Anything JGB. Although I think Melvin Seals tours as JGB, so any JGB while JG was still kicking. Here's a reaction I've never had after listening to an official JGB release: "Well, that sucked."
I get needing that to help with setup etc., but wearing a bowie knife while playing drums seems odd - unless it's part of some stage outfit.
I know I've seen him carry a knife in other photos from the eldar days. I guess it's just how he rolled.
Maybe he was holding it for Billy. But I guess it wasn’t until E72 that Billy was stropping a knife on a leather briefcase, eh?
Normally have a hard time settling into pre-77 Scarlet Begonias simply because I always miss hearing the transition into Fire. But, listening to DiP 31 from August 74 reminded me how sprightly and open the Scarlets were then. There’s a bounce to the song that carries over into the jam portion that is really satisfying. This can also be seen/heard in the GD Movie from 74, but I believe it’s only on the bonus disc, which just happens to be some of my favorite Dead. Anyways, I remember buying DiP 31 about 10 years ago and really enjoying the hell out of it. Great release. Great.
Aquarium Drunkard was kind enough to reprint this article I wrote back in 2012. Some of you may find it relatable! Boots In Transit: An Appreciation of the Dead on Cassette : Aquarium Drunkard
After listening through Dick's 28 (2/26 and 2/28/73), Dave's 16 (3/28/73), and Dave's 21 (4/2/73) -- all of which were unfamiliar to me -- I have to say I'm less certain than ever whether 72, 73, or 74 is ultimately my favorite year for Grateful Dead music. Glad I don't have to choose! There's just so much to like in these shows. The two Dave's Picks, in particular, are the sort of releases that, had I heard them years ago, would probably have gotten me more deeply into live GD much sooner. Taken as a pair, they're a fine showcase for the repertoire, and with a few welcome exceptions, they're very song-oriented rather than jam-oriented. (The jams are jams, though -- perhaps "holding back" is what allowed them to go so thoroughly out there on 3/28, ending the show with Dark Star>Eyes>PITB.) My enjoyment of these spring shows got me thinking about the summer shows from the same year. I got the sense last summer that I was in a small minority of listeners not entirely blown away by the shows in the PNW box. Minus some obvious highlights (good god, the Bird Song) and the general 73-and-74-ness of it all (which, generally speaking, I adore), I had two main takeaways: I vastly preferred fall 73, and I thought Dave's 9 (5/14/74) was better than any of the 74 PNW shows. However: -- I had just listened to all of the official releases from fall 73. -- I was frustrated by the experience of needing replacements for a full third of the discs in an expensive (and lovely, but also space-inefficient) box set. -- I was mystified by the decision to even consider releasing a full show like 5/19/74 when a sizable number of songs are essentially karaoke versions. It's possible these things clouded my mind a bit. With this in mind, I'll take another look at the 73 PNW shows, constituting as they do the entirety of officially released summer 73 GD (give or take a few stray tracks elsewhere). I'll probably revisit the late Brent-era compilations (Without a Net and So Glad You Made It) first, just to ensure I return to 73 with fresh ears.
Unfortunately Rhino isn't getting any better with the mexican disc problem. Reports in the Woodstock thread about fingerprints and scratches and so forth on the big and very expensive 50th set
There are the Mickey Hart remixes from 2001 or so. Doubtful those would be part of an anniversary box/release, although on the other hand, might be cool to have those 2001 mixes on an actual physical media.
Working my way through the Aug '89 Cal-Expo run. 30 years ago (last week) and all of that. At this point in time the band is really firing on all cylinders. Especially Garcia! And when Garcia's on, the whole band usually follows. We get the Sat Nite out of the way early (leaving a conspicuous gap in the encore slot for something even better!). Cold Rain n Snow is solid, and Jerry is clearly having a good night. His singing is crisp and clear, no mumbling on this night! We Can Run - love Brent, but this song just doesn't really do anything ... and Jerry's solo is too short! Stagger Lee - OK now we're getting somewhere! Great version and again Jerry is singing with Gusto! Memphis Blues -- I generally appreciated this one, even if it run a bit long. The song itself is a classic for sure, and the Dead do it justice. Row Jimmy / Let It Grow to close out the first set. Great Jimmy, and again it really just melts off the stage in the Evening Summer Air. Let It Grow is long and jammy. Overall, solid first set. Perhaps not as exciting at the 11-song 8/4 first set, but quality performances all the same. The 2nd set is a bit unusual as far as song placement. Fun Hey Pocky Way opener, and then the first real open ended excursion of the evening - a nice jammed out PITB. The set really takes a left turn when Jerry starts kind of country picking and takes the Playin' jam into I Know You Rider! Excellent transition, and quite the unexpected surprise! And this Rider? Hold onto your seatbelts, you're gonna need to be strapped in! Jerry is just playing the crap out of this one, especially the final solo. Major peak here, just killin' it. And the > into Terrapin is exactly that. It actually sounded rehearsed! Imagine that... Again, solid Terrapin. Jerry is in command. Cool drums > space sequence, though nothing really mind blowing. SOTM works well out of space. TS is good - Jerry is still having fun! And then NFA is another Jerry shred-fest. And, it was great that Bobby chose to open the show with OMSN, freeing up the encore slot for the Best @US Blues of the summer! (Hyperbole aside, this is a great take. Jerry is just owning it.) 8/5/89 Cal Expo Amphitheatre, Sacramento, CA I: One More Saturday Night, Cold Rain & Snow, We Can Run, Stagger Lee, Stuck Inside Of Mobile, Row Jimmy, Let It Grow II: Hey Pocky Way> Playin' In The Band> I Know You Rider> Terrapin Station> Drums> Space> Standing On The Moon> Throwing Stones> Not Fade Away E: U.S. Blues
Humans haven’t been on the planet for 4543 billion years. The modern human cane to be about 200,000 years ago, so this meme is making the odds a lot lower than they actually were. I still feel lucky though.
YOU wrote that?! A friend of mine texted the article link to me this morning. Dude, you're like famous and stuff.