Showing posts with label grateful dead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grateful dead. Show all posts
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Happy Birthday, Jerry Garcia
Happy Birthday, Jerry Garcia!
In the past few years, the GD newsletter (taken from the heads themselves?) has been calling the time between August 1st and August 9th, the "days between". This is because Jerry was born on August 1st, 1942 and sadly passed away on August 9th, 1995.
Every year around this time, I drag out the Dead's studio albums (and official live albums like live/dead and europe 72) and listen to them all in order. There's a huge number of gems to be found for sure, but this year I'm adding a new twist and I'll be listening to the entire Dick's Picks series (1-36) in order. Dick's Picks were a series of mail order releases of live shows, sometimes complete, sometimes piece meal, put together by the late Dick Latvala, the Dead's first archivist. They jump around between the years 1968 and 1991 but mainly feature 70s shows (my favorite period anyway). Here Jerry and the boys
s t r e t c h
out on the great tunes, chase the rabbit down the rabbit hole with Alice, discover new dimensions in drums/space and in general beef up the dead's legacy as the greatest American band of all time [whew, now Led Zeppelin won't be offended].
Highlights highlights highlights ...
official studio and live
Dark Star - Live/Dead --- we could argue for days on end about which dark star is THE BEST (and the dark star on dick's picks 7 is damn fine) but this one is, for me at least, the prototypical dark star which first propelled me deep into deadhead land and improvisational music, and even jazz as a result. a must listen.
Friend of the Devil - American Beauty --- a fine, fine example of western faux Americana as constructed by Mr. Jerry Garcia and lyricist Mr. Robert Hunter. excellent sparse orchestration and acoustic guitar work.
Eyes of the World - Wake of the Flood --- there are many many fine live versions of this tune (the best being EITHER the Grateful Dead movie version OR the One From the Vault '75 version with the awesome bass solo) but the studio version has a clarity and innocence and freshness which makes it worth looking into.
St. Stephen - Aoxomoxoa - whimsical, imaginative, musically powerful (with a lot of help from Phil Lesh) and intricate --- not a lot of Americana here but more progressive rock sounding "early" dead. Garcia on SG or Les Paul here... not sure...
Uncle John's Band - Workingman's Dead - and they can SING too. The first mini-hit for the GD.
Dick's Picks
Help on the Way -> Slipknot! -> Franklin's Tower from Dick's Picks 17: This is waaaay waaay late in the Dead's career by Dick's Picks standards yet the boys, with new keyboardist Vince Welnick AND Bruce Hornsby on board - rip up the joint with this awesome triple feature from the Blues for Allah album
Terrapin Station - Dick's Picks 3 - "He put the Grateful Dead in the dress" is what Garcia reportedly said about Keith Olson's production of the "Terrapin Station" album, but here you have a version played shortly after the album's release in a way which the Dead thought it should sound. The studio version is a bit over the top (and a lot of mickey hart 16th notes) but live it was expansive, and ploddingly majestic.
Playing in the band - Dick's Picks 7 - there really aren't any bad versions of playing from say 1972 - 1985. I never tire of the middle jam section of this song (as seen in the grateful dead movie). bliss.
Dark Star -> Mind left body jam -> Morning Dew - Dick's picks 19 - hardly fair to include this as 1 song as its about 38 minutes of cosmic apocalyptic journey to the heart of the soul via a fender stratocaster with an alligator sticker on it (formerly the property of Graham Nash), a fender twin reverb amp, and 9 and a half fingers.
China cat -> I know you rider - Dick's Picks 11 - again there are about a million fantastic versions of these songs and this is one of them. Europe '72's version has its good points too...
In the past few years, the GD newsletter (taken from the heads themselves?) has been calling the time between August 1st and August 9th, the "days between". This is because Jerry was born on August 1st, 1942 and sadly passed away on August 9th, 1995.
Every year around this time, I drag out the Dead's studio albums (and official live albums like live/dead and europe 72) and listen to them all in order. There's a huge number of gems to be found for sure, but this year I'm adding a new twist and I'll be listening to the entire Dick's Picks series (1-36) in order. Dick's Picks were a series of mail order releases of live shows, sometimes complete, sometimes piece meal, put together by the late Dick Latvala, the Dead's first archivist. They jump around between the years 1968 and 1991 but mainly feature 70s shows (my favorite period anyway). Here Jerry and the boys
s t r e t c h
out on the great tunes, chase the rabbit down the rabbit hole with Alice, discover new dimensions in drums/space and in general beef up the dead's legacy as the greatest American band of all time [whew, now Led Zeppelin won't be offended].
Highlights highlights highlights ...
official studio and live
Dark Star - Live/Dead --- we could argue for days on end about which dark star is THE BEST (and the dark star on dick's picks 7 is damn fine) but this one is, for me at least, the prototypical dark star which first propelled me deep into deadhead land and improvisational music, and even jazz as a result. a must listen.
Friend of the Devil - American Beauty --- a fine, fine example of western faux Americana as constructed by Mr. Jerry Garcia and lyricist Mr. Robert Hunter. excellent sparse orchestration and acoustic guitar work.
Eyes of the World - Wake of the Flood --- there are many many fine live versions of this tune (the best being EITHER the Grateful Dead movie version OR the One From the Vault '75 version with the awesome bass solo) but the studio version has a clarity and innocence and freshness which makes it worth looking into.
St. Stephen - Aoxomoxoa - whimsical, imaginative, musically powerful (with a lot of help from Phil Lesh) and intricate --- not a lot of Americana here but more progressive rock sounding "early" dead. Garcia on SG or Les Paul here... not sure...
Uncle John's Band - Workingman's Dead - and they can SING too. The first mini-hit for the GD.
Dick's Picks
Help on the Way -> Slipknot! -> Franklin's Tower from Dick's Picks 17: This is waaaay waaay late in the Dead's career by Dick's Picks standards yet the boys, with new keyboardist Vince Welnick AND Bruce Hornsby on board - rip up the joint with this awesome triple feature from the Blues for Allah album
Terrapin Station - Dick's Picks 3 - "He put the Grateful Dead in the dress" is what Garcia reportedly said about Keith Olson's production of the "Terrapin Station" album, but here you have a version played shortly after the album's release in a way which the Dead thought it should sound. The studio version is a bit over the top (and a lot of mickey hart 16th notes) but live it was expansive, and ploddingly majestic.
Playing in the band - Dick's Picks 7 - there really aren't any bad versions of playing from say 1972 - 1985. I never tire of the middle jam section of this song (as seen in the grateful dead movie). bliss.
Dark Star -> Mind left body jam -> Morning Dew - Dick's picks 19 - hardly fair to include this as 1 song as its about 38 minutes of cosmic apocalyptic journey to the heart of the soul via a fender stratocaster with an alligator sticker on it (formerly the property of Graham Nash), a fender twin reverb amp, and 9 and a half fingers.
China cat -> I know you rider - Dick's Picks 11 - again there are about a million fantastic versions of these songs and this is one of them. Europe '72's version has its good points too...
Monday, August 1, 2011
Happy Birthday Jerry Garcia!
In honor of Jerry's 69th birthday we bring you a great show from 1973 --- featuring some special guests in the 2nd set --- THE ALLMAN BROTHERS!!! (well Gregg and Dicky at least)
Morning Dew, Beat It On Down The Line, Ramble On Rose, Jack Straw, Wave That Flag, Looks Like Rain, Box Of Rain, They Love Each Other, The Race is On, Row Jimmy, El Paso, Bird Song, Playin' In The Band Eyes Of The World-> Stella Blue, Big River, Here Comes Sunshine, Around & Around, Dark Star-> He's Gone-> Wharf Rat-> Truckin', Sugar Magnolia It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry*, That's Alright Mama*, Promised Land*, Not Fade Away*-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad*-> Drums*-> Not Fade Away*, Johnny B. Goode*
Morning Dew, Beat It On Down The Line, Ramble On Rose, Jack Straw, Wave That Flag, Looks Like Rain, Box Of Rain, They Love Each Other, The Race is On, Row Jimmy, El Paso, Bird Song, Playin' In The Band Eyes Of The World-> Stella Blue, Big River, Here Comes Sunshine, Around & Around, Dark Star-> He's Gone-> Wharf Rat-> Truckin', Sugar Magnolia It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry*, That's Alright Mama*, Promised Land*, Not Fade Away*-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad*-> Drums*-> Not Fade Away*, Johnny B. Goode*
Monday, January 24, 2011
DEAD ANNOUNCE: EUROPE '72 - THE COMPLETE BOX SET
Now this my friends is a BOXED SET! 60 F*CKING CDS!
Last year the folks at Columbia put out a Miles Davis boxed set which included every Miles album they ever released plus a disc with his isle of wight performance. It weighed in at something like 43 cds...
Now the Grateful Dead have weighed in with a LIMITED EDITION box set (limited to 7,200 copies) with 60 cds !?!?!? $450 for the whole shebang.
...and did I mention that the thing SOLD OUT IN 4 DAYS
For those of you who are not deadheads, Europe '72 was (at the time) a massive unprecedented TRIPLE ALBUM of live recordings including mostly new songs or never before released cover songs performed live and recorded to multi-track on the dead's first ever massive tour across Europe. Some real gems were released on this album and the sound is a perfect example of the country western meets psychedelia space trippin sound of the Dead during their brief 2nd period as a 1 drummer outfit (71-74).
This album featured the debut of such dead classics as "Jack Straw", "He's Gone","Ramble on Rose", "Brown-Eyed Women" and "Tennessee Jed" ... songs which would be heavily played in Dead shows for the next 23 years. It also features one of the definitive versions of "China Cat -> I know you rider" and a smoking electro-grass revelation of a "Cumberland Blues". A fantastic album in any form.
The boxed set is now completely sold out. But I strongly urge you to go listen to Europe '72. And then ...
here's a small list of other official live albums which are really really amazing...
1) one from the vault (especially eyes of the world and help->slip->frank (first 3 songs)
2) reckoning --- acoustic dead. fairly country and hokey but worth listening if you like country / blue grass /
folk
3) dicks picks 1. wonderfully awesome show from 1973 on a night when Donna was giving birth according to the liner notes. classic playin'.
4) hundred year hall --- especially "playing in the band" and the whole "the other one" trippyness... from the europe 72 tour
5) live/dead --- best dead album ever in my opinion. especially the first 3 songs.
6) dicks picks 5. I'm a big Keith fan over the Brent eras but this is a smokin show nonetheless. The Brent Era had its moments
7) Bear's Choice vol 1. Yes its a pigpen tribute vehicle but everybody else shines here as well especially Weir on "Dark Hollow" and Garcia on "All around this world" and "Smokestack Lightning". Black Crowes fans will appreciate the "Hard to Handle"
8) dicks picks 3 - 1977 was a fantastic year, up there with 72 and 74 for sure. This one has one of the first ever terrapins
9) dicks picks 17 - A wonderfully sounding show from 1991(!) with Bruce Hornsby. Yes, the dead still had their moments in the 90s.
10) two from the vault - this is what the dead sounded like in 1968. A greasy, rude, snarling, blues band taking off on some LSD fueled head trips. History in the making...
Last year the folks at Columbia put out a Miles Davis boxed set which included every Miles album they ever released plus a disc with his isle of wight performance. It weighed in at something like 43 cds...
Now the Grateful Dead have weighed in with a LIMITED EDITION box set (limited to 7,200 copies) with 60 cds !?!?!? $450 for the whole shebang.
...and did I mention that the thing SOLD OUT IN 4 DAYS
For those of you who are not deadheads, Europe '72 was (at the time) a massive unprecedented TRIPLE ALBUM of live recordings including mostly new songs or never before released cover songs performed live and recorded to multi-track on the dead's first ever massive tour across Europe. Some real gems were released on this album and the sound is a perfect example of the country western meets psychedelia space trippin sound of the Dead during their brief 2nd period as a 1 drummer outfit (71-74).
This album featured the debut of such dead classics as "Jack Straw", "He's Gone","Ramble on Rose", "Brown-Eyed Women" and "Tennessee Jed" ... songs which would be heavily played in Dead shows for the next 23 years. It also features one of the definitive versions of "China Cat -> I know you rider" and a smoking electro-grass revelation of a "Cumberland Blues". A fantastic album in any form.
The boxed set is now completely sold out. But I strongly urge you to go listen to Europe '72. And then ...
here's a small list of other official live albums which are really really amazing...
1) one from the vault (especially eyes of the world and help->slip->frank (first 3 songs)
2) reckoning --- acoustic dead. fairly country and hokey but worth listening if you like country / blue grass /
folk
3) dicks picks 1. wonderfully awesome show from 1973 on a night when Donna was giving birth according to the liner notes. classic playin'.
4) hundred year hall --- especially "playing in the band" and the whole "the other one" trippyness... from the europe 72 tour
5) live/dead --- best dead album ever in my opinion. especially the first 3 songs.
6) dicks picks 5. I'm a big Keith fan over the Brent eras but this is a smokin show nonetheless. The Brent Era had its moments
7) Bear's Choice vol 1. Yes its a pigpen tribute vehicle but everybody else shines here as well especially Weir on "Dark Hollow" and Garcia on "All around this world" and "Smokestack Lightning". Black Crowes fans will appreciate the "Hard to Handle"
8) dicks picks 3 - 1977 was a fantastic year, up there with 72 and 74 for sure. This one has one of the first ever terrapins
9) dicks picks 17 - A wonderfully sounding show from 1991(!) with Bruce Hornsby. Yes, the dead still had their moments in the 90s.
10) two from the vault - this is what the dead sounded like in 1968. A greasy, rude, snarling, blues band taking off on some LSD fueled head trips. History in the making...
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Embedded Jerry Garcia
To belatedly honor Jerry Garcia's birthday here's the show he and the dead played the day I was born... brought to you by the incredibly fantastic archive.org. Thanks guys!
Grateful Dead
Live at the Palladium in NYC
May 3, 1977
Set 1
The Promised Land
Bertha
Me And My Uncle
Peggy-O
Jack Straw
Row Jimmy
Lazy Lightnin' ->
Supplication
Deal
Good Lovin'
Ship Of Fools
The Music Never Stopped
Set 2
Might As Well
Estimated Prophet
Sugaree
Samson And Delilah
Friend Of The Devil
Eyes Of The World ->
Space ->
Wharf Rat ->
Drums ->
Not Fade Away ->
Around And Around
Encore
Uncle John's Band
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