orchiddoctor

"Blows Against the Empire" : "2,000 years of your Goddamn glory . . . . " What are you anyway, Lon, some sort of radical hippie freak? Jeeze: isn't this a jazz forum? Oy vey.

If I Could Only Remember my Name---what a delightful recording--done at the same time as American Beauty. Sweeeeet.

Some people just cannot recognize or appreciate true religion.

Yes, yes, precisely. Then you do believe me! I am not insane. Well, okay, but . . . .

In light of all these intriguing revelations about the rare dead cuts and splices, here's one for yez. Mind you, I will have to move and change my identity--again--so listen up good. If you see no more posts from me, well, I took one for the team. Some months ago there was an E-Bay auction featuring the toilet of one J. Garcia. Said auction produced much ridicule and sarcasm. Little did anyone know that the seat held a pair of microphones, placed there in 1986 by Dan Healy at the request of the Band. Jerry, as you may recall, was busy dying at the time, and the rest of the boys were concerned that the proverbial goose was going to lay a bad egg. So, knowing how Jerry loved to sing on the crapper, and realizing how much the Elvis estate lost by NOT bugging the King's throne, they slipped a couple of mics in there in case Jerry had a sudden onset of creativity. At first, all they could get were the offensive sounds of Mr. Garcia's baritone farts and other less savory noises. But, as time rolled by, they began to realize that there was something going on. First, they realized that he was practicing his scales. Then, a snippet of what appeared to be something resembling a possible song emerged. No--that was just the pepperoni "talking." But--wait--yes, it could not be mistaken; the incessant noodling began to form and transform and become--a song!! And what a song it was!!! Simple, yet punchy, with a great hook. Du-du, du-du, du-du, du-du. The beat went on. They sent the tapes to Jeffrey Norman and crew to have them anal yzed and filtered and decoded and screened for diginoise, and the results were sent back. They could hear the master sing, albeit in a halting grunting manner, as if he were squeezing the very words out: "Wild Thing, you make my heart sing, you make everything groovy." And the man who won that auction? Rich beyond his wildest dreams. Sure to appear on a Rhino bonus cd any day now.

Bertha, Playin' In The Band, Loser, Mr. Charlie, Cumberland Blues, Brokedown Palace, Me And Bobby McGee, Hard To Handle, Casey Jones Saint Stephen, Truckin'-> Drums-> The Other One-> Me & My Uncle-> The Other One, Deal, Sugar Magnolia, Morning Dew, Turn On Your Love Light : From Deadbase: Bertha, Playin, Loser, Mr. Charlie, Cumberland, Brokedown, Bobby McGee, Hard To Handle, Casey Jones 2: St. Stephen, Truckin> Drums> Other One> Me & My Uncle> Other One, Deal, Sugar Magnolia, Morning Dew, Lovelight That would be the whole concert as listed on dead base.

You found the hidden track!

Geez, Lon, that rehersal track is featured on the Rhino Box Set, "Noodling with the Dead," a collection of false starts, tune ups, stall tactics, and teases, Vol. 5, the Lost Year. Jerry's comments can be heard on the bonus cd, "Rare words from the stage 1975-1977." Interesting enough, there is an alleged audience tape from 9-08-74 at the Jack-in-In-The-Box Theater in Anniston Alabama on which Jerry plays a single chord that may or may not be a tease of Garner's "Laura." God, what a find that would be

I can get a copy of it if you like--"fo' a dollah and a quarter!"

Lon--you are so out of it. G.D. productions released that three years ago.

News Flash: 8-3-06 A.P Rhino Records has announced a release of a ten box set from the Grateful Dead titled "Me and My Uncle." It will consist of 5 cds with 75 selected live takes of the title track, plus a bonus disc of alternate mixes and audience takes. It is part of a larger series they are calling "Pure Bobby."

Maybe. But Rhino seems to like to reissue/repackage stuff. Maybe Filmore West 1969 complete set? After all, Rhino has never released the set...

Maybe. But Rhino seems to like to reissue/repackage stuff.

The news or the snooze? Half the disc is a best of--we already had the complete box--and a selection of live stuff? Bonus cd with only three tunes? Can't do better than that? Not off to a good start. How'z about a best of Pigpen?

DRUM ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL: And they're off to the races! Rhino's first release. Pure Jerry, all Jerry, nothing but Jerry, the first half being retreads of course! http://stores.musictoday.com/store/product...OMBO&sfid=2

Seriously, the versions I've heard are pretty humiliating, IMNSO, compared to Slim Harpo or Etta James - an outlook with which I'm sure Pigpen would agree. Yes he would--ever the humble man. But, Mr. Weir, you suck! You must think this is America with that high-fallutin' opinion of yours.

A little story about meeting the Pig. I got into the dead when they played in NYC at the Cafe AuGoGo in 1967. I was a junior in highschool at the time, and I lived only a few miles uptown from the village. In late 1968, a good friend of mine got me a slot ushering at the Fillmore East. I got to hang in the aisles and see all sorts of music roll on by. Backstage was always wide open--just had to watch what you drank. Bill G. had a loose softball team that played teams formed by several of the bands that came to play at the Fillmore East. Mostly S.F. regulars like the Dead, the Airplane, Quicksilver, etc. Usually their teams would have more quippies than band members. One fine Saturday afternoon in Central Park, we were playing the Dead. Usually, only a few band members made it to the game; the rest were friends or whomever. This time--God knows why--Pig came by. They bullied him into taking an at bat. This was hilarious enough--imagine a t-shirted Pig trying to figure out how to hold the damn thing! I was pitching (now there's a joke!), and I threw a ball that was a bit close for his liking. He walked out to the mound, the meanest look on his face, and told me that if I did it again, he'd rip off my head and pitch it up my ass. Then I took the ball and held it up to his face and said something really lame to the effect of suck on this. Pig dropped the fake scowl and hit the floor howling with laughter. He decided that he'd had enough of softball and suggested we go find something to drink. Who was I to say no? A majestic, kind, gentle, funny, kickass motherfucker.

I know my love of Pig is a bit obvious, but I 've noticed something. I've been doing some compilations of Pig from each year, and I realize how few songs he sang--both in terms of different tunes and performances. It's been said often that he was the original front man. I don't see that, not when I look at the available material from 66, 67,68 etc. He was never in rotation as every third song--maybe 5th or so. Yes, he had a few shows that were his, and he was the showstopper, but I wish he had had more presence and had kept more tunes in the repetoire--like It's a Man's, Man's World and Easy Wind. or Kingbee. Or Hard to Handle. Or Midnight Hour. Or . . . . . .

Agree w/ this. I think if there is one thing I got out of the Compendiums it's this - Don't judge a show by it's set list. Some shows look great on paper do nothing for me. Conversely, there are shows that look terrible on paper(this happens more in the 80's /90's then in the early years) which have blown me away when I heard the tapes. Example of the former 2/11/69 killer set list but the shows are just okay(in context of 1969 shows), imo. Example of the latter is 6/18/74 which has a so - so(by 1974 standards) set list but the music just cooks, especially that second set. Ultimately, it's your ears that will decide. RE:Spring/Summer '71 I think of the shows spanning the 68-74 time period, AKA the Golden Era, the shows from Spring/Summer '71 are probably the weakest. That's not to say that there are not good shows from this period(The Fillmore East run is fantastic as are the summer BCT shows) it's just that compared to what came before and after, these shows come up lacking. Pig Pen was running on vapors by that point and the band was still trying to adjust to the losses of TC and Mickey. As others have noted there is a "garage band" feeling to a lot of the shows from this time period, Additionally, the lack of extended jamming that is one of the other reasons why I stay away from this time period. Again, YMMV. I agree that winter spring '71 isn't the most exciting, not like winter spring of 70 or certainly 1972. A lot of semi-snoozers in that college tour. And several pages on the Princeton show when the punch line was "Sold, the Brooklyn Bridge for a dollah and a quarter" is overdone. I just feel that Mr. Dykes compromises his objectivity with his predisposition. But, who doesn't have a favorite period? I like Dwork and Getz' review the best as they seem to have a deeper knowledge and commitment that most. Maybe that's why they are the editors? Still, the Compendium is a good place to start. And, stop me if I'm wrong, but has anyone else been covered so thoroughly--especially with a 30 year career with thousands of gigs? makes for great bathtub reading! The only thing I got to say is if you don't like Pigpen, you suck.

Latvala! (and the rest). Interesting stuff, indeed.

It's easy to criticize the critics--I do it all the time. But I agree with Chalupa that the choice of a few shows for prolongued treatment can be hazardous to your health. Still, it's interesting to read the history and insight this adds to the review. My bone to pick is that with so many different critics, how can you get a sense for their personal likes and dislikes OR their ability to criticise a work? How steeped in the Dead are they? And then there are those who love certain eras and don't like others. Would you want me to review shows in the eighties and nineties? I think not. I don't like their style post 1974. But they have Brian Dykes review the bulk of the spring '71 shows. His attitude is clear: he thinks spring '71 is their weakest period! Naturally, he doesn't care for much. Still, indispensible. I could not do a better job. Of course, there are also the good opinions posted here

Why not? There are many "complete" live boxes for other artists out there. Mind you, I don't really NEED to hear a dozen Me and My Uncles, but it would be fun to have the complete shows mixed and fixed. All those Playing in the Bands and Good Lovins and Cautions and Dark Stars and . . . . . 10,000 copies?

So much music, so little time. Wish I were a kid again with all the time in the world. Back in the early 70s, I woould've killed for just one good soundboard from1969. We had snippets or tenth generation with warble or off speed--if I had this sort of access, I would burn out in a week!