Grateful Dead

I agree with you Dave. I made sure to say that is what they said. Blackmore is raw and full of fire, which means problems within but brilliance in the music. I can only imagine the knock down drag outs that happened with Ritchie and Ian. Steve to me is more of a hired hand, but a damn good hired hand. My issue, I have not even heard music much of the music written with Mr. Morse. I understand some of it is quite good. I really need to do a deep dive with purple as it has been a while. As an side, I enjoyed Ian's work with Sabbath when I was a youngin (Zero the Hero, after all). Shoot even enjoyed Dio with Sabbath.

I can understand how Deep Purple were happier with Steve than Ritchie Blackmore, but I am not so sure I would agree that they were at their best when Steve was in the band, Gary. Going off interviews, Steve seems a much nicer bloke than Ritchie Blackmore, and he is an amazing guitarist-but Deep Purple with Blackmore-the lineup with him, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice was the one. Their best album was the Live Made In Japan from 1973-one of the best live albums of all time. Another good one is Stockholm 1970-with 30+ minute versions of Mandrake Root and Wring That Neck. The latter also has a dvd included which shows them play a short but explosive set on T.V in 1970. He seems like an incredible egotist, Ritchie Blackmore, but also an incredible guitarist.

Obviously can't speak for everybody, but the reasons I didn't like it were the Jack Straw is an awful trainwreck, there are several big patches (and no warning on those), and the sound is good, but the playing is not that good. While the setlist is fantastic, the execution is flawed. When last I posted about my negative feelings on this I looked again at the setlist and thought, "You know what? Give it another listen." So I did, and I, again, just did not care for the show at all. Unlike Dave's 7, it doesn't even have a great Music Never Stopped or Scarlet> Fire that I can throw on as filler, or have as a reason to put the show on again. I think it was released to give a gnarled, ratty bone to the 80s disciples; they compromised by finding an 80s show with good sound quality thanks to the rare (for 1981) use of reel to reel recording, but, in my opinion, violated the second qualification for selection in that the music isn't great. I think I've listened to it all the way through (sans Straw and LRRooster) 4 times, which would be more than I've done for DaP 3 9/24/76, which is my other contender for least favorite Pick along with numero 7. Also, interestingly I've noticed DaP 22 12/6-7/71 included in the bottom of several posters' rankings; not a favorite of mine, either and yet, I, too love this current release from a couple weeks before and a week after the Felt Forum. Funny how it goes.

-March 24th ,1987 amazing performance from start to finish, from the whole band in general are on fire!!! ;) Set List: Jack Straw Candyman New Minglewood Blues Loser Mama Tried Mexicali Blues Ramble on Rose Let it Grow Gimme Some Lovin' Black Muddy River Playin' in the Band Terrapin Station drums Dear Mr. Fantasy Wharf Rat Not Fade Away Brokedown Palace https://archive.org/details/gd1987-03-24.sbd.milller.94349.sbeok.flac16

No apologies needed - Great post on your part, I just like to split hairs cuz I'm a pain in the ass. I'm thankful for all the different eras because they are all completely different. I count 9 unique periods: '65-'66, 67-70, 1971, 72-74, '75-78, '79 thru '80, '81-'88, 89-'91, '92-95. Whatever mood you're in, there's an era for that.

First, thanks for posting again Oroborous, you were missed. Your post about eras titled 1987, I agree with 100%, and have thought about it for years and have posted similar ideas. But that one write up took and synthesized a lot of great ideas. I love all eras, and I can always find something fun about in just about every show I listen to. Sure some of peoples complaints I understand but one rule I always agreed with came from Jerry. "We have to entertain ourselves, before we can entertain our audience." That describes my whole thought process concerning the fellas, and ladies. Well what about this or that, I do not care, if Jerry and Bob wanted to change something they would have. If they are entertained, I will find out why by concentrating and at the same time, getting lost. I enjoy Rush, or Yes, or Genesis, they all strove for absolute perfection but in that never reached anywhere close to the highs that the fellas, and ladies, could accomplish. Thanks so much for the write-up! Led/Ded: A couple of things, a few weeks back you wrote up some stuff about the drug debate which I had a written post very similar to yours about personal responsibility and having some level of discipline in life. I agredd with 100%. I know Jim and a couple of others shared this view. But this time around the sun, we do not need to revisit that theme. I saw that you saw the Dixie Dregs recently. Wow! How are they doing now? I was turned onto themwhen I played drums in the late 70's. Saw them for the first time in 1979. The last time I saw them was at the Tennessee Theater in Knoxville in 1992. Did not even realize they were touring. In 1988, I saw Steve Morris Band at a small club in my home town. Their was only 10-12 people there. Got to hang out and talk to Steve for several hours. He is an awesome hang. Also saw him later with Kansas but have not seen him with Deep Purple. I know on a Deep Purple documentary they mention that the best incarnation of them was once Steve was in the band. No more internal quarrels related to Blackmore, etc. Finally, really do enjoy this release. I understand our Doctor's love for 71. Also, made me realize that the 80's shows I saw were completely different, and some of those shows I love more than this 71. Cant wait to spin it again! Cheers All!

Thoughtful and analytic.. Try and find discussions on music this deep on the Ozzy site. Not gonna happen. (no offense meant to Ozzy/Sabbath fans). There's more than a thread of truth in what is written here. Many thanks.

Right on! Thank you, your assessment is more accurate and specific; the mighty improv I speak of was mostly contained to that section of the evening. I was trying to discuss more the type of improv more than the quantity, and that no one else could do that... 77 would typically have more longer pieces (quantity/total) for sure.I guess I was feebly trying to illustrate how it is possible to use critical analysis to appreciate the differences without having to choose one era over the other, and thus close oneself off from the wonder that can be found during all eras of their music, but that sometimes it just takes more effort. Actually, I started blabbing about spring 87 and a well, ahem, sorry, got a bit side tracked and did not do a very good job ; )

Thinking Woody. Best guess. http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/ballads/LxU072.html

You wrote "That’s the main reason 77 is not my favorite. (I love it, but it’s not my favorite!)IMHO, 76-78 often just drones on in modes, with one person soloing over the top, where say E72 and 69 etc there is much more group improv going down..." Totally agree on most of that, but I would argue that the real improv sections (especially in '72-'74) were confined to just a few isolated spots. For example Europe '72: the jams are in Dark Star/Other One (whichever one that night), plus Playin', BirdSong, Good Lovin - that's about it! And otherwise it was a first set of about 12-15 4-7 minute songs that were plain-jane. The good thing about '76-'78 is that the first sets seem weightier with more jamming throughout set 1 than in, say, '72-'74. And '77 second sets don't have the 30 minute jams, but it seems like there's more overall heft throughout, with nice 4-6 minute jams (yes, more thematic w/ not as much wide-open "improv") in Estimated, Scarlet>Fire, Dancin', Let It Grow, help>slip>franklins, NFA, Half Step, Sugaree!!, Dew, etc, etc. I love both eras as well, but to say there's more jamming in '72 I think is misleading. '72-'74 has a few pockets of DEEP improv, '76-'78 spreads weighty, song-centric jams throughout the show. And '69 is amazing improv pretty much throughout! As for "other bands just noodle whereas the Dead jams have substance" (paraphrasing), i gotta disagree - that's a myopic viewpoint. The Dead have plenty of sections of bland, aimless noodling between the good stuff, and entire shows that stink.. Phish and many others have some amazing jams - just because you drop in for a minute and it doesn't make sense to you right away doesn't make it bad. I hated the Dead for YEARS before I learned how to listen to them, figured out what parts I like, and what to listen for. Getting up to speed on any band takes time - took me years before I appreciated a long Dark Star, or the Truckin' jam from E'72.