Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh, Nostalgia Acts, Missed Opportunities

At one point in his life Phil Lesh was an adventurous musician.  He's often described as being some type of weird, mid-20th Century avant-garde composer prior to becoming a founding member of the Grateful Dead.  Then there's that whole head-scratching Seastones thing with Neg Lagin in the 1970's - quadraphonic electronic music.

There's no question that Phil Lesh is/was one of the most influential bassists of the rock era, and perhaps even the best electric bass improviser thus far (looking at you Jaco).  Phil's distinctive low end was certainly an integral part of the Grateful Dead's synergy and drive.  Unfortunately, there aren't many examples of him playing music outside of the Grateful Dead canon.  If there were, I'm guessing that Phil's brilliance would be even more apparent.

For sure, the Grateful Dead took up the majority of his time for the 30 years that they were a touring band.  Difficulties with alcohol during parts of that stretch might have also cut back on Phil's output.  But, in the post-Jerry days since 1995 you'd think that a clean-living Phil might have found some other outlets for his creativity.

However, it seems as though Phil has spent these last 20+ years wrapped up in nostalgia.  Yes, his various Phil and Friends ensembles have consistently found new ways to explore the Grateful Dead songbook, but it's always just been that:  the Grateful Dead songbook.

The fact that Phil never branched out to work with artists outside of the jamband community, and/or never really pursued an original, compositional path post-Grateful Dead is a major loss for the music world.  Just imagine if Phil had revisited his interest in the avant-garde by doing an album of free jazz with the late Ornette Coleman - an artist who remained vital right up until his 2015 passing. Or what if Phil had indulged his composer persona by writing music for one of the many impressive "new" music ensembles around today, such as eighth blackbird.

I recall a Phil and Friends show with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Billy Martin, but instead of it being an all improv trio set of those two guys + Phil playing all new music, it turned into just another Phil and Friends show where the skills of Frisell and Martin were not really utilized or called for, and we still didn't get to hear Phil in a more experimental context.

Bill Frisell just released a beautiful duo album with bassist Thomas Morgan recorded live at the Village Vanguard (called Small Town).  Thomas Morgan sounds fantastic on it, but just imagine for a moment if it were essentially the same material but with Phil Lesh filling the role of bassist.  It definitely would have modified the vibe to have Phil in that historic room due to the expectations of the crowds it would have drawn, but I would love to have a recording like this.

Last night I tuned in to a few minutes of the LOCKN webcast.  After waiting for that awful Warren Haynes set to finish 30 minutes past its allotted time, I watched a couple songs of the Phil/Bobby Terrapin Station set.  If performing an entire album you recorded in the late 70's song-for-song isn't nostalgia, then I don't know what is.  What I saw was not a good performance or interpretation of the music.  The only guiding light was that - amidst all the missed cues, flubbed lyrics, lack of direction, confusion and other sorts of Bobby-related failure - there was Phil's pristine bass guitar, sounding just as incredible as always, if not more.

It was bittersweet to hear this man in this context, on stage part of a group that is trying (and failing) to make something interesting when it is not.  And yet, with every note he played, Phil conveyed an artistry that belied its surroundings.  Too bad we'll never get to hear that side of Phil to its fullest extent.

Jerry Garcia Guitar Solos

If you want to plunge into Jerry Garcia's guitar playing, spring 1977 is a good place to base this study.  Jerry's playing was about as pristine, inspired and melodic as it ever got during this period.  Many of the Grateful Dead's best songs were already written by '77 and in the active repertoire.  Last Saturday I put together an ear-training playlist consisting of just the Jerry solo breaks from live recordings of over 30 Grateful Dead songs.  The idea is to have something to listen to, learn from, and play along with.

Jerry Garcia 1977 - photo by Rob Bleestein

The melodies to these Grateful Dead songs are very familiar to me and each one is distinctive and instantly recognizable.  Sometimes I slowed down these snippets to 85% of the speed but didn't change the key.  With a little bit of work I feel as though I could figure out the basic melodies to pretty much any of them, and then start to fill in around that based on things I might take away from what I hear Jerry doing.  The way Jerry fills out an otherwise sparse melody is of great interest to me.
I limited my sources to what is on Spotify with my focus on shows from May 1977.

From the 5/19/77 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, GA I used China Doll, Looks Like Rain, Loser, Peggy-O, Ramble on Rose, Row Jimmy, and Terrapin Station (the instrumental part after "strategy was his strength and not disaster").  From 5/21/77 at Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, FL comes Bertha, Brown Eyed Women, Comes A Time, Fire on the Mountain, Jackaroe, Scarlet Begonias, and St. Stephen (intro).  The 4/30/77 show at the Palladium yielded Deal, GDTRFB and Stella Blue.  By poking around on Spotify I found a few other stragglers such as Franklin's Tower (5/22/77), Friend of the Devil (5/18/77), It Must Have Been the Roses (11/5/77), and Uncle John's Band (9/29/77).

After all that there were some more songs I was looking for that I couldn't find on the 1977 shows available (some weren't written yet) so I had to expand the search.  These include Been All Around this World (1980), Black Muddy River (1989), Crazy Fingers (1975), Deep Elem Blues (1982), Dire Wolf (1973), High Time (1980), Mission in the Rain (1976), Ship of Fools (1974), Sing Me Back Home (1972), Stagger Lee (1978), Standing on the Moon (1989) and To Lay Me Down (1974).

The uniting thing about each of the solos is that they are loose, melodic breaks based on the structure of the songs.  Some of them are traditional songs that the Grateful Dead added their unique touch to, and the rest are originals that seem directly evolved out of traditional music - like taking the same basic folk music concepts and adding one or two new levels to it.  This gives me another option when playing tenor banjo.

Three (of Four) Qualities That Make JRAD Different Than Other Grateful Dead Cover Bands

I haven't gotten to see Joe Russo's Almost Dead (JRAD) yet.  I hope that changes with Lockn', if not before.  Frankly I had never really paid any attention to them until they were included in the initial Lockn' lineup announcement.  Recently I've been listening to JRAD a lot and have been continually impressed.

JRAD is not your average cover band. They are a veritable all-star supergroup bringing new life into this music in a way that even the officially-sanctioned Dead and Company doesn't do.  Here are three - and maybe four - areas that set them apart.

Credibility
The members of Joe Russo's Almost Dead all come from successful pre-existing musical projects.  Joe Russo and Marco Benevento were The Duo - an instrumental jazz/rock duo with a strong indie following.  Benevento has since gone on to front his own trio while Russo was picked up to drum for Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh in Furthur.  Guitarist/Jerry-vocals Tom Hamilton is the creative force behind American Babies, one of the top emerging rock bands.  Guitarist/Bobby-vocals Scott Metzger has been a member of Rana and Particle, and is currently part of the guitar trio WOLF!  Bassist Dave Dreiwitz is of course the bassist for Ween - an American institution in its own right.

Being songwriters, composers and contributing members to these other creative outlets ensures that each member brings a unique perspective to the tribute band format.  Ultimately, JRAD is just a fun, mortgage-paying outlet for these guys, and the fact that it is not an end-all be-all musical occupation affords them a looseness that is one of the band's most appealing characteristics.  JRAD would be a great band no matter what music they were playing.

Led By Drums and Keyboards
Arguably the two most musically talented individuals in The Grateful Dead were lead-guitarist Jerry Garcia and bassist Phil Lesh.  With apologies to Bob Weir - the greatest rhythm guitarist of all time - Jerry and Phil's boundless creativity and sense of adventure were the driving force behind the Grateful Dead's musical superiority.  There were times when drummer Bill Kreutzmann played a bigger than expected role (check out the Grateful Dead Movie bonus footage) but being paired with 2nd drummer Mickey Hart for most of their run inhibited his fluidity.

In JRAD the foundation stems from the deep connection between keyboardist Marco Benevento and drummer Joe Russo.  The confidence and musical palette that these two draw from has a greater impact than guitar and bass in this interpretation of the music.  That said, JRAD is a true democracy where all members contribute to the creativity.

Improvisation and Risk Taking
Joe Russo's Almost Dead might primarily play the music of The Grateful Dead, but in between the lyrics and written parts JRAD improvises like a completely original ensemble and isn't afraid to take it waaaaaaaay out there.  Their jams almost always retain a semblance of "Deadness" even while venturing into waters that The Dead never swam.

Years ago Phish fans came up with a term called Type II jamming to describe moments when their beloved band leaves behind the structure of the song in favor of completely improvised music making.  JRAD often goes Type II multiple times each set.  In these moments of psychedelic sorcery JRAD can sound like some heretofore unheard of combination of '74 Dead, '97 Phish and Pangea/Agharta Miles - an osmosis of collective influences that also relies on sharp listening skills and a willingness to believe that magic can happen if you let it.

BONUS:  Song Delivery
Besides being the best guitarist of all time, Jerry Garcia is without a doubt one of the best vocalists of all time. Granted my standards are much different than an American Idol point of view but as far as I'm concerned Jerry was a great interpreter of songs, whether these were his own pieces co-written with lyricist Robert Hunter, or a Dylan song, or even something from the Great American songbook such as Irving Berlin's Russian Lullaby.  Anyway, the way Tom Hamilton pours himself into these Jerry Garcia numbers is starting to take on a broken quality of its own.  It's the same familiar songs coming from a comforting voice -- sung with a different perspective.  No other Dead tribute band does it so well and so singular.

It's not all Tommy Hamilton on vocals though.  Having a force like Scott Metzger at the ready for the Bob Weir songs gives JRAD sets the back-and-forth of a classic Jerry/Bob duel.  Metzger can really sound like Bobby when he wants to, while Hamilton "sounds like Jerry" by not sounding like Jerry.  It's more of an attitude in his case.

There you go.  It might be stupid to write this much text about a tribute band, but in a time when cover bands are a dime a dozen, JRAD is light-years ahead of most tribute bands.  If JRAD did a whole album of original material and started working these songs into their shows, and/or bringing in content from their other projects, I doubt anyone would complain so long as these arrangements retained the JRAD thumbprint.

Warren Haynes on Playing With The Dead: Trust That the Magic Will Happen

Today I read the following quote by guitarist Warren Haynes on his experiences with playing with members of the Grateful Dead:

"Playing with the Dead is all about relaxing and letting the music flow and come through you and not being in a hurry to force it to go somewhere, trusting that the music, the magic, will happen, and they’ve always been about waiting for that magic to happen and capturing it when it does happen."

This is advice I could have used a few weeks ago when I put together an Irish session at a local brewery. Even though I wasn't the best player there, I was the organizer and kind of the person in charge so instead of relaxing and having fun like everyone else, I over analyzed everything. I ended up having a good time but things could have been a lot easier if I had not been trying to force the "craic" and was just letting it happen naturally.

A few days later a couple participants told me that they had had a good time at that session, so it was then that I realized that my experience/reality was probably not the same as the others who were there. This is information worth taking to heart because tomorrow Laura and I are supposed to play some tunes at a fundraiser with a fiddler friend of ours. Instead of worrying about whether the music is jiving, I am going to try and remind myself to just settle back easy and just let the notes fall as they may.

Trey Was Great, But The Dead50 Fare Thee Well Shows Aren't His Legacy

Trey Anastasio, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir (6/27/15). Photo by Jay Blakesberg

The five recent "Fare Thee Well" concerts celebrating the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary cemented their status as the greatest American rock band of all time.  At the same time, these shows also seem to have solidified Trey Anastasio's status as the best living rock n' roll guitarist.  Nobody on the planet could have filled those shoes any better than Trey did.

I knew that Trey would be good, but I had no idea that he would be that good, or that well received.  He put in an unbelievable amount of work getting those songs down to the point that they were second nature.  Under immense pressure he delivered in droves.  You could sense that the music was coming from the purest, most reverent place possible, yet his years of experience as the Phish band leader and months of focused practice on the vast Dead catalog meant that he knew when to step up and take charge (and at the Chicago shows that was often).

MVP Trey was directly responsible for leading many jams to the magical places that people didn't think were still possible, but with the added benefit of it never feeling forced or obligatory.  He treated each moment of these five nights as if it were the most important moment of his musical career, and rightfully so.  Plus, whenever he sang lead vocals on a Jerry song I'm sure most everyone in the crowd quickly learned to breathe a sigh of relief and assurance.

Yes, this was a great career-move for Trey whether he was thinking on that level or not.  However, I have seen it mentioned that these shows would be Trey's legacy, and I have a bit of an issue with that point of view.  It's actually a kind of insulting when you think about it.  It's like saying all the hard work he's done up until now - and the work he'll continue to do - was OK, but making those final Dead shows an incredible experience for thousands of deadicated 'heads is the most important thing he could have ever done.

Having seen some mind-fuckingly awesome Phish shows on many occasions, I can assure you that Trey has already been performing at this level on an almost nightly basis for decades now.  His true legacy lies not in the Grateful Dead music he just helped resurrect, but in the dozens of brilliant compositions and countless hours of collective group improvisation that have been created via his "day job" with Phish.

Without Trey ultimately assuming the helm, these shows could have easily been filled with more senior moments than moments of transcendence, but that speaks more to Trey's overall skills and confidence as a musician and his legacy of work lying outside this one-off ensemble rather than within it.

Guitarist Vic DeRobertis on Playing Like Jerry Garcia

Left-handed guitarist Vic DeRobertis of the New England based Grateful Dead tribute band "Playing Dead" shares some tips for playing like Jerry Garcia in this Guestlisted Guitar Lesson with Jeff Gottlieb.

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Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith on The Grateful Dead

Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes (photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The online-only Glide Magazine has posted an interview with Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes as part of its Easy Answers series.  Each installment of Easy Answers asks a (sometimes unexpected) musician to describe the importance of Grateful Dead music in his or her life.

It's no surprise to me that the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia have had a significant impact on Taylor Goldsmith - not just in his guitar playing which has elements of Garcia's touch, but also in his delivery of the rock ballad.  Nobody did that better than Jerry, but Dawes comes pretty close.  Here are some highlights from the interview.

What is your personal favorite Grateful Dead song and why?
(Goldsmith) This changes all the time. At different times it’s been “Unbroken Chain”, “Box Of Rain”, “Ship Of Fools”, “Stella Blue”, “Looks Like Rain”, “Shakedown Street”, among others…but if I were to play a first time listener one song by the Grateful Dead that best represented the best of their songwriting, the guitar playing, the harmonies and the singular way they play off of each other, in my opinion, I’d put on “Jack Straw”. So I guess that says a lot.

What is your favorite era of the Grateful Dead and why?
(Goldsmith) I really love Reckoning. With that record it felt like I fell in love with them all over again. They were playing in such a new and interesting way and between that funny sound of Jerry’s direct input acoustic, Brent’s playing at the time, and listening to them hold back and play so much quieter than I had ever heard. I also loved knowing they released another equally incredible live electric record with Dead Set in that same year. It’s hard to say it’s my “favorite”, but it has definitely left its stamp with me that might not be as easily distinguishable as other era’s.

What do you feel is the greatest misconception a lot of people outside the Dead’s circle have of the band?
(Goldsmith) Two things: that it was ever about anything other than the music for those guys and that the culture that surrounded them was a product of the band. All of the extraneous elements of their public conception were just a product of their deeply devoted fans. I think those aspects have been a blessing and a curse. A lot of people misjudge the band before ever hearing the music, but at the same time, they have arguably the most committed and unique fans a band could ever ask for.


Read the full interview here:  http://www.glidemagazine.com/135463/easy-answers-taylor-goldsmith-dawes-talks-grateful-dead-interview/

Grateful Dead Songs of Their Own #28 - Playing In The Band by Max Creek

JamBase teamed with microphone and headphone company Telefunken to produce "Songs Of Their Own", a 50-day tribute in honor of the Grateful Dead's 50th anniversary celebration, featuring a daily cover of a Grateful Dead original song -- 50 videos in 50 days.  

I particularly like this jammed out version of Playing In The Band from day 28 by music veterans Max Creek.  The vocals aren't that strong but the improvisation gets really out there!  

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Bill Frisell and Billy Martin played with Phil Lesh!

I'm a long-time fan of the Grateful Dead and even got to see them play a few times in 1994 and 1995 while Jerry Garcia was still alive.  Despite this, I don't often pay a whole lot of attention to the different lineups of "Phil and Friends" that Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh often puts together, although I respect his exploration of the Grateful Dead songbook and the way these various ensembles can find new paths of improvisation within these old songs.

When I saw a Tweet last week that mentioned that guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Billy Martin had performed two full sets on 4/22/15 (Earth Day) with Phil at his Terrapin Crossroads home venue in San Rafael, CA I took notice.  Jazz guitarist Bill Frisell is one of my favorite musicians, although I have never associated him with Grateful Dead music.  Drummer Billy Martin is definitely one of my favorite drummers and probably does have more of a connection to the jamband scene via the fanbase of Medeski, Martin and Wood - the esteemed improv trio that he is a member of.  Bill and Billy jamming with Phil was an unanticipated dream come true.

I was sure Billy Martin could sit in with no problem, but I didn't know how Bill Frisell would do in this setting, which might consist of unfamiliar material that is outside of his comfort zone.  I also wondered how he would be received by the Deadhead audience?  Watching the first set it seemed that Bill was a little unsure of himself and his role, and was not well acquainted with the songs.  But, as the first set progresses you can see Frisell learning what treatment the music calls for and gaining trust in his fellow musicians, especially in the more open, improvisatory moments.  As expected, Billy Martin's playing sounds very natural throughout, almost to the point where you forget that this is also his first time (?) collaborating with Phil Lesh.

To fill out the band, Phil employed his long-time cohort Rob Barraco on keyboards and a guy that I was unfamiliar with named Dan Lebowitz on guitar and pedal steel.  Having Barraco in the band helped provide structure where it was needed, and Barraco more than holds his own when things get more exploratory.  I was impressed by Barraco's playing abilities in a way that I never had noticed before.  Lebowitz is obviously familiar with the material and does a fair job in this highly-advanced musical conversation.  Perhaps he could have backed off a little bit at times and let the music breathe more?

The 2nd set began in the biggest way possible with a Dark Star that rose and fell and then rose again to unimaginable heights.  From there on the rest of the 2nd set consists of some of the best in-the-moment music making I've ever heard, with each musician reaching for the apex of his abilities.  As Bill Frisell gains more confidence he is able to add his "Frisellian" stamp to these songs.  The unmistakable sound of Frisell's voicings on these Grateful Dead themes is something I never thought I would hear.  When paired with the Billy Martin's drumming and Phil's quintessential bass, it's a wonderful mix.

Having read the setlist in advance I was looking forward to hearing the stand-alone When You Wish Upon A Star encore, while also being a little trepidatious, not knowing how that would go over.  Would it be a letdown that seemed in lieu of a more powerful encore such as a Shakedown Street or Help on the Way?  Never fear.  When You Wish Upon A Star is so exquisitely beautiful that it perfectly summed up the vibe of the music that had just transpired over the last 3+ hours, in a way that didn't need any addendum.

This seems like a once-ever occasion, but I would love to hear these guys get together again! There's an intimacy to this performance and a level of hear-a-pin-drop listening coming back from the audience that can only be achieved in a smallish room such as the one where this show took place.

Irish Trad - Does It Help To Read Music?

Have you ever seen the lyrics to a favorite song and realized that you were mishearing some of the words? Did you benefit from learning what the correct lyrics were? One example that comes to mind is the Grateful Dead song Franklin’s Tower. I used to think that the words “If you plant ice you’re gonna harvest wind” were “If you play nice you’re gonna always win”. What I heard in my head was inferior to the actual poetic lyrics penned by Robert Hunter. Finding this out didn’t in any way take away from my enjoyment of this song that I already loved. It enriched it!

I think the same can be done with caution with Irish tunes. When people say that Irish traditional music is an aural tradition and you should learn by ear and not by notation that is true. You should strive to train your ear to learn this music via osmosis and resist the urge to “cheat” and look at the music too early in the process of learning an individual tune. However, glancing at transcriptions of the music can help clarify some muddy areas and help you grasp and remember the tune better, much in the same way that seeing the lyrics to Franklin’s Tower helped correct the faulty words that my mind’s ear was hearing.

I am trying to learn basic tourist French right now prior to a trip to Quebec this summer. I have some audio instruction “tapes” that I got from the library. Since I am a visual learner (and a fairly good speller) it really helps me comprehend the language better if I can pair the audio with the written. So for me, pairing a written phrasebook with the audio helps give me a more complete picture of the expression. The same holds for music: audio + notation vs. audio only.

Jerry Garcia said, “With records, the whole history of music is open to everyone who wants to hear it. Nobody has to fool around with musty old scores, weird notation and scholarship bullshit. You can just go into a record store and pick a century, pick a country, pick anything, and dig it, make it a part of you, add it to the stuff you carry around and see that it’s all music.”

This is definitely the approach I want to take as I continue to learn Irish music and tunes. By listening to the likes of Angelina Carberry, John Carty, Kevin Griffin, Daithi Kearney and Mick O’Connor (slowed down and pitch-corrected as needed) I hope to intuitively get the feel of this music as played on tenor banjo. Ideally, in my case, the years of listening to Jerry Garcia prior to ever playing an instrument can also come through the background of my unconscious when I am attempting to interpret tunes. No harm in that!

Jerry Garica also said “If you’re wondering why in an old-timey band you can’t understand the words very well, it’s because we don’t know them, and we can’t figure them out off the records, so we make up our own as we go along.”

When you can’t understand the exact words you replace them with words of your own choosing based on what fits or what you think it might be. The same is done as a player with your choice of musical notes. You may not like what you see when an Irish tune is written out and may prefer your own way of hearing it. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as your aural version is driven by purity of intent and not held back by your ignorance or skill limitations. You get to choose how “enlightening” you find someone else’s idea of what the notation should be. Use it as an aid, not as a crux.

Review - Dark Star Orchestra at The National, Richmond, VA 12/28/14 (performing 7/14/76)

This past Sunday, December 28 was my first time seeing the Grateful Dead cover band Dark Star Orchestra since guitarist Jeff Matson came on board. I had seen DSO several times with John Kadlecik in the Jerry Garcia slot until he was called up to the majors to join Furthur in 2009. Part of my hesitation in seeing DSO since then was because I wasn't sure if they would be as good with the new guy as they were with JK. I'm happy to report that there has been no drop off in quality with Jeff Matson at the helm.  It's different, but in a good way.

Dark Star Orchestra

Kadlecik’s vocals and tone are spot-on (close your eyes and it's Jerry), but I found Matson to be an edgier, more adventurous guitarist. Matson also proved to be a confident leader, taking the band down creative, and sometimes dark, paths of improv that went to places beyond just the duties of replicating a setlist and arrangements. Rather than trying to mimic Garcia, Matson's vocal delivery differed in ways that actually worked to his advantage, giving the music an in-the-moment feel.

I’m definitely not as up on my Grateful Dead history and minutia as I used to be - haven't studied it in years - although I still think I am way more aware of song rotations and the sounds of different years than the Deadheads who actually lived it in the 70’s and 80’s!  For example, by looking at the stage setup before they started one could assume it was a post-1974 Keith and Donna era show based on the two drum sets and the keyboards positioned on the left.

The opener Promised Land was sans “Donna” (Lisa Mackey) but when she materialized for the 2nd song Sugaree this confirmed that it was either 70’s show or an original setlist. Matson made a particularly good impression on this Sugaree, building it to an early peak, then letting it settle down and mellow out the last time through.

Minglewood came next. No clues there except for maybe the absence of the “T for Texas, T for Timbuktu” verse(?). The placement of Scarlet Begonias as the 4th song of the 1st set seemed odd to me and the way they were playing it indicated that this was a pre-1977 version that wasn’t going to go into Fire on the Mountain. This made it fairly clear that they were doing a 1976 show. (I usually try and guess the year of a DSO concert by the third song of the 1st set.)

The only thing that sort of threw me off was the absence of Blues for Allah songs. It being 1976 you expect things like Help / Slip / Franklin’s, The Music Never Stopped or Crazy Fingers, or maybe even It Must Have Been the Roses. The whole first set could have been a 1974 set, especially with the sparkling Playin' / Drums / Wheel / Playin’ end to the set, but the presence of two drummers meant that it couldn’t have been 1974 unless there were some ’74 shows with Mickey Hart that I was forgetting.

Jeff Matson - photo by Suzy Barocas Perler

The whole 2nd set was a highlight. The ballads were on point and there were some monstrous jams during Let It Grow into Eyes of the World, and then again leading from Wharf Rat into The Other One. They finally played something from Blues for Allah as the last song of the 2nd set - The Music Never Stopped. We left as soon as the show encore of Johnny B. Goode started, so we missed the announcement of the performance date and the bonus “filler” encore of The Weight, but a quick glance at 1976 setlists when I got home confirmed that we had just seen them do 7/14/76 at the Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco, CA.

I would definitely go see DSO again with Jeff Matson as Jerry. He could really tear into '73 or '74, or even something earlier.

Why Phish Is My Favorite Band

Phish 7-30-14 Portsmouth, VA (@Phish_FTR)

After seeing the stupendous Phish shows in Portsmouth this past Tuesday and Wednesday, I was reminded once again of why they are my favorite band.  For me, the only band that could realistically also contend for that top title is The Grateful Dead.

The Dead had a 30 year career: 1965-1995.  Phish reached its 30th year in 2013.  Both are/were "live", improvisational bands with a large repertoire of songs jumbled up in active rotation.  Each also continued to write interesting, new material as the years went by.  Both sort of flew under the radar of mainstream popularity but were adored by legions of fans who want more from music than the processed way it is generally presented to the general public.  On these fronts The Dead and Phish are equally deserving.

First, The Dead's advantages.  Coming out of the 60's like they did, they are of course more culturally important, representing a long-standing progressive mindset and lifestyle.  They are forever associated with that counter-cultural zeitgeist, although Deadheads who lived it know that The Dead were just as much an 80's band as they were a 60's band or a 70's band.  The Now.

The Dead certainly embody a sense of Americana, and I don't even mean that in the sort of folk/roots/alt. country genre way that term is used nowadays (although the Dead's influence on that scene is often undervalued).  What I mean is the Red, White and Blue principles of the American Dream, apple pie and go west young man are palpable in their music.

In Jerry Garcia, The Dead had one of the most charismatic, lovable, and dare I say spiritual, figures in the history of music.  Jerry was a personality that no one in Phish comes close to.  The Dead also had a real poet - a true American poet - in their employ as primary lyricist...Robert Hunter.  His lyrics run so deep that entire annotations have been devoted to their analysis.

Phish's strengths, however, outnumber and eclipse those of The Dead.  Phish's song structures and compositions are at a level that The Dead probably weren't getting at.  Phish seems to have really, really studied music, and their songs have complexities and characteristics that puts them in a league of their own.  We're talking Beatles type stuff here and beyond (Classical music, jazz, et cetera).  Many different Phish songs seem like they were written to be mini-genres designed to fulfill a specific niche in the human psyche.

Phish 7-30-14 Portsmouth, VA (@Phish_FTR)

There's a level of technical precision coupled with group-mind, collective improvisation in Phish that wasn't present in The Grateful Dead.  Jerry Garcia and maybe Bill Kreutzman were the only members of The Dead operating on the level that all four members of Phish seem to always be at.  Phish has the chops, creativity, synchronicity and desire to work in unison as a four-headed beast.  No matter how out there Phish's jams get there's always a sense of direction and cohesion to them.  Plus, they rehearse like crazy and treat each show - each moment of each show - as if it were the most important one they have ever played.

Another big factor is from the time Page joined the band in 1985 (?), Phish has always been the same four guys.  No lineup changes.  Beside a few very early recordings, any time you listen to Phish you know you are hearing Trey, Mike, Page and Fishman.  That adds a level of continuity that is not present in the many different iterations of The Grateful Dead, who in my opinion never quite seemed like a fully-realized band until the Brent Mydland decade, which was otherwise marred by Garcia's drug addictions and poor health.

In addition to it being the same four guys their entire career, Phish is also four distinct instruments - guitar, bass, keyboards and drums.  In effect, this is a classic if somewhat minimalist lineup with each of the instruments represented at a virtuoso level, making it very easy to focus on each individual's contribution to the overall sound.  And when you're at the Phish show you get to watch one of our era's best visual artists - lighting director Chris Kuroda - at work.  I really like Kuroda's new, scaled down, less in your face and more quietly cerebral 2014 style.

Much like how The Dead was fronted by Jerry Garcia, Phish has a charismatic leader in guitarist Trey Anastasio, an incredibly inventive, driven, prolific and motivational musician.  Big Red might not be as iconic as The Fat Man, but having a guy like Trey in the band definitely has inspired the other members to push their skills to that same level, to the point that there are no noticeable weak links among the four members of Phish.  In fact, you'd have a hard time finding a band where a drummer has as much of an influence on the outcome of a concert as Jon Fishman does.

Trey Anastasio, 7-29-14 (@Phish_FTR)

It would be read Icculus to criticize Phish's writing from a compositional or rhythmic standpoint.  While The Grateful Dead's array of common time shuffle beats can get repetitive after a while, Phish purposely shakes it up in this regard.  However, a critique that is often made alludes to the fact that Phish can be lacking in the lyrics department.  I wholeheartedly disagree.  Even if I don't always find meaning in their words, I almost always find ultimate acceptance in a way that is more hard fought and rewarding than things which otherwise may have been more accessible at first glance.

Besides, finding (obvious) meaning in Phish's somewhat agnostic and cryptic world view is not always the point, me thinks.  Being a secular person about 10 years their junior, I find myself able to relate to the central theme of Phish's never ending spoof.  At the same time, there are always certain moments in a song - whether written out or composed on the spot - that feel like they are designed to go straight to the heart (or loins, or jugular) and grab you in an emotional way that you didn't think possible.

Another band that comes close to matching some of these accolades about Phish is Medeski, Martin and Wood, a somewhat well known instrumental trio that has walked the line between jazz and jam over their 20+ year career.  MMW has a similar aspect of continuity - with the same 3 members their entire career.  And they also improvise at a magnitude that rivals Phish's genius.  But nah, digging them as I do, that path is not as multi-layered as the Phish experience is, nor is it as shared by my peers.

Phish has always felt like an inside joke...an acquired taste.  You either get it or you don't.  Built into that is an element of humor that was never present in The Grateful Dead; at least not in their songs (the GD's stage banter yes).  I think the many layers of devotion a band like Phish asks of you can be off putting or intimidating to the layperson who isn't looking to go that far with their musical taste buds.  But, if you are looking for that kind of thing, Phish can offer it in droves.

Lastly, I am once again finding the Phish scene appealing.  My perspective on this has wavered over the years, but I've come to realize that it represents a form of punkish and intelligent grass roots indie that we should relish and cherish instead of boxing it into a stereotype.  Phish fans are real people folks, in search of something that a once-in-the-history-of-music type of band is currently able to offer.  Yes Phish is one of the strongest "brands" in all of music with a well managed business model...but fuck it that is both despite of and because of everything they've done over their 31 year career.

And as someone who is learning to play music, I feel incredibly fortunate to be exposed to Phish and have their music to listen to and study, because it is a world unto itself.

Five Great Guitar Players: A List

Earlier this month I posted a reference to Paul Murin’s excellent essay on Memorizing Music.  Paul is the curator of the guitar instruction site High Country Guitar.  Among the info on that site is Paul's list of Great Guitar Players.  Being a sucker for lists, I checked out his favorites and was happy to see that 3 of my 5 favorite guitar players were represented!

Trey Anastasio

Here’s how Paul describes Trey Anastasio, the guitarist for Phish.

Trey is known for long, extended improvisations as well as avant-garde instrumental compositions.  Trey is a technical and creative master of the instrument. 

The key element of Trey’s sound is overdrive followed by compression.  You crank up that overdrive, and then you get a grip on it by running it through a compressor.  It creates a warm, soaring sound with seemingly (and sometimes literally) endless sustain.  A key element of his picking style has to do with palm muting - when you play with a lot of overdrive, palm-muting becomes essential to keep things under control.  By making constant (and, at this point, presumably unconscious) adjustments to how the palm of his hand sits near the bridge, Trey is able to coax a lot of different sounds out of his guitar.  

If you watch Trey's right hand, you'll notice that it doesn't actually move much when he is soloing.  His palm tends to hover just over the strings, near the bridge.  This allows him to make those constant, minute adjustments so that some notes come out as more staccato, while others ring out fully.  It also helps create a tight, focused sound.  

Many of Phish's big jams are primarily modal.  Mixolydian tends to be the most common for major key jams, and for minor keys, Dorian seems to be the go-to mode.  In most of these situations, the mode is mixed with a healthy dose of pentatonic/blues licks.

Trey commonly uses chromatic licks approaching chord tones.  Perhaps because of his compositional skills, Trey tends to build solos using motives - little melodies and/or rhythmic patterns that get repeated, moved around the neck, displaced, etc.  These motives give his solos a sense of coherence.  Personally I think Trey is better than just about anyone (in rock and roll) at this kind of thing.  His solos almost always feel very deliberate, and rarely sound like he's just "noodling" in search of an idea.

Many of Trey's more complex compositions feature a "theme and variation" approach, where he takes a lick or melody and moves it around through different keys, sometimes extending it, other times truncating it.  Most of Trey's complex compositions, regardless of how complex they are, are oriented around a groove.  They keep the crowd dancing as they wind through all kinds of weird musical places.  

Jerry Garcia

Next on my list would have to be Jerry Garcia.  Here’s what Paul has to say about ol’ Jerry:

Founding member of the Grateful Dead.  Known for long, extended improvisations.  Strong foundation in American roots styles - blues, country, and jazz. An incredibly passionate and creative musician, and a virtual walking encyclopedia of American music. 

Here are some descriptions of Garcia’s playing by others:

The essence of Garcia's sound came in the way he attacked the notes with his pick.

Jerry could weave colorful passing tones into his lines like no other rocker. 

He had a clear, “well-spoken” tone and a strong and precise connection to the string.

Garcia picked almost every note and seldom used hammer-ons or pull-offs. 

Bill Frisell

Thirdly is Bill Frisell.  I’m so glad that Paul included him on his list.  About Frisell, Paul says:

Bill Frisell is a great player who is difficult to categorize.  Usually categorized as a jazz player, he really blends a strong helping of country/folk/bluegrass in his music.  Known for his restraint and use of space.  I once heard someone say that he plays guitar the way Miles Davis played the trumpet.  One of my favorite players, period.

In a recent article for No Depression, Jake Schepps described Frisell like this:

Frisell is so distinctly American, creating music that is at once jazz, country, blues, and noise.  His music is unique, yet incredibly familiar, and at times sweetly dissonant (like no one else can be).  It has me questioning so many musical preconceptions about how music can work, what makes something compelling, what can be a song, what is soloing, and more. 

With Frisell’s approach to music, when playing folk tunes, Bob Dylan songs, original country twang ditties, and old swing standards the beauty is so pronounced, so touching, melodic, at times so directionless yet with such inevitable and perfect forward movement.  It is jazz, and so “not jazz” (which is actually very jazz).

Norman Blake

Surprisingly absent from Paul Murin’s list is Norman Blake, although to his credit Paul didn’t entirely omit all flatpickers, but chose to list David Grier, Tony Rice and Doc Watson among his favorites in that style.  However, I’d put Norman Blake up there as well.

Others have described Norman Blake like this:  His melodic lines are direct and elegant, without the pyrotechnics often associated other flatpickers.  Blake’s music has an air of authenticity and basic honesty few can achieve.  Blake’s music is of an elemental sort that transcends technological change and the tides of pop culture.  Blake’s music takes you back home to the porch and the living room, where, symbolically and literally, it was born.

Norman is not the fastest flatpicker in the world - but he brings the wood of the acoustic guitar to life. He doesn't play very much beyond the first five frets of the instrument, but that is why he makes one acoustic guitar sound like an ensemble!  The drone of the open strings picked here and there provides an anchor for the tune he picks, so that one acoustic guitar, without any backup, is complete in and of itself.  His crosspicking techniques add to the fullness as well.  (The Flatpick Post)

Grant Green

Lastly, but also missing from Paul’s list is Grant Green, a perpetually underrated jazz guitarist who recorded prolifically for the Blue Note Label throughout the 60’s and early 70’s. 

Grant Green had a "dark-blue", instantly recognizable sound that was influenced by horn players.  He rarely comped, choosing to drop out when trading off with other soloists rather than doing any backing.  When asked why he didn’t play chords Green is said to have responded “Charlie Parker didn’t play chords”.

Jazz Times described Green like this: 

Grant Green was among the most disciplined yet imaginative soloists of his generation.  His single-line statements were rhythmically brilliant, and his use of staccato notes equally intriguing.  Green’s earthy melodies were clean and fluid, his voicings impeccable and he was especially captivating on ballads.  Though his initial fame came through his participation in soul-jazz and organ-combo sessions, Green eschewed blazing speed and notey forays for deft harmonic response, funky rhythmic dexterity and nimble melodic interpretation.

Pro Shot Late 1983 Grateful Dead Video

1982, '83 and '84 are sometimes considered Grateful Dead throwaway years, but they are worth exploring.  There's a grungy, dirty vibe going on and while not exactly tight, the band is certainly not afraid of taking chances during this period, just maybe not the chances fans were expecting them to take.

They've never officially released a DVD from these years - it could be out of a concern for Garcia's countenance being not fit for general public consumption.  But apparently, there are good quality early 80's videos in circulation, such as the seemingly pro shot video from 12/28/83.

Perhaps because it was a hometown San Francisco show, on a low pressure night (New Year's Eve was still a few days off), with no performance scheduled for the next day 12/29, they were able to chill out and play a sleeper of a show.  Early on Bobby seems to challenge Jerry to step it up and vice versa, in that not so super-friendly rapport these two kind of always had.  The Freudian ebb and flow dichotomy of Grateful Dead sets soon takes over.  The Loser at 19 minutes in is sufficiently sick.

The video is below.  If you just want to listen to the audio, here's a link.

Grateful Dead, Phish and Medeski, Martin and Wood Repertoire Tape

In his book Primacy of the Ear, Ran Blake recommends the creation of a personal listening recording that exemplifies your musical direction and illuminates areas in which you especially need work.  Blake says that each selection should be short -  one or two minutes at the longest.  These are not just melodies to memorize; it's your own personalized soundscape.

Inspired by this concept, I created a playlist consisting of snippets of Grateful Dead, Phish and Medeski, Martin and Wood songs.  I've uploaded the audio as one long track.  I've also posted the snippets to YouTube as two different "videos".  Read on for the song list sequence.

Grateful Dead
Uncle John's Band intro - Dozin' at the Knick
Uncle John's Band jam one - Dozin' at the Knick
Uncle John's Band jam two - Dozin' at the Knick
Fire on the Mountain intro - Crimson, White and Indigo
Althea outro - Without A Net
Bird Song - Reckoning

Phish
Bathtub Gin melody after "we love to take a bath" - Hampton Comes Alive
Lizards solo - New Year's Eve 12/31/95
Divided Sky "section after silent segment" - Hampton Comes Alive
Theme from the Bottom intro - Billy Breathes
Weigh intro - Rift

Medeski, Martin and Wood
Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down "head" - Radiolarians III
Where's Sly? "head" - It's A Jungle In Here
Is There Anybody Here That Loves My Jesus intro - Shackman

I Found Some Blogs on the Musicology of the Grateful Dead

I’ve started to learn to sing and play the Grateful Dead song Ship of Fools on my tenor banjo.  I'm not there yet, but I think it’s going to be a cool song to do.  However, Ship of Fools has some pretty complex chords in it that are new to me.  So, I’ve been looking for a 2^nd, more flowing and intuitive Grateful Dead song to also learn.  Yesterday it occurred to me that Dark Star might be a good candidate! 

That might seem like an odd choice.  Dark Star is the Grateful Dead’s most improvisational song – built around the A mixolydian mode with the chords A and G as its two primary (home and contrast) chords.  E minor as well.  The Grateful Dead would take this song out there on long, 30+ minute explorations.  Because of its lack of structure and minimal nature, Dark Star is very malleable.  It’s conceivable that someone playing it on a folk instrument – such as tenor banjo – could find enjoyment in interpreting a campfire version of this song.

Even if you're not prone to musical improvisation, you could sprinkle in a mixolydian traditional tune, such as Cluck Old Hen, as an instrumental break between verses to add some color.  Anyway, the point of this post is that last night I began searching online to see if anyone had transcribed the intro and main theme for Dark Star, so that I would have notation to work with when learning the melody that builds up to the first verse.  I didn’t find that notation, but I did find some cool blogs devoted to the musicology behind the Grateful Dead's songs and performances.

Like this post from The Grateful Dead World, about the Modal Basis of the Grateful Dead’s Songs and Jams.

My search also brought up some articles on a site called the Grateful Dead Guide about performances of Dark Star in 1968 and in 1971.  There are tons of other GD-related writings on this blog on a variety of subjects worth checking out.

Finally, I found this extensive essay on Tonal and Expressive Ambiguity in Dark Star by Graeme M. Boone.  It does include transcriptions of the vocal line and some of Garcia’s solos from Dark Star performances. 

Enjoy reading!

Waiting To Exhale

For the last year and a half or more I’ve been consumed with immersing myself in traditional music:  Irish jigs and reels, oldtime breakdowns, and more.  I’m not overly concerned with authenticity or style, but have put a lot of work into growing my knowledge, repertoire, rhythm and ability to participate in sessions and jams for these specific genres.  Recently, this quest has started to expand to include string ragtime and early Creole/Caribbean dance tunes.  

Now, I’m finally ready to exhale and bring it back full circle by taking another look at some songs by the bands that were favorites of mine long before this music playing obsession began.  Those bands would be Phish, The Grateful Dead and Ween.

 

When I first started playing tenor banjo I tried doing songs like Water in the Sky, Ripple and What Deaner Was Talking About, but found my 4-string banjo interpretations to be lacking.  Rather than muddle through poor renditions of my favorite songs, I was made hip to traditional music, which worked perfectly for tenor banjo, and the rest is history. 

I’m finally at a point where I can relax a bit when it comes to the traditional tunes, and increase my overall knowledge of music by trying to once again bring to life songs that have no business being played on tenor banjo!  If successful, not only will I add enjoyment and versatility to my playing, but I should become a better musician as a result. 

I’m wondering what songs might be good ones to start with?  For Phish, I was thinking maybe Wading in the Velvet Sea and Mountains in the Mist?  For The Grateful Dead perhaps Ship of Fools and trying Ripple again?  For Ween maybe starting with She Wanted to Leave and I Don’t Want It?  Last night I was fooling around with the vocal melody line to the Phish song Prince Caspian.  I moved it from G to F to pair it with a Caribbean song from the 1800’s called Belle Layotte.  It's a bare bones instrumental, but it kind of worked.  Here’s a sample:

Rather than trying a whole bunch of songs by different artists, I think for now I'll focus almost exclusively on Phish, The Grateful Dead and Ween, partly because it adds focus and, at least with Phish and The Dead, those are almost like individual genres unto themselves.  Hold on...I may need to make an exception for the Eamon O'Leary song Like A Dime from his Old Clump album.  That's just too good to pass up.  

Other suggestions? 

The Grateful Dead's 8/27/72 "Sunshine Daydream" concert to be shown in theaters on 8/1

Deadheads speak in numbers, such as 5/8/77, 10/27/79, 4/19/82, 10/9/89 and so on.  These are the dates of classic and/or particularly memorable shows.  One such date always referred to with reverence is 8/27/72 at the Old Renaissance Faire Grounds in Veneta, Oregon.  This sun-drenched and acid-drenched marathon of a concert is considered to be one their best of all time; very representative of the Dead’s early 70’s country rock meets Bitches Brew sound.

A video bootleg for this show has circulated for decades, shot on 16mm film with no shortage of footage of naked, dancing hippie chicks and other crazy weird happenings, both on stage and off.  Rumors of the film, nicknamed “Sunshine Daydream”, being officially released have been going around for years, to no avail. 

Well, the wait is no more because apparently Sunshine Daydream has been restored/remastered and will be shown in movie theaters nation-wide on Thursday, August 1, 2013 as part of the 3^rd Annual Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies, always held on Jerry Garcia’s birthday (August 1).

Bonus features include never-before-seen footage from the concert day as well as recently recorded interviews with participants including Ken Babbs, Sam Cutler, Wavy Gravy and Carolyn “Mountain Girl” Garcia.  The film also features appearances by Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters.

Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir - 8/27/72

The concert itself was over three hours long, so I don’t know if they will be showing the whole thing.  The press release I read said it will include the songs “Bird Song,” “Dark Star,” “Greatest Story Ever Told,” “Jack Straw,” “Playing In The Band,” “Promised Land,” “El Paso,” “Sing Me Back Home”, “China Cat Sunflower,” and “I Know You Rider.”  That’s pretty meaty, even if it is just a portion of the music played that day.  The vintage shots of the trippy folks in the crowd will be entertaining as well.

Locally it will be shown at the Cine Bistro at Stony Point Fashion Park and at Regal Virginia Center at Virginia Center Commons.  If outside of Richmond, check local listings for your area.  If it’s anything like last year, part of the fun will be seeing Deadheads taking over the adjacent Texas Roadhouse restaurant for a little pre-game party at the Virginia Center location while regular people there for a Thursday night steak dinner look on in bewilderment.  A good time is bound to be had by all!

Will history judge The Grateful Dead to be a better band than The Beatles?

The Beatles did their best work in the studio.  Over a few prolific years, they produced a recorded output that has stood the test of time.  The Grateful Dead did their best work on the stage.  From the late 60's to the early 90's, the Grateful Dead reinvented their growing repertoire of songs on a nightly basis in front of a live audience.

The Beatles

Where you stand on the spectrum as to which band was "better" may hinge upon which skill set you find to be more worthy of adoration, but music critics have generally considered The Beatles to be the top dogs when it comes to rock n' roll.  A recent article by Steven Hyden suggests that this outlook might be changing.

The Grateful Dead

The topic of Hyden's article begins with the question of whether or not Phish is a great band.  In making the case for yes they are the author uses the reasoning that “Phish presented an alternative model in which memorable live experiences mean at least as much as iconic songs, and high-grossing tours measure an artist's reach as well as chart-topping albums do.  This is how Phish is good.  It could soon be how all music is good.”

"It could soon be how all music is good" is an interesting statement.  Hyden also offers an opinion as to why history could rate the Dead over the Beatles as the best rock band ever.  He says “Let's say it's 50 years in the future, and you're trying to figure out how and why pop music has arrived at its present permutation. Let's also say that recorded music still exists, but no longer as a product that artists attempt to sell. Like other forms of devalued currency, recordings have flooded the market to the point of virtual worthlessness. But music fans are still willing to pay to hear a version of a song that doesn't exist yet, and will only ever exist once. 

Because of this economic development, bands spend a lot less time making albums and devote the majority of their energy to honing their live shows. Over time, people gradually stop talking about fixed versions of songs and begin evaluating bands on their ability to perform and refresh their body of work. This creates a new paradigm for how we talk about music — pop historians start rating the Dead over the Beatles as the best rock band ever. Music is perceived less like film and more like theater or sports — as a venue for live events that lose their essential appeal if they're not viewed in the moment.”

Compelling.  Granted, I didn't need this convincing to know which band was better.

Making the case for 1980’s Grateful Dead

What’s your favorite Grateful Dead period or era?  Some folks like the Pigpen years, when the Dead were an ambitious psychedelic 60’s blues rock dance band.  Others like ’72-‘74 when they would transform from a 1^st set country rock outfit to a 2^nd set Miles Davis inspired acid jazz unit.  A lot of fans are drawn to the late 70’s period when the band presented itself as a consistently smooth touring ensemble that eased its way into polished shows night after night, best exemplified by May 1977.  And finally some aficionados prefer the post-Touch of Grey years of ’88 through spring ‘90 when Jerry and the boys peaked in popularity and became a rock and roll powerhouse able to shake the rafters of America’s finest football stadiums and deliver on a massive level.

However, one time-period that often gets overlooked in these discussions is the early-to-mid 1980’s…I’m talking ’81, ’82, ’83, ’84 and ’85 era Dead.  Similar to a vintage Cabernet Franc that tastes like perfection to some and like a filthy old boot to others, these are my go to years when I want to listen to some good ol’ Grateful Dead.  There’s a crazy vibe to these early-to-mid 80’s shows that is reminiscent of a locomotive on the verge of careening out of control but is somehow still able to stay on track and make its stops.  You’re never quite sure what you’re going to get and that’s part of the fun.  Even the supposed stinker shows from these years have ironic appeal, in a Japanese wabi-sabi sort of way.

Grateful Dead - May 1982, Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA by Joel Eisenberg

It was the 1980’s after all…the Dead were already written off as dinosaurs by the world at large, seemingly lacking any relevance to the pop culture of the time and still a couple years away from their eventual commercial success and then ultimate demise.  But to the Dead and its fanbase most of the surrounding trends and “just say no” consumerism of the decade were just white noise.  Being a band that existed in the now, the Grateful Dead were just as much an 80’s band as they were a 70’s band or a 60’s band.

By the early eighties Brent had gained his sea legs and his intensity was revitalizing the group, Bobby was on some weird, hyper trip, Jerry (on the verge of some severe drug-related physical calamaties) cuts through in a far grittier, grungier, more urgent fashion than normal, Phil has some of his most stand-out and memorable performances (“the Raven”, “more nitrous”, “earthquake space”) and a new fire was lit under drummers Mickey and Billy as they grew accustomed to letting loose and going hog-wild during their drumz portion of the 2^nd set.  In other words, the band meant bizness!

For even the most Deadicated fan, the 80’s aren’t the first place you look for gems, but they are well worth checking out.  In my opinion you really can’t go wrong with any show from this span.  Have fun panning for gold!