Man 1975 on Wolfgang's Vault

[Rob the Organ]

Should be "Mountains of the Moon". Sorry to interrupt ... 

...quite alright, Mikes. (How many of you is there, by the way?) However, I think Rob was actually alluding to dripping a silver kimono like a crazy-quilt star gown. Bit cold for that sort of thing, I would have thought.

There was indeed a whiff of one-eyed Cheshire about the intended response.

[Campbell]

I actually love the Shakedown St album by the Dead,I havent heard it for a few years but recall playing it all the time a few years back

[Rob the Organ]

Are we all agreed that "Go To Heaven" is the WORST thing the Dead ever did?

[Nick Nation]

Are we all agreed that "Go To Heaven" is the WORST thing the Dead ever did?

How about the Kieth And Donna album? Yeah, 'Go To Heaven' was pretty dire, as were the ones that followed. Mr Campbell mentions 'Shakedown Street' - for me it had its moments but didn't live up to the promise of having Lowell George at the helm (who took an instant dislike to the tinkerings of Mickey Hart) and a sleeve by Gilbert Shelton of Fabulous Furry Freak Bros fame. Also.....the bottom end had gone......I think the last studio LP that I thought was the business was 'Blues For Allah'.



   

[Rob the Organ]

Are we all agreed that "Go To Heaven" is the WORST thing the Dead ever did?

How about the Kieth And Donna album? Yeah, 'Go To Heaven' was pretty dire, as were the ones that followed. Mr Campbell mentions 'Shakedown Street' - for me it had its moments but didn't live up to the promise of having Lowell George at the helm (who took an instant dislike to the tinkerings of Mickey Hart) and a sleeve by Gilbert Shelton of Fabulous Furry Freak Bros fame. Also.....the bottom end had gone......I think the last studio LP that I thought was the business was 'Blues For Allah'.

After your brave honesty here I'll be honest...I think parts of Mars Hotel and Wake of the Flood amount to one decent album. Terrapin Station suite is fun after the pub and a funny roll-up but isn't classic Dead by any means. Agree on Shakedown Street - a lost opportunity, like Go To Heaven. Once Pigpen had gone it all got a bit jazzy for me..never liked Eyes of the World and all that era much. US Blues was about my favourite 73-74 "new tune". Yes, a few bits of Blues For Allah do the business.

I didn't even buy the Keith & Donna album and don't plan to! Keith was a fine pianist on Europe '72 but had Pig on organ to temper his jazzy piano purist ways (he wouldn't even play a Fender Rhodes let alone any organ to vary the sound a bit, hence he got the heave ho) and as for Donna..hmmm. (See also Linda McCartney). Brent Mydland was a far better choice for the Dead but by then there wasn't a great studio LP left in them. Phil Lesh in MOJO recently said that the public didn't realise how little there was left of the band in the last 10 years or so, with Garcia on the wane and not contributing nearly as much fine material for Hunter to lyricise.

But that's the funny thing about being a Deadhead, eh? I still love them to bits, wished I'd seen them and hopefully will if The Dead/Other Ones are talking about doing business again.

But come on Nick, you've now quoted two bits of negative press about Mickey Hart but not come clean as to whether you agree with my opinion that he was OTT window-dressing rather than essential, like a fifth wheel on the wagon...

[Allan Heron]

....but didn't live up to the promise of having Lowell George at the helm....   

From what I've read George had next to nothing to so with Terrapin Station cause he was so out of it.   The album was produced despite of him rather than because of him regardless of what the credits stated.

[Rob W]

I've filled out to completion my collection of Dead "official" CD's over the past six months.   Also picked up the Fillmore 69 set
Lots more to go

Hey, Allan, that loft of yours must be absolutely humungous in size............ if there's such a word as humungous, and if so, if it's spelt correctly.  Is there room for the rest of your family in the house or do you put them up n a hotel.......or in the shed   

   

[Allan Heron]

I've filled out to completion my collection of Dead "official" CD's over the past six months.   Also picked up the Fillmore 69 set
Lots more to go

Hey, Allan, that loft of yours must be absolutely humungous in size............ if there's such a word as humungous, and if so, if it's spelt correctly.  Is there room for the rest of your family in the house or do you put them up n a hotel.......or in the shed   

I've laid down the law - it's either the wife or the Dick's Pick series.  Ain't room for both of 'em 

[Rob the Organ]

(With subtle corrective edit to Allan's post  

....but didn't live up to the promise of having Lowell George at the helm....   

From what I've read George had next to nothing to so with Shakedown Street cause he was so out of it.   The album was produced despite of him rather than because of him regardless of what the credits stated.

Whatever the reasons, the logic of having nothing to do with Shakedown Street is impeccable. (Sorry Campbell!)

[Rob the Organ]

As a casual listener to The 'Dead I would like to say that Axomoxoa , Anthem for the Sun,WMD & American Beauty were all albums that I once possed and would actually love to revisit again . I wonder if, after the passing of (sadly many) years and listening in a  clear brained state, I would still find them appealing. What do you lads think?

I wonder if, after the passing of (sadly many) years and listening in a  clear brained state, I would still find them appealing. What do you lads think?

I would say the latter pair would still qualify under your new conditions, Bill! Rob?

Well, that's a hard one (cue Frankie Howerd looking at the audience and saying "Please yourselves").

I LOVE the early GD output: the debut is unfairly maligned by some but I love it (opener "The Golden Road..." is a desert island track), Anthem of the Sun* is a twisted masterpiece and Aoxomoxoa is both weird beyond all reckoning but showing a little maturity and in stuff like Rosemary, Doin' That Rag and Dupree's Diamond Blues gives a flavour of the two '70 platters. But it could all easily seem a little dated and confused after a few years away from them. Nick is probably right with Workingmans and Beauty as the safest gambits to return to. I'd dig Live Dead, out though...

*1968 is a far more interesting year than 1967, Frisco wise: you got Anthem of the Sun from GD, "After Bathing at Baxters" from JA. Both are off the richter scale in terms of trippiness, both also after fairly "cosy" debut sets. Add to that our beloved QMS debut and Steve Miller's "Sailor" and you get a far more rewarding year than the so-called Summer of Love.

[Nick Nation]

But come on Nick, you've now quoted two bits of negative press about Mickey Hart but not come clean as to whether you agree with my opinion that he was OTT window-dressing rather than essential, like a fifth wheel on the wagon...

I realise MH is a self-described 'World Drummer' but by the time he rejoined GD they weren't really creating material that suited his undoubted talents. As for his 'hypnotic understanding' with Bill K than I suggest he changes hypnotist and listen to the Allmans Fillmore East. There is nothing very 'Worldly' about two drummers playing 4/4 to a Brent Mydland song. I also think Bill K played with more fire when MH wasn't there (no I don't mean Michael Heatley) and demonstrated more jazzy fills that he might not have done had MH been there paradiddling all over it.

Donna was brought in to replace Phil Lesh's vocals who by that time had knackered his throat singing high lines.

In both cases, they needn't have bothered.

But I could be wrong.

Meanwhile.....I reckon Kingfish's first two LPs are worthy of inclusion.....

[Michael Heatley]

I was beginning to worry there....I may be a sorry excuse for a musican, but a drummer? 

[mikes]

 

Strangely enough despite my favour of Aoxamoxoa, American Beauty and Workingman's (and my lack of interest in later GD records) I absolutely LOVE touch of grey - the best song they've ever done.

@ Nick: We mikes use royal plural, you see ... 

[Nick Nation]

Nick: We mikes use royal plural, you see ... 

Aha! You are an entity! Greetings to your individual components as well as your overall identity!

I absolutely LOVE touch of grey - the best song they've ever done.

Have to admit this was a groovy little ditty - and I'm not just saying that because there's so many of you. What spoilt it for me was the use of a flippin' Linn Drum used to reinforce the beat in an obvious way. Yep, on top of two drummers.

Hopefully this would have upset the self-appointed World Drummer, so all might not be lost. However....I'm sure that this electronic blasphemy was added at the production stage to make what was obviously a potential hit single easier for the straights to accept.

Hey! I'm really in no mood to take prisoners today! Could be fun!





 

[Rob the Organ]

But come on Nick, you've now quoted two bits of negative press about Mickey Hart but not come clean as to whether you agree with my opinion that he was OTT window-dressing rather than essential, like a fifth wheel on the wagon...

I realise MH is a self-described 'World Drummer' but by the time he rejoined GD they weren't really creating material that suited his undoubted talents. As for his 'hypnotic understanding' with Bill K than I suggest he changes hypnotist and listen to the Allmans Fillmore East. There is nothing very 'Worldly' about two drummers playing 4/4 to a Brent Mydland song. I also think Bill K played with more fire when MH wasn't there (no I don't mean Michael Heatley) and demonstrated more jazzy fills that he might not have done had MH been there paradiddling all over it.

Donna was brought in to replace Phil Lesh's vocals who by that time had knackered his throat singing high lines.

In both cases, they needn't have bothered.

But I could be wrong.

Meanwhile.....I reckon Kingfish's first two LPs are worthy of inclusion.....

No you're not wrong. Donna should have stayed backstage rolling joints for half-time.

That's it exactly it with Mickey Hart - a solution looking for a problem that wasn't there, and creating the problem that Bill "The Drummer" K (a fine sticksman IMHO) deferred to him way too much when he was in. Allmans did use the format better, as you say, but still I'd go further than that though - did the Allmans need two drummers? Does anybody?

Yeah, Kingfish was good, along with the Garcia-influenced early New Riders stuff. RatDog looks to be a good band, too.