Grateful Dead - where next?

[Jules Gray]

[Wise words. The weird thing was that the price changed between yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon. Last week it was as cheap as £68. Now it is up to £93!

The Golden Road went all through the £70s, up to the high £80s, then back down to the £70s before hitting the £60+ price we both got it for.  Who knows why they do these things?  I'm sure they have their reasons, but economics and business studies continue to be two areas of human life that leave me both baffled and bored
sh!tless.  

Jules

[Pat Helms]

Digging around last night to find my copy of Bob Weir's Ace to put on my Ipod, I discovered a copy of Aoxomoxoa that I didn't know I even had!   That means that I already owned about a quarter of the contents of The Golden Road before I bought it.

I also have nearly half of the Beyond Description box which I was considering buying. Bizarrely the Amazon price for it jumped up by £20 yesterday so I am now thinking of investigating individual albums. So what, other than From The Mars Hotel, In The Dark and Without A Net, what from the official releases between 1973 & 1990 is worth a listen?

IMO, the best picks from this "era" would be Blues For Allah, Reckoning and Terrapin Station (Side A only).

Allah is certainly their last complete major work, and while a convincing criticism can be made about the overproduction of the Terrapin suite, its still a very pretty thing to hear and totally unique.  Reckoning is must have, camp fire Dead - essential, really.

[quodlibet (Ian)]

I also have nearly half of the Beyond Description box which I was considering buying. Bizarrely the Amazon price for it jumped up by £20 yesterday so I am now thinking of investigating individual albums. So what, other than From The Mars Hotel, In The Dark and Without A Net, what from the official releases between 1973 & 1990 is worth a listen?

Of the studio output, for me, "Wake Of The Flood" is outstanding. Live? Where to begin?

[GubGub (Al)]

Live? Where to begin?

That's why I was limiting myself to the official contemporary releases. I don't think I have enough years to wade my way through all of the Dick's Picks and every other archival release alongside all of my other musical obsessions (and there are many!)

[davidmjs]

Live? Where to begin?

That's why I was limiting myself to the official contemporary releases. I don't think I have enough years to wade my way through all of the Dick's Picks and every other archival release alongside all of my other musical obsessions (and there are many!)

You miss, imho, 90% of the reality of what was the Grateful Dead if you take that approach, but I can understand it does feel quite overwhelming.  That's why the standard advice is to go for a year (say, '69, '72, '77, '83 or whatever), and just see where the journey takes you...

The great things about live recordings as opposed to official live releases is that they are generally unedited and you hear them in real time with the audience.  And buy some good 'phones  

[quodlibet (Ian)]

Live? Where to begin?

That's why I was limiting myself to the official contemporary releases. I don't think I have enough years to wade my way through all of the Dick's Picks and every other archival release alongside all of my other musical obsessions (and there are many!)

You miss, imho, 90% of the reality of what was the Grateful Dead if you take that approach, but I can understand it does feel quite overwhelming.  That's why the standard advice is to go for a year (say, '69, '72, '77, '83 or whatever), and just see where the journey takes you...

The great things about live recordings as opposed to official live releases is that they are generally unedited and you hear them in real time with the audience.  And buy some good 'phones  

Yep, I concur with David. However, if you have to have official releases, to start you off, here are some suggestions.

19/12/73 Tampa, Florida, "Dick's Picks 1".

13/08/75 Great American Music Hall. "One From The Vault".

19 & 21/05/77 Fox Theatre, Atlanta & Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, "Dick's Picks 29" or
22/05/77 Pembroke Pines. Dick's Picks 3.

06/05/81 Nassau Coliseum "Dick's Picks 13".

15/03/90 Capital Centre, Landover. "Terrapin Station". or
24-26/03/90 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany. "Dozin' At The Knick".

Good luck.  

[quodlibet (Ian)]

Oh, and "Dick's Picks Volume 15": Englishtown, NJ, September 3, 1977. A cracker. I'll shut up now   .

[Pat Helms]

The records do have their charms though!  

Unless you were in the inner sanctum of tape trading rings, the only thing you had in the 70s were the studio and live albums, with a few hissy radio recording (one likely being the '75 Great American Music Hall just mentioned by Ian).

We were still crazy about 'em before the flood gates were open, right?  

[Jules Gray]

I can understand it does feel quite overwhelming.  That's why the standard advice is to go for a year (say, '69, '72, '77, '83 or whatever), and just see where the journey takes you...

It certainly does.  I even picked a year, or two (1971/2), and I still find it hard to choose which title to buy!  

Jules

[davidmjs]

It certainly does.  I even picked a year, or two (1971/2), and I still find it hard to choose which title to buy!  

Why worry about it any longer then...why not just start here...http://www.archive.org/details/GratefulDead  

[Jules Gray]

Why worry about it any longer then...why not just start here...http://www.archive.org/details/GratefulDead  

I'm a CD buyer, David.  I can't help it!  I just don't tend to download things.  I haven't the patience or the technical know-how.  And most of the time I'm at a PC I don't have unlimited access either.

Jules

[Jules Gray]

Besides, such a site makes the choice even harder!

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

And buy some good 'phones  

I just tried. Bose Quiet Comfort 15s but they were out of stock at the manufacturer!  

[Jules Gray]

I tend not to use 'phones these days.  My ears are prone to all sorts of aches and pains.

Jules

[davidmjs]

And buy some good 'phones  

I just tried. Bose Quiet Comfort 15s but they were out of stock at the manufacturer!  

That's exactly what I've got.  Luverley.....

Amazon has one on sale (through an intermediary)...  Apple normally sell them too...

[Mike Cole]

I can't remember if 'Wake of the Flood' was 73 or 4 so not sure if it falls within your catchment but definitely worth the price of admission.. A wonderful album packaged in an equally wonderful cover - A gem

[Pat Helms]

I can't remember if 'Wake of the Flood' was 73 or 4 so not sure if it falls within your catchment but definitely worth the price of admission.. A wonderful album packaged in an equally wonderful cover - A gem

'73 - should be the first one out of the gate.

[Jim]

And buy some good 'phones  

I just tried. Bose Quiet Comfort 15s but they were out of stock at the manufacturer!  

That's exactly what I've got.  Luverley.....

Amazon has one on sale (through an intermediary)...  Apple normally sell them too...

Jaysuss £350 dabs for a pair of headphones
ive been looking for a pair since our Siobhan's feckin bunnies chewed through the lead of my £20 technics, which were great but its a bugger to find any with a 4 metre lead any more.
 the lad has a pair of skullcandy headphones he paid £34 for off amazon and they are good but they ony come with a 4 foot lead

[quodlibet (Ian)]

Whilst following the "Zabriskie Point" link (thanks Jules), this popped into view.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crimson-White-Indigo-Philadelphia-July/dp/B0037RBVH4/ref=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=229816&s=music

OK its on Rhino not GD, but the price? Even with a DVD included.  

Further details from Deadnet, but no price, yet:

http://www.dead.net/features/dead-world-roundup/new-philly-89-dvd-cd-set-coming-soon

[davidmjs]

Talking of which...its just been pointed out on a GD list I belong to...that today, 37 years ago, Mr Ron McKernan passed away at the ridiculously early age of 27.  Got to rip open a Pigpen Lovelight in remembrance methinks...