jw harding

David Gans' Grateful Dead marathon is going on now: http://www.kpfa.org/home

Love Bobby, but love to bash him too. Amazing musician, but not without his peculiar tendencies, song choices, etc. Also, we'd all look a lot less cool if we had to stand next to Jerry every night, right? Bob had a lot of great songs. A few favorite moments off the top of my head: His guitar playing on Morning Dew off Europe 72, weaving perfectly with Garcia's. From the Closing of Winterland shows in 78, how he locks into a chord and quickly steers the band from Other One back into Dark Star. Great transition, and Bobby got a lot of shit for cutting jams short, but this time it was perfec

Crow, appreciate your open-mindedness, willing to give them a chance and not writing them off due to hippie stereotypes. Mountain Bed's post point's in some good directions. I think the Dead just aren't heavy enough for a lot of people. Even Garcia said they are not a rock band, rather they play American electric music. Skullfuck might be the closest they come to consistent rocking. As for comparisons to jazz bands, my feeling is that the Dead were every bit the musical equals, if not surpassing Miles, Coltrane, etc. Ornette Coleman jammed with them, and Garcia played on one of his albums. Bra

You make some good points, particularly on how great The Mountain is. Was real excited Levon played it at the Greek in LA the one time I saw him, but bummed Steve Earle came out and sang it. And I can certainly understand where your perspective is coming from regarding these albums.

Guess we're going to have to agree to disagree on that one. I'd say the Brown album is better, but Dirt Farmer ranks up there with it. Sound, vibe, and songs are all excellent, points taken off for lack of original songs. As for Big Pink, that album has not aged as well, really more historically significant for the cultural and musical change that followed. A great album, but seems dated to me, and some of the songs fall flat. I count the Brown album and Dirt Farmer as perfect albums, front to back. Big Pink is not. And since it came out, I listen to Dirt Farmer far more than the other two.

Dirt Farmer is one of the best albums of the past 10 years or so, and ranks up there with the best Band albums (first 2). Electric Dirt is a lot of fun too, certainly a great album, IMO. Reading Levon's book, he mentions pretty much taking the movie and tv roles where they needed a hillbilly.

Seems this might be the sticker for you:

I know, that's cool. I'm just a Lazy Lightning hater and felt like listing some better Bobby songs. As for Weather Report, love the intro and prelude, and the ending jam that could go places, but the actual song Let it Grow might be my least favorite Bobby song. The woodcutter's daughter crap really bugs. Seems like Weather Report was Bobby's attempt at a Stairway to Heaven type masterpiece, with the slow delicate intro, and big build, and he just couldn't pull it together.

Saint is a really unique song, not sure there is another song quite like it, and it really works. But as for the best Bobby songs: Sugar Mag, Other One, Music Never Stopped, Jack Straw, Truckin, Throwin Stones, Estimated, Stranger, Cassidy, Black Throated Wind have to be among the best, and far ahead of Lazy Lightning. Supplication had a nice jam at times though. But I dig Victim though, so whatever.

I've got the un-tie-dyed version of that shirt. Also gave onesie versions of that shirt to a bunch of friends after they had kids. Popular gift. Favorite sticker: "Bobby fans are people too" with a picture of a glum look Weir.

I got The Band on 2nd page. Finishing Levon's book, so wasn't going to forget that one.

Definitely some dicking around after Truckin', but all buildup for the majestic Dew that follows!

In the Dark is a great album, guess I was mainly surprised that you'd put it ahead of other Dead albums apparently. I'm also surprised I like Le Noise so much, might be my favorite Neil album, every song rules. Shit is deep.

This is just a message board thread, so I'm cool with pretty much anything. I don't think you can stretch the definition of album to include self-compiled playlists though. There are plenty of compilations that could be considered perfect albums, such as collections of Robert Johnson, Woody Guthrie, and other older folk, blues, jazz artists - in some cases such compilations are the only albums available by older artists. Here are two more that I'll add to the list: The Beatles, 1 The Beatles, Love

As opposed to the extensive editing done with studio albums? If an album is perfect, it's perfect, regardless of the format. But if you want perfect unedited live albums, I can give a list of those too: Bob Dylan, Live 1966, Bootleg Series 4, Royal Albert Hall Bob Dylan, Live 1975, Bootleg Series 5 Grateful Dead, One from the Vault Grateful Dead, Dicks Picks Vol 2 Grateful Dead, Dicks Picks Vol 8

Respect for including Mississippi John Hurt. In the Dark? Love the Dead, but that has some duds: Tons of Steel and Push Comes to Shove. A few more perfect albums that haven't been mentioned yet: Workingman's Dead Live/Dead Willie & the Poor Boys - CCR Astral Weeks - Van The Band (brown album) Dirt Farmer - Levon Helm Come on Feel the Illinoise - Sufjan Stevens Live at the Fillmore East - Allman Bros Folk Singer - Muddy Waters The Mollusk - Ween Exile & Sticky Fingers - Stones Le Noise - Neil Young List could get long.

Phil had some pretty good banter: Meet the Jones Gang: http://archive.org/details/gd1977-11-04.mtx.chappell.SB5.29091.flac16 We want Phil: http://archive.org/details/gd90-06-10.sbd-matrix.miller-ladner.6937.sbeok.shnf

No better video of the Dead out there than the 3rd set of the Closing of Winterland DVD. When they pull in for a close up on Garcia's face as he stares into the camera and sings the lyrics to Dark Star, your eyeballs will melt and you will shit your pants. Whole 3rd set is great, first and second are kind of meh. After that I would go with GD Movie, and Downhill from Here.

Mountain Bed's list of Dews is pretty comprehensive. 6/18/74 and 5/8/77 being my favorites, along with the version from Europe 72, and at MSG on 9/18/87. More here: http://headyversion.com/song/184/grateful-dead/morning-dew/

This song always reminded me of Ashes of an American Flag: http://youtu.be/Dv7RUzj6GfI

Yeah, I know. I like behemoth Garcia riffs. End of second set placement was perfect for this tune. Love the vocal jam at the end too, though it took my 3 year old daughter to point out that was lifted from Ring Around the Rosie. D'oh.

That triumphant jam/riff is a Garcia signature, reminiscent of St. Stephen, Estimated, probably a few other songs.

What a treat. Best of the 3 shows I saw this year, other 2 being San Diego and LA Theatre. Thought this show had better pacing, allowing the momentum to build throughout. No big surprises setlist wise, but I guess that means they just played all their best songs. The venue, and seats up close, certainly added something to it. Close enough to see the band well, but take in all the lights in the big shell. Things got pretty psychedelic a few times there.

Don't forget that Jerry Garcia Band double live album! Tangled Up in Blue, Dear Prudence, so many other greats.

Are you sure that is true for rock and roll shows? I thought it was only for orchestra and other classy merlot sipping type events. Don't think I've seen anyone bring alcohol in to any of the previous rock shows I've seen there, Roger Waters and Phish, and those fans love their mind altering substances.