jack Casady speak? no expectations there as it was the same for phil lesh and many others playing that instrument from the low register.
Burgers agreed as the best lp with phosphorescent rat being second, mainly as the Jorma K loved up lp ('living just for you' with steel drums), thereafter...
At around the same time of the hot Tuna Roundhouse gig in september 76 John Curd (?) was promoting a QMS gig at the same venue which never happened ; anybody know more about why it did not happen?
there was a poster exhibition, griffin, mouse and co, at the same time, summer of 76, and i remember seeing a poster for the QMS gig.
J
QMS: No, but I dread to think what passed for QMS by 1976. Even the Solid Silver album is awful, and I don't think JC hung around much longer than the recording of it. We know Deke's opinion of post Happy Trails QMS and IMO by and large he has it right. Was talking to Allan Heron on this very matter recently and we found that of all the Dino era LPs, the last one of the original run - "Comin' Thru" - was about the best. Chuck Steaks was on board playing Hammond by this time and he did at least seemingly provide a sparring partner for Duncan. "South California Correctional Facility Blues" is recorded live, and this is the best track but even the others aren't QUITE as bad as anything on Just For Love or What About Me. Although Allan (who will no doubt chip in, afeared I am talking about him in vain) made the observation of "yeah, not too bad but not QMS as we love it" and he's not wrong - but it IS nice to hear the instrumentalists more to the fore again.
Silent bassists: I've always found Lesh to be one of the most voluble of the Dead? I have to say having a Fender Precision around my neck has never stopped my trap functioning 
Can't leave this as it is because a bit of delving reveals that Wiki says that "Comin' Thru" is generally regarded as their weakest effort, and I have just spoken up for it!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin%27_ThruI think it depends what you want from QMS. If you regard a shift towards fairly derivative bog-standard turn of the decade jam band tactics as a step backwards from Valenti's polished, troubadour-like posturings on the 1970-71 LPs, then I can see how you'd agree with Wiki because it IS a lazier effort, and DOES have all the hallmarks of a contractual obligation fulfiller; however if you are prepared to take far less crafted material in return for more of Duncan's guitar and some perfectly presentable bluesy Hammond as a post-Cipollina foil for Duncan, and generally find more grit to the actual sound of the band again - even if a little sub-Santana, especially on the opening track (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzCnwXGO8TY- then I think you'll find moments of Comin' Thru generally DO appeal more than Just For Love, What About Me and Quicksilver (not to be confused with the seminal debut; this is a one word album title).
The 1972 Rolling Stone is none too kind, but despite the opening paragraphs being spot on, the fact that he says that the fine guitars of QMS never made it to vinyl - making a point of discounting Happy Trails for an unspecified reason, and never even mentioning the debut - reveal him to be a pig ignorant twat.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/comin-thru-19720608As I said below, I think the rawness of this track in particular has far more to commend it than most of the previous two years:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdBM7Ykw8EcAnywhere - here's the friggin' lot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qOehBuujoE
08/12/2023 -
Supported by The Trembling Knees, Man at The Bunkhouse in Swansea.
02/02/2024 -
Man at Backstage at The Green Hotel in Kinross.
15/02/2024 -
Man at The Half Moon, Putney in London.
