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    heatherlew
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    "We left with our minds sufficiently blown and still peaking..."

    We're headed back to that peak with the newly returned tapes from Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton, 11/6/77. The Grateful Dead's last touring show of 1977 finds them going for broke, taking chances on fan favorites like "Jack Straw," "Friend Of The Devil," and "The Music Never Stopped," carving out righteous grooves on a one-of-kind "Scarlet>Fire" and a tremendous "Truckin'." An ultra high energy show, with a first set that rivals the second? Not unheard of, but definitely rare. Hear for yourself...

    DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 25 features liner notes by Rob Bleetstein, photos by Bob Minkin, and original art by our 2018 Dave's Picks Artist-In-Residence Tim McDonagh. As always, it has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman and it is limited to 18,000 individually numbered copies*.

    *Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

    Get one before they are gone, gone, gone.

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  • KeithFan2112
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    Pat Fox
    Are your songs in order of preference? I assumed not, but everyone else is talking about which spots songs take on their lists. I couldn't make a list without including performance dates. Like Sugar Magnolia post-hiatus wouldn't make the list, but just about any E72 version would be top 10.
  • Angry Jack Straw
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    No Uncle John's Band
    or The Eleven or Comes a Time or Help>Slip But Blow Away and Built to Last made it? Huh?
  • alvarhanso
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    Pfox top 50
    Wow, your bottom 3 on that list include my favorite Dead song in Scarlet Begonias, another top 5 of mine in Bird Song (put on Dave's 11, 11/17/72 right now, and tell me there's one Feels Like a Stranger that ever comes close to that), and Music Never Stopped is a classic, probably not in my top 15, but a consistent barn burner for the last 20 years they played. Also, Ship of Fools must strike a deep chord in you, which that's totally cool, it's a heartfelt choice. Loser I dig a lot, maybe top 20 for me. Otherwise, the rest are somewhat a variation of my choices. He's Gone would be top 15 for me, 11/18/72 being my particular favorite, but I also love the later versions, the one from MUATM a couple years ago, Foxboro, maybe was outstanding. Okay, quick top 10 (have tried this with friends in the past and never been able to keep it consistent or to 10, but shall essay it anyway) 1 Scarlet Begonias 2 Terrapin Station 3 The Other One 4 Dark Star 5 Bird Song 6 Wharf Rat 7 Weather Report Suite 8 Foolish Heart 9 Eyes of the World ('73-74 particularly for the bass solos) 10 Playing in the Band (primarily '72-'77) 11 The Eleven The last one is Nigel Tufnel approved. Bob and Mickey would approve of the penultimate pick. Foolish Heart I expect wouldn't show up on many lists, and the fact that that made it over Jack Straw, St Stephen, China Cat, Uncle John's, and any myriad other number of great tunes is just that I really like that song, musically and lyrically, those interweaving riffs are just fantastic, and plinky sound or not, it strikes a resonant note in me. Another song I wish I could shoehorn in is Pigpen's beautiful The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion), which was a revelation to me when I got the Europe '72 shows. This was a tough task, and I bet I couldn't replicate the same top 10 tomorrow.
  • 80sfan
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    That's a great list - a few thoughts: If I were to ever make a list, Jack Straw would also be in my top 10. However, so would Row Jimmy (actually several of the songs from wake of the flood would be high on my list) which I see you have closer towards the end. Cassidy & Franklin's Tower would probably be in my top 10 as well. I would probably put Sugaree higher - great song and one that holds special meaning for me (mostly because my wife and I bonded over a shared love of that song when we first met). Also unless I missed it, I didn't see Attics of my life on your list. That song just kills me (and also holds special meaning since part of it was read at my wedding). I agree Terrapin is a top 5 song and loved seeing Mountains of the Moon - wish it would have made it past 1969 but I guess it just belongs to that era. Loser would probably be closer to the bottom of a list I made, but I must say how happy I was to see TOO so close to the top. I'd take a good earth shaking Other One over (most) Dark Stars. In fact I prefer many PITB from 72-74 over Dark Star too (I know I'm in the minority). Finally, I was surprised to see Eyes so low on the list. Any version, any era, I'm probably going to be happy to hear it. Sorry, that was a pretty rambling response, but awesome list - was fun reading it. EDIT: No Half-Step or Cumberland? Two songs that would also probably make my top 10... EDIT 2: I'd probably move He's Gone higher and also add Dire Wolf to the list. Bertha and Wharf Rat feel like they are in the right spots...
  • icecrmcnkd
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    Warren Miller
    Made extreme skiing films before people knew what extreme skiing was.Of course, it’s even more extreme now. Before YouTube, Warren was really the only place to see that stuff.
  • stoltzfus
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    well...
    to me, the top ten at the moment would be Dark Star Sugar Magnolia Cassidy Box of Rain Scarlet Begonias Fire on the Mountain Franklin's Tower Eyes of the World Saint Stephen China Cat Sunflower
  • Slow Dog Noodle
    Joined:
    Warren Miller
    I have many vivid memories of watching Warren Miller ski films with friends back in the day. He was a big part of making skiing such a big part of my life and a source of lots of fond memories, along with Glen Plake. My handle comes from a Warren Miller film. Slog Dog Noodle is a way of skiing bumps, rather humorously. I'm sad to learn of his passing. Ski on Warren.
  • KeithFan2112
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    Led Ded
    Try Rockin the Rhein Sugar Magnolia, loud, undistracted, possibly high. In my humble opinion, this song was only really really at its best in 1971 and 1972. The version I'm pointing you towards is significantly better than most. They really catch the groove, and Donna does not sing on the Sunshine Daydream part. As much as I like Donna, there are some songs I think sound better without her. It's worth it just to hear Billy's drum fill, but they are all locked in. I hate to think the song that tuned me into the Dead isn't even on your top 50 list, but to be honest, I don't care for it much after 1972. It's first big change was when Donna joined in. Then Bobby put down the Gibson after '74, and then 2 drummers really changed the groove for good. On a different note, Lazy Lightning / Supplication from November 2nd, 1977, Seneca. Not a big fan of this song in general, but this one is really good. DP 34 filler.
  • LedDed
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    Top 50 repost
    That took some work, impressive. Likes: Loser, Brown-eyed, Wharf, Althea, Franklin's, Candyman, Black Peter, Sugaree, Speedway, Truckin', Mr. Charlie, He's Gone, Row Jimmy... not as much: Weather Report, Sugar Magnolia, Cassidy, Throwing Stones. You did ask. Still an admirable list, nice.
  • LoveJerry
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    The Other One DP 18
    Unparalleled. From 76 - 78 none equal. So good my hair got caught in the fan while I was thrashing. Agree about the cover art. One of my least favorites. For my taste, I would be OK with all the red possibly, if the foreground characters were different. I'm not crazy about the country Jamboree skeletons. Rootin tootin hootenanny hollerin country Jamboree. Or maybe not, that is a lot of red.
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"We left with our minds sufficiently blown and still peaking..."

We're headed back to that peak with the newly returned tapes from Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton, 11/6/77. The Grateful Dead's last touring show of 1977 finds them going for broke, taking chances on fan favorites like "Jack Straw," "Friend Of The Devil," and "The Music Never Stopped," carving out righteous grooves on a one-of-kind "Scarlet>Fire" and a tremendous "Truckin'." An ultra high energy show, with a first set that rivals the second? Not unheard of, but definitely rare. Hear for yourself...

DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 25 features liner notes by Rob Bleetstein, photos by Bob Minkin, and original art by our 2018 Dave's Picks Artist-In-Residence Tim McDonagh. As always, it has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman and it is limited to 18,000 individually numbered copies*.

*Limited to 2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

Get one before they are gone, gone, gone.

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Sixtus - Yes! That's the NFA jam I highlighted a few months ago - the setlist looks kinda standard but that jam in NFA goes on for a looong time and has many moments that are Other One-ish. A scooby-snack where you don't expect one.... and a jam I will go back to often. Speaking of Scooby Doo - here's a killer local (Boston) band I recently mentioned that recently played the Scooby Duo background music at a show I saw. NOT the cheesy main theme song with vocals, but the jazzy background music. I recognized it instantly and just about fell out of my chair from the nostalgia... If you ever watched Scooby Doo, this melody will bring a smile to your face: https://youtu.be/Jchxzag1-ik. Some great guitar work if you listen to the whole track.
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Jeepers..
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Listening to that 11/15/71 sequence on Spotify now...to quote Swingers, well Michael, I'll bite. Transportational stuff. I haven't been as high on '71 lately as I once imagined (Dave's 22 and Bonus didn't knock me out), but the NFA > Goin' Down The Road from Skull & Roses is one of the prime movers of me being a Dead fan, so hearing this one from ~7 months later getting all out there is a treat. That Skull & Roses track, plus the Bertha opener, are untouchables to me. Though I still haven't heard all of that release..so mine is probably like a cow's opinion to you all (that is, moo). This Road Trips has long been on my radar as a necessary acquisition, but I've been slow playing on getting the Road Trips. Still getting up to speed on other stuff, so it's nice to leave some mystery out there. The Fillmore '69 box set is another one, maybe someday I'll pay the ungodly amount on the secondary market or acquire by other methods, but not Russian it.
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First, what a perfect descriptor for the instantly found delicious nugget. Second, that theme song is totally It. I was pretty much raised on Scooby Doo after school there for a few years; latch-key and all, you know? Love that kind of music. Reminds me of Medeski Martin & Wood with some Scofield thrown in. Another Boston meeting house. Third, I clearly missed your offering of the aforementioned NFA jammyness and I have now experienced it by mere happenstance but the fact that these sort of shows get the spotlight is what really counts. We All know how the song enlightens: "Sometimes you can get shown the light… " Next, Muleskinner applause your way for jumping down a rabbit hole. Finally. "If it wasn't for you meddling kids I would've gotten away with it!!" - Old Man Withers Sixtus
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I'll see your "007 373 5963" and raise you a "Created by Warren Robinett"
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....X. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS ARE PLAYOFF BOUND!! sorry for the interruption. As you were..... . . VegasStrong
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15 years 1 month
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I think if we start telling bestiality jokes and arguing over our favorite Kiss album they will announce a new release. That's always worked in the past.
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Yeah, I remember as if it was yesterday, being 9 yrs old and the neighbor kid down the street showing us "the secret of the speck". This uncharted surprise turnred out to be a bigger thrill than winning the game. Good stuff. I ended up getting one of those Atari throwback consoles last year, and sure enough, the old trick still works. Best KISS album? Alive! and Destroyer. Best of the solo albums - Ace Frehley of course.
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16 years 6 months
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Ok I'll bite. Did you hear the one about the princess kissing the frog. Let's see best kiss album that's easy.... none. Ok I'm waiting
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I heard from a reliable source that MaryE called Dave on his red phone in the wee hours this morning. This phone is only to be used in dire emergencies.. and is usually followed by breaking news. A box set announcement is imminent.. unless, of course, Dave is on holiday with Bolo in the Peruvian rain forest which case we will have to wait for him to come down before he films the release announcement. This, of course, is a distinct possibility.
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Scooby Doo background music.... ...on acid. Jeepers. Scooby Doo meets Kiss Dave.. save us from ourselves.. Post the seaside chat already!
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never quite understood the popularity of that band.
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Scooby and Shaggy sure seemed to like them. I feel a box set announcement bubbling up through the works here. I have no idea what it's going to be.. but a box set of rare, old, extremely kick ass partials is likely going to get released at some point. Especially if some of those partials are from those old 8 tracks they made in the Pacific NW in 1968. Channeling Dave making a seaside chat video today... The weather in Vancouver today... am rain, ending late morning. High of 52, partly cloudy, winds SW 5 to 10 mph. Sounds like great release video weather if you ask me.
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Is anyone else getting tired of looking at the exact same home page everyday? They need to spice it up...with a new release!
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....I think last year I said Rock and Roll Over, so I'm going with Rock and Roll Over.
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https://archive.org/details/gd1987-03-27.140855.sbd.miller.flac2496 We have two other very good shows played on this day. https://archive.org/details/gd1986-03-27.121600.sbd.miller.flac16 Only time "Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues" was ever performed. And In the strangest of places... https://archive.org/details/gd1988-03-27.141213.sbd.miller.flac2496 Another just released ultra-matrix master.
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though the possibility of returned tapes must stay DL's hand in that regard. At least from '69 onwards. But '68? It's nearly inconceivable that tapes from '68 sit undiscovered somewhere. At least, I've never heard of a '68 tape 'discovery' or 'return.' A two-disc set of partials from '68? Gawd, brilliant idea. DaP 26 is due in April, right? So the window for an Anthem or box announcement is closing.
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I bet you are correct, HF.. but if there were to be a few undiscovered ones, they would likely come via the Owsley Foundation or another Owsley source. Keep in mind.. the last reel or two from Dave's Picks 24 (8/25/72 BCT) were Owsley recorded and did not circulate prior to the release, so who knows.. Maybe there was a poorly labeled box in the tapes Bear held on to. Here's to hope, Without Love In The Dream.. right? Also, I bet there are some snippets that just never fit into other offerings. ..and weren't those 8 tracks that became the 68 Road Trips found just prior to that release. Did they release them all?
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Great link. I downloaded that bad boy right away! They seem to be up on the archive. I only hit one song, one show, real quick, but it was a nice recording. I will be going back to that well. But just for the sake of argument, I didn't know the Scooby tune, I was too old when the Scooby came out and never watched. The guitar work was nice and you can NEVER go wrong with a B3!
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I'm going with Alive II. The fourth album side was new studio tracks. I can see how some can't get past the theatrics and makeup, but the music is well-crafted power pop/melodic hard rock in the vein of Cheap Trick with a heavy Beatles influence. Still don't hear it? No worries here. I can't get into Phish. Gene Simmons bass lines are underrated. Granted, the over-the-topness and marketing blitz of this band are a bit much at times, but as a part of the soundtrack of my youth I will always have a soft spot for this music. \m/
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Dennis - Glad you like. The "B3 Kings" have a ton of great stuff on Archive.org. The band members rotate a bit based on the core members' touring schedules with J. Geils/Roomful of Blues and all the other bands they participate in. Look for Archive.org recordings that include not only Johnny Trama (the one guy who never rotates out) but also Jeff Lockhart (Berklee Music professor, Beyoncé, Dido) or Duke Levine (J. Geils, Mary Chapin Carpenter) who are stunning guitarists with impressive resumés if you Google them. Johnny also plays in a Rhode Island-based band called "The Silks" with blues singer/guitar virtuoso Tyler-James Kelly: /var/folders/d0/3h5ktk414r3gh3zb7ygkr8wc0000gn/T/com.apple.iChat/Messages/Transfers/IMG_1732.mov (You may have to cut/paste that address into the browser - it's worth it - the guys picking is stunning and kinda reminiscent of the western swing band "Jimmie Rivers and the Cherokees", which we have discussed.) Bostonians - Johnny Trama and the B3 Kings play TONIGHT (and most every Tuesday) 10pm-1am at the Plough and Stars in Cambridge - a great music venue that's basically a small bar with the band in the corner. I'll probably be there - They usually have one of the guys mentioned above sit in... amazing that you can just walk in off the street and sit next to the most accomplished guitarists in New England as they perform. I love Boston.
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Another Johnny Trama project in the Boston area is Dub Apocalypse. Tommy Benedetti and Van Martin play in this group and they do some pretty sweet reggae jamming. These shows are also on Archive. org. And of course, Benedetti and Martin have sat in numerous times with my favorite Boston area band, Club D'elf. I have never checked out the B3 Kings, but i certainly will now. Any bands with these guys are going to be great.
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Just the leaves. As the president of Colombia said recently: La hoja de coca no es droga... As for '68 snippets, returns, etc., I'm totally Sgt. Schultz on that. As for an announcement on Anthem reissue/'68 show or a box, we at least have a fresh Bolo sighting to tweak us. I'd go back to my original reasoning: that with Anthem/'68 show being released and DaP 26 being late '71, and the ABCD Enterprises focus for 18 months on '77-'78, they gotta branch out. My guess remains a small box, even (3) shows, from '76 (more ABCD) or Summer '73, the latter being the biggest gap in the official output at this point. (And with the '78 box still not sold-out, they might go with the sure-sales period of early '70s.) But I'm here, and Dave's in charge of the vault, so I can speculate all day long -- and sometimes do. That said, in hometown news, there's going to be a 50th anniversary release of Electric Ladyland with alts and outtakes, according to Janie Hendrix in a recent interview. After that, a Maui '70 documentary with full-on music soundtrack.
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What a wild story that is.. Here's a short snippet. https://belhistory.weebly.com/maui.html The whole story is much more involved and at times hard to believe, but true. Go for one of the books: https://www.amazon.com/Orange-Sunshine-Brotherhood-Eternal-Spread/dp/03… or the more detailed, probably better read https://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Eternal-Love-Flower-Counterculture/d… and lastly a brief discussion on youtube.
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Hope it's a good box set. An elderly man is taking his grandson on a tour of his farm. They pause under a large oak tree and the old man says "Under this tree I made love for the first time. And under that tree over there her mother sat and watched the whole thing!" The incredulous grandson says "Holy cow! What did she say?" "Baaa!"
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What did the sheep say to the redneck as he walked by... Daaaa-dddd. (sorry..) I was at a Hot Tuna show a few years ago and Jorma told us his own WV sheep joke at the beginning of Good Shepherd. I can't find any reference to it on line, but he told us it was a true story from an Athens Ohio native (just across the Ohio river from WV). Come on Dave.. Don't make us beg. It's already getting ugly.
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Downhill From Here.
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I listened to the vinyl copy of this for the first time today-wow! Like the other vinyl albums I have bought by The Dead recently, it has an incredible sound. Someone said on here last week that Phil's bass playing stands out on this set. Does it ever! Probably the loudest instrument in the mix. It sounds superb on the opening track Bertha-but he is ever present on all 4 sides, and all 4 are immaculate. It occurred to me listening, that in most of the 72 shows I have heard from this year, which have been from from March and April, I have focussed on different musicians at different times-sometimes Keith, sometimes Bob, usually Jerry..but not Phil so much. Try ignoring him on this one!
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Talking of other bands on here...there seem to have been a few live Cream cds released recently. I got one called Live In Detroit, which is an FM recording from Detroit's Grande Ballroom 15th October 1967. The sound isn't up to the standard of the releases that have been available for decades-its an FM recording at the end of the day-but its not bad. And the music is incredible. Cream had a massive impact in the 60s, and tend to be overlooked a bit now. They apparently had a profound effect on the West Coast. Jefferson Airplane souped up their sound accordingly after having seen them. And, according to Rock Skully, Jerry was so impressed that he got Rock to sack Pigpen and Bob, so he could front a power trio of his own-Mickey and The Hartbeats. A disastrous decision, which was quickly remedied.
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Imagine what Annie Haslam might have brought to the Dead........................Even as a guest spot.......
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I'm with you man. There are some outstanding moments on this record. I'm a big Ace fan, so I really dig his guitar solos on just about every song. My favorite solos from Ace on it: the one at the end of Love Gun; the one in Dr. Love (not to mention the backing vocals from Paul, and the mean-ass hook, and Peter's drumming, which swings like mad); and of course the solo in Shock Me (the one in the middle of the song, I mean, not the unaccompanied Ace-only one at the end - although that is hot too). I could go on. Makin' Love and God of Thunder guitar solos from Ace. Will never forget the Re-union in '96 at MSG. Hands down the most raucous crowd from beginning to end. Drunks playing air-guitar and rocking out in those vestibules where the concourse meets the stairwells in each section.
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Sheep "jokes" are pretty much the only thing that'll interest me in hearing Bobby's yellow dog story, which ALWAYS sucked. Okay, now I'm scared to check the forum. Will I get an email notification if a box or Anthem/50 is announced? Of course, there's that question of what Walmart and Michael Jackson had in common: boys pants, half off.................... Aaaaaauuuuuuugggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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My 93 year-old Grandmother passed today. It was not unexpected and I am not looking for sympathy; but I honor her now by playing Nat King Cole, her favorite. Later we will have a swig and go pour some brandy on the curb. Her favorite drink; some kind of old (Irish?) tradition. -- As far as Ace Frehley, man, that cool vibrato and how Ace just kind of hung out during his solos... Ace was the coolest member of KISS and just drips with coolness. I found an Ace shirt online, shipped from Germany, with his portrait from the solo album on front. It gets comments no matter where I wear it. Maybe I should rock it at Dead & Co. this summer. I'll agree that 1996 reunion show was a hoot! We were only about 20 rows back on Ace's side of the stage. Unforgettable, even if much of what's transpired since then is.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx3g-0yalV0 Why? No one can say. Edit: Led - I'm sorry for your loss. We'll pour some out here in WV as well. I'm not well-spoken on Nat, but my favorite that I know was always his version of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman. Listening now for you guys.
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....I stumbled across these guys a couple of months ago. KISS would be proud. Playing here in Vegas soon as a matter of fact, but at $45 a ticket, I think they're biting off too much Quarter Pounder than they can chew....I mean, Galactic is playing The Brooklyn Bowl tonight and their tix are only $25. Wait! Galactic's playing!....shit.
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