Author Topic: The Dead Head Thread  (Read 7682 times)

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Online lonestar

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #35 on: May 03, 2012, 08:54:30 AM »
Yeah, this just had to go here too,


Offline Fluffy Lothario

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #36 on: August 01, 2012, 10:32:50 AM »

Online lonestar

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #37 on: August 01, 2012, 11:38:36 AM »
RIP Jerry, you are still loved.

Offline Fluffy Lothario

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #38 on: June 30, 2015, 11:09:30 AM »
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.

Offline Harmony

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #39 on: August 30, 2019, 03:49:53 PM »
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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Online Stadler

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #40 on: August 31, 2019, 12:05:51 PM »
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. 

Offline Harmony

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #41 on: August 31, 2019, 04:29:53 PM »
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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Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #42 on: August 31, 2019, 05:52:11 PM »
Now at Target stores for a limited time:


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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #43 on: September 03, 2019, 08:10:40 AM »
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. 

Offline Harmony

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #44 on: November 30, 2019, 09:41:39 AM »
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Offline LudwigVan

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #45 on: July 17, 2021, 02:56:07 PM »
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.

« Last Edit: July 18, 2021, 01:26:25 AM by LudwigVan »
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Offline darkshade

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #46 on: July 17, 2021, 05:37:12 PM »
I love that moment when Jerry met Phish

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.

Offline darkshade

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #47 on: November 21, 2021, 09:09:47 AM »
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.

Offline The Curious Orange

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #48 on: November 22, 2021, 06:02:30 AM »
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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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #49 on: November 22, 2021, 09:22:48 AM »
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".

Offline darkshade

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #50 on: November 22, 2021, 11:32:06 AM »
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.

Offline darkshade

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #51 on: November 22, 2021, 11:46:47 AM »
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.

Offline LudwigVan

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Re: The Dead Head Thread
« Reply #52 on: November 22, 2021, 12:14:08 PM »
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.
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