that I (as a neophyte deadhead) think I need to purchase... John | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 123 Registered: 9-2003 |
ck dead.net for all things Dead. Dick's Picks are a relatively inexpensive way to experience classic Dead shows, warts and all. | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 129 Registered: 9-2003 |
For those who care: Just got it this PM, listening to it right now...New release from jerrygarcia.com...first in a series of live JGB recordings from the archives entitled "Pure Jerry". This one is from '77 at the Theatre 1839 in SF. HDCD-mastered. Sounds damn good (and quiet) for a 27-yr old 7.5ips two-track tape taken from the sound board. In particular, the John Kahn fretless bass solo in Jerry's classic cover of Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby" is outstanding. It feels like Jerry is alive and well and right in the living room with me. The band was on for these two shows! If you're familiar with JGB shows, (I was at the Capitol Theatre, Passaic NJ, in winter '79/'80 for a particularly good show...Robt. Hunter was there as an opener!), you know how ssssslllllllooooowwwwww they usually played. These shows are, thankfully, very lively (for Jerry, LOL!). Of course, it doesn't hurt to listen on my house-mate's mega-buck hi-fi (Theta Digital, Audio Research Hybrid electronics, Infinity Renaissance 90's, MIT Shotgun interconnects/cables, etc),LOL! Regardless whether it's car stereo, boom box, hi-fi, tin cans/string, it sounds good on all of them. Highly Recommended! Enjoy. | ||
| hollis
Advanced Member Username: hollis Post Number: 233 Registered: 11-2003 |
Kevin, I do the same thing with Unbroken Chain for people who "aren't into" the Dead.... I pulled the same stunt on my mother (who was convinced that the Dead were "just terrible honey") with Weather Report several years ago.....Mom's a Dead Head now..... My wife could "take 'em or leave 'em". I remained patient and occasionally would throw in a Dead tune while playing mostly my own stuff.... Every time I'd play a Dead tune, she'd ask "what's that one?". "Grateful Dead", my reply....It's kinda a running joke with us... My wife's a Dead Head now..... Enjoy | ||
| hollis
Advanced Member Username: hollis Post Number: 234 Registered: 11-2003 |
Sorry, double post (Message edited by hollis on June 11, 2004) | ||
| zappahead
Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 74 Registered: 10-2002 |
I saw quite a few good Jerry Garcia band shows towards the end. I saw a very good show with Bruce Hornsby at Hampton, VA that still sits fresh in my mind. Garcia at his best was just an amazing live performer. Him and Hornsby always were a great combonation to me. Im looking forward to picking up those new live albums, Im a huge JGB fan. Good to hear the first one is solid, have to get that soon. Have any of you seen Bob Weir lately? I saw some picks of him on the Net and hes got the Jerry beard going now, I thought that was a bit strange. | ||
| kmh364
Intermediate Member Username: kmh364 Post Number: 143 Registered: 9-2003 |
Yeah, I saw Bob last year with the Dead, and will see him in another month or two. They just put out a new compilation (see dead.net) called "Weir Here"...a "best of" of sorts. The eternal teenager (no, not Dick Clark, LOL!) has finally aged. I guess after the big 6-0, Bob decided to look his age, LOL! He's had a beard before, but never all gray like this. BTW, jerrygarcia.com (i.e., Jerry Garcia Estate) is supposedly sitting on the mother lode archive of JGB tapes. It seems that they took a feed off of the board and recorded it at most shows just like Bear did for the Dead. The first one (as mentioned above) is a real jem. I was listening again last night (i.e., before I went to see Sack Blabbath, an Ozzy-Sabbath tribute Band, LOL It's all good! I'll be on their website shortly with an orange tie-die H-D shirt). Man, I hope they recorded that one I saw at the Capitol Theatre: Robert Hunter was amazing....it gave new insight to the world of words written by Hunter to hear him sing/play them unaccompanied on his acoustic. Jerry and John Kahn were on...I remember an inspired "Dear Prudence" Beatles cover that was incredible! |
