Vacant Horizon

It feels like a recent album to me too.  I was working in a record store at the time it came out.  I'd heard rumblings about UT and a tune they had on a Ben & Jerry's comp.  My coworker had to explain to me the entire Tweedy/Farrar saga.  Box is still one of my favorites.

Been listening to that 7/24/07 Ratdog show that was recommended here a few pages back.  Some great stuff on there.  And, of course, some not so great :-)  However, I'm kind of getting into their groove.  Any other recommendations for good Ratdog shows?  I'm about to check out 9/23/01 with Mark.  Just something different I guess.

I really liked Wave. Very interesting that Phil became so productive in the last few years. He had 3 originals and then Broken Arrow. And of course Unbroken...sheesh. I know I've read interviews where h talks about tunes he was writing but didn't materialize. One was called Red. I liked all the Lesh tunes but cannot remember Shoe Fits for the life of me.

Entire albums, no matter what.

Can I ask your reasoning?

For me, I always err on the side of 'potentially/eventually' liking the tunes I skip over.  Every time I've left off a tune or two, I end up putting it back because I'm wondering about it.

As a side note, the whole digital/ipod revolution has really thrown me for a loop.  All the formats, players, digital stores that don't have everything, the rise of vinyl.  Not sure which direction to go.  I've been ruminating on this for years.  I'm basically back to CDs only, but also use my iPod to stream stuff via bluetooth in the house.  It's hard to argue with the convenience.  Luckily, lots of older discs are so cheap these days.  Unfortunately, shipping has doubled.

Do y'all import entire albums no matter what, or do you leave out tracks that aren't your favorites?

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Well, I like some of the early Dark Stars that are about 10-12 minutes long, but I like 'em even shorter, too. The ones that go on for 30-40 minutes in a long, formless jam tend to lose me.

As much of a Deadhead as I am, I'm a song guy more than a jamband guy. I love those '71-'73 shows that have like 30 songs, from Loser to Playin' to Mr. Charlie. When I see a setlist for a show and it's mainly just Dark Star>St. Stephen>The Eleven>Feedback, I think, "Oh, another one of those."

I hear you.  It's incredible how the band changed over the early years.  It was always some combo of Stephen etc. and then it became so focused on 'songs' like you said.  Yeah, the 72 shows are great and always interesting setlists.

Getting back into Europe '72 shows again, after taking a detour through some '78 (revisiting Red Rocks after seeing all the hype about the box set), '76 (a show I'd never heard, 6/12 Boston, kind of meh so far except for Mission), and an '80 Warfield show (man, the acoustic sets were so good, but the shows haven't made much impression from what I've played so far. Europe '72 shows are just so good. I'm listening to Radio Luxembourg from 5/16 at home, which will be followed by 5/18, a show I have yet to hear, and then the London 4/8 in the car. I'm not a big Dark Star guy unless it's short (like in '69) or goes some more upbeat places...the one from 4/8 is long, but goes some very upbeat places. Great stuff.

Not a fan of Days or Dark Star!  We're losing you Heartbreak!  

Incidentally, that 'short' studio single of DS on the Long Strange Trip comp is so great.  Would've definitely fit on Anthem.

Not sure if ever listened to this Red Rocks show -- will check to see if I have it when I get home. Thx - looks great. Never saw so many reviews on the Archive for a Ratdog show, before.

 

Did you make it to this Red Rock show, Lammy?

 

Speaking of the Archive -- still can't get use to the new look/format - still like the older version better -- up to last week or so there was a TAB that took one back to the old format, but it's gone go for good, now.

This show is renewing my ever waining interest in Ratdog.  This is GREAT!  I do miss Karan and I think he was the best player the core four in all their iterations played with.  Not too flashy, not too Jerry, but solid and great, straight ahead soloing.  I like Kimock, but he takes forever to get a solo going and is essentially absent during the rest of songs.

Not sure if ever listened to this Red Rocks show -- will check to see if I have it when I get home. Thx - looks great. Never saw so many reviews on the Archive for a Ratdog show, before.

 

Did you make it to this Red Rock show, Lammy?

 

Speaking of the Archive -- still can't get use to the new look/format - still like the older version better -- up to last week or so there was a TAB that took one back to the old format, but it's gone go for good, now.

Tell me about it.  Ugh!

I listened to (most of) the P&F feed last night. The Q, proving again, why they're the best P&Fs compilation. The St. Stephen>Midnite Hour was the corker, too. The Days encore was nice, and I'll likely get shot for this, but I was never a big "Days" fan. I know, I know probably Garcia's most poignant (lyrically, at least) tune in the back 9 of his career, but it just drags the fuck on for me....

Had that tune come out in 1988, it' might've been a bit faster and more engaging.  I'm not a huge fan either...but, like with all Dead, still like it 

On that video page - down below, on the right - is my mystery girl from the GD movie. 

I always wonder what's up with those people.  You'd think they'd come out of the woodwork online or something.  I assume some are Dead.

It is sad Betty is not getting any money...even for using her name she should be paid something.

WTF!  It's like that show the Leftovers, but it's rock stars who are disappearing.  

Never a huge fan of ELP, but that synth solo at the end of Lucky Man was great.

RIP

who isn't a step down?

Well put.

I love that era of the Byrds...Clarence White! Incidentally, never really checked out Moby Grape.

What's wrong with America? They have some great songs. I don't see George Martin working with anyone he didn't want to work with - at least by that point.

 

Oh, I like America. Their first 5 albums are great. For some reason I just thought they were kind of a step down from the Beatles. Especially after Holiday when the songwriting really decreased in quality, imho.

I had forgotten about the Mahavishnu album he produced. Also, I remember wishing he had done the ''Beatle' sessions for the Anthology series in the 90s.

Bob Star/Little Star was done a few times only in '83, iirc.I know one was done at Merriweather in '83,,,,

Thanks for the info. Bob definitely kept things interesting. This and the rewriting of Black Throated are curious.

Absolute master with the Beatles.

Still puzzled by his producing several albums by America.

Listening to this today -- Don't think I ever heard it before -- great set list for the 1st set and pretty well played through out.

I really like the early West LA's -- the early Touch of Grey's always seemed rushed.

Damn, that first set looks like a killer second set!

Throwin' went through lots of change too.  Interesting to hear that one tighten up through the years.  I think they captured it well on album.

BTW, when did Bob start doing that goofy verse during Other One?  We always called it Bob-Star.  '85?

Modern Times is one of my favorited Dylan albums. Nettie Moore...love that tune.

What I liked about the most recent album is that Bob is actually singing rather than croaking.

This is a recent addition to the archive:

 

This playlist lists all of the Grateful Dead's original songs (and some from their pre-Grateful Dead days) from 1966, to 1995; when they first debuted the songs in a live setting. From the first notes of "Caution" to the first performance of "Sugar Magnolia", and then all the way to the final live debut, "Unbroken Chain" in 1995, this gives the listener a glimpse into the early debut performances of some of the Grateful Dead's most well-known and beloved songs. Lyrical changes, differing tempos, and dynamics - it's all here, in it's raw glory.

 

https://archive.org/details/AllGratefulDeadOriginalSongDebuts66-95

That bust out of Seastones in'74 must've been epic!

Great show. I caught the next night in New Haven. Kreutzman was on drums for this tour and Bobby & the Midnites opened. Weir came out for the double encore, too. Smoking shows on that summer '82 JGB tour.....

I need to find some of these. I'm sure they're out there somewhere.

I remember Horner laying electric in the Eminance Front video.

Mostly "celebrity" deaths don't phase me much. It happens. Bowie was such a huge part of my musical journey though that it had an effect. Not claiming to have known him but I did get to meet him once. One of the bigger thrills of 25+ years in the music biz. Glen Frey was more about what he died from. I've been dealing with the same issue for 8 years now & the disease is advancing. Winter is especially brutal. RA is an insidous disease with a lot of variations. Has to be taken into account with anything I want to do. Someone described it as having a thousand tiny rats chewing on all of your joints at the same time. That's not far off...

So sorry to here about that.  Can definitely see how Frey's death would hit home.  Hope you are as well as possible and the Bowie tunes continue to bring pleasure.  We still got the music, and so much of it...thank goodness.

Here's what I've been skipping for the last many years: drums>space, Tennessee, Roses, Row Jimmy, all the Brent original tunes

 

 

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Row Jimmy 89-90 was awesome! Did not care for the Jerry slide versions in the early 70s though. Never skip Roses!

I'm prone to skipping Bob tunes here and there.  Wang Dang Doodle and Same Thing come to mind.  I do like drums, particularly the end of drums into space with all that spacey shit Mickey did on the beam.

With 91-the end I'm prone to skipping songs.  Never skip Playin' or Eyes or most any other 2nd set tunes.