Grateful Dead (Official Thread)

[Stoned]

Re: Grateful Dead

You should check out their first album... it's the best album they made.

 

[Groovy Man]

Re: Grateful Dead

Easy Wind (1970)

Featuring Pigpen on vocals...

From Wikipedia...

Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973) was a founding member of the Grateful Dead. His contributions to the band included vocals, Hammond organ, harmonica, percussion, and occasionally guitar. In 1994, Pigpen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with the other members of the Grateful Dead.

McKernan was born in San Bruno, California, the son of a R&B and blues disc jockey.

Before joining The Grateful Dead, McKernan was spending time around coffeehouses and music stores, where he met Jerry Garcia. One night Garcia invited McKernan onstage to play harmonica and sing the blues. Garcia was impressed and McKernan became the blues singer in local jam sessions. A high-school friend named Roger gave him his nickname based on his "funky" approach to life. However, in an essay included with the Grateful Dead box-set The Golden Road (1965-1973) it is claimed that a girlfriend of McKernan's gave him the nickname, owing to his similarity to the permanently-dirty character in the comic-strip Peanuts.

McKernan was a participant in the predecessor groups leading to the formation of the Grateful Dead, beginning with the Zodiacs and Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. Bob Weir and Bill Kreutzmann were added and the band evolved into The Warlocks. Around 1965, McKernan urged the rest of the Warlocks to switch to electric instruments. Around this time Phil Lesh joined, and they became the Grateful Dead.
McKernan played blues organ as well as harmonica and vocals.

While his friends were experimenting with LSD and other psychedelics, McKernan stuck to Thunderbird wine and Southern Comfort. He steadily added more signature tunes to the Dead's repertoire, including some that lasted for the remainder of their live performance career such as "Turn on Your Lovelight" and "In the Midnight Hour."

In 1967 and 1968 respectively, Mickey Hart (drums) and Tom Constanten (keyboards) joined the Grateful Dead, causing the band to take a stylistic turn from the blues toward full-blown experimental psychedelia influenced by avant-garde jazz, surrealism, and world music traditions.

McKernan would achieve prominence throughout 1969, with versions of "Turn On Your Lovelight" (now the band's show-stopping finale) regularly taking fifteen to twenty minutes. When the Grateful Dead appeared at Woodstock, the band's set (which was marred by technical problems and general chaos) consisted mostly of a 48-minute version of the song.

After Constanten's departure in January 1970 over musical and lifestyle differences, McKernan resumed keyboard duties.

McKernan had a short relationship and longer friendship with Janis Joplin — a poster from the early 1970s featured them together. Joplin joined McKernan onstage at the Fillmore West in June 1969 with the Grateful Dead to sing his signature "Turn On Your Lovelight". The two reprised this duet July 16, 1970 at the Euphoria Ballroom in San Rafael, California.

In 1970, McKernan began experiencing symptoms of congenital biliary cirrhosis. After an August 1971 hospitalization, doctors requested that he stop touring indefinitely; pianist Keith Godchaux was subsequently hired and remained a permanent member of the band until 1979. Ever restless, the ailing McKernan rejoined the band in December 1971 to supplement Godchaux on harmonica, percussion, and organ. Unfortunately, after their Europe '72 tour, his health had degenerated to the point where he could no longer continue on the road. He made his final concert appearance on June 17, 1972 at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles, California.

On March 8, 1973, he was found dead of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at his home in Corte Madera, California. McKernan is buried at the Alta Mesa Memorial Park (Plot: Hillview Section 16 Lot 311) in Palo Alto, California. His grave marker is inscribed:

RONALD C. McKERNAN 1945–1973
PIGPEN WAS AND IS NOW FOREVER
ONE OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD

(Wikipedia)

Pigpen and Janis...

 

[snakes&ladders]

Re: Grateful Dead

Easy Wind (1970)

Featuring Pigpen on vocals...









Pigpen and Janis...

Janis always regretted having taken that shot

 

[Džedaj]

Re: Grateful Dead

Pigpen was first one to take the cursed seat of Dead's keyboards. After him there was, what, 3-4 other keyboard players that all died except Godchaux? Similiar to the Spinal Tap's thing with a drummer

 

[Groovy Man]

Re: Grateful Dead

In 1988, while most of America was dancing to Madonna and listening to Hair Bands, The Grateful Dead were supplying the needs of the people, who didn't follow the fashions or trends of the day, who wanted to hear some pure untamed freeform music from the heart without all the pizazz & glitter of the 80's. The Grateful Dead were one of the top touring Bands of 1988, if not the #1 band in the States.

''The Music Never Stopped'' (1988)

 

[Groovy Man]

Re: Grateful Dead

Grateful Dead - Eyes Of The World
Orpheum Theater, San Francisco
July 12, 1976

Filmed at soundcheck...

 

[Džedaj]

Re: Grateful Dead

Altho San Fran's golden days had already passed in that clip, you can still feel that unforgetable San Fran sound with jazzy feel. Beautiful tune

 

[Tommy Walker]

Re: Grateful Dead

Not on my short list of favorite bands, but I really enjoy listening to them when I'm in right mood. A good place to start out is their live album Live/Dead:



You may have to go online to find it, but it's worth it. A lot of long songs, but the band usually seems to be going somewhere with them, not just rambling. My first purchase was a greatest hits type album, which is usually a safe move, but not with the Dead - they're a live band before a studio band.

 

[LG]

Re: Grateful Dead

Well I finally got around to playing their debut yesterday, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Rhino remastered CD also has a few live bonus tracks which added a nice ambiance to the album.

 

[0000]

Re: Grateful Dead

Well I finally got around to playing their debut yesterday, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Rhino remastered CD also has a few live bonus tracks which added a nice ambiance to the album.

I don't like their very early studio works too terribly much, but LG, going by what I know of your tastes(and I'm not sure if I've suggested this yet or not) Terrapin Station would be an album you would probably enjoy.. It seems to be up your alley