The Grateful Dead

[Lammycat]

Lammycat - did you catch the Furthur show with Branford Marsalis?

Nope, that was yesterday. I caught Friday and Saturday. Both were excellent. Weir sounded great. Phil, too. 

[worldrecordplayer]

Lee Ranaldo on Sunshine Daydream:

 

http://thetalkhouse.com/features/view/lee-ranaldo-the-grateful-deads-long-lost-concert-documentary-sunshine-daydr

[worldrecordplayer]

Lee Renaldo on Sunshine Daydream:

 

http://thetalkhouse.com/features/view/lee-ranaldo-the-grateful-deads-long-lost-concert-documentary-sunshine-daydr

A very good read.  This is how I spend my Saturday night with the brand new dvd/cd box set.  I had a blast!  This to me is the Dead at their peak.  Watching the Dead in the blazing sun in front of all those Oregon/west coast 1972 hippies, it’s magic.  I knew from his FB post that Renaldo went to the theatrical release night, which should have told me how much he was into the Dead’s music, but this leaves no doubt.

[i'm only sleeping]

...and at the end of Dark Star you can hear jerry really wanted to enter mourning dew...but weir pressed for el paso....hmmm.....

Just read a Bobby chapter in Gans’ book Conversations with the Dead where he says that by the time he starts getting bored with a given tune it’s a fair guess that a certain portion of the audience is getting bored too. That seemed to be the case with that obviously frustrated segue to Morning Dew...

I wonder if this created any tension between band members on stage that was perceptible to the deadheads?

[Shug]

I dig Bobby's playing and many of his songs, but he's frustrated me a lot, too.  I don't agree with that idea that people got bored of the songs he quit playing.  I think people got bored of Little Red Rooster and Minglewood and Throwing Stones and Mexicali Blues because they were overplayed in their day.  Maybe the same is true for Lazy Lightning/Supplication, Sailor/Saint, Black Throated Wind and Let It Grow (and I've always loved Brother Esau), but I've always felt that Bobby gave up on his best songs far too soon and kept some of his lesser ones and blues covers around too long.

 

He's also said the transitional jams between songs became like worn out paths as an explanation for why they stopped linking songs with jams and instead just ended one song abruptly and started the next song just as abruptly.  I call bullshit on that.  Its just laziness or boredom if you can't continue to find a new and interesting way to jam out of one song by playing a piece of spontaneous collective improv and then eventually finding your way to the next song seamlessly.  That's what they did fantastically in their prime and its one of the first things that we lost in the later years, IMO.  I think Bob was the main culprit for this trend.  Phil is the one who said ANY song has the potential at any time to blossom into a Dark Star-like jam.  Bob was probably one of the band who kept that from happening.

[Vacant Horizon]

What's interesting is Furthur had really jammed out some Bob songs. Check out the recent Red Rox run. Stranger has a long jam before the second verse same with Jack Straw. It works better in Stranger IMO. Stranger us way too slow though. Furthur really us tight now. Too bad they are taking a break. I could actually see myself seeing 2 or 3 in a row.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I've always felt that Bobby gave up on his best songs far too soon and kept some of his lesser ones and blues covers around too long.

 

He's also said the transitional jams between songs became like worn out paths as an explanation for why they stopped linking songs with jams and instead just ended one song abruptly and started the next song just as abruptly.  I call bullshit on that.  Its just laziness or boredom if you can't continue to find a new and interesting way to jam out of one song by playing a piece of spontaneous collective improv and then eventually finding your way to the next song seamlessly.

I suspect you're right on all counts here.

 

I used to have a friend who was a huge fan of 60s era Jefferson Airplane, but couldn't stand the Dead. I thought that was odd. His explanation was that he thought the Dead kept improvising even after they ran out of ideas. Not sure how much early vs. later Dead he'd heard - he was not, after all, a fan - but maybe that is what happened in the later years.

 

Has anyone on here been digging into the May '77 box? I didn't buy it, because I already have soundboards of all but one of those shows. Been listening to Tuscaloosa this morning, and it's good, but it ain't $150 worth of good. Much as I love these guys, I can't see myself spending hundreds of dollars acquiring more material when so much of it has been out there for years already. Although I did shell out thirty bucks for Sunshine Daydream.

[Analogman]

For those who know who this guy is:

 

 

Adam Scott of Parks and Recreation sat down with SPIN for a quick chat about his musical tastes. We’ve included some choice nuggets—mostly stuff about the Grateful Dead and Phish—from the interview below.

 

On the last concert he attended:

The last concert I went to was a Phish show. Some of my friends do a podcast called Analyze Phish and I was just on it. I used to be into the Grateful Dead so I understand the Phish thing. It was at the Hollywood Bowl and ended up being super fun. It reminded me of Dead shows I used to go to when I was a teenager. You can’t really go wrong with the general vibe of happy and stoned people listening to music they love.

 

On becoming a fan of the Grateful Dead:

When “Touch of Grey” became the big hit I kind of rode that wave and started digging deeper and getting into their older stuff. I think Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty are both perfect records. They aren’t really known for their studio records but I actually prefer them. The long jams have never really been my thing.

 

How big of a Deadhead was he?:

It was all pretty rudimentary. I probably went to like 10 Dead shows and wore it as my identity for a while. I had the tie-dye and grew my hair long. I had a peace sign earring.

[dagwave]

refreshingly honest.

[worldrecordplayer]

 Has anyone on here been digging into the May '77 box? I didn't buy it, because I already have soundboards of all but one of those shows. Been listening to Tuscaloosa this morning, and it's good, but it ain't $150 worth of good. Much as I love these guys, I can't see myself spending hundreds of dollars acquiring more material when so much of it has been out there for years already. Although I did shell out thirty bucks for Sunshine Daydream.

I got the May '77 box, and the SSDD box as well. I try to forget how much I spent on the May box, so thanks for reminding me Main reason I bought it was because I was at the St. Louis show, and I never had a good copy of that one. I usually feel compelled to buy any show I was at, though I don't always get around to it. Dollars aside, the May '77 box is fantastic. For starters, it's May '77, so enough said right there. The quality of the audio is superb. And the box itself and booklet are well done. I'm glad I have it.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I got the May '77 box, and the SSDD box as well. I try to forget how much I spent on the May box, so thanks for reminding me Main reason I bought it was because I was at the St. Louis show, and I never had a good copy of that one. I usually feel compelled to buy any show I was at, though I don't always get around to it. Dollars aside, the May '77 box is fantastic. For starters, it's May '77, so enough said right there. The quality of the audio is superb. And the box itself and booklet are well done. I'm glad I have it.

Glad you liked it. I think I am more a Europe '72 guy, but that box was way out of my range.

[worldrecordplayer]

Glad you liked it. I think I am more a Europe '72 guy, but that box was way out of my range.

Me too, anything from '72-73, my favorite period.  Loving SSDD.  I've always had the audio and movie, nice to get improved versions of both irregardless of the cost.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

Me too, anything from '72-73, my favorite period.  Loving SSDD.  I've always had the audio and movie, nice to get improved versions of both irregardless of the cost.

I finally got my copy of SSDD, and have been listening to it while driving to and from work.

 

Pretty happy with the sound, and it's a really good show, but: is anyone else annoyed at all by how much of the banter/announcements they left in? Damn, the first track is an entire four minutes of that crap. Of course, I could live with that - easy to skip and won't bother uploading it onto iTunes - but there's more! That Playing In The Band which is listed as [19:57] isn't even that long because at the end of it, we get to listen to this schmo talking some more. 

 

I just want to hear the music. I mean, Bobby's comments about stuff are pretty funny, but the stage announcer talking about water? Come on, guys...Did they think people would miss the banter if they edited it out? Really? One guy on Dead.net was bummed that they edited out a barking dog from Dark Star, so who knows? 

[worldrecordplayer]

This recently popped up on You Tube.  Just looked at the first few seconds, the audio quality is very good.  This is from the period I was "off the bus", so will give this a full look from home sometime soon.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnMxvi9WYIU&feature=player_embedded#t=0

 

 

[worldrecordplayer]

I finally got my copy of SSDD, and have been listening to it while driving to and from work.

 

Pretty happy with the sound, and it's a really good show, but: is anyone else annoyed at all by how much of the banter/announcements they left in? Damn, the first track is an entire four minutes of that crap. Of course, I could live with that - easy to skip and won't bother uploading it onto iTunes - but there's more! That Playing In The Band which is listed as [19:57] isn't even that long because at the end of it, we get to listen to this schmo talking some more. 

 

I just want to hear the music. I mean, Bobby's comments about stuff are pretty funny, but the stage announcer talking about water? Come on, guys...Did they think people would miss the banter if they edited it out? Really? One guy on Dead.net was bummed that they edited out a barking dog from Dark Star, so who knows? 

I hear you, but all that Ken Babs and Wavy Gravy stage banter about water stuff and sun and heat were part of the experience of the day, so I don't have any problem with them leaving that stuff in.  Like the stage announcements in the Woodstock soundtrack, adds to the experience of the day.  A reminder that this was not your ordinary GD show.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I figure I will get a hefty dose (no pun intended) of that in the DVD too. I will skip it every time I play the CDs.

But then, I am an impatient bastard. My least favorite Dead shows are the ones with long sections of tuning between the tunes. I love when people chop those into tracks called "Tuning" that I know I can skip.

[John Smith]

Throughout my life I have avoided the Dead because I heard them as a kid and they bored me. I'm 53 now and have recently decided to give them a shot. Heard the pyramids set and was pleasantly surprised. Next up is the Europe 72 set and if I like that I will try another. I'll be taking my time though , no need to rush these things.

[NoJ]

Throughout my life I have avoided the Dead because I heard them as a kid and they bored me. I'm 53 now and have recently decided to give them a shot. Heard the pyramids set and was pleasantly surprised. Next up is the Europe 72 set and if I like that I will try another. I'll be taking my time though , no need to rush these things.

 

68, 72, 74, 77.....are all very good years.

[John Smith]

I was 8,12,14, & 17.

[worldrecordplayer]

Throughout my life I have avoided the Dead because I heard them as a kid and they bored me. I'm 53 now and have recently decided to give them a shot. Heard the pyramids set and was pleasantly surprised. Next up is the Europe 72 set and if I like that I will try another. I'll be taking my time though , no need to rush these things.

My prediction: you will delve into Europe '72, and that will be the start of a long and beautiful love affair

[worldrecordplayer]

I figure I will get a hefty dose (no pun intended) of that in the DVD too. I will skip it every time I play the CDs.

But then, I am an impatient bastard. My least favorite Dead shows are the ones with long sections of tuning between the tunes. I love when people chop those into tracks called "Tuning" that I know I can skip.

So I take it you've never seen the movie.  Yes, you will get a hefty dose of stage banter mixed in with weird Acid Trips footage and other nonsense.  You will likely be impatient with the beginning of the movie, which has Playing in the background while the stage is being setup and folks roll into town, mixed in with the archival Pranksters footage.  Takes several minutes to get to the actual concert, but hang in there, your patience will be worth it.

[calvino]

I thought the Acid Trips footage with Cassidy was a bit out place in the movie - the movie was shot in 72 - long after the Acid Trips' footage was taken. Obviously I get the connection, but I would have rather had more concert footage or crowd shots.  Though I think the filmmakers ran out of film, thus they had to use the Acid Trips' footage.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I'm listening to the show before I watch the movie, as I didn't want to get burned out on the audio. Have seen some of it, and am aware that I will see more than I bargained for of "pole man's," er, pole.

[Analogman]

Throughout my life I have avoided the Dead because I heard them as a kid and they bored me. I'm 53 now and have recently decided to give them a shot. Heard the pyramids set and was pleasantly surprised. Next up is the Europe 72 set and if I like that I will try another. I'll be taking my time though , no need to rush these things.

 

Don't forget the acoustic stuff -

 

You can go to Archive.org and listen to all the shows you want.

[calvino]

I thought I heard that was edited out a bit more than the widely circulated bootleg -- though he is still in there quite a bit.