In addition to the MIA Keith, the box also generally lacks low end (below 100hz) and high end (above 7,000hz). Not sure if that was more of a mastering issue vs. mixing.
Found this via the Google: Grateful Dead Guide: The Europe '72 Overdubs (Guest Post) One More Saturday Night * Though it’s almost impossible to tell, Weir redid at least some of his lead vocal – the chorus from 2:20-2:30 is slightly different on the album compared to the box set mix – but in general the vocal inflections are so identical it’s hard to spot any difference, and harder to tell why he took the trouble. Backing vocals were clearly overdubbed at the end, since these were not on the live tape. Pigpen’s organ was omitted from the album, and Keith's piano was overdubbed. The piano overdub is on the box set mix.
Nooooo! I won't believe it. Nooooo! [Faints.] I will find this "Steven Seachrist" and depose him under oath.
The version of 5/26/72 on the Archive is the two-track soundboard with the original piano and vocals.
I've actually read that overdubbing article before, but I guess I didn't read all of it. So my favorite OMSN never actually happened? Wow, just like the moon landing.
Got through 4 11 72 newcastle today. Pretty lethargic show except foe the jam numbers which are INSANE! Holy mothwr of cosmic insanity the Truckin>TOO is one of the greatest things ive ever experienced.
I agree that Newcastle is not as stellar overall as most of the early E72 shows, but that Truckin>Other One>Comes a Time is still an amazing sequence. Plus, the show has a "Brokedown Palace" encore (also used to conclude the Steppin' Out 4CD boxset). Basically, the second set is very strong and saves the show from its somewhat average first set.
from the same source: "Keith... replaced his piano part in several songs with more lively, embellished playing. It Hurts Me Too: Keith's piano was definitely overdubbed on the album. His part is much fancier than what he played live. The original live piano was included on the box set mix. He's Gone: Keith’s piano in this song is entirely overdubbed on the album, adding a lot of embellishments. Ramble On Rose: Keith's piano was also overdubbed on the album, and the piano overdub is on the box set mix." And as mentioned, One More Saturday Night. (The article also argues that more care was lavished on various E 72 releases that came out before the big Complete E 72 trunk, especially (IMO) on the 4-CD Steppin' Out compilation: "Keith Godchaux in particular receives more attention to detail on the older mixes.")
Betty's 2 track recordings were mixed live in the recording truck outside the venue. They are brilliant documents of the Europe shows. I'd pay for copies of those tapes run through the Plangent Process.
I didn't buy Dave's 5 (11/17/73) at the time because I thought I already had plenty of fall '73. Silly me. You cannot have too much fall '73. Then again, I think I may have that show on mp3 somewhere. Oh well.
For sure. From what I've heard, Betty's tapes have a mix that is more like the regular '72 shows (see Dave's 14 and Dick's 30 from the Academy of Music). The E72 box mixes, on the other hand, put you "on the stage" rather than being 5 rows back in the crowd (Betty). On the E72 box the guitars are very forward and detailed and Billy's drums are spread across the stereo space.
Betty's mix of these shows are the best 2 tracks from 1972, she had speakers in the truck for monitoring, and wasn't in the hall with all the background noise from the PA. Betty working in optimal conditions makes for magic recordings.
Ditto on being my favorite. Not my first Dave's but certainly the first one I broke a certain threshold purchasing. No regrets.
Wait. Hold on. That means that even though you have every recorded show, you still pine for those imaginary gigs from that era that would've been played in between the shows that were played. Maybe it's the music that they played jamming together in each other's dreams in the subconscious alternate dimension from another reality. Far freakin' out, man. Mind = blown.
