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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: PlaysLikeMyung on March 31, 2010, 01:45:41 PM
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Listening to American Beauty again and I have to say I just love chilling out to The Dead. The only other Dead Heads I know of here are LudwigVan and Jen, and one of them is absent at the moment.
Who else loves the Dead? Post your favorite Dead experiences (I'm too young to have any :(), albums, etc.
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The granddaddy of all jam bands, and still the best IMO. I was into the live experience in a very big way, having seen them about 30 times. I got into them with 3 albums, all of them live: Skull & Roses, Europe 72 and Live Dead. I played these albums to death.
The amazing thing about The Dead was, for a band that was so well-known (basically a household name), they never really became part of the mainstream music scene. Their music and fans were always considered to be "on the fringe". But nowawadays, everywhere I turn I hear a bit of that Dead influence, from the Flower Kings all the way to Primus.
The tough thing to swallow about live Dead shows was the "hit or miss/on or off" quality of the whole experience. They lived off the idea of "tight but loose".
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I've tried several times to listen to Dead shows and I always lose interest 4 songs in. When they're on, the jamming can be quite exciting (case in point: Dark Star/St. Stephen/The Eleven/Lovelight, etc from 1969). But most of the time I don't care for the songs and the jams don't engage me. It's too loose and carefree.
I really want to love them (since I love Phish and know that the Dead are really the granddaddies) but usually I find them boring...
Deadheads: give me ONE SHOW that you feel captures strong improv with good song choices. Not looking for live compilations (eg Europe 72, Live/Dead) but a SHOW. I will set aside 3 hours and listen without interruption, then get back to you.
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I can't pick one off the top of my head.
My dad says the same thing though. He's been to about 20 or so Dead shows and said that they're very inconsistent. I'm sure most of them were too baked at these shows to form a coherent melody, so that may be why :P
But man I wish I could have experienced one. I was 6 when Jerry Garcia died
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Deadhead checking in. Saw them over 20 times, and still listen to their music constantly. Personal favorite album is Europe. Besst memories are my first show as Bill Graham security, where I was stationed under Jerry at the front boards, and only had to look up to see him jamming above me. The other is Mardi Gras show at Oakland in '90 or '91, where they played Ripple and covered Hey Jude.
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I've tried several times to listen to Dead shows and I always lose interest 4 songs in. When they're on, the jamming can be quite exciting (case in point: Dark Star/St. Stephen/The Eleven/Lovelight, etc from 1969). But most of the time I don't care for the songs and the jams don't engage me. It's too loose and carefree.
I really want to love them (since I love Phish and know that the Dead are really the granddaddies) but usually I find them boring...
Deadheads: give me ONE SHOW that you feel captures strong improv with good song choices. Not looking for live compilations (eg Europe 72, Live/Dead) but a SHOW. I will set aside 3 hours and listen without interruption, then get back to you.
Unless you're actually at a live show, I don't think this is a good approach to listening to The Grateful Dead. I consider myself a Deadhead, and yet I almost never set aside 3 hours of devoted, uninterrupted listening.
The thing is, their music wanders.... and it wanders A LOT. Which means that your attention will wander too. That's just the nature of jam-music... going off on endless tangents, bandmembers exploring different modes, trying this or that to see what comes and whether it works or not. There's a lot of trial and error going on as they play, which means you have to either sit through it all or just plain ignore the "error" parts and go clean the grill or something.
If you don't care for particular songs, then that's another story. Their songs are steeped in blues/country/folk tradition, which may turn some people off. But overall, I find The Dead to be much more melodic than Phish. Not that I'm well-versed in Phish's music, but could it be a case of Phish's jams being a little more concise and focused than the Dead's brand of jamming?
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I've tried several times to listen to Dead shows and I always lose interest 4 songs in. When they're on, the jamming can be quite exciting (case in point: Dark Star/St. Stephen/The Eleven/Lovelight, etc from 1969). But most of the time I don't care for the songs and the jams don't engage me. It's too loose and carefree.
I really want to love them (since I love Phish and know that the Dead are really the granddaddies) but usually I find them boring...
Deadheads: give me ONE SHOW that you feel captures strong improv with good song choices. Not looking for live compilations (eg Europe 72, Live/Dead) but a SHOW. I will set aside 3 hours and listen without interruption, then get back to you.
Unless you're actually at a live show, I don't think this is a good approach to listening to The Grateful Dead. I consider myself a Deadhead, and yet I almost never set aside 3 hours of devoted, uninterrupted listening.
The thing is, their music wanders.... and it wanders A LOT. Which means that your attention will wander too. That's just the nature of jam-music... going off on endless tangents, bandmembers exploring different modes, trying this or that to see what comes and whether it works or not. There's a lot of trial and error going on as they play, which means you have to either sit through it all or just plain ignore the "error" parts and go clean the grill or something.
If you don't care for particular songs, then that's another story. Their songs are steeped in blues/country/folk tradition, which may turn some people off. But overall, I find The Dead to be much more melodic than Phish. Not that I'm well-versed in Phish's music, but could it be a case of Phish's jams being a little more concise and focused than the Dead's brand of jamming?
Those are good points Ludwig. I think I like Phish because their low points tend to be few and far-between. Especially on the classic tours, all the jamming is top-notch and the sets have a great flow to them. I wouldn't call Phish's jamming "concise," but perhaps "focused" is a good word. No messing around with bad ideas... find the one that works, communicate with each other, and share in the groove.
You're right... I think it is the blues/country/folk tradition that turns me off. Much rather have classic rock/prog/bluegrass/funk/jazz that is Phish.
But I'm still trying. There has to be something in the Dead that I latch onto... legends deserve credit where credit is due.
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So after years of loving both DMB and Allman Brothers, I decided to stop being a pussy and try the Grateful Dead. Listening to Live/Dead for the first time now.
(Actually, I tried them for the first time some years ago, but it was Workingman's Dead and I didn't much like it at all. Hence me doing what everyone tells you to do with jam bands and trying a live album as an intro to the band).
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In b4 someone comes in here and just posts "YOU AAAAAAAAAAAARE A SUN GODDEEEEEEEESSS"
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God dammit Genowyn why'd you have to beat me to it.
WILL YOU SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE ME?
BABE
BABE
BABE
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CUZ YOU AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE
SO VICIOUS
HURT ME
I CAN TAKE IIIIIIIIT
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Since I last posted in this thread earlier in 2010, my outlook toward the Dead has COMPLETELY changed. I tremendously enjoy them now. It just took me a while to understand the genius behind them.
While I still prefer Phish (and their mastery of groove-based jamming) I have come to a respect for the Dead and their mastery not only if improvisation itself, but of dynamics.
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So I listened to that album about one and a half times last night. It's definitely music that you can only start to really grasp after a lot of listens, but I really liked it. One thing that struck me was that the improv sounds like something very organic within the performance. As in, it doesn't seem like they're playing a normal song, then at a certain decided point, they go "okay, let's jam", and do that for ten minutes, and then go "ok, let's return to the song". The improv blends in with the "composed" stuff so well, it's hard to tell where one starts and where the other stops, and I imagine it's because it's not so cut-and-dried.
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I need to get into this band.
Recommendations?
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I need to get into this band.
Recommendations?
I only listen to their live stuff, because that's really where it's at. The basic jump-off points would probably be Live Dead or Europe '72. After that, there are literally a ton of live cd's out there, including about 36 Dick's Picks, plus the newer Road Trips series.
As sirbradford points out, Phish is more of a 'groove-based' jam band, and while the Dead do plenty of those too (check Shakedown Street and Feel Like A Stranger), they also do a lot of the trippier 'space' jams. Those are MUCH looser in structure and, as a result, much harder to get into and maintain your focus on the music. A lot of people end up tuning out during their spacey jams.
So I listened to that album about one and a half times last night. It's definitely music that you can only start to really grasp after a lot of listens, but I really liked it. One thing that struck me was that the improv sounds like something very organic within the performance. As in, it doesn't seem like they're playing a normal song, then at a certain decided point, they go "okay, let's jam", and do that for ten minutes, and then go "ok, let's return to the song". The improv blends in with the "composed" stuff so well, it's hard to tell where one starts and where the other stops, and I imagine it's because it's not so cut-and-dried.
Fluffy, the most organic Dead jams IMO are the ones where they segue from one song into another, for example:
China Cat Sunflower > I Know Your Rider
Scarlet Begonias > Fire On the Mountain
St Steven > The Eleven
Jakarta, as you're a bass player, I think you'd love Phil Lesh. :tup
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I wouldn't really consider myself a dead head, although I do like several of their songs. I saw a DSO show and enjoyed it.
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I need to get into this band.
Recommendations?
Go with the three classic live records, Live/Dead, Grateful Dead (sometimes referred to as "Skull and Roses," and Europe '72. Once you wrap your head around all the tracks on those disks, start randomly browsing through the Grateful Dead section on www.archive.org. There are thousands of complete shows there to stream. Enjoy!
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Thanks guys!
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I need to get into this band.
Recommendations?
Go with the three classic live records, Live/Dead, Grateful Dead (sometimes referred to as "Skull and Roses," and Europe '72. Once you wrap your head around all the tracks on those disks, start randomly browsing through the Grateful Dead section on www.archive.org. There are thousands of complete shows there to stream. Enjoy!
Ahh yes, forgot about "Skull and Roses". They originally wanted to call that Skullfuck but the record company nixed that idea. :lol
Anyway, that album's got a kickin' version of The Other One (very trippy jam), and Wharf Rat (very gospel-like) is also excellent.
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I love Terrapin Station
I wish there were a good, full live version of the song
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I've known the existence of this band for so many years. I finally became inspired to check them out thanks to our oh8wrx, thank you ley! So far I've heard Anthem Of The Sun and Aoxomoxoa. Also one of the reasons I chose to check them is because of their known style in jamming/jam band.
Great band.
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Loving Live/Dead at the moment. The first four tracks are where it's at really, but the whole album is good.
This album really leaves me wanting to hear a whole show of theirs, so I think I'll go for one of the Dick's Picks next.
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This album really leaves me wanting to hear a whole show of theirs, so I think I'll go for one of the Dick's Picks next.
You can also browse a large collection of live recordings at https://www.archive.org/details/GratefulDead (https://www.archive.org/details/GratefulDead). In official partnership with and endorsed by the band, you can download audience recordings and stream soundboards. Don't be put off by the idea of "audience tape"... those folks know how to record in high quality!
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Just got my next album by these guys. Rather than pissing around with studio albums or guessing my way through their discography, I went to rateyourmusic.com, took their discography, and ordered it from highest to lowest rating. Take the albums that have really high ratings AND have been rated by a good number of people, and those are probably your key shows, so I'll aim for those ones.
I chose Dick's Pick's Volume 4 - Fillmore East - 2/13-14/70
https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/grateful_dead/dicks_picks_volume_four___fillmore_east___2_13_14_70/
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That's a good one
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That's a good one
Ho boy... yes it is. Good place to start.
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Got introduced to the Grateful Dead about a month ago after long last. Of course I love them. Further just announced a summer tour. My friends and I are probably gonna see them at the Gathering Of The Vibes festival, but may see them in Bethel, NY too.
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I love this band.
Next two albums I'll be checking out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick%27s_Picks_Volume_36
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fillmore_West_1969
I also picked up what is apparently widely considered their best show ever. No official release, but available as a bootleg (i.e. for free) here:
https://www.archive.org/details/gd1977-05-08.shure57.stevenson.29303.flac16
I don't think I'll listen to this straight away though, might get an official release from the '77 tour before I give it a try.
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Downloading now, thanks. Also purchasing a Friday Gathering Of The Vibes ticket in the next few days to see Further with a bunch of friends.
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Bump.
Next two albums I'll be checking out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick%27s_Picks_Volume_36
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fillmore_West_1969
Sure enough, those were my next two GD albums.
Got Fillmore West 1969 in late April, great album, though to be honest, that was my third live album of theirs, and all three were from the 1969 and 1970 period, so it was a little underwhelming simply due to the number of repeats. Whereas a lot of people praise it like the Grail, it was just a very good album after the first two.
Due to a drying up of funds for a while there, it's taken this long for me to get around to DP36. On track five now and daaaaaaaaaamn, this is good stuff. I told myself I was only gonna listen to the first set tonight, as the whole show is almost four hours, nearly five hours with the three extra tracks, but who knows?
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Listening to the Fillmore East '71 set for the first time. Only a couple songs in, but really digging it, so far.
Also, to anyone here who actually likes GD: Hartford '77 is a damn fine couple of hours.
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I only recently checked out my first May '77 shows (Dicks Picks 29 - 5/19 and 5/21). I have 5/8 and 5/25 on standby. I plan to get Hartford, but I'll be grabbing Dicks Picks 3 first (5/22 at the Sportatorium). I also want to someday tackle the entire stretch of 5/5, 5/7, 5/8 and 5/9.
I still haven't touched '71, it seems like it was an off year for them, or a transitional year, at least, nothing particularly spectacular. The April Fillmore East shows do come across as the highlight of that year everywhere I've read though, certainly in terms of released material.
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About half of Grateful Dead (Skull and Roses) came from the April Fillmore East shows, the rest coming from other shows from spring 71.
If you've that album and really like what you hear on it, you'd be doing well by getting the Fillmore East set, assuming you don't have it already.
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Nah, I haven't heard it. Fillmore East April '71 will be my first '71 album, probably, but it could be a while before I get around to it. I just got Dicks Picks 8 today (5/2/70) and ordered The Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack.
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Just arrived:
Road Trips Volume 2 Number 3: 6/16/74 and 6/18/74
My favourite thing I've heard by this band so far (outside of maybe Live/Dead) is Dick's Picks 12, which was another two June 1974 shows, so I'm a tad excited about this one.
Europe '72: Grote Zaal, De Doelen, Rotterdam, Holland (5/11/1972)
For those who don't know, every show from the Europe '72 tour has been released, and you can buy all of them from their website. From all the discussion I've followed, there are three shows which seem to be slightly more frequently considered the best: Wembley 4/8, London 5/26 and this one. This has the longest Dark Star ever played (aside from one very loose version in late '69 by Mickey and the Heartbeats, an incarnation of the band that was thrown around after two members were briefly fired).
I also checked out 11/11/73 at Winterland recently. Set 1 was a bit bland, but Set 2 is the business.
And The Grateful Dead Soundtrack still hasn't been sent some six weeks or so after I ordered it. :lol
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Yeah, this just had to go here too,
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s320x320/403480_10151611485970043_829195042_24039272_684086512_n.jpg)
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Jerry's 70th today (or would have been).
https://lightbox.time.com/2012/08/01/happy-70th-birthday-jerry-garcia/#1
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RIP Jerry, you are still loved.
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Bump.
Anyone been keeping up with the Fare Thee Well reunion shows in Santa Clara?
I have soundboards, and have sampled them, and they sound really neat. Trey from Phish is playing like some freakish Trey/Jerry hybrid, he's amalgamated their styles beautifully.
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Recent discussion of CSN reminded me about the PERRO sessions (Planet Earth Rock n Roll Orchestra). Was wondering what the board Dead Heads think about it? I'm familiar with many cuts, but I've never heard all of them until now. I'm digging it. :hat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WELRag-wuwo
I'm also bumping this thread up to remind me that I have to continue my foray into the Dead. So far I enjoy Terrapin Station, 1980 Dead Set [Live], Europe '72 [Live], In the Dark, What a Long Strange Trip It's Been.
Based on this thread, I'm going to get Dick's Pick Vol 4. What should come next?
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It's almost a cliche at this point, but there's truth to it: almost any '77 show is going to pay off in the end. "To Terrapin", a '77 show in Hartford, CT is a good one. I'm also a fan of the '76 and '78 era shows, and am just now getting into some of the earlier Godchaux era stuff ('73 and '74). I'm not the hugest fan of the Brent Midland years, and I'm not a fan of PigPen (though I LOVE the song Mr. Charlie).
You mentioned Dick's Picks Vol. 4; that's a fairly schizophrenic era; you have the psychedelic aspect of Anthem Of The Sun and Aoxomoxoa, and the more bluesy PigPen stuff. I love the former, don't care for the latter (some of the "Turn On Your Love Lights" go for over a half an hour, and it's not my thing. There's a Dave's show (Vol. 10) from LA that is really good from this era.
They're expensive, but I'm finding the Dave's Picks are a better value than the Dick's stuff; the Dave's releases are largely complete shows (sometimes with snippets of adjacent shows) and are a little better quality than the Dick's stuff. I have Dick's 1, 6, and 7.
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Note to self: When looking through the extensive CD collection you've amassed with your spouse, don't forget to search the spouse-mobile for hidden gems!
Just found Dick's Picks Vol 18. :o It's so good. I also found a double CD of Jerry Garcia Band Live from 1990 that looks pretty darn interesting. Happy days.
Now I wonder how many CDs are under the seats? :D
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Now at Target stores for a limited time:
(https://www.preparedfoods.com/ext/resources/images/2019/06/Thinsters_Dead_900.gif?1560954365)
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Just found Dick's Picks Vol 18. :o It's so good.
I haven't heard that particular set of shows but that's a hell of a setlist: Cold Rain And Snow, Looks Like Rain and Brown-Eyed Women are always good in the first set but I'm a second set guy, and discs 2 and 3 look killer.
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Just felt like posting something tasty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FiGPrkPPDY&fbclid=IwAR2lwMeapQGjQ4-BZGyLm1DYO6Wq-kZMYwsDUgR7JkNGJ66JeNDXimXqB1U
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It's almost a cliche at this point, but there's truth to it: almost any '77 show is going to pay off in the end. "To Terrapin", a '77 show in Hartford, CT is a good one. I'm also a fan of the '76 and '78 era shows, and am just now getting into some of the earlier Godchaux era stuff ('73 and '74). I'm not the hugest fan of the Brent Midland years, and I'm not a fan of PigPen (though I LOVE the song Mr. Charlie).
'77 was definitely a high-water mark for live Dead. But overall, I love how these live recordings get attention and love in the same way one might judge the vintages of a fine red wine. The fact that the Dead recorded so many of their concerts has given us a veritable treasure trove of music to dig into.
Being a piano guy, the Keith Godchaux era is easily the one that suits my tastes. His jazzy sound just gave the band so much depth. As far as Donna Godchaux, her wailing could be a bit much at times (Playin' in The Band), but her harmonizing and 'scat' parts were really good on stuff like Scarlet Begonias -> Fire On the Mountain, so overall I give her a thumb's up. I wasn't much of a Brent fan either, his keyboards didn't do much for me... they sounded, for lack of a better word... rinky-dink. And the songs he contributed were not very GD-like, sounding like stale pop. I would definitely take a hearty Pigpen blues number over any of the Brent stuff.
The Dead didn't need two drummers. It was overkill, but I guess that idea evolved into the whole World Music/Space/Drums/Jam sessions that you got beginning in the late 70's and into the 80's, which I could really take or leave.
If you haven't done so already, check out the documentary 'Long Strange Trip'. It really gives some insight into Garcia's mindset during those later years. He was feeling trapped. Also check into the 2015 release: The Best of the Grateful Dead Live 1969 -1977. Even tho it's not a full concert like the Dick's and Dave's releases, there are some really stellar recordings on there, and this coming from someone who has all of Dick's Picks from 1-30.
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I love that moment when Jerry met Phish
https://i.redd.it/dnwbbgv1jtd31.jpg (https://i.redd.it/dnwbbgv1jtd31.jpg)
For real, though, Jerry was the best part of the band. I saw JRAD at Peach Fest a couple of weeks ago. They were pretty good. More impressive than any post-95 Dead side project with Weir and co. But something was missing.
No one can replace Jerry, he just had the magic fingers. For me, the band died when he died.
I will say, that GD50 in 2015, with Trey Anastasio on guitar, was the closest to real GD I've ever heard without Jer Bear.
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Been a bit obsessed with the Grateful Dead lately. I've always been a very casual fan of theirs. Don't know how it happened, but I popped in Live/Dead a week or so before Dream Theater's new album came out, so about a month ago, next you know they're taking up at least roughly 80% of my listening time. I watched the entire Long Strange Trip documentary on Amazon last week, very intriguing work, though it's quite a sad ending.
Then, it was just announced the other day that Martin Scorsese will direct a Grateful Dead movie, with Jonah Hill starring as Jerry Garcia.. Might be good.
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I re-discovered the Dead a few years a go when I was having a bit of a spring clean and found an old box of cassettes, including a C90 of Without A Net that I'd taped from the original vinyl (which I no longer have). Not having a tape player, I found a CD copy on eBay dirt cheap, listened to it again for the first time in decades and thought man, this is actually quite good. A few months later I'd bought everything I could get my hands on, and now have quite a good collection. The Brent era is hit and miss for me, but that 1989-90 run of shows is solid gold. The 76-78 era is the real sweet-spot though.
And it's true, once you get into the Dead, it's hard to listen to anything else. They have taken up about 70%+ of my listening time since, and show no sign of stopping.
A single show that would convert a sceptic? Not possible. Even the best show will have Jerry forgetting the words or Donna wailing slightly out of tune. All that free-form jamming is an acquired taste. Expect to like the Dead despite the jams. Then, one day, you'll listen to a show in the right state of relaxation and that jam will carry you away. After that, you'll love the Dead because of the jams. It's music in it's purest form.
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Been a bit obsessed with the Grateful Dead lately. I've always been a very casual fan of theirs. Don't know how it happened, but I popped in Live/Dead a week or so before Dream Theater's new album came out, so about a month ago, next you know they're taking up at least roughly 80% of my listening time. I watched the entire Long Strange Trip documentary on Amazon last week, very intriguing work, though it's quite a sad ending.
Then, it was just announced the other day that Martin Scorsese will direct a Grateful Dead movie, with Jonah Hill starring as Jerry Garcia.. Might be good.
Ugh; that's like saying "we've got ICE CREAM! But only the flavors snot, poop and dirt!" I'm not a Jonah Hill fan in serious movies; he overacts at a Dustin Hoffman level. I'll watch it, but I know enough about Jerry that I'm not looking for an "interpretation".
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Been a bit obsessed with the Grateful Dead lately. I've always been a very casual fan of theirs. Don't know how it happened, but I popped in Live/Dead a week or so before Dream Theater's new album came out, so about a month ago, next you know they're taking up at least roughly 80% of my listening time. I watched the entire Long Strange Trip documentary on Amazon last week, very intriguing work, though it's quite a sad ending.
Then, it was just announced the other day that Martin Scorsese will direct a Grateful Dead movie, with Jonah Hill starring as Jerry Garcia.. Might be good.
Ugh; that's like saying "we've got ICE CREAM! But only the flavors snot, poop and dirt!" I'm not a Jonah Hill fan in serious movies; he overacts at a Dustin Hoffman level. I'll watch it, but I know enough about Jerry that I'm not looking for an "interpretation".
I'm surprised at the pick. Doesn't make me excited. I think Jonah Hill is just ok, though he was funny in Superbad and a couple other movies. The couple of movies I've seen with him in serious roles didn't impress me.
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I re-discovered the Dead a few years a go when I was having a bit of a spring clean and found an old box of cassettes, including a C90 of Without A Net that I'd taped from the original vinyl (which I no longer have). Not having a tape player, I found a CD copy on eBay dirt cheap, listened to it again for the first time in decades and thought man, this is actually quite good. A few months later I'd bought everything I could get my hands on, and now have quite a good collection. The Brent era is hit and miss for me, but that 1989-90 run of shows is solid gold. The 76-78 era is the real sweet-spot though.
And it's true, once you get into the Dead, it's hard to listen to anything else. They have taken up about 70%+ of my listening time since, and show no sign of stopping.
A single show that would convert a sceptic? Not possible. Even the best show will have Jerry forgetting the words or Donna wailing slightly out of tune. All that free-form jamming is an acquired taste. Expect to like the Dead despite the jams. Then, one day, you'll listen to a show in the right state of relaxation and that jam will carry you away. After that, you'll love the Dead because of the jams. It's music in it's purest form.ny
Something about working at getting into the Dead. I've been aware of their music for a long time, I've always liked it, would put on the occasional album, but it never clicked for me until a few years ago. Still only put on a show or two every now and then, often familiar ones like Cornell '77 or Europe 72. Now I just love them and crave listening to everything.
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Been a bit obsessed with the Grateful Dead lately. I've always been a very casual fan of theirs. Don't know how it happened, but I popped in Live/Dead a week or so before Dream Theater's new album came out, so about a month ago, next you know they're taking up at least roughly 80% of my listening time.
Live Dead is amazing. The jamming is just over-the-top, but I can see how it can be too much for some people. Before getting into tapes, I grew up on those early official live recordings: Europe 72, Skull & Roses and Live Dead. I eventually got rid of all those dusty old unreliable cassette tapes once the Dick's Picks CDs came out.
I re-discovered the Dead a few years a go when I was having a bit of a spring clean and found an old box of cassettes, including a C90 of Without A Net that I'd taped from the original vinyl (which I no longer have). Not having a tape player, I found a CD copy on eBay dirt cheap, listened to it again for the first time in decades and thought man, this is actually quite good. A few months later I'd bought everything I could get my hands on, and now have quite a good collection. The Brent era is hit and miss for me, but that 1989-90 run of shows is solid gold. The 76-78 era is the real sweet-spot though.
I didn't think much of Without A Net when it first came out, but I listened to it again a few months back and it was pretty durn good!
I was pretty harsh in my assessment of the Brent era. His vocals did add a nice dimension to the band's harmonies (disparagingly called Doobie Dead Bros by someone I know), and I have to agree that there was a run in the late 80s when his performances were stellar. I pulled out some old DVD videos the other day, and the energetic interplay he had with both Garcia and Weir was wonderful to watch. I daresay he was the one to hold it all together during an era when the band was starting to look tired and world-weary.