Grateful Dead - where next?

[GubGub (Al)]

As for Terrapin Station, that suite is the high watermark of their studio output for my money. It is so beautiful. I love it. Actually I quite like the whole album. I am yet to hear a live version though.

Have a shufti at the version I posted a link for, Gub.  It's bloody marvelous!

I think I may agree with your thoughts regarding the song's status.  It is indeed mighty.

Jules

Will do. When I get home, if I remember. No video streaming facilities here. Probably just as well!  

[quodlibet (Ian)]

RH and Larry Klein... 27 May 78

It doesn't really work, but is fascinating nevertheless...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De67KvTIhkE

Fascinating indeed. Oh, what might have been,it could have ended up as a full blown rock opera  . Thanks for posting, David. RH sounds like Jake Thackray!

[Jules Gray]

You've not heard Phil and Friends, have you?  

Really?  Because Phil had a lovely, if uncertain, singing voice back in the 70s.  Kind of like Gene Clark with more questionable pitch.  I wish Phil had sung more than he did.

Jules

[Jules Gray]

Fascinating indeed. Oh, what might have been,it could have ended up as a full blown rock opera  . Thanks for posting, David. RH sounds like Jake Thackray!

I really wish the Dead had tackled the whole thing.  I believe Hunter feels the same way.

Jules

[davidmjs]

You've not heard Phil and Friends, have you?  

Really?  Because Phil had a lovely, if uncertain, singing voice back in the 70s.  Kind of like Gene Clark with more questionable pitch.  I wish Phil had sung more than he did.

Jules

Aye, all true.  But something happened (I think we can guess what) and now he sounds, well, 'challenging'.  I can live with it (as the music is so bloody good - depending on who he's playing with)...but I know a hell of a lot of people that can't!  Believe me, in relative terms, he makes Hunter sound like Placido.  (And in truth, I've heard some Hunter live stuff where his voice sounds just exactly right...it's just that particular song isn't one of them!)....

[Jules Gray]

But something happened (I think we can guess what) and now he sounds, well, 'challenging'.

[Jules scratches the side of his nose and sniffs]

Haven't got a clue what you mean, here.  

Jules

[Jules Gray]

My copy of Road Trips vol 3, number 3 has arrived and it's an absolute stormer!  No Pig, no Donna, just Jerry, Bob, Phil, Bill and Keith as a lean, mean, fighting machine.  They're nailing everything.  The excitement level is high.  Why has 1971 not got a better reputation among Deadheads?  This show rules.

Jules

[davidmjs]

Why has 1971 not got a better reputation among Deadheads?  This show rules.

I'm not sure it hasn't.  Its probably only its proximity to 1972 that makes it look like that in retrospect.  

I have to say, despite being as guilty of it as any Deadhead, that the preoccupation with years is preposterous.  As though the band woke up one 1 Jan and decided they were going to be different and each year was going to be a cohesive whole...it is, talking about it like that, just insane  

[Jules Gray]

I have to say, despite being as guilty of it as any Deadhead, that the preoccupation with years is preposterous.  As though the band woke up one 1 Jan and decided they were going to be different and each year was going to be a cohesive whole...it is, talking about it like that, just insane  

Well yes, quite.  Personnel changes are far more noticeable.

Jules

[Jules Gray]

One thing that strikes me on the Road Trips Austin show is just how assured the vocals are.  On some shows Jerry sounds scared of either the microphone or of opening his throat, but here he's really singing with confidence.

Jules

[davidmjs]

One thing that strikes me on the Road Trips Austin show is just how assured the vocals are.  On some shows Jerry sounds scared of either the microphone or of opening his throat, but here he's really singing with confidence.

Jules

He was still only 29.  At that age, the body can cope a lot better with what we shove into it.  I'm sure there's a psychological aspect involved as well, but Jerry never treated his physical self very kindly, did he?

[Jules Gray]

He was still only 29.  At that age, the body can cope a lot better with what we shove into it.  I'm sure there's a psychological aspect involved as well, but Jerry never treated his physical self very kindly, did he?

Yes, quite so, but even on other shows from the same period he can sometimes sound mic-shy.

I don't know much about his story other than what I've read online.  What's your recommendation for a good Jerry/Dead biography?  One that concentrates on the music as much as the characters would be preferable.

Jules

[davidmjs]

He was still only 29.  At that age, the body can cope a lot better with what we shove into it.  I'm sure there's a psychological aspect involved as well, but Jerry never treated his physical self very kindly, did he?

Yes, quite so, but even on other shows from the same period he can sometimes sound mic-shy.

I don't know much about his story other than what I've read online.  What's your recommendation for a good Jerry/Dead biography?  One that concentrates on the music as much as the characters would be preferable.

Jules

Still don't think there's been an altogether satisfying biog of the band or Jerry (most are utter hogwash) - although imho probably the best is Dennis McNally's "A Long Strange Trip"...although that too is more character driven than music driven.  

[Jules Gray]

Still don't think there's been an altogether satisfying biog of the band or Jerry (most are utter hogwash) - although imho probably the best is Dennis McNally's "A Long Strange Trip"...although that too is more character driven than music driven.  

Thanks.  Yeah, I was already thinking I'd start with that one.

Jules

[TimH]

Anyone into Seastones?

[quodlibet (Ian)]

He was still only 29.  At that age, the body can cope a lot better with what we shove into it.  I'm sure there's a psychological aspect involved as well, but Jerry never treated his physical self very kindly, did he?

Yes, quite so, but even on other shows from the same period he can sometimes sound mic-shy.

I don't know much about his story other than what I've read online.  What's your recommendation for a good Jerry/Dead biography?  One that concentrates on the music as much as the characters would be preferable.

Jules

Still don't think there's been an altogether satisfying biog of the band or Jerry (most are utter hogwash) - although imho probably the best is Dennis McNally's "A Long Strange Trip"...although that too is more character driven than music driven.  

Yes, I agree. Most are really rubbish & don't do the subject justice. Avoid Rock Scully's "Living With The Dead", unless you want a pretty nasty blow by blow account of what & how much was consumed. Sandy Troy's "Captain Trips" Garcia biography is OK, if a bit lightweight. Steve Parish's "Home Before Daylight", likewise. Two early books are worth checking out if you come across them at modest prices: Hank Harrison's "The Dead" first published in the early 70s & expanded in 1980 & Blair Jackson's "The Music Never Stopped", from 1983. As David said, the definitive account has yet to be written. An interesting read, if at something of a tangent, is "Bill Graham Presents" by, er, Bill Graham.

Regarding years, I think it's used just as a shorthand to divide an enormous canon of work into more manageable bites. Certainly, in my mind, I have impressions & feelings for different periods that can be roughly expressed in terms of year. I don't think it's used in any prescriptive sense, just as a sort of map.

I also agree with Jules that RT Vol.3, No.2 (Austin) is a real cracker, they sound like they're really having fun. Still deciding whether to replace my aged informal copy by splashing 40 dollars on the new Philadelphia '89 DVD/ CD.

"Seastones"? Heard it once in about 1975. I believe it was reissued fairly recently in an expanded form, but I've not heard it. Quite interesting live, as at Ally Pally in '74.

[davidmjs]

Hank Harrison's (aka Courtney Love's Dad) book is certainly worth checking out for giving a feel of how things were around the band, but I'm not entirely sure its worth reading as a 'true' historical record!

Some of the best writing about the band I've come across was in Blair Jackson's awesome The Golden Road magazine.  I had a complete set of them and ending up selling them when skint.  They go for silly money now...  Sigh...!

[Jules Gray]

Regarding years, I think it's used just as a shorthand to divide an enormous canon of work into more manageable bites. Certainly, in my mind, I have impressions & feelings for different periods that can be roughly expressed in terms of year. I don't think it's used in any prescriptive sense, just as a sort of map.

Good point, well made.

Jules

[quodlibet (Ian)]

Hank Harrison's (aka Courtney Love's Dad) book is certainly worth checking out for giving a feel of how things were around the band, but I'm not entirely sure its worth reading as a 'true' historical record!

Ah. Truth & history. Now there's a subject. Discuss, or rather, don't!

[davidmjs]

Hank Harrison's (aka Courtney Love's Dad) book is certainly worth checking out for giving a feel of how things were around the band, but I'm not entirely sure its worth reading as a 'true' historical record!

Ah. Truth & history. Now there's a subject. Discuss, or rather, don't!

Its certainly a good one!  I rather contradict myself above when I say that in reality, I stick to the 'there are many truths' maxim.  I guess what I meant is Harrison's book is not very grounded in factual reality, or if it, its just his and bears little relation to any other telling of the GD story I've read....  Oh, I'm probably just making this worse, so I'll quit now