Grateful Dead - why no studio albums in 71 and 72?

Then there is this possible lost GD LP from 75-76 with all songs written and/or arranged by Hunter Garcia and Weir Barlow
1. Might as Well
2. Home to Dixie
3. They Love each Other
4. Lazy Lightnin'
5. Supplication
6. Comes a Time
7. It Must Have Been The Roses
8. Bye and Bye
9. Mission in the Rain
Sequence is up to ya'll
Call it "Tore Up"

 

Among all this talk of studio-albums-that-never-were, let me just say how glad I am that the Dead *didn't* spend any time in the recording studio between American Beauty and Wake of the Flood. The period of 1971 to 1973 or so represents (IMHO) the absolute peak of their live performance years (for the GD and Jerry solo) and as a Deadhead who owns a grand total of two GD studio albums (and never listens to them), I'm glad they hit the road and didn't waste any time producing any other studio albums that I would never listen to.

 

Hmmm under rating the LP versions is a minor mistake. I was driving and the local FM busted out Terrapin's Estimated Prophet. It came across really well sandwiched between Steely Dan and Little Feat tunes.
Yacht Rock? In hindsight, maybe, but then I occasionally take a float on the yacht in my mind

 

That's a great list of songs.
Some of them would probably be on classic rock FM stations if they only had recorded them in the studio, as a band

 

Yes I agree with this.

I think the myth that they couldn't make a good studio album comes in part from the band itself, who as artists mostly claim they never realized their concept in the studio, and in part from (a mostly unjust) comparison to their live performances. The studio records do not encompass the entire Grateful Dead experience by any means, but they still have their merits and for the most part are good albums. Workingman's Dead is one of my favorite albums ever made by anyone.

That said, I can't fault anyone who would rather listen to them live, I usually would as well.

As far as time and attention being diverted from the live shows, I don't think that would have been an issue. They managed to play plenty of great shows (out of more than 120 dates) in 1970, while recording two albums. They took about 2 weeks to record Workingman's Dead and another 3-4 weeks for American Beauty - in 71 they took off most of January and February, even more of May and June (one show each month,) most of July-October, etc, and in 72 they played 9 shows in the first 3 months, 6 of which were back to back, the Euro warm-up in NYC at the end of March, then only one show between June 1 and July 16, only a handful in December 72 up until February 9 73, etc. They were working on other projects during that time anyway, a GD album probably would have gotten priority over things like The New Riders album or Garcia's tour with Wales if it had been going on.

I used to hear Bertha, the 71 version of Playing in the Band, Mexicali Blues from Ace (also on one of the Best ofs') and Saturday Night on classic rock radio regularly enough.

Nowadays the only GD song I've heard on commercial radio in the last few years is 'Alabama Getaway'

 

It would've nice to hear a studio version of "Chinatown Shuffle" complete with horns and a prominent piano part pounding away.

"The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion)" is perhaps Pig's best-ever tune and a grandiose studio version with great backing vocals and a gospel feel would've been epic.

 

There was a post about the lost Grateful Dead album and what would have been on it awhile back. Also a person who wrote a book about the Dead "The Grateful Dead FAQ" posted on the thread.

 

I saw the Grateful Dead quite a few times during those years. Their live albums had material that most people hadn't heard them do, so I was like having a new studio album.

 

I think most of their studio albums are pretty damn good.

 

Even the yacht-y one is good fun.

 

Bobby is really in his element here.

 

Just exactly perfect

 

freedom from the warner chain

 

Coming from a fairly proggy music history, the yacht album was the one that initially got me into the GD.

 

Jerry wanted to do his first solo album so he could get a down payment on a house. I guess he used the tunes he had at the time. Then Weir wanted a solo contract because Jerry had one, that became Ace.

 

Makes sense. I mean we all got bills to pay.

 

"Holes in what's left of my reason
Holes in the knees of my blues
Odds against me been increasin'
But I'll pull through...."

 

Also agreed on Box, but the version of Ripple on the Ladies and Gentlemen set is my go to.

 

"Aint it Crazy (The Rub)" deserves a shout. Its one of my fave "lost" Pigpen tracks. Iirc it goes way back to the Jug Band days. Fun thread .

 

Perhaps my favorite Pig track other than Mr. Charlie.

 

Yes, it's great fun, but not written by Ron. Given how great Mr. Charlie is, I wish he & Hunter had written more songs together.

 

Well, I wasn't going for tunes written by Mr. Pig, but those sung by him.

 

Lightning Hopkins cover, apparently. Sounds like something Pig might have written.

 

icky Dead Head ALERT:

"The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion)" didn't make it on either OG album.

 

^And this +1