Grateful Dead

Just catching up- Muleskinnner...I'm also a big avett brothers fan. Believe they are going to be in NJ this summer. I'm going to try to check them out with one of my sons if I can. DaP 26...gets better with every listen. Sound is amazing, and as others have stated, both Other Ones are mind blowers. Favorite cover: I know you rider, most of bobby's cowboy songs, NFA. Least favorite: watchtower (just never did it for me) Top 5 shows...also an impossible task but will give it a shot. Subject to change: 2/28/69 5/11/72 8/6/74 2/3/78 10/10/82

I bought the vinyl copy of this last Christmas. Its an album I have always liked-Crossroads and White Room-great stuff. I have also always loved the cover by Martin Sharp-in fact it was the cover as much as the music-which I already have-that moved me to get the vinyl copy. Another great release I have been dipping into over the last week is the 4 cd box set Love is the Song We Sing-San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970. It is what it says on the tin-many tracks that are very well known-but also some very obscure gems. There is a great track by a band called Country Weather-Fly to New York. There seems to be a cd of their recorded works available, which I will no doubt be adding to my collection sometime soon.

I'm still listening to DaP26, as it has only just arrived. I've also got some friends visiting, who aren't really into listening to music, so its taking me longer to get into this than would normally be the case. But I have listened to 11/17/71 once. DaP26 arrived as I was half way through listening to Bickershaw 1972, having just heard the two Paris 1972 shows-which was very bad planning on my behalf, as I couldn't help comparing the 71 show with those from 72. The first thing that struck me was the incredible sound and mix on the new release. I have mentioned before, that large set lists put me off a bit-but as was pointed out to me in the past, you cant judge a show by its set list-and despite the massive volume of songs, the playing on each track is superb-right from the opening Truckin'. I also thought Tennessee Jed was really well played. But the highlight for me is still when they stretch out-and The Other One is great. The lead into Me and My Uncle didn't sound quite as natural as it did during summer 1971 to me, when it seemed, and was, more spontaneous. Here it sounds more like a neat trick, which they had done before and had realised was a crowd pleaser. They must have stopped doing it shortly afterwards, as none of the Europe 72 Other Ones are punctuated by Me and My Uncle. It seems more concise than the Europe 1972 shows I have just heard, more rock and roll based, perhaps. But its a great release-I'll definitely be playing it again when I have more time to myself.

Thanks for asking. At this moment I'm listening to King Tuff, but after clicking on the Bob Weir/Taj Majal video I'm reminded of Eddie Money (because he's mentioned in the story) so now I have to find (probably on Google Music) "Two Tickets to Paradise" and listen to that. Because I love that song. Let's see...Eddie Money had some other hits too, didn't he? So Eddie Money is on the list. And if your question meant "what are you listening to lately?" - I got Wheels of Fire yesterday (never had it before) so I have Cream on the list too. And last evening was Garcia Live Volume 9...love that "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)", except what the hell's happening with Martin's sax during that song? Sounds like interference from some sort of audio transmission. Weird. Rock on.

....ONWARD!

Thanks to you,my man I'm listening to 4-19-1982. The Raven show.More nitrous! Thanks Jim. :o)

I have finally listened to this release enough to put it to shelf for a while. It took 2 1/2 weeks and more than three completely listens. For me, this is much quicker than normal, I had the time this time. It usually takes me at least a couple months for my thoughts to congeal.. Boxzilla took a year and a half to two years and some shows still have not gotten a second listen (working on that). My first elations have been balanced by comparative listens and time to reflect. Not much has changed since my first listen though. I really enjoyed both shows, despite the similar setlists and close proximity to one another. And you get a sans Pig show and a Pigpen show, and they are quite different, even the non-pig songs. The Other One Suites for both shows deliver the goods. It could have been released as a two show box set, "1971 - The Other Ones." Both are powerful, monstrous and worthy. Phil is vibrant and in his prime and it comes through on these songs. But the real joy is the mix and the recordings, especially considering 11/17 never really circulated in good quality. This allows the other songs to shine and make their own statement. Big RR Blues, Jack Straw, Playing in the Band, Cumberland Blues, and on and on. Also, be it positive or negative.. these shows come at a steep part of their learning curve and bridge the 70/71 sound to the 72 to pre-hiatus band that hopefully we all know and love. Both good and similar yet vastly different. Typical GD. A great release.. top 5 DaP, perhaps top 3. An instant classic. Ok.. it's now on the shelf. News on the Box Set? What are you all listening to? We have Munich and the Lyceum left in Europe.. I guess I might drift there for a spell.

I never said that I liked him. He just saved their ass tonight. I've be a diehard Jets fan for a month now.

Weren't you guys vehemently complaining about this guy when he was a Penguin? Just kidding. :D

....my Garcia in net. Surreal as fuck.