jw harding

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.

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. 

Just consulted my new Deadbase for the first time. See What Love was played twice previously in May of 91. Twilight three times previously in April 91. 

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?

Lesh actually played with a pretty good lineup last night, including Benmont Tench for the first time, and Scofield, Greene, Molo. Sounds pretty good so far.

https://www.jambase.com/article/benmont-tench-phil-lesh-friends-port-chester-video-audio

Rumor has it Pete Shapiro has a hold on MSG for Phil's 80th bday next year. That would be something. 

"It's a bullshit lie!"

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.

Wonder what the lineup will be? I was underwhelmed by the recent 3 piece show I saw. 

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. 

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

Agree with all that. Jackie Green was a nice fit too.

Would rather see JRAD over all of em. 

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. 

Phil guested with Wilco on Ripple back in the late 90's - Leroy era I believe. Some California music fest I think. There is a crappy youtube out there.

Happy 50th Anniversary Live Dead Dark Star!       

With a bday salute in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/27/opinion/grateful-dead-dark-star-anniversary.html?fbclid=IwAR1Kowe1tmBYkWV4vZdIe_PcN2b5AsN_N-8zX4sgSvBPfIEM-38BJ9SRZpE

Oteil is one of my favorite musicians, top 3 bass players. Beautiful tribute to his brother. What a talented family. Tough loss for TTB too.

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.

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.

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!

Jerry laughing:

https://youtu.be/7DXfwUN9M8k

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. 

I really like the buildup into Playin Reprise in that show. They take it for a walk.

Jesus, etc. is about Jeff breaking his favorite bong, Jesus. 

Speaking of JGB, was listening to this Shining Star from 11/19/1993 and good lord:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzAUETtPZqs

The Zeppelin comparisons are not in their ability, but in what they're trying to do.  The silly outfits,  the physical mannerisms of the singer, the exact replica of Bonham's drums, Zeppelin style guitar and bass rigs (which had become the standard a long time, but isn't very common anymore), and the recording production style which is clearly going for that sound. 

 

They don't have the ability to get close to it, but they're going for it.

 

As for vocal sound, I hear much more Heart than Zeppelin.    

Agree with all that. And whatever the singer is trying to do, he is just bad.

I think the Zeppelin comparisons are not quite accurate. I don't hear the turn-on-a-dime fluidity and technical chops of The Mighty Zeppelin. A fairer comparison might be early Alice Cooper. A bit more blue collar. 

 

Zeppelin seems (to me) to be so much above any of the countless imitators and wanna be's - Purple at the height of their came came fairly close - but really, the standard they set can't be equaled. It's not fair for anything that has came since.

I think there is a Zeppelin similarity on a very surface level. All the people I know who are excited about them make the Zep comparison. But of course if you listen closely the comparison falls apart. And these kids have listened to and by influenced by a lot of Zeppelin. Doubt they've listened to Alice Cooper. I think the lead singer sounds more like Geddy Lee than Plant, which is not good.