That one and DiP 36 (9-21-72) are perfection for me. Favorite, I don’t know, but definitely two of the most perfectly played in my book. I really enjoy the version on the GD movie bonus dvd disc, and the really long 11 min version on DiP 31. Oh and the raw but smoking version on June 74 Road Trips. Oh and the one on Ladies and Gentlemen...I could go on. Never really heard a bad pairing!
I looked at the liner notes for the Beat Club show and there's musings that they may have known that OMSN would be chosen, but they sure didn't act that way (meaning they played a long set). So, perhaps they didn't know. But if you've seen that show, there is a focus on quick-hitting tracks as opposed to 30-minute Dark Stars. Luxembourg is a nice diversion into more mainstream territory and it features yet another example of how crazy interesting Jerry could make one note sound. They soundcheck Big River to start and Jerry begins it all with this super-slinky low A. Unfortunately, Billy can't find 1, but they sort things out after the first verse. And Jerry sings lead!
It's a great set. Would be big news if they find the whole show on reels. (I think the known copy is a cassette.)
“Do more ‘70!” - ‘72-‘74 Ok, gladly (DL2 needs to follow this advice too, if you ask me). Been giving a 2nd listen to 1/23/70 and 1st listen to 1/24 today. My impression of 1/23 on this second listen is much better than the first time around and 1/24 is sounding pretty nice so far. Clearly this is not crackling with the same electricity as 2/13 but it does exhibit that good ‘70 feel. EDIT: ... and two versions of “Black Peter”? Yes, please, and thank you.
As far as anti-Thatcher songs go, I've always preferred The English Beat's "Stand Down Margaret" because they are so darn polite when they sing "stand down, please." And veering back on topic, no one told me just how good Jerry is on "Black Peter" from Baton Rouge (10/16/77 - aka Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 2). It's gotta be the return of the Wolf.
I can't think of anything E72 I don't like, either. "Black-Throated Wind" I like every 72 to 74 version I've heard. A very Weir song in the best way, and yes, the rest of the band (especially Jerry and Phil) did lots of cool stuff around the edges.
I was going to say there's no way the record company would go for another live album with a side long or more Dark Star, but they put that out themselves, didn't they?
I seem to remember interview quotes that the Dead thought they shouldn't include the same song on more than one live album. Glad that idea disappeared some time ago.
They did, though I think by that point Warners would have let them put out whatever they wanted on a live record, they had done so well with the previous 3. I was going to say the same thing earlier. Looking at the contemporary live albums, they really stuck with that, at least up to Without A Net, which has Half Step, (also on SYF,) but they didn't repeat much until they started doing the Vault and Dicks series. (Reckoning has a few repeats too but its kind of a special case.)
Right, Reckoning and the archival stuff are a different thing. They definitely seemed to be trying not to repeat.
I was thinking 'oh they must have given that up for Dead Set,' but not really. It's also kind of crazy how little they put out in the 80s, you'd think Arista would have been on them to crank out a live album even if they couldn't get it together in the studio. I read somewhere that Arista didn't want them to put out the Vault series, it took a few years of convincing and it was supposed to be just a limited run, they ended up selling more than 100,000 copies of the first one. They thought it would interfere with the mainstream Arista stuff (which as it turned out, never materialized anyway.)
Why is that? Are they not reputable or does wolfgangs literally put their name on these pieces of history?
I guess they are reputable since they bought the graham archive but even though they now own the rights, putting their name of these historic documents, which yes, they do, does not fly with me. You can see multiple printings listed for various well known posters with some a bit cheaper with their name on them.
I have decided that when I go to Relisten I will listen to one song from whatever date the robot picks. Right now it's Foolish Heart from 7/17/88 The Greek. Brent's nice piano solo is diminished by the quality of the keyboard. I wonder what he would have sounded like on an upright or grand piano. Looks like the beginning of TIFTOO from 8/21/68 is cut in more than one place on all the archive copies. So much for getting that one released. EDIT: And the vocals are missing from the 2nd verse of TOO through most of the Cryptical reprise, although they come back for the last line.
One thing I learned in the new Fare Thee Well book, apparently Phil vetoed going in the recording studio in the early 80s. That's why there was such a drought. The band would only proceed with a unanimous vote and Phil blackballed it for years, apparently. He didn't like the studio. The implication was that that was why they went for the "live" recording, to appease Phil.
Without A Net had a few repeats - China Rider and One More Saturday Night from E72, Half Step from SYF, Franklin's from Dead Set.
I think one of the recent books (David Browne?) mentioned that they tried going into the studio in 1984 but it didn't work out.
At that point they'd been at it for 22 years...plus they still had some repertoire in reserve that way, too.
Thanks. I guess if that had happened we would have studio versions of "Day Job" and "Maybe You Know."
Jerry was in rough shape. I'm pretty sure there is a bonus track on In The Dark from the 1984 sessions, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley. West L.A. Fadeaway?
I tend to be exclusively an official releases guy, especially with how much is now out there. I also tend to not have much concentrated listening time (kids) so I usually put the Dead on and focus in when the moment allows. But sometimes I veer from that. Tonight, headphones on and Laphroaig Cask strength in my glass I finally REALLY listened to that 8/6/71 Hard to Handle that everyone raves about. How good could a 7ish minute blues number really be? Good God.
You'll find more cuts up ahead too... But the good news is, the Dead recorded this on 8-track, and what's in the Vault is more complete than what's on the Archive. So they could release a whole new mix of that show (and 8/22/68).
According to Wiki, yes, "West L.A. Fadeaway" recorded March 1984 is a bonus track on the In The Dark reissue.
