I concur. Pretty clear to me. Mickey clearly playing drums (cowbelling it up). Starting @ ~1:06:30. Then ~1:08:30 Brent at his keyboard (no longer on marimba patch) while Mickey is still cowbelling.
I just found this picture that someone posted to the 36ftV account on Twitter recently, verifying that Brent indeed made the marimba sounds in 1983 with a new Yamaha GS1 synth:
Now listening to 8/24/85[Donner Summit California]on TIGDH on SiriusXM's Grateful Dead channel via the webstream now playing Touch Of Grey.
I've now listened to the second show in the June 1976 box over the last couple of days — Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA, 11/06/76. I must say, this box set is mighty swell, so far so good. The sound is incredible. There's a languorous feel to everything making it sound all warm and cosy — and that's exactly what I need in these dark, uncertain times. A couple of quick 1st set standouts were Cassidy — really nice with Jerry's shimmery guitar licks; Candyman — beautifully sweet, harmonies to die for; an awesome standalone Scarlet Begonias with an epic jam at the end seguing into Looks Like Rain (?!), which is different — not heard that 1-2 before. It Must Have Been The Roses is a beauty too. The rest of the set is solid too. The 2nd set is the highlight here though. Opening with a three-pronged St. Stephen > Dancing In The Street > The Music Never Stopped, "Disco Dead" are hear to get the party started and good times are guaranteed by all! Things slow down for a beautiful Ship Of Fools, where you could hear a pin drop, before things ramp back up again with Samson And Delilah, Sugaree, and an epic Sugar Magnolia > Eyes Of The World > Stella Blue > Sunshine Daydream! Woah! There's a little bit of everything that's played out during this sequence — awesome stuff. Another really good show. The sound throughout is exceptional, separation of instruments is so clear — it's great to hear Jerry's guitar licks and solos, Keith's keys are a highlight on nearly every track, the drums sounds full and real lifelike, Bobby is in good form singing and playing-wise, and Donna's voice is as good as I've heard her and compliments the others harmoniously well. I'm looking forward to hitting the Beacon shows next.
Yamaha GS1 Holy moly, £12000 in 1981 money? Yikes! Apparently, they only sold/made about 100 of them. Not surprising, considering the price. Yamaha GS1& GS2 Yamaha Corp, Japan, 1981 Still, it’s way cool that he played the first commercially available FM synth. The DX7 came out a couple of years later at a much reduced price (about $2000 I think) and surpassed the GS1 in every way except for looks.
Sure, I remember seeing and hearing Brent play that puppy. That was the source of the "icing on the cake dripping down the sides of the PA stacks" experience I had at Lake Placid during Friend of the Devil.
FM synths are great at making percussive sounds (marimba) and icy, chilly, drippy sounds. They can also emulate acoustic sounds better than analog synths, although, once samplers came around in the late ‘80s it became a moot feature.
That's what I was referring to earlier when I questioned why the reputation of the first set is so bad when what I was hearing was good. What is so bad about the first set? Good of them to put it on a limited edition LP but not on the 50th anniversary CD reissue of the CD.
I really enjoyed the stark contrast between these two consecutive posts. The Dead did dynamics well. So does this thread.
Folks who own Deadbase 50: I currently own a Deadbase X. Is it worth grabbing a Deadbase 50? Significantly better than my X? I really enjoy thumbing through that and reading the stores and such. Also have a friend that would take the X off my hands any help is appreciated
So I'm continuing my re-Dead-aissance while working from home and I was trying to crash through the popular choices for best show ever. Re-listened to Cornell '77, Veneta '72, Winterland 11/11/73 and all are obviously great. Switched gears and am now going through the 30 Trips shows from 1966 onwards and wow, the change is jarring. Insane that the band in '66 is only six years away from Veneta. Love it all though. Times like these I need to get lost in tunes, and there's nothing better to lose myself in at the moment.
Correction: 4 days later, Crispy Rob was in Oxford, Maine, knowing exactly how he got there (aided by helpful roadway sign on local eatery saying: "Have a long, strange trip... Maine was more welcoming than most East Coast locales).
Pretty sure that's Brent. Same effect was used, although to slightly less impressive results, on the 10/21/83 Worcester version.
That second set was a much played tape in my abode. I think you've nailed the list of highlights pretty well. Along with the November '85 Kaiser Shakedown, one of the two Shakedown's that most epitomize a split between rough vocals and amazing jamming. I'll take that combo, any day, over the reverse scenario.
I'm scared Kevin's going to start eating people. Nothing good ever happened on the Donner pass. (As most of you surely know, that show was often widely described as the worst ever, but that was mostly before '94-'95. I would personally suggest the Giants '95 Wharf Rat show as the lowest of the low).
It is updated, but the value depends on the price you pay. The updates are lazily not integrated into the reprint of an old Deadbase (I believe its 11 or 12, but I haven't looked). It's not worth full retail, but is probably worth the half off that many of us got it for on various online sales.
I agree with the other replies you’ve gotten so far, and I’ll add that I have both but I prefer using X because it’s less bulky and better formatted. I got 50 when they had a 50% off sale a couple years ago but even at that price I wouldn’t do it again. All that said if anyone doesn’t have any version they’d certainly enjoy going through 50.
Behind The Scene: John and Helen Meyer on Providing Sound for Grateful Dead, 'Apocalypse Now,' Global Events Respect.
