Dave’s Picks Volume 34: Jai Alai Fronton, Miami, FL 6/23/74

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April 21, 2020 - 9:32am

2,197 replies

clayv

Joined:
March 14, 2018

"To my ears, the best Dead shows are those that not only fit the criteria that make them amongst the best of a year, but that are also completely unique for their era—shows that fit perfectly into their year of performance, but also fall somewhat outside of the norm for that year. Harpur College, Veneta, Cornell, Cape Cod, and Augusta are all shows that are objectively excellent, and if they are not the best from their respective years of performance, they are certainly unique. Miami 6/23/74 falls into that category: not only one of the very best shows from this outstanding year, but also one of the most interesting and unique. It’s certainly worthy of many, many deep listens." - David Lemieux

¡Ándale, ándale! ¡Arriba, arriba! We're back with a hot one from Miami, F-L-A. DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 34 features the complete show from the Jai Alai Fronton, 6/23/74, one with unparalleled sound quality due in equal parts to the Wall Of Sound and the beautiful sonic clarity of Kidd Candelario's tapes. The first set is chock full of dynamite takes on classics like "Ramble On Rose," "Mississippi Half-Step," and "Cumberland Blues." The second set delivers on the JAMS - one leading into a gorgeous "Ship Of Fools," one rare instrumental version of "Dark Star," and a "Spanish Jam," this is Miami after all! The show also offers up a "first" and an "only" - the former, a Seastones set featuring Phil and Ned Lagin and the latter, the sole Grateful Dead performance of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock."

Limited to 22,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOL.34: JAI ALAI FRONTON, MIAMI, FL 6/23/74 has been mastered from the 7.5 IPS reel-to-reel tapes to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman. ¡Agarrarlo mientras esta calientito! (Get it while it's hot!)

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

Subscribed to Dave's Picks? With this release, you'll also get a bonus disc with selections from Miami 6/22/74. Excellente!

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May 11, 2020 - 10:49am

#1421

CaseyJanes

Joined:
November 6, 2017

WilfredT UJB

You are correct sir about the Bm...also a Dm and Dsus2 according to Ultimate Guitar Tabs on the “Official Version”. I love the above mentioned app. Has most every song that you can think of and usually there are many versions to play so if you’re not quite getting one arrangement there is usually a way for guys like me to dumb it down a bit. That said I need to add those chords on UJB as they are in my range. Will also try the riff....I have a little pentatonic game as well! (I’m guessing there)

For the record, and if memory serves, I do believe I’ve seen youtube of you playing WilfredT, and you are an excellent player. I’m like a wanna be campfire player at best, but it’s more fun then a frog in a glass of milk.
May 11, 2020 - 10:29am

#1422

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

Hola Senor Janes

Good to see ya!
I think Bob was alluding to what I’ve heard/read all of them say over the years; it got harder and harder to get the band (especially Jerry) to rehearse and some of those songs you just couldn’t do well without rehearsal: LS, Cosmic Charlie, St Stephen etc. Unfortunately another side effect of ole Jer Bears monkey...especially when you consider how hard many of Jer’s parts were on these songs...it’s a bummer but no wonder many of the greats were set aside.

GUITARS & CADDILACS; used to play all the time. Tried to play guitar for ten years, occasionally professionally, once in the studio....switched to bass and rarely looked back. Did try the solo acoustic/apre thing briefly, but wasn’t that good and it’s really hard carrying the whole show by your self. And Scarry! Don’t have that front man Mojo either “star waaarrrsss, nothing but staaaarrrrr wwwaaaarrrsss” much prefer to play with 3 to 5 people, the interaction is where it’s at. But the rush of playing in a hot band in front of a bunch of people IS uncompareble....talk about a high!
But yeah, I preferred being in the back row under the dark lights grooving on the Bass. Played that professionally on and off for 20 years, last ten it was my main, though not only job...It was a gas, but after 100-150 nights a year, often at shitty bars and clubs, when your feet are killing you and your back can’t take that heavy lumber anymore, we’ll sometimes it’s a double edge sword doing what you love for a living....unfortunately haven’t really played in like ten years now. Had to TRY and grow up and get a real job....plus after I got booted out of my main gig, eventually all the calls stopped coming as it is a small, close knit group that gets the gigs here.
I truly miss it in my minds eye, but I don’t miss schlepping that heavy ass gear at 3 in the morning, or getting hassled by the law, or trying to get inspired when your back hurts and it’s late, and there’s only 4 drunks left, but I do miss it.
GUITARS
- Ibanez Muscian Series I got in 79 and modified with Alembic circuitry/pickups in 84.
- Madeira Acoustic
- 84 Alembic Spoiler 4 string electric Bass
- Michael Kelly Club Deluxe 5 String Acoustic/Electric Bass. picked this up early century when I was playing a lot to get upright sound etc. Never spent enough on upright to be proficient as it’s physicaly painful, and it’s a drag trying to play live with a loud band. I liked the sound I good get with the Kelly and a Sans Amp tech 21 Acoustic DI. It’s made for Acoustic guitar but works awesome for the Acoustic Bass. Seceret is the adjustable mid....
shit, ramblin again, sorry, fun topic. DAVEROCK sportin’ the Bobbie Dazzler! Nice axe bra! My guitar teacher always played and sold Gretches. Wish I would of got one, but wanted a Bob Weir Ibenez so bad. Almost had one but got the Muscian series instead. I’ve seen pictures of both Bob and Jerry playing one but not sure what show (s)? Think it was around when Bob was first using Ibenez?
May 11, 2020 - 10:12am

#1423

wilfredtjones

Joined:
June 4, 2007

Casey Janes UJB chords and guitars

There's a B Minor in there somewhere...I think after the G. The riff is fun, too! Don't forget to learn that :-)

Thanks for sharing info. on your guitars, too. I also have a '96 Washburn (D-20 in Koa). My brother just bought his first guitar, a Seagull S6... :-)
May 11, 2020 - 9:44am

#1424

Oroborous

Joined:
June 19, 2007

6/22/83 source

Yeah I think that’s the same source as I had. As I say at the time it was definetly my best sounding tape which in those days wasn’t saying much, but this one shined! Great show too, and looks like it must of been a great place to freak freely from the news clip.
So my buddy Doug hooked up with some dude who either was doing the taping or ? Not sure I really knew, but they knew WTF they were doing, had like Nac with sennhieser mics and were usually low generation and near that quality.
I had the best gear so most of my friends/cousins would bring their new tapes to my house for coping etc so I’d usually get decent generations. Some shows better than others depending on where they were located. Remember, this was before taper section so some diehard pros would poach in front of board, which sometimes was awesome, other times too loud or tone unbalanced etc...
Anyway, we start getting some killer 83’s, probably end of year I’m guessing. Unfortunately I never got the source guys info and next thing you know ole Doug’s knocked up the bosses daughter, whose family is super religious so shotgun wedding and no more fun for ole druggles, poor bastard! And no more tapes for us! Dooaah
Funny part was he got our band to play his ultra conservative wedding, but’s that’s a whole nother story for the bonfire....
May 11, 2020 - 9:31am

#1425

CaseyJanes

Joined:
November 6, 2017

Guitars and UJB

Hey all, COVID seems to have me busier than I’ve ever been with both the wife and kid working and schooling here at the cave...so I’ve just been lurking here lately on the site, but I have to jump in on a good guitar convo.

Dennis, I’ve read that 1983 is right around when Gibson started producing great acoustics again, shifting back to some of the methods that they used on 60s flat top guitars. I would love to play that Hummingbird. I’ll bet it sounds awesome, and from knowing what I know of you, it is probably very well cared for! I just recently learned UJB. It was surprisingly (to me at least) very easy to learn and made up of only 5 basic chords (G, D, C, Am, Em) which are some of the first chords (and easiest) that most guitar players will learn. Rhythmically, the toughest part of the song IMO is probably in what would be considered to be the chorus....that is the part that goes “whoa-o what I want to know is ______________....there are some quick chord changes in that line which take some practice, but all in all, not to difficult. That said, singing it and playing at the same time for me is much more difficult. I have only recently been able to incorporate some singing along with my playing and I have been playing for more than 20 years. Some of that I think is confidence factor of worrying about what others think I sound like, which I really don’t give a shit about anymore, but the other part is that rhythmically it is not easy to learn, especially if the song has difficult chord phrasing. Did anyone hear the Bob Weir Shakedown interview from Friday night? He had some interesting comments about Lost Sailor and the reason it didn’t stay around for too long in the bands repertoire. Too difficult to play and the other band members didn’t want to spend the time on it. And we’ve seen that LS has only recently been brought back into D&Cs repertoire. So this got me thinking about the progression of Bob Weirs playing ability. Of course it’s widely know that Bob was nearly kicked out of the band early on because of complaints about his guitar playing. And to be fair he only started playing guitar at the age of 13 and then met Garcia just 3 years later. And any player is going to experience some plateauing, especially early on. That said, it make me wonder if the shift in style on WMD and AB were at least partly made in efforts to help with this handicap as the arrangements are much simpler and back to the basics. (Here is a quote from wiki on the subject:
“The incident apparently led to a period of significant growth in Weir's guitar playing. Phil Lesh said that when drummer Mickey Hart left the band temporarily in early 1971, he was able to hear Weir's playing more clearly than ever and "I found myself astonished, delighted and excited beyond measure at what Bobby was doing." Lesh described Weir's playing as "quirky, whimsical and goofy" and noted his ability to play chord voicings on the guitar (with only four fingers) that one would normally hear from a keyboard (with up to ten fingers).[13].

Cousins: what kind of guitars do you own? What gets the most play? Based on your bands genre, I’m going to guess a Fender Telecaster?

Here are my guitars:

1). 1996 Washburn Limited Edition Acoustic
2). 2017 Gibson Les Paul High Performance in Cherry Red Sumburst
3). Seagull Artist Studio CW Deluxe Element
4). MJT Custom Telecaster build that is aged vintage relic...Taos Turquoise over 3-Tone burst
5). Rhino issued Grateful Dead Dancing Bear/Stealie ukulele (don’t really play this one just decoration
6). I also recently ordered a Taylor GS Mini Koa Plus E with edge burst on my 4 years zero interest Sweetwater card. I needed a good travel guitar and this one gets phenomenal reviews....can’t wait!, but sshhhhhh! Don’t tell Mrs Casey!

-the one I play the most (currently) is the Seagull...most accessible hanging on the wall right next to the couch in my living room. It has a pick up so I can plug it in but I rarely do as it projects nicely anyway. It as a solid Sitka Spruce Top, with Solid Rosewood back and sides, Mahogany neck and Ebony fingerboard, gold vintage tuners. It’s a beautiful guitar that sounds just as good as it looks.

Oro - Great repo car story...had me LOL as usual! For those interested, I promise to finish my Gorge story very soon. Fell off the wagon on that one, but the details are still there. Anniversary is also fast approaching....bummed I can’t do the repeat as I planned for Boulder in July...hopefully we can get back at it soon!

Doc - Great to read your regular posts again. Glad you’re back.

Be Well Dead People!

KCJ

Led Ded: just read your post...couldnt agree more. No better hobby and incredibly gratifying when you are able to overcome a plateau....repitition and practice....I’m at least one hour a day usually early mornings or later at night!
May 11, 2020 - 9:29am

#1426

LedDed

Joined:
February 16, 2017

Yes, some of us really play...

I am a guitar freak. I have about two dozen electrics, two acoustics and a couple basses, untold effects pedals and several amps. I actually do pick up those instruments with my two hands and play the shit out of them, every day, sometimes only for a half hour and other times all day long, esp. on weekends.

It's the most gratifying hobby I've ever known. When you start out, you suck and sound like shit. Over time, you learn other people's songs, chord changes, scales, etc. One day you find yourself sitting there with a drink and wailing along to "Layla" at full volume, kicking ass and blending right into the record. And then, you start coming up with your own stuff. Some people eschew covers and play as themselves right off, but if there's a kind of music you like, learning that stuff gives you a toolbox of techniques from which to start doing your own thing.

You get out of it what you put into it, practice practice practice. I don't really practice so much as play, but you hone your skills through repetition and hours devoted as you pick up new things here and there. One of my favorite things is to crank up a "Big River" like the one on One From The Vault, and wail along with Jerry. He was so good in his prime it's sick.

I'm not in a band. I have a straight job and a family (and a mortgage etc.) However now and again getting in a room with other musicians, especially with drums present, and turning up is as much fun as it looks. Unfortunately it looks like a bleak time right now for anyone struggling to make it as a musician. First album sales were destroyed by the internet and bands had to depend on live concerts and merch sales. What are they going to do now?

A long time ago, I might have leaned that way, but I'm glad I went with the straight job, keeping the guitar playing on the side, pure artistic expression with no strings attached or record company bullshit. Last, anyone who's always wanted to learn to play the guitar, go buy a decent one and get after it! If you keep with it, it will reward you more than you can imagine.

\m/
May 11, 2020 - 8:53am

#1427

Deadheadbrewer

Joined:
February 2, 2010

Did someone say, "Saint Paul"?

LOVE that show from '77 (AND the Saint Paul show from the 1978 box), but cannot allow myself to get distracted from my E72 studies. I still need to finish Bickershaw AND Amsterdam, then get to Rotterdam on its anniversary today. The back-to-back concerts on this tour make things difficult . . .

I didn't get into Grateful Dead until I was 21 (1991), but if I had been born ten or fifteen years earlier, I would have attended those old MN and upper-midwest shows.
May 11, 2020 - 8:00am

#1428

Cousins Of The…

Joined:
September 10, 2009

@Dennis

Hey Dennis, I'll take your Hummingbird if it's lonely :-)
I play guitar in a band(Western Swing/Honky Tonk) , although not sure when we'll be able to play out again this year.
May 11, 2020 - 7:30am

#1429

Dennis

Joined:
November 1, 2012

Dave's guitar and Dave's Pick

Just got DP29 in from Real Gone Music. I never bought any of the DP's when they were coming out, my buddy was getting them and sending me copies, money was tight and what the hell. In the end, wish I had bought them all as they came. Now I'm too cheap to pay some of the prices I see for complete sets, and the wife would never understand :-).

I have to say for anyone who hasn't bought these real gone music releases, they did a nice job on it. At first blush I thought the bonus tracks weren't included, but though not listed, they are there. It was 60 bucks from amazon (got a price cut before it shipped!) So maybe I'll look into getting the real gone collection,,,,, if it's cheap enough :-)

Dave the Rock and the Gretsch - I know Dave's not the only one on these boards who has guitars AND I know absolutely NOTHING about guitars or playing. But I looked up your guitar and yeah, pricey things. The demo's online made it sound very nice. My question, can you really play? I've met many people over the years who have instruments of all types, played "in my youth", they can still strum a few basic cords, but really can't play. I have a Gibson hummingbird my wife gave me back in 83-ish, why, I have no idea. Maybe she thought I develop unknown talents. I told it's a nice guitar, quite a few people have strummed it over they years and say "very nice". But one night at the store a customer who came in all the time (doctor of some sort), had just bought a new hummingbird, asked me bring in my old one. Bastard sat down and knocked out UJB off top of head. Blew me away. BTW - said my old hummingbird was much louder than new ones.

So Dave, do you play? Also other folks out there, do you really play? I believe some of you are in bands?

Just curious.
May 11, 2020 - 7:20am

#1430

musicnow

Joined:
August 6, 2013

bonus disc

The bonus disc is simply amazing! Classic songs/jams and the sound is superb. This was a GRATE addition to a magnificent show. Thank you Dave!

John Perry Barlow

John Perry Barlow

Forums

Dead Store Products

"To my ears, the best Dead shows are those that not only fit the criteria that make them amongst the best of a year, but that are also completely unique for their era—shows that fit perfectly into their year of performance, but also fall somewhat outside of the norm for that year. Harpur College, Veneta, Cornell, Cape Cod, and Augusta are all shows that are objectively excellent, and if they are not the best from their respective years of performance, they are certainly unique. Miami 6/23/74 falls into that category: not only one of the very best shows from this outstanding year, but also one of the most interesting and unique. It’s certainly worthy of many, many deep listens." - David Lemieux

¡Ándale, ándale! ¡Arriba, arriba! We're back with a hot one from Miami, F-L-A. DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 34 features the complete show from the Jai Alai Fronton, 6/23/74, one with unparalleled sound quality due in equal parts to the Wall Of Sound and the beautiful sonic clarity of Kidd Candelario's tapes. The first set is chock full of dynamite takes on classics like "Ramble On Rose," "Mississippi Half-Step," and "Cumberland Blues." The second set delivers on the JAMS - one leading into a gorgeous "Ship Of Fools," one rare instrumental version of "Dark Star," and a "Spanish Jam," this is Miami after all! The show also offers up a "first" and an "only" - the former, a Seastones set featuring Phil and Ned Lagin and the latter, the sole Grateful Dead performance of Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock."

Limited to 22,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOL.34: JAI ALAI FRONTON, MIAMI, FL 6/23/74 has been mastered from the 7.5 IPS reel-to-reel tapes to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman. ¡Agarrarlo mientras esta calientito! (Get it while it's hot!)

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

Subscribed to Dave's Picks? With this release, you'll also get a bonus disc with selections from Miami 6/22/74. Excellente!

???

In no order...originals only...

Dark Star
Caution
Born Cross Eyed
Cryptical
St Stephen
The Eleven
Here Comes Sunshine
Weather Report Suite
Loser
Candyman
Morning Dew
Wharf Rat
Stella Blue
New Potato Caboose
Candyman
Shakedown Street
Scarlet Begonias
Help/Slip
King Solomon’s Marbles
Victim
Blues for Allah
Mountains of Moon
What’s become of the Baby
Attics of My Life

Ok, that’s stream of consciousness, so only 10...

Dark Star
King Solomon’s Marbles
Help/Slip
Here Comes Sunshine
Weather Report Suite
Wharf Rat
St Stephen
The Eleven
Loser
Cryptical Envelopment
BONUS: 73-73 Eyes

Alright Daverock

Since you left out Rider, you can't have the jam in between! And, what's a live version without the jam in between! :-P

-edit- oops, I was reading older posts first LOL Sorry, Daverock just saw your message about the jams...

Wilfred

I didn't leave out Rider in my second list of favourite music.

Ha - no problem!

*RE/Top 10 Grateful Dead songs

...this is a whole lot harder than I thought LOL I Chosen these top ten songs from the Grateful Dead complete musical songs and live performances! 🙏❤️💀🌹

Ok, I'll play this game

The Dead played covers so unfaithful to the original versions, they absolutely became their own.

Top Ten:

The Same Thing
Brown-Eyed Women
Death Don't Have No Mercy
Loser
Me And My Uncle
You Win Again
Mr. Charlie
Jack A Roe
Big River
Don't Ease Me In

It's pretty hard to have a top ten. When I first went over songs, I started with 40.

Top 10

INPO

Jack Straw
Scarlet>Fire (Scarlet if I can only have one)
Help>Slip>Franklins (Franklins if I can only have one)
Wharf Rat
The Other One
Dark Star
St. Stephen
The Eleven
Here Comes Sunshine
Mountains of the Moon

Rubin and Cherise would be on the list, but it really is a JGB song.

Top 5 covers

Morning Dew
Peggy-O
She Belongs to Me
Visions of Johanna
Rubin and Cherise (That way I am covered)

Top Eleven dead songs....

....Cumberland
Caution
The Eleven
Still pondering. (I'm sneaking in an extra)

Wifey tossed Brokedown Palace in the mix....

....happy wife, happy life.
With everyone disagreeing these days, can we all just agree that Dark Star, PITB, Truckin' and The Other One are givens?? Serious question. Look deep in your Grateful Dead lovin' soul, and you know its true.

Top 10 Dead Songs

Dark Star
St. Stephen
The Eleven
Playin' in the Band
Eyes of the World
Ripple
Two Souls in Communion
Sugaree
Help on the Way > Slipknot > Franklin's Tower
Althea

Really all of the rest of them too...Honestly it would have been easier to pick my least favorite songs but I am not sure I would have 10.

This One Goes to Eleven...

Help>Slip>Franklin
Brown-Eyed Women
Sugaree
Scarlet>Fire
Jack Straw
He's Gone
Bertha
The Other One
Dark Star
Wharf Rat
Loser

Snark alert

Wave to the wind
Easy answers
I fought the law
Samba in the rain

Ok enough snark

Need help with posting videos

I can paste the link into my comment box, but when I press save to send it to the forum it doesn't cross over.

Delivery issue

I have not made comments here for a while. Just wonder if there are other folks in Europe that still has not got their Dave´s 34 delivered? On April 30 I got an upbeat "Good news! Your order is on the way!" Since then 47 days have passed and no sign whatsoever of my order with bonus dics. I hope other people have been more lucky.

Delivery issues

Bjornindia….I get the impression a lot have now been delivered-I got mine here in England about a week ago. Hopefully yours will arrive in the next day or so-but if not it might be as well to contact Marye

Top 11

Dark Star of course
The Wheel
Stagger Lee
Althea
Bertha
Estimated-Eyes (but mostly 73/74 Eyes)
Throwing Stones
Scarlet-Fire
Help-Sliplnot-Franklin's Tower
Truckin-The Other One
China-Rider

So many more!

Top 10

Impossible!!

Like others, I am including covers and medleys.

Morning Dew
Eyes of the World
Dark Star
TOO
PITB
China>Rider
Help/Slipknot!/Franklins
To Lay Me Down
Comes a Time
All the Dylan Covers (Desolation Row floats to the top)
All the other Garcia Ballads

I left so many off!!! Impossible.

Edit: Adding Scarlet>Fire. Something up there must have to get bumped..
Correction: Replace TOO with all songs on Anthem of the Sun, and somehow add in Viola Lee Blues.
Edit#2: Adding in all songs from WMD and AB, and Brown Eyed Woman + Jack Straw. These songs are true classics and should be granted a waiver from counting towards a top 10 list.

This is one of those impossible riddles that's impossible to solve.

bjornindia

I'm still waiting too
G.

My Top 11 Grateful Dead Songs 💀🌹

...this exercise/Game makes my brain twitch! Lol ha ha!
Top 11 Dead Songs-

1. "That's It for the Other One"
2. Cryptical Envelopment
II. Quadlibet
The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get
3. New Potato Caboose"
4. "Born Cross-Eyed"
5. " Alligator"
"Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)
6. St. Stephen"
7. Dupree's Diamond Blues"
8. "Doin' That Rag" 4:41
9"Mountains of the Moon"
"10. China Cat Sunflower
11. "Cosmic Charlie
& if I’m allowed, 3more...
*#12Morning Dew
*#13Cream Puff War"
*#14"Viola Lee Blues"
...I’m melting., melting
M
E
L
T
I
N
G
Y

Have a grateful day everyone, take care my brothers and sisters! 🙏❤️💀🌹🤠pigpen RIP Fat Man RIP😔

Friend of the Devil

I can't believe no one included this in their top ten. A perfect song, and I don't think I've heard Garcia give it an uninspired performance.

*Re/ friend of the devil

Great song! The music was written by Jerry Garcia and John Dawson of NRPS and the lyrics are by Robert Hunter!
The final song arrangement performed in the studio is quite different than the original composition if I remember correctly.

Friend of the Devil

The most played Grateful Dead song around campfires across the United States for going on 50 years.
-BAR/NONE-

I need to add to this. The most played song of ANY song played around campfires in the United States for going on 50 years , period.

Re\ friend of the devil

I concure with strider88 , good Ol campfire music, much like the two albums ‘American beauty’and ‘working mans dead‘ both scream out Americana!
Primo good Ol’Grateful Dead sing along songs!

Re: Friend of the Devil

I think we have to assume all the songs from American Beauty and Working Mans Dead were grandfathered in, add in the never released on Studio LP songs from E72.

Yes, how could we forget FOTD? Perhaps because it's one of those rare songs were the studio version is the classic, best version and it never really climbed as high live (my opinion).

Brown Eyed Woman, Jack Straw, Attics, Brokedown Palace, Cumberland Blues.. goodness, what a treasure chest.

Friend of the Devil

"You can borrow from the devil or you can borrow from a friend, the devil give you twenty, when your friend got only ten".

Favorites?

Need I say, ….as well to count.

Really ANY song on SOME night can be a exploding head moment. What might serve the community better is a definitive list of EVERY song and what is the BEST version of that song. I'm sure as a family we can come to together and create one list we all agree on, right? Lets say for instance, "The GREATEST Looks Like Rain, EVER, is from 1983-04-16". I think that is a statement we all can get behind. Next, Day Job, I KNOW I saw one, somewhere, wow! Probably still picking pieces of my skull off the ceiling!.

So what's funnier, 10 favorites or BOAT list? :-)

Songs (as written), or best LIVE songs?

The more recent comments got me wondering: are we listing the best songs, as they exist in their pure construction, or are we listing the songs that we enjoyed most in a live setting? Friend of the Devil, as mentioned, is a perfect song, but perhaps was not always the best song at a concert. On the other hand, The Eleven might be the epitome of a Grate concert song, but would likely not have been that interesting on an album.

Top Five Concert Songs:
The Eleven
China-->Rider
Eyes
Scarlet-->Fire
The Other One

(Plus Let It Grow as a sixth. Whoops!)

Bad Apples

This started as simply “your 10 favorite original GD songs“ (I think?)...but of course any time you ask a bunch of bolos and bozos to complete a task your gonna get more than you bargained for! Lol 😉

EDIT: I don’t know Dennis, that 10/10/82 LL Rain is a real dazzler! And what are you thinking....we can’t even put a favorite song list together and there’s only a few hundred of those, how the hell are we going to chose a best version lists from the THOUSANDS of versions....there’s always one folks! LOL

Looks Like Rain

70's: probably from 78 imo, 5-14 or 7-5? Jerry loved to rip the solo in 78.
80's and beyond: 10-3-87

FOTD

Best version that I have heard so far, the version from Dead Set. Jerry and Brent kill it on this version.

Love the way this song changed in 1976, with the extended versions.

Continuing my top eleven list....

....Shakedown Street. Added to
Brokedown Palace
The Eleven
Cumberland Blues
Caution
That's five. I'm getting there. Reminder. I'm not including Dark Star, PITB, Truckin' or TOO. Those are no brainers IMO.

Right Outside

...this Lazy Summer Home....

Sixtus

Robert Hunter's Favorites

Relix Magazine 1978

Which are your favorite songs, the ones you are proudest of?

I like Ripple a whole lot and It Must have Been The Roses, Cumberland Blues, Dupree, Ramble on Rose is a particular favorite - there's something funny about that song.

Friend Of The Devil "I thought that was the closest we've come to what may be a classic song."

- Robert Hunter

Looks Like Rain

I've said this before, the best Looks Like Rain is Frost Amphitheatre, October 10, 1982. Bob's speech and then his and Jerry's outro is simply perfect. "They say into each life a little rain must fall. In my life, it's coming' down like a big brick wall".

that's 2 for 10-10-82

I'll have to tune that one in again later. Thanks!

P.S. Nice work Sixtus if that's your gate :-) What does the plaque say?

Yesterday’s homework

Personally, I can only complete this 10 favorites list in the following manner:
Studio-not in order
Truckin’
Uncle John’s Band
Casey Jones
Friend Of The Devil
Terrapin Station
Estimated Prophet
Ripple
St. Stephen
Brokedown Palace
Crazy Fingers

Live-kind of in order
Dark Star
Viola Lee Blues
Turn On Your Lovelight
Caution
Cold Rain & Snow
Wharf Rat
Morning Dew
Here Comes Sunshine
Bird Song
Blues For Allah-yeah, I know, but all 3 versions are SPECTACULAR!!

So now, it’s time for y’all to rip me a new one!!
And don’t forget......Music is the Best!!

I Get A Kick Out Of....

First.. great conversation, I need to look back to the origin.

Second, I love that none of us (a couple exceptions, bless their souls) can follow the rules. Bend them perhaps... I get a kick out of that, and in a benevolent way.

Back to your regularly scheduled St. Stephen>The Eleven.

Edit: Includes the William Tell Bridge.

10.10.82 you say?....

....make that three.

Favorites (may change at any moment)

1. Eyes 2. pitb 3. Tennessee jed 4. TIFTOO 5. Bird song 6. Dark star 7. LIG 8. St.stephen 9. Cosmic Charlie 10. Morning dew P.S.- not in order and may change due to state of mind. Bonus- Mr.charlie.

Wilfred, A Fine Inquiry

It seems fidelity might be lost, unfortunately...
...it reads, upon close inspection:

'The Lazy Gate'

Surrounded by Familiar, Happy Icons of Grateful Lore.
Covered among rampant roses, pink.

The current and existing entrance into the Gardens of Sixtus; this being our first exposure to the joys of nature it being our inaugural summer here; we truly have no idea What will pop, and When. Each jaunt among the gardens delivers newly found joys of nature's bounty and immense offerings - coupled with opportunities for reflection.

Be well, All!

Sixtus

P.S.
The Eleven:
Eyes; H>S>F (is that one or three? (I'm calling One)); Estimated; TMNS; Crazy Fingers; Bird Song; Dark Star; Peggy 'O; Terrapin; Scarlet>Fire; Wharf Rat

What sixtus said

And peggy-o, Estimated and Help/slip/frank. Wow, this is not easy.

Peggy-O

Love their take on that tune..

From some google searches, I think that song might have originated in the 1500's (could be wrong, would love some fact checking).

A personal favorite.

I have never met a Peggy-O I would not Marry-O.

Dead Reads....

So I've read the usual suspects:
-Long Strange Trip
-So Many Roads
-Deal-Kreutzman
-Cornell 77
-Searching for the Sound-Lesh (my vote for the better of the five)

Next, I think I'd like to read the "Bear" "Steve Parish" or "Bill Graham" bios...anybody read them? Any suggestions for some interesting Dead related/or loosely Dead related books you've enjoyed?

Reads

I have read them all.

Phils book was quite good.. McNalleys and Blairs were equally good. Long Strange Trip was perhaps the hardest read, but rewarding.

Parishes, although perhaps the most entertaining, had it's drawbacks.

I like them all. I did not read the dis't book that came out in 2015. I have no interest in gossip, but history is fun.

Of the unread, the Bear book is certainly the most fun. Rosie McGee wrote a book that was fun too, as did I think one of Bears GF's, but that might be the Bear Book you speak of.. great fun.

Also, highly recommended are the two Orange Sunshine The Brotherhood of Eternal Love books (yes there are two). Great reads.

Edit: The two Owsley Books are (I think)
Bear: The Life and Times of Augustus Owsley and
Owsley and Me: My LSD Family: Stanley, Rhoney Gissen

Really both must reads. Great books.

Carlo13..PM & Time

Check yours...

& always, time distorts

-Sixtus

I've read them all...

I've read every goddamn rock biography I've been able to get my hands on. The Dead ones you've mentioned are all good. I'm currently 2/3 way through the Ted Templeman autobio. Just before that was John Entwistle's first - ! - though boring and slowly written, the man was hands down the best bass player I ever saw.

I am highly intelligent and an extremely fast, voracious reader with a photographic memory. On the surface, a statement like that may come across as egotistical, fantastical, or just arrogant, but in reality it's just true.

So like scenes in real life, I can vicariously place myself into the situations of the protagonists, rock heroes in these books I devour. Having done all the drugs and had all the sex and endured slight flirtations with the law, I have soaked into my being all of these shared experiences, of our collective bad ass conscicenceness. I am he as you are we and we are all together... that was from memory, either mine or someone else's, did I get it right?

Lennon, porn, insanity, drugs. The one your mother warned you about.

Ever been thinking a thought and wanted to spit it out before someone else said it first? Felt like you fed it to them when they did? Yes, of course. Ever been tripping and had the same shared feeling wash through the room, invisible though tangible, with everyone making eye contact and laughing and locking in, together, though for an indeterminately brief and instantly lost period of time?

We're all as connected as those groves of Aspen trees they call the world's largest living organism. Or whatever the fuck. When you glance at the clock, how often is it 12:21 or 3:03 or 2:22?

Just words. Be well and carry on.

\m/

Sixtus

PM back at you. I'm going to get workingman's dead now before I forget.

Book of The Dead

The first one I read was by Hank Harrison, and my edition was called simply "The Grateful Dead." First published in 1973. Apparently Harrison was the bands manager for about 5 minutes around 1966. But there is very little mention of him in any books apart from his own-which are actually more about him than the band. He wrote a follow up, and a third was promised, although I don't think that ever materialised. As the first two were shameless exercises in self promotion, this might not have been a bad thing.

My favourite was "The Music Never Stopped" by Blair Jackson, that came out about 1983. It opened with a great review of them playing Ventura, and the appendix had a review of tapes. This was the first time I had ever read about tapes, and I used to read his review of them and wonder how on earth you got hold of them. Little did I know what was just round the corner..

I haven't read many of The Dead books that have come out over the last 10 years. Rosie McGhees is one that interests me. A really good book that refers to the Dead throughout, "Heads -A biography of psychedelic America" by Jesse Jarnow.

On blowing your own trumpet

"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool". Shakespeare-"As You Like It".

Another book...

"The Jefferson Airplane and the San Francisco Sound" by Ralph J. Gleason (Ballantine Books, 1969)

Subtitled "The story of The Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Fillmore Auditorium, Bill Graham, The Family Dog and the coming of age of rock 'n roll in San Francisco"

That covers pretty much everything one could wish for. Of course the venerable Mr. Gleason was there right in the thick of it so he knows as much, if not more than anyone. It also contains 16 pages of photos and a 22 page interview with Jerry Garcia, the guru and a pretty comprehensive 10 page list of San Francisco bands.

This has been out of print for decades and is probably incredibly hard to find now, unless it has either been reprinted or published in digital form. Well worth seeking out.

https://www.dead.net/features/blog/literary-underground-grateful-dead-r…

There are used copies out there but they are not cheap.

And another

Yes, the Ralph Gleason book on San Francisco bands is another good one. I have just remembered the Garcia one-"A Sign Post To New Space," which I thought was excellent-although I seem to remember reading that Garcia himself was subsequently embarrassed by it.

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