Re: Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead...one of the coolest band names ever...
There are so many aspects of the band that it's difficult for me to formulate a definitive opinion. I do like them. At their best they are simply amazing. "Live Dead" is essential, for the side-long "Dark Star", if nothing else. Classic material on the one-two punch of "Workingman's Dead" and "American Beauty" ("Attics of My Life", "Ripple", "Black Peter", "Uncle John's Band" to name a few). "Aoxomoxoa" and "Anthem of the Sun" belong in the collection of any serious stoner. "Europe 72" is solid throughout. But when they broke away from Warner Bros. to form their own label things got a little bumpy. "Wake of the Flood", though beloved by hardcore Deadheads, is extremely weak compared to their earlier efforts, and "Mars Hotel" is even worse. The double LP live offering "Steal Your Face" is the worst thing they ever released, IMO and the band's as well, from what I've read (cool album cover though).They pick up the pace somewhat with "Blues for Allah", exhibiting an uncanny knack for fusion/jazz stylings. "Terrapin Station" was probably the best thing they did after leaving Warner...one has to wonder if it's a coincidence that it is the first album they released AFTER closing up the Grateful Dead Records label). It was a short lived comeback, though, as "Shakedown Street" found them wallowing in the same lazy form that preceded "Blues for Allah". "Go to Heaven" was pretty good, IMO, but most critics weren't as impressed. I thought the Warfield shows collected on "Reckoning" and "Dead Set" were consistently excellent and more than held their own against "Europe 72". "In the Dark" and "Built to Last" were good records.
There have been so many live discs released since Jerry's passing that only a true blue Dead follower would be able to sort out the good from the bad. And that's just it...the good is REALLY good, and the bad reeks. But they were the kind of band that might play 3 absolutely terrible sets, then come back during the fourth and blow you away, even to the point where you can forgive them for wasting your time to get there. If you've got Sirus XM satellite radio and have ever listened to the Grateful Dead channel you probably know what I'm talking about.
It was a sad day when Garcia passed away. I think he was far from reaching his peak. I don't care much for any of the projects the other members have launched since his passing (The Other Ones, The Dead, Phil and Friends, et. al.). It's not because I think he was the driving force behind the band...as important as he was...after all, they did call him Captain Trips. But the Grateful Dead were the perfect example of how important, how essential band chemistry is. You simply cannot have the Dead without Phil Lesh's slithering bass lines...or Bob Weir's tastefully sparse rhythm playing...or the double drum battery of Bill Kreutzmam and Mickey Hart...or the soulful keyboard playing and bluesy howling of Pigpen McKernan...no, wait...Pigpen died and they kept on truckin'...okay, Keith Godchauex was able to fill the opening well enough (then again, it WAS the Pigpen departure and the Godcheaux entrance that drew the dividing line between their best work and the rest)...then Godcheaux died and they trucked on with Brent Mydland...he added a nice modern touch and added another very strong voice to the mix...then HE died...all of which, I suppose, doesn't really say so much about band chemistry as it does pointing out that keyboard players in the band kicked it as frequently as Spinal Tap drummers.
But you get what I mean about the band chemistry. That and the fuel of energy generated by their audience, hands down the most devoted to ever follow a band, and the recipe for "classic" is ready to be thrown into the microwave.
Great band, but I really have to be in a certain mood to appreciate them...and I'm NOT necessarily talking about being sky high (though that helps).
