For Hard Core Dead Heads only

This will never beat or replace any of your old tapes (you know who you are, so fess up), but here is something I came across recently that gives you a nice 346 hours of live Dead.  

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/grateful-dead-chronological-live-playlist-346-hour-garcia-weir/

This may answer the question of how many times you can actually listen to St. Stephen.  Nothing new here, by the way.  Break out your favorite bong and enjoy! Stay away from the brown acid, though....

Now thats DEADication!

dano said:

Now thats DEADication!

I know, right? I'm finding out you CAN listen to many different recordings of St. Stephen, but you have to be in the right frame of mind.  It's also cool to see how well oiled a machine they were by about......OK, I have my own theory on this one, let's see if we can get a few people to agree.  For me, there is the rough early Dead, the amazing face peeling dead and the meh, stop doing live shows Dead.  I'm fairly certain this is blasphemy, but it's all personal taste at some point.  I feel the same way about other musicians, though.  I'm going to hold off on my 'sweet spot' for the Dead for now.  I will say I'm impressed with this collection in it's scope, and the fact that I didn't have to spend money, drive in my car, or get stoned to listen to it.  Seriously.   

Sweet spot.... 72’-80’ 

Face peeling... 74’-77’

Ok.... enough.... 89’-95’ hated Jerry’s sound MIDI

Retire already..... Dead and Co.

Forwarded the link to my brother. He was stoked.

Love dano's assessment.

YES! I agree with you both, and would throw also throw a 'I hate Donna' in there for good measure. 

My personal favorite song - Box of Rain

Favorite live song/transitions - St. Steven into The Eleven  

Favorite live recording - Live Dead or Cornell '77 (Though these alternate Europe '72 albums they are releasing are intriguing) (Have not listened yet)

Waste of time and other peoples money - Fake Dead in Chicago 

Let phil SING.  

OMG!!! Donna.... she came with Kieth  Favorite keyboard player however. Loved Pig Pen especially his 25 minute Love Lights “What do you expect for a dollar and a quarter “

Favorite Song - Dark Star - strictly for its improvisational aspects 

Favorite transition- Estimated-Eyes

Agree with TheJmon on live albums

Especially the Trukin through the Prelude 

Take a listen however to the Watkins Glen Sound Check - BRILLIANT! 

We want Phil!

TheJmon said:

YES! I agree with you both, and would throw also throw a 'I hate Donna' in there for good measure. 

My personal favorite song - Box of Rain

Favorite live song/transitions - St. Steven into The Eleven  

Favorite live recording - Live Dead or Cornell '77 (Though these alternate Europe '72 albums they are releasing are intriguing) (Have not listened yet)

Waste of time and other peoples money - Fake Dead in Chicago 

Let phil SING.  

Funny, I'm listening to one of the Dark Star tracks from this huge playlist right now.  This is like eating a bag of peanut M&Ms.  You and me could hang, Dano (I suspect we may have when I lived in Maplewood?)

You know what? Like anything as awesome as the Dead in their prime were, I think it's hard to pinpoint one favorite song/transition.  Estimated into Eyes is definitely up there in my now revised top five.  I'm not sure if you are a musician or not, but the chords and progression on Eyes is one of the most beautiful things.  

For shingles it might be interesting to talk about what songs didn't work back to back, because it was so obvious that the ones that did were played over and over at shows.  That could be an interesting 'color' to this thread (heh, heh CROSS POST).  

I try to like Donna from time to time, I really do.  Pigpen?  They were such a different band when he was alive and with them, hard to imagine not loving him.  Musically, I think they really tried to pay homage to the man for many years after his death.  A fun game might be to mention five other bands that lost their pure sound when a member passed (NO, don't say it!).  

I’m a “basement” drummer as far as double drummers go, I’m a bigger fan of Jaimo and Butch and their style, but that’s another conversation I have a seamless version of CC Rider into It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry. They were firing on all cylinders on that one!

Ah, one of 'those' eh? (I have no idea what that means).  

So here is the 'age old' question in terms of "Live Dead".  You don't get points for the right answer, but where does that album start and finish? Talk about your 'wasted days', we spent hours trying to figure that one out.  Sometimes the endless jam was just the endless jam, other times there was method to their madness.  For me, there is still something new to find in their live recordings.  There was some canoodling at times, but when they 'hit it' they really did.  

I can't speak much to Micky and Danny, I play guitar and will always see the Dead through Jerry, Bobby and Phil.  Fire up your copy of A Long Strange Trip! 

Has anyone been following The Dead Cover Project? I play quite a few Dead tunes on my guitar, was contemplating submitting one at some point.  This years crop was pretty lame, though I did like the Israeli band singing in Hebrew.  Not enough to actually love it, by the way.  Like with Peloton, I actually just found a Leaderboard.  Anyone game to try your hand? 

https://www.dead.net/dcp2021

OK, this is hands down my favorite so far! 

OK so nobody here is into Dead covers, but you have to admit that album cover is pretty funny.  

On a related topic, has anyone heard the Spotify Playlist Called Daze Between? It was a part of that annual celebration that marks the anniversary of Jerry's death.  Though it starts with some pretty obvious choices, it moves into bands that were inspired and influenced by the Dead.  It goes in some pretty interesting directions, if you are a Dead head you will appreciate.  

One advantage of being old: I saw the Dead, for the first time, at a club in Brooklyn, I think, called the RockPile, I think, in 1970, I think. I definitely remember Pigpen, though and Lovelights. which seemed to go on forever. I saw the Dead dozens of times after that night, but never saw Pigpen again. He bought a guttural, bluesy feel to the band which they lost as soon as he was gone. 

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

One advantage of being old: I saw the Dead, for the first time, at a club in Brooklyn, I think, called the RockPile, I think, in 1970, I think. I definitely remember Pigpen, though and Lovelights. which seemed to go on forever. I saw the Dead dozens of times after that night, but never saw Pigpen again. He bought a guttural, bluesy feel to the band which they lost as soon as he was gone. 

 Wow, you really ARE old (just kidding, I bet we are the same age).  I grew up in Canarsie, and I vaguely remember that place, but not that the Dead ever played there.  I do remember a place under the train line in Sheepshead Bay where I saw Billy Idol once, but I don't think that is the same place.  Yes, Pigpen was the real deal and their sound was never the same when he passed, but not diminished until that period we both agree on.  It looks like you and I are kindred spirits, Mr. T.  Don't follow me to MA, you would HATE IT here.  

This showed up on my Instagram feed, I kind of liked watching it.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNBnsDCrtV3/?igshid=450byy2o4jlv

Branford Marsalis talking about his time with the Dead.  He makes some interesting points, though it made me sad because of the time period.  Does anyone remember what specific space of time he toured with them? Did he actually go in to the studio with them as well?