FINALLY we hit some Grateful Dead, wasn’t the most into this though we’ve always heard people say they are most known for live performances and not the studio cuts..what are your guys’ thoughts?!
Truckin’! So glad to see you guys hit some of the Dead! “Ripple” & “Sugar Magnolia” are 2 other greats from this album. You could also try “Shakedown Street” if you want to get funky! Excited to see which you pick next! 🙌🔥😁
About time you listen to The Dead. Live is best, but they are like the Allman Bros or Canned Heat live, they get going and don't know when to stop, LOL. Bring a lunch.
Uncle John’s Band. Studio is great. Live takes to another level. Dead fans have strong feelings about which live performances are best. Have fun with this.
After I had watched A&A's review I Immediately went and looked up that video and thought about sending it to them. Then thought, oh well, not everyone gets the Dead and they have 100k voices in their ears and didn't. But what they really need to do is go see Dead and Company when they play Tampa In October. The Dead are more than their music, they're a total experience! Good choice for what they should hear!
The Grateful Dead is the ONLY band that has to be heard live to truly "get" who they are and what their music sounds like. I'll give you fellas two recommendations, one original Dead song, and one cover song (they did a LOT of covers). The Dead original song is called, "Franklin's Tower", and the cover is of The Beatles' song, "Dear Prudence". I love The Beatles' original, but the Dead when jamming live takes the song to a new level. And "Franklin's" (as it's called by Deadheads) is delightfully hypnotic.
The Dead are all about their live improvisational (yet always danceable). shared community experience. They started the jam band scene. The guitar solos are more bluegrass, jazz, country & blues influenced. Not heavy. The crowd is as crunchy as it gets. In other words the 60's hippie vibe remains to this day. Your not going to really get it unless your actually at a show in the crowd.
I disagree. I like the Dead but never really cared for the scene. My uncle, who toured with Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger, was the opposite. He loved the scene but he hated their music.
@@ednicholson7839 Hey Ed. Let me rephrase, might not get it, if not at a live show,lol. Hey who was your uncle?. My old band was out of West Stockbridge, Ma. Arlo's guitarist and founding member of Shenandoah was our mentor and produced our recordings. Check out this track. We were about Alex and Andy's age at the time! Listen to Stockbridge Blues.wma by jgsrhythm100 on #SoundCloud soundcloud.app.goo.gl/4fTuV
@@jgsrhythm100 That's some good blues! All the instruments blend nicely. Well done. My uncle was Gimmer Nicholson. Google his name. There are a couple of cool articles about him. He toured with Arlo and Pete at least once -- either late 60s or early 70s -- or both, but not sure. I think he recorded with Arlo on a few tracks but not sure which because they didn't do a good job with credits back then -- but I need to recheck. I'm pretty sure he didn't play on any of Arlo's well known songs. He played acoustic guitar on Lynyrd Skynyrd's "White Dove", which is one of their rare acoustic tunes. He played with a bunch of people before he grew tired of the music game. He was a very respected guitar player on the Memphis scene -- a scene that had many great musicians back then. Too bad he passed away over 20 years ago -- otherwise I'd have a lot more stories out of him and got to know him a bit better. But read up on him if you're curious. He was a character -- and talented at that.
I was just about to say the same thing. I had bought a little house when I was pretty young, so this was always my role back in the day. Gotta give shelter...even when it was inconvenient.
Those are amazing songs, but I would really love for them to do dive into some more funky stuff. Like Shakedown Street, Estimated Prophet, West LA Fadeaway, and my personal favorite, Althea
Owsley, the famous LSD chemist! It's a story so incredible it's hard to believe it was true. The Dead's sound man was responsible for most of the acid in America for a good stretch.
The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound)[1][2] is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of session musicians later known as "the Wrecking Crew". The intention was to exploit the possibilities of studio recording to create an unusually dense orchestral aesthetic that came across well through radios and jukeboxes of the era. Spector explained in 1964: "I was looking for a sound, a sound so strong that if the material was not the greatest, the sound would carry the record. It was a case of augmenting, augmenting. It all fit together like a jigsaw."[3] The Who used this
All of my THIS. That was my suggestion from the start. Still not hard rock but the vocals ending I Know You Rider are blistering, and that Grateful Dead energy is SO HIGH on that medley that I think Andy and Alex would get it. You're expecting slam and pound, but Dead energy is fizz and sparkle, and you'll absolutely understand from the first drum fill in that China Cat Sunflower :)
@@Whiskey61 That is a good one. There are so many good versions honestly. I just want them to do some stuff from Terrapin or Blues For Allah. Seems to get overlooked with anyone reacting to The Dead.
I disagree. They want a bit of edge, and the Blues for Allah album was a little more tense for them, a bit more edge there. Still not nearly hard rock, but they're not meant to be.
You guys have only touched the surface - the Dead combined so many different types of music into their own sound which spanned bluegrass-country to psychedelic jazz and most everything in between, but nothing ever came out the same twice. Sometimes they were brilliant, sometimes not, but you felt the music making process with each show - so it was never boring. I suggest you sample them from every year !
"Allman Brothers Band plus acid." Their late 60's live stuff is definitely along those lines. Keep in mind that they were doing the long extended jams before the Allman Brothers Band was a thing. The Dead had folk roots, went to a blues/garage rock phase in the early days of the band (65-66), psychedelic in 67-69, then to a country/folk/bluegrass period in 1970 with the two albums they released that year. In 71-72 they developed into a more chooglin' country rock band with the Skull & Roses and Europe 72 albums and their live shows. Then they got into a jazzier sound in 73-74. And that's just like the first ten years of their development as a band.
I think Warren Haynes said the difference between the Allman Brothers and the Dead is that the Allman Brothers make it happen while the Dead lets it happen.
The origin of the Dead's jams was watching the Butterfield Blues Band early extended gigs at Winterland stretching "East-West" material, the hippie bands were playing folk/blues rock tunes until that.
In my opinion the Grateful Dead is a mood. To understand the Grateful Dead it might be a good idea to understand the culture and history behind them. My brother is a dead head and I enjoy listening to them on occasion, when the mood is right. It was and still is a long strange trip.
I agree. The Grateful Dead is not for everyone. You do have to be of a certain mindset. You have to be able to let go of preconceived ideas of what you think a song should be and just flow with them. Really just surrender to the music and flow with them.
@@mrnobody3161 No I’m not. A little too out there for my taste. But I thought about it. Of course when they started I was in grammar school. My parents wouldn’t of allowed it.😁
"American Beauty" is a really good album, but what makes the Dead great is jamming -- they improvise at a truly incredible level for hours, gradually segueing back into songs. No one beats them at that game.
Back in the day, when the Dead came to town it was like a hippy, acid circus coming to town. It was more than the music, it was a complete vibe-like a traveling Burning Man festival. Suddenly, Dead Heads, bootleg copies of concerts, tie-dye shirts, and new varieties of acid were everywhere. The the Dead would leave and things would go back to normal.
The Dead is a combination of blues, rock, country, and folk all mixed up into their own unique style. And live performance is their thing. Check out their double album, Europe '72 to get a real sense of what they like to do onstage.
While I never saw Grateful Dead , I did get to see the Jerry Garcia Band a couple of years before he died. Got to experience the whole parking lot event. Wasn't high on anything other than life and hanging with friends. One of the best moments I've ever experienced at a show.
My first pick would definitely be a Jerry song and not a Bob song to show someone the dead imo. Also showing robert hunters storytelling. I've always like the studio version of eyes of the world off wake of the flood. Its like a taster of what to expect on live versions 3 times as long
Yeah, but to give someone who has never heard them a taste, it's acceptable. We could do better but it works, especially if you haven't heard it several hundred times.
Yep Curt - I’m 62 and still don’t understand the attraction. People saying you need to see them live - if I don’t like the music; why would I want to see them live? If I want folksy stuff, I’ll stick with the Byrds or someone...
Yeah, I’ve always been lukewarm on The Dead. They’re all about easy goin’ good vibes. I imagine if you were on acid at one of their concerts, you’d never have to worry about having a bad trip.
The Dead had a recording section at their concerts. The allowed fans to openly record their shows. You can probably find several copies of varying quality of every show they did. There is an archive that has 15,494 recorded shows
Jerry Garcia once said, “We're like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.” I spent a good part of my youth wandering thru the crazy world of the Grateful Dead. It was a magical time to be 17 and on the road, every show was an adventure. I would suggest a deeper dive into the lyrics by Robert Hunter, who wrote most of their songs. He was a true wordsmith, who could paint pictures in your mind like no other…
Right, they could not have been successful without RH’s great lyrics. I just learned recently (via Wikipedia) that he’s a descendant of Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet/ lyricist. Maybe he inherited some amazing DNA that gave him the gift of writing.
@cwilts1988 - when I read your comment about hippie lettuce, I just fell out! That just cracked me up. Never heard that term before. Thanks for the giggles and if it's ok, can I use it in conversation? I'll give you credit for it. Take care 😷
To rectify you need to hit a 20 minute live jam. Someone below put Sugar/Scarlet/Fire and that's a great choice. There are some classic version from classic live shows. Check Cornell '77 Scarlet/Fire as an option. Warning: It is 26 mins long.
The next one has to be Ripple - check the box on this one, it's a staple. Then delve into the vast, immense library of Grateful Dead tunage... then, and only then will you become Dead Head worthy
The Grateful Dead are one of my favorite bands! I hope you listen to more of their music. Live recordings are best. I would try a live version of “Bertha” or “Sugar Magnolia “ next
I would never try to turn someone onto the Dead with this song, not the studio version at least. I'd suggest any live version of "Help on the Way/Slipknot/Franklin's Tower" as a great representation of their music.
Was never really into the Dead, but I did see them two times in the mid 90's. The scene in the parking lot before the show was better than the actual concert. One show in Oakland, there was this panel truck parked in front of us and they had pizza ovens in it..Dude was taking orders and delivering pizza. One guy had a duffel bag full of Samuel Smith's beers.. yelling out "Sammy, get your Sammy here!" People walking around with brownies saying "Two bites to paradise"... The whole Dead culture was very interesting.
I've not been a huge fan of the Dead- but their fans LOVE them. It was almost more of a lifestyle and a current cultural thing for the 60s-70s and die hards beyond that. As in - you really did have to be there.
Total icons of our generation. Back in the day I never met anyone in our age group, at the very least, who didn’t love these guys or hadn’t seen them at least once live.
In the 90’s, they always played RFK Stadium at the end of June, shortly after we had been let out of school for the summer. Even at a place that big, we always ran into dozens of folks from our small high school in Virginia. I start getting all nostalgic this time of year, remembering those days of dancing and feeling so free.
I hated Dead when I was young. When I got to college, half the school was Deadheads. They couldn't relate to my music (prog & punk), I couldn't relate to the Dead. Then after I graduated and my tastes widened, I went back and revisited them. I even got to see them live with Jerry. Now, I love them and listen to them probably as more than any other group. A long strange trip....
This is their radio friendly hit, but they have such an arc of musical innovation, but this was in their more country blues style. Try the album side length TERRAPIN STATION or my personal favorite Dead song UNBROKEN CHAIN. Both studio versions.
"Unbroken Chain" is amazing. I haven't listened to it for a while, but after buying Mars Hotel specifically for "Scarlet Begonias", "Unbroken Chain" quickly became its peer.
I always think of The Dead, The Band, Little Feat all have that same “organic” sound. Like no effects or gimmicks. Not a big Dead fan but appreciate them
The Dead are not in my regular rotation, but I don’t mind them at all. Little Feat, on the other hand ... ‘Waiting for Columbus’ is one of my all-time favorites. One of those bands whose live show outshines their studio work by a wide margin.
God, this music IMMEDIATELY takes me back to the first semester of my freshman year in college, far away from home and alone for the first time in my life. Amazing. Fun. Scary. Exciting. Lonely. This is why I love music.
Jingly jangly ragtime rock that can be light as a feather and bring down thunder. A ripping Other One brings the snarl and Brokedown Palace is a sweet lullaby. Enjoy!
Dude you just took my wordy convoluted comment and distilled it down to its most pure essence. Bravo brother I certainly didn't say it better myself. You actually made me tear up a bit. This maybe the best description of Grateful Dead music Ive ever read. David Gans would approve.
Hahaha, they weren't my first but I didn't know much about them when I was 16 in '85. I was into heavy metal at the time. It was my first LSD experience and a group of my friends were going and one had to back out so I bought his ticket not knowing what I was getting into. Changed my life completely. You were lucky in '74. That was a great time in the band.
Saw them in Hartford that summer and was struck by the mellow/ friendly vibe of the crowd. I lost my buddy but it didn't matter because everyone were so nice and approachable. It seemed like hippie-love was alive and well. "Strangers stopping strangers, just to shake their hand"
The Grateful Dead are more than a band. They are a phenomenon. What other band had tens of thousands of people who followed them around to every single show? I was lucky to go on a short week long Dead show tour in the summer of 1991. It was this huge traveling caravan of hippies having a blast and living together as a community. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. I had a blast the whole time! If you do more Dead, do live versions.
You hit the Dead today and Elvis Costello Monday, both for the first time. I'm glad to see it, because they are 2 artists that anyone that really wants to know the music of the '70s should be familiar with.
The Dead were/are so damn VERSATILE that they can't be judged on the basis of one song. They did do some harder stuff like "One More Saturday Night" and, when Pigpen was alive, "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl".
That’s the key word - they had over 600 songs in their arsenal , so I disagree with some commenters that say every song sounds the same. They sometimes achieved a level of free form jamming that I would call musical genius.
Great that you're getting to them. And I had the same experience as Alex many years ago. Loved the honesty. You truly have a lifetime's journey ahead and many a surprise around the next corner.
Two live songs that would be good are China Cat Sunflower/I know You Rider and Not Fade Away/Going Down the Road. Actually it’s four songs, as each track has two songs. It’s tough to know where to start with these guys.
Much to learn on the Dead. Appreciatuon of The Dead is often eased into. I recall a dead head buddy in college when I was not into them yet and I was actually questing all the hype around the Dead, once tell me, "someday, you'll get it." And I eventually really did. There's a lot of material. I'm still discovering new amazing stuff decades later whether it's a nice bootleg show or a video. No, I can't listen to them all the time, but I also can't listen to rock or jazz all the time. And when I am in that mood for the The Dead, boy what a treat they are to listen to. Jerry Garcia in my eyes/ears, like Dylan, was the superstar hero version of a folk artist. The Dead are referred to as psychedelic band but you'll find much more than that one you get more acquainted.
You chose the most commercial song meant to be played on the radio for your first song so I’m not surprised that you have the critiques that you do. You have a lot more grateful dead listening to do. Your mind will be blown.
Best damned live band I ever saw. Floyd, Led Zep, Allman Bros., Skynyrd and other great concert bands did great concerts, but GD was an absolute trip. These guys perfected the Haight Ashbury sound. And they encouraged people to bootleg their music. Try Sugar Magnolia, Uncle John's Band, Ripple, Playing In the Band, Touch of Grey....
Congratulations on finally hitting the Grateful Dead rabbit hole! It's especially deep, not just because they have a lot of albums - but, from thousands of live shows!
The Dead are a band you either seem to love or just don't listen to much. I'm in the latter group though I appreciate their unique sound and have several of their albums that I listen to occasionally. What I appreciate about them is that they took live show sonics seriously and were one of, if not the first band to really do a killer live show sound system. Their "wall of sound" set-up in the early '70s consisted of 50-100 amps powering up to 600 speakers. Large venue live shows suddenly had great sound.
I concur with those who remain unmoved by the Dead. I don't dislike them or anything, just, you know, life is short and I ain't got time for soporific music! Interested to see the reaction though. Peace, fellas.
A dissenting opinion: The Dead were a good band, but to my ears, everything they did sounded the same. I grew up in those days (I'm 68, do the math), and all my friends loved them. But like most 70's band's,to my ears everything they did sounded the same. One basic sound over and over.There were some things they did that I liked (Uncle John's Band, e.g.), but I never understood what the attraction was. I know the live shows were different, but if one has to be on drugs to appreciate them, how good are they, really? Like thinking a comedian is good based on how much they swear. A good band, The Dead, but they never grew.
@@waynemarvin5661 It's interesting how we have different perceptions. In my opinion the Dead is one of the most diverse bands to ever play. Blues, jazz, rock, psychedelic, and country were all genres they dipped their toes in. Add in Jerry Garcia side bands and you can add gospel and bluegrass. Btw, you don't need drugs to enjoy them. But some drugs are just fun.
Alex's reaction to The Grateful Dead was exactly my reaction back in college. My roommate was a Dead Head and had all kinds of bootleg tapes and I had never heard anything before, and I had this preconceived notion of what they were, and they weren't at all what I was expecting.
They don't have a lot of live videos, especially when they were at their peak, so I would suggest checking out China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider from Europe '72. They jam from one song into the other so they must be listened to together.
Yes...Grateful Dead, finally. My favorite band, I don't care what other people think. Jerry Garcia once said "Grateful Dead is like licorice, not everyone like licorice, but people who do like licorice really, really like licorice." And yes, you should react to their live versions because that's where they are at their best.
I saw the Grateful Dead on a golf course for a 3 day concert. Total culture shock! I had never seen whole families at concerts before. Toddlers, teens, parents, aunts, uncles, grandma and grandpa! Crazy! Lots of neon paint, bubbles, and major party people. It was amazing! I’ve never seen Fish, but I’ve heard they are a similar experience.
Studio stuff from The Dead: Sugar Magnolia, Estimated Prophet, St. Stephen, Casey Jones, Uncle John's Band... are some "popular" ones... So many great deep cuts though... and definitely live... You should do 5/8/77 Live at Barton Hall (Cornell University)
As a casual observer, I'd go with Uncle John's Band and Casey Jones next. Never was into the "Dead Head" culture, as they were a little before my time and not really my thing. BUT. I love their sound and their musicianship. I always enjoy hearing a Grateful Dead song anytime it's played. They are definitely known as a jam band and a live act. And I knew a girl in the late 80's who was a devoted Dead Head and she was all in, following their tour from town to town. Their fans are among the most committed in all of music. They embodied the flower child counter culture of the late 60's and early 70's. And I think later jam bands like Phish must have taken some inspiration from the Dead. Interesting to see your honest and sort of surprised initial reaction to them. This is another band that represents a huge rabbit hole with a long list of hits through the years. So, I hope you guys will listen to many more of their songs in the weeks and months to come, including some deep cuts. I think they will grow to become one of your favorite bands over time.
Might I suggest lots of material from the 77 spring tour. Cornell University, Tuscaloosa, Boston, Buffalo, Hartford are all great places to start. Plenty available on YT. Glad to have you on The Bus!!
A friend of my mom's was a friend of the dead. Her and her husband used to tour with them in the 80s and early 90s. It was cool to see videos of the band playing while their kids were dancing on stage. Unrelated but they owned a restaurant and they were incredible chefs. In high school I washed dishes for free just so I could hang out with them.
You can't judge any band by one song!!! Their sound mixes every type of music including Country jams to ACID rock (which they were at the forefront of creating). Glad you liked it and don't worry You will get plenty of JAM (they invented it) in the future!!! You must remember that they allowed the audience to tape EVERYTHING they ever did (not filtered like every other band on the planet), so if you hear a mistake or what you may think is a mistake, be forgiving, ALSO important to note is that they never went on stage with a set list, so sometimes what you may perceive as a mistake may just be the band figuring out what their playing next. Their brilliance is well worth any and every mistake that ever happened!!! 36,086 songs, 2317 Concerts, 298 Cities, 30 years, 11 members, Millions of fans from around the word, ONE Band, The Grateful Dead!!!👍👌✌😎
I waited on the grateful dead in their hotel room, they were so nice. They asked if there was anyone roaming the halls looking for them "tell them where we are and come on up they said." Some of us working sent up a few surprised and thrilled dead heads. June 20 & 21 1983
Greatful Dead is Folkrock much like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young which was a staple sound of the the hippy movement. Progressive rock, acid rock and hard rock were fringe elements that also made up the drugs, free love and modern music cultures.
Yea man, seeing the Dead’s imagery and hearing friends singing their lyrics I always thought that they were a metal band. Took me a bit to adjust and start to appreciate them after continued listening.
Probably 99% of Dead fans would agree that Ripple would be their next one to hear. It has a very spiritual vibe. Sugar Magnolia is great and I love Box of Rain.
Never was a big Grateful Dead fan, my girlfriend at the time (1969) loved them. She was really into weed, I’m the 10% weed doesn’t do anything for me. Took her to a Greatful Dead concert for her birthday we’re still friends to this day and she still says it was the best birthday present she ever got. Me the common joke of the day about the Grateful Dead was, Two guys go to a Grateful Dead concert halfway thru they both run out of drugs, a few song’s later one guy turns to another and says “this music sucks!”. Their is a reason why their fans are called Dead Heads, you really have to be mellow to listened to their melodic riffs and live..... those riffs go on for ever and over and over and over never seeming to end. Alcohol which is my mello drink( just like you guys) for just chilling and enjoying music concerts really didn’t work. This old Metal/head who really enjoys great music I understand why their are Grateful Dead fans and to each his own but your reaction was exactly the same as any sober person who has a open mind and listened to the Grateful Dead for the first time disappointed, dazed & confused! Stay Safe Rock On!🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
I was never able to get into the Grateful Dead when listening to some of their more popular albums, like Live/Dead, Skull & Roses, American Beauty; they didn't click for me until I picked up the "From the Vault" series, which were concert recordings from '68, '71, and '75, and that's what made the Dead for me, I thought those albums were terrific.
It may be my favorite Grateful Dead studio album. My little brother turned me onto the Dead 35 years ago via his extensive collection of low-gen tapes (yes, concert recording and tape trading was ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED by the band), and it's not the same experience at all. Of course, there are also good and bad concerts, and in my mind the 70's version of the Dead is by far the best compared to the 80's or later incarnations, but things like China->Rider and She's Gone and so any other songs that wander off into minutes-long jamfests are the ones I can listen to again and again. And we bid you goodnight...
I'm 66 years old. I was in 10th grade when this came out, and my personal opinion is, GD wasn't bad, but there was just too much other music that I thought was A LOT better. I have several of their albums in my collection, but I also have a the band Pilot, because they had a couple songs I liked too. The Grateful Dead just never excited me a lot. Maybe I needed to smoke more than cigarettes back then?? LOL
I'm 66, too. I was in 11th grade in November 1970. I agree that there was a lot of other music I liked more at the time. But a little later, I got into the band, partially because their music was a nice change of pace from the hard rock I preferred, more a mix of jug band, country and folk with straight ahead rock. I saw them live a half-dozen times over the years. If "American Beauty" didn't do it for you, you'll never get the Dead vibe.
I'm about your age, and I don't think it would have mattered what I smoked back then. Still wouldn't have gotten into GD. Wholeheartedly agree about there being much better music to listen to.
I listened to this today on my lunch. It was perfect!!! It's humorous first, folky/rocky...next... And well, "a trip" . Haha!! I need to delve into more Gr'Dead.. w/ a side dish of "Cherry Garcia" icecream.
Don't feel bad btw, i had the same misconception about the band prior to hearing them. I expected something heavier, but they are really a combination of country, folk, lighter rock, maybe even jazz. Not really my thing, but i enjoy some of their tunes, like Friend of the Devil, Hell in a Bucket, as two examples.
When I was very young and before I actually heard the Dead, I had the same idea that they'd be a hard rock band. They are more a trippy, hippy jam band. Probably the first ever jam band.
Definitely so under-rated. There's a reason Eric Clapton and George Harrison wanted to be in their band of friends and appeared with them in concert. Bonnie Bramlett had one of the most incredible voices in rock. They showed so much better in concert than on wax, though. There's lots of live clips of them on youtube, and these are amazing. Hope people check them out! They were one of the best bands going in 1969-70.
One of the best rhythm sections in rock history, too. Parts of their rhythm section formed the core of Derek and the Dominos, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass studio band and Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen band. Three landmark early 70's albums and that was their rhythm section.
@@normanleroy1874 so true.. It pains me how much they have been neglected.. Check out Bobby Whitlock s awesome youtube channel to learn more about them
I gotta say, I think their studio albums are quite good. Maybe you have to be in a certain mindset for them. It is a COMPLETELY different experience than seeing/hearing them live though. So I can understand if people saw them live back in the day and hadn't listened to them before, and become a fan of the band, then you get the albums and it's just completely different than seeing them live. But I never got to see them live. I'm just a 30 year old music nerd. So I can enjoy the albums because I know it's a completely different side of the band. But most of the time I definitely prefer listening to the live recordings. The best stuff they ever did IMO is live on tape, but not on video.
Can I just say that one of the BEST things about this station is that you NEVER stop the song in the middle to tell us stuff to prove how much you know? So I can revel in the music of my formative years and THEN hear all the production analysis, etc. that I don't know s*!# about.
FINALLY we hit some Grateful Dead, wasn’t the most into this though we’ve always heard people say they are most known for live performances and not the studio cuts..what are your guys’ thoughts?!
Truckin’! So glad to see you guys hit some of the Dead! “Ripple” & “Sugar Magnolia” are 2 other greats from this album. You could also try “Shakedown Street” if you want to get funky! Excited to see which you pick next! 🙌🔥😁
Great music for cruising out in the country and smoking with friends. You had to be there! Peace!
About time you listen to The Dead. Live is best, but they are like the Allman Bros or Canned Heat live, they get going and don't know when to stop, LOL. Bring a lunch.
Scarlet Begonias or Bertha
Uncle John’s Band. Studio is great. Live takes to another level. Dead fans have strong feelings about which live performances are best. Have fun with this.
A LIVE JAM from the DEAD: "Sugar Magnolia / Scarlet Begonias / Fire On the Mountain" AND after that "Terrapin Station"
Yes and yes
After I had watched A&A's review I Immediately went and looked up that video and thought about sending it to them. Then thought, oh well, not everyone gets the Dead and they have 100k voices in their ears and didn't. But what they really need to do is go see Dead and Company when they play Tampa In October. The Dead are more than their music, they're a total experience! Good choice for what they should hear!
Yes!!!
Sugar/Scarlet/Fire
The Grateful Dead is the ONLY band that has to be heard live to truly "get" who they are and what their music sounds like. I'll give you fellas two recommendations, one original Dead song, and one cover song (they did a LOT of covers). The Dead original song is called, "Franklin's Tower", and the cover is of The Beatles' song, "Dear Prudence". I love The Beatles' original, but the Dead when jamming live takes the song to a new level. And "Franklin's" (as it's called by Deadheads) is delightfully hypnotic.
Casey Jones, Sugar Magnolia, Uncle John's Band, Friend of the Devil, Terrapin Station, so many great songs.
Uncle John’s Band 😎 such a great song!
The Dead are all about their live improvisational (yet always danceable). shared community experience. They started the jam band scene. The guitar solos are more bluegrass, jazz, country & blues influenced. Not heavy.
The crowd is as crunchy as it gets. In other words the 60's hippie vibe remains to this day. Your not going to really get it unless your actually at a show in the crowd.
I disagree. I like the Dead but never really cared for the scene. My uncle, who toured with Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger, was the opposite. He loved the scene but he hated their music.
@@ednicholson7839 Hey Ed. Let me rephrase, might not get it, if not at a live show,lol. Hey who was your uncle?. My old band was out of West Stockbridge, Ma. Arlo's guitarist and founding member of Shenandoah was our mentor and produced our recordings.
Check out this track. We were about Alex and Andy's age at the time! Listen to Stockbridge Blues.wma by jgsrhythm100 on #SoundCloud
soundcloud.app.goo.gl/4fTuV
The experience of oneness, vibing as one under magical control of Jerry..sweet jesus.
@@jgsrhythm100 That's some good blues! All the instruments blend nicely. Well done. My uncle was Gimmer Nicholson. Google his name. There are a couple of cool articles about him. He toured with Arlo and Pete at least once -- either late 60s or early 70s -- or both, but not sure. I think he recorded with Arlo on a few tracks but not sure which because they didn't do a good job with credits back then -- but I need to recheck. I'm pretty sure he didn't play on any of Arlo's well known songs. He played acoustic guitar on Lynyrd Skynyrd's "White Dove", which is one of their rare acoustic tunes. He played with a bunch of people before he grew tired of the music game. He was a very respected guitar player on the Memphis scene -- a scene that had many great musicians back then. Too bad he passed away over 20 years ago -- otherwise I'd have a lot more stories out of him and got to know him a bit better. But read up on him if you're curious. He was a character -- and talented at that.
"If you got a warrant, I guess you're gonna come in.." I've always loved that line!
And it's based on actual events. Hunter was a freakin' brilliant lyricist.
Peace✌
Yeah, disappointed they didn't do the lyrics which are a big part of what makes the song work.
I was just about to say the same thing. I had bought a little house when I was pretty young, so this was always my role back in the day. Gotta give shelter...even when it was inconvenient.
And the tagline to a generation: what a long, strange trip it's been.
Nope so so
You need to hear "Ripple" and "Uncle John's Band."
"Box of Rain" too.
Two of my favorites!
"Ripple" is one of the greatest songs of the rock era.
Those are amazing songs, but I would really love for them to do dive into some more funky stuff. Like Shakedown Street, Estimated Prophet, West LA Fadeaway, and my personal favorite, Althea
"They aren't the best at what they do, they are the only ones that do what they do." Legendary rock promoter Bill Graham
Bill G wasn’t wrong….
You anticipated the Dead….you fucked up, you trusted yourself
The Steely Dan song "Kid Charlemagne" is written about the Deads sound engineer who created the wall of sound for there touring
Owsley, the famous LSD chemist! It's a story so incredible it's hard to believe it was true. The Dead's sound man was responsible for most of the acid in America for a good stretch.
Owsley Stanley III. R.I.P.
Also the guy who basically curated LSD for the entire Bay Area for a decade: Owlsley Stanley, aka "Bear." He literally made acid.
The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound)[1][2] is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of session musicians later known as "the Wrecking Crew". The intention was to exploit the possibilities of studio recording to create an unusually dense orchestral aesthetic that came across well through radios and jukeboxes of the era. Spector explained in 1964: "I was looking for a sound, a sound so strong that if the material was not the greatest, the sound would carry the record. It was a case of augmenting, augmenting. It all fit together like a jigsaw."[3]
The Who used this
That wall of speakers was absolutely astounding, but guaranteed a money-losing tour
If you want to get into their live stuff start with the live medley of China Cat Sunflower and I Know You Rider off of the Europe 72 album.
I was gonna suggest the exact same.
All of my THIS. That was my suggestion from the start. Still not hard rock but the vocals ending I Know You Rider are blistering, and that Grateful Dead energy is SO HIGH on that medley that I think Andy and Alex would get it. You're expecting slam and pound, but Dead energy is fizz and sparkle, and you'll absolutely understand from the first drum fill in that China Cat Sunflower :)
Yes. This!
A friend of mine had that line written into his own obituary...’what a long, strange trip it’s been’.
OR: "Listen to river sing sweet songs, to rock my soul."
That’s cool.
You don't have a whole generation saying What A Long Strange Trip It's Been for no reason. Iconic song from an iconic album.
Must do "Help On The Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower" Totally different vibe from Truckin'. Live would be the best way to listen.
@@Whiskey61 That is a good one. There are so many good versions honestly. I just want them to do some stuff from Terrapin or Blues For Allah. Seems to get overlooked with anyone reacting to The Dead.
I disagree. They want a bit of edge, and the Blues for Allah album was a little more tense for them, a bit more edge there. Still not nearly hard rock, but they're not meant to be.
You guys have only touched the surface - the Dead combined so many different types of music into their own sound which spanned bluegrass-country to psychedelic jazz and most everything in between, but nothing ever came out the same twice. Sometimes they were brilliant, sometimes not, but you felt the music making process with each show - so it was never boring. I suggest you sample them from every year !
"Allman Brothers Band plus acid." Their late 60's live stuff is definitely along those lines. Keep in mind that they were doing the long extended jams before the Allman Brothers Band was a thing. The Dead had folk roots, went to a blues/garage rock phase in the early days of the band (65-66), psychedelic in 67-69, then to a country/folk/bluegrass period in 1970 with the two albums they released that year. In 71-72 they developed into a more chooglin' country rock band with the Skull & Roses and Europe 72 albums and their live shows. Then they got into a jazzier sound in 73-74. And that's just like the first ten years of their development as a band.
I think Warren Haynes said the difference between the Allman Brothers and the Dead is that the Allman Brothers make it happen while the Dead lets it happen.
Not acid; weed.
I have a couple of old tracks from the Warlocks from my little brother. Good stuff.
The origin of the Dead's jams was watching the Butterfield Blues Band early extended gigs at Winterland stretching "East-West" material, the hippie bands were playing folk/blues rock tunes until that.
@@jefffinn1105 Good call.
In my opinion the Grateful Dead is a mood. To understand the Grateful Dead it might be a good idea to understand the culture and history behind them. My brother is a dead head and I enjoy listening to them on occasion, when the mood is right. It was and still is a long strange trip.
I agree. The Grateful Dead is not for everyone. You do have to be of a certain mindset. You have to be able to let go of preconceived ideas of what you think a song should be and just flow with them. Really just surrender to the music and flow with them.
Are you on the Bus Further, or off the Bus. - the Merry Pranksters. 😉✌
@@mrnobody3161 No I’m not. A little too out there for my taste. But I thought about it. Of course when they started I was in grammar school. My parents wouldn’t of allowed it.😁
"American Beauty" is a really good album, but what makes the Dead great is jamming -- they improvise at a truly incredible level for hours, gradually segueing back into songs. No one beats them at that game.
I think what makes the dead might be hard to capture here. If they play their most radio friendly stuff, they aren't gettin that gradual segue stuff.
Back in the day, when the Dead came to town it was like a hippy, acid circus coming to town. It was more than the music, it was a complete vibe-like a traveling Burning Man festival. Suddenly, Dead Heads, bootleg copies of concerts, tie-dye shirts, and new varieties of acid were everywhere. The the Dead would leave and things would go back to normal.
The Dead is a combination of blues, rock, country, and folk all mixed up into their own unique style. And live performance is their thing. Check out their double album, Europe '72 to get a real sense of what they like to do onstage.
I agree.
💯
Psychedelic bluegrass
Or watch "Truckin' Up To Buffalo "
And jazz, and fusion.
They are truly an amalgam of everything.
This is a live band. They were about the experience. They were followed. People followed them around the country.
Drug fests
@@gregpusczek4473 And how do you know this?!
While I never saw Grateful Dead , I did get to see the Jerry Garcia Band a couple of years before he died. Got to experience the whole parking lot event. Wasn't high on anything other than life and hanging with friends. One of the best moments I've ever experienced at a show.
"Older, scruffier guy with a raspy voice." That would be late 80's-90's Dead. They were all young men in 1970.
A good introduction to the Grateful Dead would be listening to their Europe 72 album and the Skull and Roses album (1971)
I’m a big fan, saw them around 25 times in concert, studio Truckin’ is close to the last song I would put on.
What would be your first picks ?
@@paulsiebeneicher4536 If i had to pick a studio cut close to their live sound id say Playin in the band from Ace.
My first pick would definitely be a Jerry song and not a Bob song to show someone the dead imo. Also showing robert hunters storytelling. I've always like the studio version of eyes of the world off wake of the flood. Its like a taster of what to expect on live versions 3 times as long
Ha Ha....I agree
Yeah, but to give someone who has never heard them a taste, it's acceptable. We could do better but it works, especially if you haven't heard it several hundred times.
I’m 56 years old, and Alex’s reaction to this song has been my reaction for 40ish years.
Yep Curt - I’m 62 and still don’t understand the attraction. People saying you need to see them live - if I don’t like the music; why would I want to see them live? If I want folksy stuff, I’ll stick with the Byrds or someone...
Yeah, I’ve always been lukewarm on The Dead. They’re all about easy goin’ good vibes. I imagine if you were on acid at one of their concerts, you’d never have to worry about having a bad trip.
My friends and I were into hard rock in the 70s and didn’t get the Dead. Knew lots of people that were though and they were fanatical about them.
@@Rick_Hoppe I think you’re on to something.
Curt, 67 and feel they same! Lukewarm at best.
The Dead had a recording section at their concerts. The allowed fans to openly record their shows. You can probably find several copies of varying quality of every show they did. There is an archive that has 15,494 recorded shows
Is it still a bootleg if a band encourages you to make it?
@@trickygoose2 I’m sure the record company felt it was.
Jerry Garcia once said, “We're like licorice. Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.” I spent a good part of my youth wandering thru the crazy world of the Grateful Dead. It was a magical time to be 17 and on the road, every show was an adventure. I would suggest a deeper dive into the lyrics by Robert Hunter, who wrote most of their songs. He was a true wordsmith, who could paint pictures in your mind like no other…
Right, they could not have been successful without RH’s great lyrics. I just learned recently (via Wikipedia) that he’s a descendant of Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet/ lyricist. Maybe he inherited some amazing DNA that gave him the gift of writing.
A certain segment of your audience is breaking out the hippie lettuce right now
Now you've done it! (as I search through my drawers and cabinets)
I'm rewatching at 4:20
@cwilts1988 - when I read your comment about hippie lettuce, I just fell out! That just cracked me up. Never heard that term before. Thanks for the giggles and if it's ok, can I use it in conversation? I'll give you credit for it. Take care 😷
Ummm Yes. ✋
Way ahead of you.
To rectify you need to hit a 20 minute live jam. Someone below put Sugar/Scarlet/Fire and that's a great choice. There are some classic version from classic live shows. Check Cornell '77 Scarlet/Fire as an option. Warning: It is 26 mins long.
The next one has to be Ripple - check the box on this one, it's a staple. Then delve into the vast, immense library of Grateful Dead tunage... then, and only then will you become Dead Head worthy
Many a high school yearbook had the quote "what a long strange trip it's been" from this song.
The Grateful Dead are one of my favorite bands! I hope you listen to more of their music. Live recordings are best. I would try a live version of “Bertha” or “Sugar Magnolia “ next
I would never try to turn someone onto the Dead with this song, not the studio version at least. I'd suggest any live version of "Help on the Way/Slipknot/Franklin's Tower" as a great representation of their music.
Well wimpy girlie boys always like the lousier versions of stuff
Touch of Grey.
Ripples has long been my favorite GD track. They have an extensive catalogue.
YES! I want it played at my funeral!
Was never really into the Dead, but I did see them two times in the mid 90's. The scene in the parking lot before the show was better than the actual concert.
One show in Oakland, there was this panel truck parked in front of us and they had pizza ovens in it..Dude was taking orders and delivering pizza.
One guy had a duffel bag full of Samuel Smith's beers.. yelling out "Sammy, get your Sammy here!"
People walking around with brownies saying "Two bites to paradise"...
The whole Dead culture was very interesting.
They were expecting Steppenwolf's "Born to be WIld" to follow that same intro.
dang it! Youse guys finally do Grateful Dead, and you choose this studio track? Awwww
I've not been a huge fan of the Dead- but their fans LOVE them. It was almost more of a lifestyle and a current cultural thing for the 60s-70s and die hards beyond that. As in - you really did have to be there.
I knew two people from college who left to go "follow the Dead"... never understood that. They're ok, but I never "got them" like their fans did (do)
Total icons of our generation. Back in the day I never met anyone in our age group, at the very least, who didn’t love these guys or hadn’t seen them at least once live.
In the 90’s, they always played RFK Stadium at the end of June, shortly after we had been let out of school for the summer.
Even at a place that big, we always ran into dozens of folks from our small high school in Virginia.
I start getting all nostalgic this time of year, remembering those days of dancing and feeling so free.
I hated Dead when I was young. When I got to college, half the school was Deadheads. They couldn't relate to my music (prog & punk), I couldn't relate to the Dead. Then after I graduated and my tastes widened, I went back and revisited them. I even got to see them live with Jerry. Now, I love them and listen to them probably as more than any other group. A long strange trip....
Me Too. Did not get into them until College. Then saw them live. Great concert and now I love them.
Friend of the Devil is a beautiful song
This is their radio friendly hit, but they have such an arc of musical innovation, but this was in their more country blues style. Try the album side length TERRAPIN STATION or my personal favorite Dead song UNBROKEN CHAIN. Both studio versions.
"Unbroken Chain" is amazing. I haven't listened to it for a while, but after buying Mars Hotel specifically for "Scarlet Begonias", "Unbroken Chain" quickly became its peer.
Brown Eyed Women from the Europe ‘72 album is my favorite.
Agreed! Love, love, love this tune and this album in particular. Jack Straw's another stand out, imho.
I always think of The Dead, The Band, Little Feat all have that same “organic” sound. Like no effects or gimmicks. Not a big Dead fan but appreciate them
The Dead are not in my regular rotation, but I don’t mind them at all. Little Feat, on the other hand ... ‘Waiting for Columbus’ is one of my all-time favorites. One of those bands whose live show outshines their studio work by a wide margin.
Live released album "one from the vault" Great album. The song "help on the way / slipnot" into Franklins Tower.
Ripple, Candy Man, Morning Dew, Box of Rain. All beautiful songs which showcase the Dead’s songwriting and musicianship.
Wait What ?!? You haven't heard the Dead yet. Here we go! I recommend their song "Box of Rain".
What a Great song. Written by Hunter and Lesh. Sung by Lesh about his dad passing away. Touching.
I wouldn’t pick a song sung by Phil as the next go-to...most of Truckin is sung by Bob, so they need to pick a Jerry song.
God, this music IMMEDIATELY takes me back to the first semester of my freshman year in college, far away from home and alone for the first time in my life. Amazing. Fun. Scary. Exciting. Lonely. This is why I love music.
Jingly jangly ragtime rock that can be light as a feather and bring down thunder. A ripping Other One brings the snarl and Brokedown Palace is a sweet lullaby. Enjoy!
Dude you just took my wordy convoluted comment and distilled it down to its most pure essence. Bravo brother I certainly didn't say it better myself. You actually made me tear up a bit. This maybe the best description of Grateful Dead music Ive ever read. David Gans would approve.
Perfect description.
Attics of my life *flies away*
Grateful Dead was my first concert summer of 1974. A friend had a spare ticket and at the time I had no idea who they were. Lol
Hahaha, they weren't my first but I didn't know much about them when I was 16 in '85. I was into heavy metal at the time. It was my first LSD experience and a group of my friends were going and one had to back out so I bought his ticket not knowing what I was getting into. Changed my life completely. You were lucky in '74. That was a great time in the band.
Saw them in Hartford that summer and was struck by the mellow/ friendly vibe of the crowd. I lost my buddy but it didn't matter because everyone were so nice and approachable. It seemed like hippie-love was alive and well. "Strangers stopping strangers, just to shake their hand"
The Grateful Dead are more than a band. They are a phenomenon. What other band had tens of thousands of people who followed them around to every single show? I was lucky to go on a short week long Dead show tour in the summer of 1991. It was this huge traveling caravan of hippies having a blast and living together as a community. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. I had a blast the whole time! If you do more Dead, do live versions.
Frank Zappa- Muffin man. You guys HAVE to do it, it will blow your minds
He, thought he was a man, but he was a muffin...
I loved their reaction to Zappa! More of that! Oh, and glad they dipped their toes into Grateful Dead...
City Of Tiny Lights!
Definately
@@redarmysoja Ha ha you beat me to that comment.
YES!!!!!! BOUT TIME MY DUDES!
“Europe ‘72” (“I Know You Rider”, “Jack Straw”) is a great live album by the Dead, as is “Live/Dead” (“Dark Star”, “Turn On You Love Light)
Don't forget "Brown Eyed Women", too!
You hit the Dead today and Elvis Costello Monday, both for the first time. I'm glad to see it, because they are 2 artists that anyone that really wants to know the music of the '70s should be familiar with.
The Dead were/are so damn VERSATILE that they can't be judged on the basis of one song. They did do some harder stuff like "One More Saturday Night" and, when Pigpen was alive, "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl".
That’s the key word - they had over 600 songs in their arsenal , so I disagree with some commenters that say every song sounds the same. They sometimes achieved a level of free form jamming that I would call musical genius.
Great that you're getting to them. And I had the same experience as Alex many years ago. Loved the honesty. You truly have a lifetime's journey ahead and many a surprise around the next corner.
tip of the grateful dead iceberg, they have mountains of great music
The Live Dead - Dark Star/St. Stephen/The Eleven/Turn on Your Love Light is tough to beat. Old school!
Two live songs that would be good are China Cat Sunflower/I know You Rider and Not Fade Away/Going Down the Road. Actually it’s four songs, as each track has two songs. It’s tough to know where to start with these guys.
Much to learn on the Dead. Appreciatuon of The Dead is often eased into. I recall a dead head buddy in college when I was not into them yet and I was actually questing all the hype around the Dead, once tell me, "someday, you'll get it." And I eventually really did. There's a lot of material. I'm still discovering new amazing stuff decades later whether it's a nice bootleg show or a video. No, I can't listen to them all the time, but I also can't listen to rock or jazz all the time. And when I am in that mood for the The Dead, boy what a treat they are to listen to. Jerry Garcia in my eyes/ears, like Dylan, was the superstar hero version of a folk artist. The Dead are referred to as psychedelic band but you'll find much more than that one you get more acquainted.
Hell yes, about time boys. Im noy even a grateful dead fan. I just think it is high time you guys checked them out, given their legacy / impact.
You chose the most commercial song meant to be played on the radio for your first song so I’m not surprised that you have the critiques that you do. You have a lot more grateful dead listening to do. Your mind will be blown.
I think that Uncle Jerry called them an "electric jug band."
That's why you listen to them live... the jamming is more or less constant...
Best damned live band I ever saw. Floyd, Led Zep, Allman Bros., Skynyrd and other great concert bands did great concerts, but GD was an absolute trip. These guys perfected the Haight Ashbury sound. And they encouraged people to bootleg their music. Try Sugar Magnolia, Uncle John's Band, Ripple, Playing In the Band, Touch of Grey....
Congratulations on finally hitting the Grateful Dead rabbit hole! It's especially deep, not just because they have a lot of albums - but, from thousands of live shows!
The Dead are a band you either seem to love or just don't listen to much. I'm in the latter group though I appreciate their unique sound and have several of their albums that I listen to occasionally. What I appreciate about them is that they took live show sonics seriously and were one of, if not the first band to really do a killer live show sound system. Their "wall of sound" set-up in the early '70s consisted of 50-100 amps powering up to 600 speakers. Large venue live shows suddenly had great sound.
So you always heard that The Dead are known for live performances and you chose to do a studio track? What are we to think of you?
I concur with those who remain unmoved by the Dead. I don't dislike them or anything, just, you know, life is short and I ain't got time for soporific music! Interested to see the reaction though. Peace, fellas.
A dissenting opinion: The Dead were a good band, but to my ears, everything they did sounded the same. I grew up in those days (I'm 68, do the math), and all my friends loved them. But like most 70's band's,to my ears everything they did sounded the same. One basic sound over and over.There were some things they did that I liked (Uncle John's Band, e.g.), but I never understood what the attraction was. I know the live shows were different, but if one has to be on drugs to appreciate them, how good are they, really? Like thinking a comedian is good based on how much they swear. A good band, The Dead, but they never grew.
Agree, Eric, and thanks for "learning" me a new word, too....✌😉
Agree 100%
@@waynemarvin5661 It's interesting how we have different perceptions. In my opinion the Dead is one of the most diverse bands to ever play. Blues, jazz, rock, psychedelic, and country were all genres they dipped their toes in. Add in Jerry Garcia side bands and you can add gospel and bluegrass.
Btw, you don't need drugs to enjoy them. But some drugs are just fun.
@@ajschroetlin2196 been to many shows sober. enjoyed them all...
Alex's reaction to The Grateful Dead was exactly my reaction back in college. My roommate was a Dead Head and had all kinds of bootleg tapes and I had never heard anything before, and I had this preconceived notion of what they were, and they weren't at all what I was expecting.
GOOOOOOOOOD MORNING A&A FAMILY!!!!!
☮️♥️♾️
Gooooooooooooooooooooood morning 😘
Good Morning! 😊
Morning, John H!
They don't have a lot of live videos, especially when they were at their peak, so I would suggest checking out China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider from Europe '72. They jam from one song into the other so they must be listened to together.
Yes...Grateful Dead, finally. My favorite band, I don't care what other people think. Jerry Garcia once said "Grateful Dead is like licorice, not everyone like licorice, but people who do like licorice really, really like licorice." And yes, you should react to their live versions because that's where they are at their best.
Yeah, the Dead can be an acquired taste. Sometimes it takes awhile for a person to "get it".
Don’t like black licorice.......good for y’all who love these guys. May give them a try again sometime. I do like this song.
I saw the Grateful Dead on a golf course for a 3 day concert. Total culture shock! I had never seen whole families at concerts before. Toddlers, teens, parents, aunts, uncles, grandma and grandpa! Crazy! Lots of neon paint, bubbles, and major party people. It was amazing! I’ve never seen Fish, but I’ve heard they are a similar experience.
Studio stuff from The Dead: Sugar Magnolia, Estimated Prophet, St. Stephen, Casey Jones, Uncle John's Band... are some "popular" ones... So many great deep cuts though... and definitely live... You should do 5/8/77 Live at Barton Hall (Cornell University)
As a casual observer, I'd go with Uncle John's Band and Casey Jones next. Never was into the "Dead Head" culture, as they were a little before my time and not really my thing. BUT. I love their sound and their musicianship. I always enjoy hearing a Grateful Dead song anytime it's played. They are definitely known as a jam band and a live act. And I knew a girl in the late 80's who was a devoted Dead Head and she was all in, following their tour from town to town. Their fans are among the most committed in all of music. They embodied the flower child counter culture of the late 60's and early 70's. And I think later jam bands like Phish must have taken some inspiration from the Dead. Interesting to see your honest and sort of surprised initial reaction to them. This is another band that represents a huge rabbit hole with a long list of hits through the years. So, I hope you guys will listen to many more of their songs in the weeks and months to come, including some deep cuts. I think they will grow to become one of your favorite bands over time.
It's taken me a long time (I'm 38), but I finally dig the Dead. I'm not knowledgeable on them at all, but they have so many good songs.
Might I suggest lots of material from the 77 spring tour. Cornell University, Tuscaloosa, Boston, Buffalo, Hartford are all great places to start. Plenty available on YT. Glad to have you on The Bus!!
I've got 20 yrs on you and still not a fan.
A friend of my mom's was a friend of the dead. Her and her husband used to tour with them in the 80s and early 90s. It was cool to see videos of the band playing while their kids were dancing on stage. Unrelated but they owned a restaurant and they were incredible chefs. In high school I washed dishes for free just so I could hang out with them.
“Shakedown Street” has GOTTA come next
Oh hell yeah.
Disco Dead sucks.
You can't judge any band by one song!!! Their sound mixes every type of music including Country jams to ACID rock (which they were at the forefront of creating). Glad you liked it and don't worry You will get plenty of JAM (they invented it) in the future!!! You must remember that they allowed the audience to tape EVERYTHING they ever did (not filtered like every other band on the planet), so if you hear a mistake or what you may think is a mistake, be forgiving, ALSO important to note is that they never went on stage with a set list, so sometimes what you may perceive as a mistake may just be the band figuring out what their playing next. Their brilliance is well worth any and every mistake that ever happened!!! 36,086 songs, 2317 Concerts, 298 Cities, 30 years, 11 members, Millions of fans from around the word, ONE Band, The Grateful Dead!!!👍👌✌😎
Speaking of Timothy Leary, more Moody Blues please.!!! "Legend of a Mind" would be great!!!
I waited on the grateful dead in their hotel room, they were so nice. They asked if there was anyone roaming the halls looking for them "tell them where we are and come on up they said." Some of us working sent up a few surprised and thrilled dead heads. June 20 & 21 1983
Greatful Dead is Folkrock much like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young which was a staple sound of the the hippy movement. Progressive rock, acid rock and hard rock were fringe elements that also made up the drugs, free love and modern music cultures.
Hated the Grateful Dead as a kid, but they have definitely grown on me over the years. They are a vibe
Ok, loving you cats did this. Keep listening and they will give you all the jam you can handle, Andy. Get on the bus, boys.
Yea man, seeing the Dead’s imagery and hearing friends singing their lyrics I always thought that they were a metal band. Took me a bit to adjust and start to appreciate them after continued listening.
Probably 99% of Dead fans would agree that Ripple would be their next one to hear. It has a very spiritual vibe. Sugar Magnolia is great and I love Box of Rain.
Never was a big Grateful Dead fan, my girlfriend at the time (1969) loved them. She was really into weed, I’m the 10% weed doesn’t do anything for me. Took her to a Greatful Dead concert for her birthday we’re still friends to this day and she still says it was the best birthday present she ever got. Me the common joke of the day about the Grateful Dead was, Two guys go to a Grateful Dead concert halfway thru they both run out of drugs, a few song’s later one guy turns to another and says “this music sucks!”. Their is a reason why their fans are called Dead Heads, you really have to be mellow to listened to their melodic riffs and live..... those riffs go on for ever and over and over and over never seeming to end. Alcohol which is my mello drink( just like you guys) for just chilling and enjoying music concerts really didn’t work. This old Metal/head who really enjoys great music I understand why their are Grateful Dead fans and to each his own but your reaction was exactly the same as any sober person who has a open mind and listened to the Grateful Dead for the first time disappointed, dazed & confused! Stay Safe Rock On!🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
I was never able to get into the Grateful Dead when listening to some of their more popular albums, like Live/Dead, Skull & Roses, American Beauty; they didn't click for me until I picked up the "From the Vault" series, which were concert recordings from '68, '71, and '75, and that's what made the Dead for me, I thought those albums were terrific.
This whole album, start to finish. So great.
It may be my favorite Grateful Dead studio album.
My little brother turned me onto the Dead 35 years ago via his extensive collection of low-gen tapes (yes, concert recording and tape trading was ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED by the band), and it's not the same experience at all.
Of course, there are also good and bad concerts, and in my mind the 70's version of the Dead is by far the best compared to the 80's or later incarnations, but things like China->Rider and She's Gone and so any other songs that wander off into minutes-long jamfests are the ones I can listen to again and again. And we bid you goodnight...
One of their best live jams is "Estimated Prophet".
Also an amazing version of that in the Cornell show 5/8/77
Estimated Prophet / Shakedown Street / Sugar Magnolia medley - 11/24/1978
th-cam.com/video/kJJSp5n7VAQ/w-d-xo.html
This is a "banger" for the Dead. They rarely get goin' any quicker than this.
Disagree. Back in the late 70s when I was going to the shows they could really tear it up. Also, listen their acid rock stuff
Agreed. Not much Tempo..
Have you heard Cumberland Blues?
@@gr8fulded that was my first thought, as well😁
Not Fade Away/Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad is as quick as it gets.
I'm 66 years old. I was in 10th grade when this came out, and my personal opinion is, GD wasn't bad, but there was just too much other music that I thought was A LOT better. I have several of their albums in my collection, but I also have a the band Pilot, because they had a couple songs I liked too. The Grateful Dead just never excited me a lot. Maybe I needed to smoke more than cigarettes back then?? LOL
Be honest, they're broke ( PC for they suck as a band and you can't change that).
Same age same opinion this band puts me to sleep I just never got them
you have the pilot album? Oh oh oh that's Magic😆😆😆
I'm 66, too. I was in 11th grade in November 1970. I agree that there was a lot of other music I liked more at the time. But a little later, I got into the band, partially because their music was a nice change of pace from the hard rock I preferred, more a mix of jug band, country and folk with straight ahead rock. I saw them live a half-dozen times over the years. If "American Beauty" didn't do it for you, you'll never get the Dead vibe.
I'm about your age, and I don't think it would have mattered what I smoked back then. Still wouldn't have gotten into GD. Wholeheartedly agree about there being much better music to listen to.
I listened to this today on my lunch.
It was perfect!!! It's humorous first, folky/rocky...next... And well, "a trip" . Haha!!
I need to delve into more Gr'Dead..
w/ a side dish of "Cherry Garcia" icecream.
Don't feel bad btw, i had the same misconception about the band prior to hearing them. I expected something heavier, but they are really a combination of country, folk, lighter rock, maybe even jazz. Not really my thing, but i enjoy some of their tunes, like Friend of the Devil, Hell in a Bucket, as two examples.
When I was very young and before I actually heard the Dead, I had the same idea that they'd be a hard rock band. They are more a trippy, hippy jam band. Probably the first ever jam band.
You guys need to Delaney and Bonnie and Friends next.. Most underrated band ever..
Definitely so under-rated. There's a reason Eric Clapton and George Harrison wanted to be in their band of friends and appeared with them in concert. Bonnie Bramlett had one of the most incredible voices in rock. They showed so much better in concert than on wax, though. There's lots of live clips of them on youtube, and these are amazing. Hope people check them out! They were one of the best bands going in 1969-70.
Motel Shot is a classic! Such a great vibe!
One of the best rhythm sections in rock history, too. Parts of their rhythm section formed the core of Derek and the Dominos, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass studio band and Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen band. Three landmark early 70's albums and that was their rhythm section.
@@normanleroy1874 so true.. It pains me how much they have been neglected.. Check out Bobby Whitlock s awesome youtube channel to learn more about them
Great band!
The live stuff is all jam, like over the top levels. You hit one of the best studio albums and songs. You HAVE to go live with these guys.
I gotta say, I think their studio albums are quite good. Maybe you have to be in a certain mindset for them. It is a COMPLETELY different experience than seeing/hearing them live though. So I can understand if people saw them live back in the day and hadn't listened to them before, and become a fan of the band, then you get the albums and it's just completely different than seeing them live. But I never got to see them live. I'm just a 30 year old music nerd. So I can enjoy the albums because I know it's a completely different side of the band. But most of the time I definitely prefer listening to the live recordings. The best stuff they ever did IMO is live on tape, but not on video.
Can I just say that one of the BEST things about this station is that you NEVER stop the song in the middle to tell us stuff to prove how much you know? So I can revel in the music of my formative years and THEN hear all the production analysis, etc. that I don't know s*!# about.