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jw harding

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Posts posted by jw harding

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    For me, I love Jerry's playing the most when it's tasteful and suits the original spirit of the song. The two things he did that I liked the least are:

     

    1) Overplaying fast stuff on songs that weren't that up-tempo (Deal, Sugaree, etc.). I can appreciate the wild and fast solos on Victim or the Crime; on mid-tempo songs, not so much.

     

    2) A ton of "fanning" at the end of a crescendo (as often happened in Morning Dew. Sometimes too much really is too much). 

    It's not that I'd turn off a '77 Sugaree, but I find that repetitive circling around a few notes he did in the post-hiatus versions to be very tedious. It actually reminds me of some of the Viola Lee Blues solos from the late 60s. Not my favorite Jer moments.

     

    All that being said, the guy is one of my favorite guitar players of all time. Maybe "embarrassing" wasn't the right word in this context. "Silly" would be better. Bob Dylan once said of Mick Jagger's stage moves, "You don't have to do all that. It's way hipper and cooler to be Ray Charles, sitting there but still coming across." I feel that about what I described above. There's a part of me that feels like, "Come on, you're Jerry Garcia, man. You don't have to do all that!"

    I've read pretty identical quotes of Jerry critiquing the Stones. Sounds like Jerry and Dylan discussed it. I'm not sure Jerry's pyrotechnics compare to Mick's gyrations, but interesting point. Safe moves they both relied on.

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    The sunshine dream section

     

    Bobby must've spit on you.

     

    TN Jed haters - when was the last time you listened to the song high? That usually does the trick. I could never get sick of some of the lyrics, like "my dog turned to me, and he said..." Remember an interview with Bob in the last few years of the band, where he cited Jed as one of his top 5 tunes to play live in that era, as it has the jam section that opened up and allowed them to stretch out. 

     

    Levon Helm did nice things with it: https://youtu.be/fZaU3VtMfoM

     

    You can disagree with me, but if you disagree with Levon, well, good luck with that.

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Sugar Magnolia is a "check what time it is" song for me. 

    Favorite Dead song of Duane Allman and Bill Graham. I'd say a top 5 Bob tune, top 20 Dead tune for me. Bold take, what's not to like?

     

    Agree on US Blues being a throw away. At it's peak in 73 - 74, then went downhill.

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Mississippi Half Step. I enjoy it, but don't understand the love. It's a nice tune, music and lyrics are ok. Never really been blown away or moved by it like other Jerry tunes. Nice build up and refrain at the end, but otherwise, many other songs I'd rather hear. 

     

    Bird Song. There are great versions, and some that are not. Probably have to be in the right mood for this one. 

     

    Cold Rain and Snow. Feel pretty much the same about this one as Half Step.

     

    Comes a Time. The melody and lyrics are the worst of the "big" Jerry ballads. But the ripping guitar at the end, especially in the 76 - 77 versions, makes it worth it. 

     

    Agree on If I Had the World to Give. May be my least favorite Jerry song. Although I think it could've been more successful of a song with the type of romantic balladeer who does those type of songs. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I had never heard this tune (I know it's on a Clapton album) and certainly not JGB cover it until last Friday. Wow. Amazing tune:

     

    "See What Love Can Do" from Electric on the Eel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhrSr_p9AJs&disable_polymer=true

     

    Was not familiar with that Clapton tune either. The Lay Down Sally from this set is the best JGB version of that tune I've heard as well. If there is one musician that Jerry borrowed from over the years, I guess it would be Clapton, with his various covers, and his reggaefying of tunes. 

     

    Great set overall. The cover of Twilight by the Band is also real nice. Not sure I've heard Jerry do that before. Was it played very often?

    Built to Spill

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Their Live album with the epic cover of Cortez the Killer was what really got me into them. Always preferred their live shows with the big guitar jams to their more quirky songwriting/albums. Saw them last year for the first time in ten years or so, and was pretty underwhelmed. Previously always blown away by their live shows.

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I think with the Dead, I saw the potential of what Eternity could be (no pun intended). It had some moments, but just didn't fit that lineup or stadium sized shows. Much better suited for a smaller, sparser ensemble playing theaters, bringing out the jazzier side. Wave to the Wind was ok, but never saw much worth revisiting in those later Phil tunes. If the Shoe Fits too. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Two Bob & Wolf Bro shows last night you can watch in the link below. I do think this outfit is the best live fit for Bob in recent years, gives his voice and playing the right amount of space and support. Don Was is not as busy as Phil was when they were trying to do the duo thing. The band with the National guys had their moments, but too many players made it a bit of a mess at times. Eternity is a great tune. The Dead could never quite figure out how to fit it into their shows. Seems like it may work best in this format. 

     

    https://www.jambase.com/article/bob-weir-wolf-bros-blue-note-new-york-city-setlist-video

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Used to love seeing Phil and his various lineups, particularly the Q. He's at a point where he is certainly entitled to do whatever he wants, but have to say it's been a few years since I've had any interest in his music or lineups. H seems to be playing with the local bar band kids, including his own. I'm sure it's fun for him, but doesn't fill my Dead fix.

     

    I did stop by his restaurant 2 years ago while in town with the family. Saw him do story time for the kids, read Where the Wild Things Are, among other classics. Pretty weird. Then his pickup band did a set, which was fun. It was free, so certainly worth the trip to the place. Food was ok, overpriced. Nice venue on the water in a seedy part of San Rafael, right around the corner from their old studio, Club Front. Shakedown Street vibes in the area for sure. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    RIP Ken Nordine. Flipperty Jib on the Flippity Flop! (or something like that). One of the first Dead shows I got to see, the highlight of a lackluster show for sure. His rap is pretty Suessian. 

     

    He had a cool album that featured Jerry and Tom Waits together on a few tracks. Other than that, not too familiar with his work, but what a voice.

    The Official Bob Dylan Thread

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I've had "Highlands" from Time Out of Mind on repeat over the last few days. What an interesting song. I've had it on vinyl for close to 20 yrs and didn't really recognize it as a tune worthy of paying closer attention to until recently.

    Some great live versions from the Time Out of Mind era worth seeking out. Think you can find some on youtube. Hypnotic and archaic song. Peak late era weird Dylan.

    The latest Ryan Adams thread V2.0

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Not to be a dick, but didn't you recently catch a Jerry Lee Lewis show...?

     

    Either way, I always thought Ryan Adams was a self-important blowhard douche and disliked whatever amount of emo crap talent he brought to Phil & Friends years ago. The guy sure could slaughter a decent Garcia tune.

     

    Sounds like his texting is more prolific and disturbingly pathetic than his mediocre song-writing....

    Nail - head. 

     

    I understand people like this guy because he reminds them of their other favorite artists. But he never had anything original to say, paint by numbers rock n roll. To me, its just derivative. Artists are always influenced by those that came before, but this guy never found his own voice, probably because he was empty inside. 

     

    I gave his music way too many chances. Last time being watching some live performance over ten years ago. Wife walks in the room and asks "who's this douchebag?" The guy is just douche chills come to life. Seeing him go down is kind of vindication of my entire belief system and perspective on life!

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Jerry sure can rip into Minglewood when he feels like it. And I've heard a version or two from the 80's where Weir teases the blues tune I'm Going Down, which is pretty cool. The song itself is unremarkable, and a bit overplayed, but a great jam when they were feeling it. 

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