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jw harding

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    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    10/19/74. The penultimate show before the retirement. Probably better than the next night. Nice Eyes>China Doll in first set. Set two has a great run thru a number of standard tunes, starting with Big RxR Blues that finds Jerry really messing with the intro - very exciting! Strong takes on Race is On, Tomorrow is Forever, and Mexicali follow. There's just a little bit something to each version, and you can tell the band is on. Dire Wolf follows, and feels a bit flat. Then Sugar Mags starts a great jam suite, that includes the Truckin intro before they drop into Caution and a prolonged jam, before returning to Truckin proper. Wowsers! Doesn't sound like a band ready to hang it up. Strong take on Black Peter prior to a return to Sunshine Daydream. Recommended listening fo sho.

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    As a one time deadhead, I think the thing that caused me to jump ship was the way other deadheads would use the lyrics the way many Christians use bible verses.  No matter the scenario, if there was a group of deadheads around, someone would spout a song lyric as if it was wisdom passed down from on high.  And like many Christians, it was too often a smokescreen to hide poor behavior.  A lot of the lyrics were good, but It was juggalo level annoying to me.  I've tried to convince myself that I'm just being cynical and that this was something that happened organically and was outside of the band's control, but there were shelves full of officially sanctioned Grateful Dead books in every bookstore when the Dead were a going concern (I owned a few of them) that encouraged this type of fandom, and had lyrics as pull quotes on every page.  Exactly like what you see in religious books.  Coincidentally, this all  occurred to me around the same time I gave up Christianity.

     

    I still like the Dead, but that was one aspect of them that I wasn't able to stomach. 

    Hard not to fall into hero worship with Garcia and this band. The concerts and the songs provide peak moments and transcendent experiences. Scholars from Joseph Campbell to Stanley Krippner have compared the band to modern day Shamans. But there was a dark side to it all, which some people choose to block out. I tend to see it as sacred while not taking it too seriously. There are weird obsessive fans of any great band, so don't think it's something exclusive to Deadheads. I've said it before, but the heads on this message board seem to have the most wide eyed and reasoned view of the band. Go to ratdog, philzone, or other dead oriented message boards, the results will vary greatly. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Well, that's pretty understandable. It was the first set of lyrics Robert Hunter passed along to the Dead. It's not bad, really, but it's no lyrical masterpiece. 

     

    Sometimes, when they went way out there, Jerry wouldn't get around to singing the second verse. Most fans don't seem to mind that in the middle of a great pre-hiatus Dark Star meltdown (though it's always a disappointment to me when that happens).

     

    I think Playin' In the Band is similar in that it's a well-known vehicle for lengthy space jams, and the lyrics aren't among the Dead's greatest, either. But it would never occur to me to think of Robert Hunter or Barlow's lyrics as "filler."

    I dunno about the lyrics to Dark Star not being a masterpiece. Don't they capture the nature of the psychedelic experience, and particularly of that era, as well as anything ever written? It's hard to separate the music from the lyrics from Garcia's delivery in Dark Star, its just all so perfect together. Maybe it's just me, but when I'm tripping my face off, and Garcia sings those words, it takes me places. 

     

    On the other hand, the lyrics to Playin' are filler. Barlow has some other great lyrics, but really nothing profound there. Certainly the music of Playin' is far superior to the lyrics.

    The Allman Brothers Band

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    From all I can gather it was a culmination of things with Betts that lead to his firing. His playing was a factor, but also ongoing conflict with band members and continuing substance abuse. He actually got into a fight with Allen Woody, which apparently shocked all the other band members given Woody's easy going nature. This lead to Woody and Warren leaving the band to focus on Mule full time, with Warren eventually returning after Woody's passing. 

     

    It's hard to imagine being in a band and having long-term relationships with 3 people as crazy and set in their ways as Dickey, Butch, and Gregg. Does Jaimoe even talk? That's one laid back dude.

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Nice find. I need to re-visit this one later. "Moonlight Mile" was only done a handful of times, if I recall...

    Was only done a handful of times. Seems like it should be the perfect Jerry tune, but it always seems a bit sluggish and drags. He embodied the song a bit too much when he played it, extra strung out sounding. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Not as obvious as Michael McDonald!

     

    And yeah, if I recall Brent was looking at possible jail time for multiple DUIs at the time of his death.

    Somewhat related, but seeing Johnnie Johnson in Ratdog was a trip. He made no sense being in that band, but cool of Bob to invite him to join. Probably needed some cash and got some recognition due. Ratdog never really made any sense though. Was pretty weird to see him up there jamming on Supplication or whatever. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Baracco  was like 19 or 20 in 1990! per what I've read, and per the link I posted above, even, the selection process (in large due to the timeline of lined up shows and huge financial obligations/tied up money) was brief and was not something the rest of the band wanted to really even deal with. The decision was hasty and largely based on the vocals, apparently, as they though that whomever was on board could learn the pinao/keys parts with the help of Hornsby....

    If you got his age off the internet, that is incorrect. He was not born in 1970, and certainly not only 48 years old now. He was playing professionally in the 80's, including with the Zen Tricksters, who I think at the time were the premier GD cover band. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Believe I also read that Rob Barraco was in "consideration" after Brent died. Maybe that was from an interview with Barraco himself. Could've been a good choice, but not surprised they didn't pick him due to age difference and lack of experience on the big stage.

     

    Seems everyone is in agreement that Vince was not great. Who would've been better? Have to pick someone who can sing, as that seems to be the main criteria in picking Vince over the others who auditioned. 

     

    Hornsby obviously. Steve Winwood would be a cream dream. Can Chuck Leavell sing? I dunno, can't think of any other great choices. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I disagree. Brent was talented: played great, especially on a real Hammond and early on some great 70s electric pianos and sang both lead and high harmony great.  Same for Keith, he played a real piano and could play the shit out of honky tonk stuff as well as jazzy stuff and lots in between.  None of that is true for Vince, IMO.

    My post made no comment on their talent or abilities, just the selection process or lack thereof. 

    The Grateful Dead

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Nope....my first show was in 1988...Alpine....Saw them until 1993....Became too difficult to see Jerry / Vince...And other bands (Trey) was really worth seeing more than Vince.

     

    I generally feel that Vince was the gravedigger for Jerry and the Grateful Dead. Musically, I don't think he was that interesting or impressive but really made it difficult was how joined Jerry in heroin. Jerry brought himself to it. But Vince joined him.

     

    Oh to ponder about how Jerry could have aged into his 60s switching to only acoustic shows....

     

    Some real lows in the Vince era, but that causes some real good stuff to get overlooked. This blog captures some of the best moments, particularly the space improv, which was generally much further out there then they ever went with Brent. Brent fans will disagree. 

     

    http://saveyourface.posthaven.com/

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