• 8,083 replies
    marye
    Joined:
    Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.

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  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    DV: 89 vs 90

    I think it’s that searchin’ for the sound, trying to reach the summit, the whole forward progress, coming together, versus spring 90 is like they reached the top of that path, like sitting on top the summit and smoking a fatty, 420 @ 14K as we say out here! 89 was the climb, but spring 90 was the summit, if that makes sense?
    Spring 90 is almost like too pristine, too clean? Don’t get me wrong, imho it ranks with most of the biggins, but there’s something about 89?

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    Yaaassss, yassss, yaasss,

    I do like me sum 89...AND Cal Expo! Only made the June 90 run, and did Merch there on 96 Furthur tour, but it left a smoking crater on my mind. Some might call it a dump, but the layout was awesome for sound and good sight lines. Laid back vibe and a great lawn too, especially with GA so folks could go where they want. And yes, the beer was a amazing surprise; Anchor on tap and not east coast stadium mob priced. I had truly, finally, made it too the promised land! If only I had made it to the Frost and Greek : ( Shorline was nice, but I really dug the X! Maybe it was the x lol.
    Irvine would of been a nice place to see um, but unfortunately I only did Furthur fest there...
    So haven’t hit this yet but sounds like that’s what’s up next!

    Rock Thing, welcome aboard, so glad ya made it...as your senator from the great deadnet state of altered consciousness, I can assure you there are very few rules to guide. Generally no politics or any of that kinda heavy shit, and be polite, don’t be a douche! Remember, we all have our opinions, which is nice, but we’re all confused, which is nice, and we’re all wrong on some plain or another, which is nice!
    That’s about it, so Rock On Rock Thing!
    Oh, I’m with you about sources. I’ll take a really good Aud over many SBs, and I really like a good matrix, but I mean really good, like some of the video mixes I believe have actual, ambient mics used with appropriate time alignment etc.
    I get why the majority like SBs, and the historic technical reasons why they became en Vogue. But the tech changed so much and with the eventual gray area removed by the tapers section etc, there are some really amazing sounding Auds.
    I’ll concede that it has to be done just right, but if so I really dig a great matrix; you get the (usually) clean direct feed of the instruments etc, plus the more natural room ambience. Of course like a SB, the mix is crucial, and unfortunately in the case of the “cassette years,” is often mixed so prominently for the house. But when 2 great sources are blended just so it is really amazing how good they can sound.
    The ultimate imho is when the “Dead” did it purposefully like on many of the official releases, like some of the video mixes...EDIT: I believe that 3/15/90 show is a good example that has some really nice “liveness” ambience...
    I like Dave’s Pick 8 and 36, but 8 seems a tad too dry and 36 at times is perhaps to much, but hey, that’s just me.

    Ok, onward....8/5/89 woo, woo!
    GO BILLS!
    KCJ, where you be? I’d trash talk with ya but I don’t think we’re gonna do it, but hey, as Boomer would say
    “That’s why they play the game”

  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    1989

    Yes, so many great shows in 89 and Cal Expo is no slouch. Lately, I have been thinking 89 might edge out 1990? It is close anyway. Really high level stuff with Jerry fully engaged. Things changed after Brent died, but there was still some great music. Fall 1990 still doesn't grab me. Not like 1991, where they seem to get the Mojo going again.

    Stay well out there people.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Sweet Run

    This one's for our 89 loving Oroborous. (knowing that most in this group seem to be 80's fans)

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Cal Expo '89....

    ....was present and camped at all three. Awesome venue. The only time I caught them there. Very beer friendly.

  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Rockthing

    Right on, Bring it..

    I think you are doing this exactly right. Great show, VGuy, good choice. And an excellent show to have attended. Did you catch the entire run?

    It's keeping us honest.

  • daverock
    Joined:
    Infrared Roses

    Rockthing-your post reminded me of the cd compilation called "Infrared Roses" that came out in the 90s. An album exclusively made up of drum and space segments, each track given the added status of being named individually. I was lucky enough to experience one of them-the so called "Silver Apples of the Moon" which I think came from London 11/1/90. One of the highlights of the show.

    When drums and space come out of Dark Star- I tend to think of them as being extensions of Star, rather than as separate entities.

  • rockthing
    Joined:
    gd1989-08-05 impressions Second Set

    Am I doin' this right? Sorry if I'm kinda goin' overboard. That's my thing.

    Continuing to listen to the Schoeps MK2 source.

    Hey Pocky Way: This song did not get performed enough. Just some light fun with a little cheesy keyboard sound.

    Playin': Nice and spacey jam. Sparse. Chill. Percussion taking the back seat in the mix. Jerry really challenging the others to find the trail he's blazing. Catch me if you can! Whoa, what's he hintin' at? No way! So THIS is the standalone I Know You Rider. More like a Playin' Rider. THAT really came outa nowhere. People musta been goin' nuts. Can't really hear too much reaction from the crowd, even though this is an audience pull. Up up tempo. Really flying. Headlight ¡GONG! on a northbound train. Nice. :)

    Terrapin: Are you serious? Third song into the second set is Terrapin?! Pretty solid.

    Drums/Space: At some point I really began to dislike the generic titles for drums and space. It's canon. I know. Can't fight city hall. Never gonna change four decades of precedent, but when I track my old tapes for my own personal use, I include drums and space in the song either before or after them. I like to think of them as a drum solo and free form jam into or out of a composition. I realize they rarely have much of anything to do with the tunes around them, but some of the early stuff would go out so far you had no idea what song they were playing, I kinda like to stay in that frame of mind. So, to me, this is the drum solo for Terrapin. ^^; Is there a cut, or was that just the world's shortest "drums"? Some wacky MIDI stuff to start off space. Everyone playing everyone else's instruments, virtually.

    Gotta run. Catch up with the rest of the second half later.

    EDIT:

    Sorry, Terrapin wasn't the third song. Maybe Pocky Way felt like such a throw away that subconsciously I didn't even count it. At any rate, seemed to arrive at Terrapin awfully quickly. Time flies when you're having fun? :)

  • rockthing
    Joined:
    gd1989-08-05 impressions First Set

    Hey now. Is it ok if a newcomer jumps in on this? Never need an excuse to cue up a show I've never heard. Wish I had time to do it more often. Easily lead into rabbit holes, so hafta stick with my old favorites when things are busy. Nice to have someone to share the impressions with. I apologize in advance. I am notorious among all my correspondents for writing the sequel to Ulysses in every email.

    I don't have any hard and fast policies, but generally I prefer to find a good audience pull over soundboards. There are plenty of boards I love, though, so as I say it's not a rule. Being a minor taping enthusiast informs that tendency, but often I actually like having the crowd in the mix. Sometimes the audience can be as entertaining as the band, like the dudes calling out for Casey Jones during Seastones. Hilarious. Idle chatter drives me up a wall, though.

    Introductions out of the way, please allow me to share my experience listening to this Cal Expo gig.

    First impressions:
    Wow. Bobby's vocals are really loud. This is something I often find distracting about boards. The vocal balance is way too high in the mix compared with the instruments. It's inevitable, I guess. Usually the instruments don't need to be amplified as much as the vocals. I gather that we're supposed to be listening to the same releases, but I decided to see what the other sources sounded like.

    I switched from the Miller SBD to Mattes Schoeps CMC 44 pull. I've heard some Mattes tapes I like. The Schoeps are top of the line mics and can't be faulted technically, but I often find Schoeps pulls to favor the lower frequencies in a way that seems to muffle the overall experience. In this case my first thought was, where's the band? Had to really crank it to even notice OMSN had started.

    Next it was a switch to the Casey Coniff Sennheiser 441 pull. Starts off promising. Instruments loud and clear, but then I WENT UP TO THE MOUNTAIN, wow, the vocals were blasting into the audience, too. Yes, you can hear Dan Healy, I presume, immediately pull the volume back, but Bobby's vocals are really dominating the mix.

    The Schoeps MK2 pull seems to offer a frequency balance I like best of these sources. The vocals are still really high, but they would be since everyone's taping the same show. Let it be said, however, that the focus and clarity of both this and the Coniff audience pulls are right up there with soundboards. No need to search for the show in the recording.

    Cold Rain and Snow: Poor old Jer. Love that old silvery elf voice of his and I know it won't be there in '89, but he sounds kinda tired to me at the beginning. Kick drums kinda have that slappy festival sound quality. Phil's bass sounds great. Low end is powerful, but well-defined, and his upper register runs are right there too, but not harsh. Big smile for that little hiccup/accent around 4 and a half minutes in. Love this tune. This probably won't rocket to the top of my list of favorites.

    We Can Run: As much as I love Brent's keyboard work with the Dead, I rarely get into his songwriting.

    Stagger Lee: Nothing in particular to say about this.

    Stuck Inside of Mobile: Nothing to write home about. Everyone seems to be getting a little more warmed up. The buildups for the choruses each seem to grow in intensity.

    Row Jimmy: Whoa! WTH was that atonal weirdness. That was brilliant, whatever it was. lol. Sounds like someone accidentally dropped something on The Beam. Unfortunately no one had the presence of mind or inclination to try to incorporate it into the song, or improvise off of it. It just happens and sounds like a mistake. Jimmy plods along as usual. Gonna get there? I don't know.

    Let It Grow: Oh, some of those crazy Healy vocal/etc. effects. I usually liked it when he added stuff like that, but I guess others didn't. As is often the case with this tune in the second half of the 80s and onward, we get our first taste of the band firing on all cylinders for one quick hot lap before the set break. This one doesn't get too far out during the first jam, though, before Bobby brings it back and seems to miss his own cue. lol. Nice fills from Jer and Brent in the outro. Could've stood a bit more of that, tbh.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Extra Credit retracted....

    ....Dennis fact checked it.

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Bolo24 says: An Idea, Perhaps? Since we're all going to have a fair amount of spare time on our hands for the foreseeable future, what about starting another thread where we all listen to the same show/release on a given day and then share impressions afterward? Folks can submit suggestions and one person (not me) picks what we'll all listen to - call it Deadnet Picks or something. Anyway, if this idea is deemed to have merit, I'd suggest one of the loyal regular posters take the lead and do the picking - y'all can decide who. Might be fun. If it does go forward, I nominate Dick's Picks 18 for the first listen. Been talked about here lately, and, had it been a single show rather than a compilation, we'd probably be talking about it in the same conversation as Cornell, Veneta, etc. Or perhaps even Gainesville?? Stay safe and healthy, friends - this planet needs as many Deadheads as possible.
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....yes Dave. One of the more interesting ones I've come across.
"Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley formed the band as a couple in 1984. They chose the name "Yo La Tengo" (Spanish for "I have it," referring to a female-gender object or person). The name came from a baseball anecdote that occurred during the 1962 season, when New York Mets center fielder Richie Ashburn and shortstop Elio Chacón found themselves colliding in the outfield. When Ashburn went for a catch, he would scream, "I got it! I got it!" only to run into Chacón, a Venezuelan who spoke only Spanish. Ashburn learned to yell, "¡Yo la tengo! ¡Yo la tengo!" instead. In a later game, Ashburn happily saw Chacón backing off. He relaxed, positioned himself to catch the ball, and was instead run over by left fielder Frank Thomas, who understood no Spanish and had missed a team meeting that proposed using the words "¡Yo la tengo!" as a way to avoid outfield collisions.[5] After getting up, Thomas asked Ashburn, "What the hell is a Yellow Tango?""
Hilarious. Don't miss those team meetings Frank!!

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In reply to by Vguy72

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pretty good

all together now..."it's not Europe 72, but..."

it's still pretty good

PS I got my work done that day, my friends...luckily, I didn't have to answer to my dad, since he is in Salem Oregon

update on 12/3/79...there's one of those weird patches where all of a sudden we go from soundboard to the hallway and then back to the soundboard.

Onward into Friday. I will do my best to stay focused on my ish.

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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Perhaps my favorite '77 show, add in the bonus tracks and you have a really special release.

Thanks for carrying the torch folks and keeping this alive. Been a bit busy the last few weeks and struggling just to hang on here. Gotta admit, I missed a few of these shows. Trying to manage getting stuff done with the best winter we have had here in more than a decade. Winter is fun, GD is fun, winter and GD is more fun. Add 2/26 to the mix, sublime.

Blink or relax for just a moment and when you snap out of it.. you're old. I cannot play as hard as I used to.

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In reply to by proudfoot

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some slowness in there

2/26/77: Jerry sparkling and spry

2/17/79: still plenty bouncy

12/3/79: ssaayyyyy whhhhaaaa...? Terrapin and Wharf Rat....

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.

It must have been horrifying for the rest of the band to see such a rapid decline.

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I think I might do a first course of Uptown 81, followed by a Swing 77 dessert!

Happy Friday, DeadLand! Keep the good vibes rolling!

Of, for those of you who like a good Matrix, here is 2/26/81: https://archive.org/details/gd1981-02-26.mtx.chappell.sb02a.28383.sbefa…

Like most shows, give it a minute to "settle down easy" :)

Peace

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Def. not a top-tier pick for me, which is a shame because Fall/Winter 79 is one of my favorite periods of GD. Kind of puzzled why this was chosen, TBH. However, if memory serves, the "Truckin'" is massive if listened to in the proper state of mind and at the proper volume (LOUD!) I do love the artwork on this one...

Overall though, many better shows from this era.

Peace

I think we all know what the top picks are and what constitutes as filler.

If we all had a crystal ball of truth.. it would reveal what we know. Each year until this comes to a screeching halt.. we are going to get a mix of what is deemed releasable shows. The great and the truly good.

That's how it's gonna play out my friends. No need to hope each and every show is a top ten. I will add, I want to see all the releasable shows get a Full Norman. What we are listening to each day and night is history and these shows need to get released.. here's my twenty five bucks, bring it, even 12/3/79, which is not the worst Dave's Picks..

On a separate note, all the remaining Dave's Picks need to have a Cumberland or they will have a revolution on their hands. Who's with me?

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I am happy with what we get.. I was thinking how some releases are wow for the quality or reputation... Others like the July 78 box were more of whoa we have soundboard releases that never existed to us... Would I be happy if we got a Dane County from Feb 15, 1973 oh yes, but a Feb 24, 1973 University of Iowa show would fall into that July 78 box set release type of emotion.. That type of release is what I wish we would get a little more often, but I wonder what the potential amount of releases would even fall into that category . be good everyone. bob t

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I am there, DARK STAR

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In reply to by unkle sam

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I'm there with BTK, UNKLESAM, ICECRMCNKD & everyone else who loves these shows.

52 years ago, 4 of the greatest shows ever started at the Fillmore West and holy shit they're amazing.

The Dark Star the band played on 2/27 is beyond.... description.

Big props to Betty Cantor for picking this one out of the bunch and putting it on the first live Grateful Dead release for all of us to freak out over.
Crazy, she did that before I was even born.
Bow to the Queen.

My little memory on the importance of the Fillmore West Complete Box Set release. (which I've told before)
I saw on the internet that the Grateful Dead was going to release all of Europe '72, I hadn't been collecting the Dead in years as I was booking local rock shows at a club and was into a completely different local music scene that had been eating my brain so in many ways I felt that I'd moved on from the Dead.

But seeing that the WHOLE Europe '72 tour was going to be released just stopped me in my tracks.
When I followed the rabbit down the hole..
one of the first things I saw, they'd already released the COMPLETE Fillmore West '69 run!
The Bus came by that day, and I got back on.

WALSTIB indeed.

This Dark Star rules.

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In reply to by unkle sam

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...be a Debbie downer. I just don’t like when EVERYDAY is a “anniversary” pick, or more to the point, perhaps SOMETIMES we do an anniversary from different years that never get any love.
But who can the weather (or the music) command.
Onward!

EDIT: I’ve been blissfully wallowing in Dave’s Picks 33, 35, 36, and 37. Still have that 72 stuff to get to, but some 69 is always fine, yuck, yuck..

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Haha

This is not "this Day in Dead History" you all ;)

I'm just playing...

“[To poop] originally meant ‘to produce a short blast of sound,’”

Maybe OB just wanted us to hear a short blast of sound?

OB, you know I'm just taking the mickey out of you cause you haven't listened to 10/18/72 yet?
I dig all your input mang.

On a more musical note.. Get it?!?!

I don't think I noticed that patch in The Eleven on 2/27 before 7:54-8:49..
I wonder if that had something to do with them using the 1/26/69 version on Live Dead.
hmmm

You guys are funny.

The Fillmore West box is sorta of a white whale for me. On the fence with release announcement and when I finally went to pull the trigger it had sold out in previous 24 hrs. Not the last time I was slow on the draw but that was a tough one and years later when i started checking resellers it was a bit pricey. Do have the compilation. Someday.

So I'm going with Live Dead today and the Dark Star sounds glorious right now.

Onward!

I know y’all giving me shit, which is nice!
I think my suggestions are not being seen in the right light. Not trying to be negative...Think of it this way;
There’s over 2300 shows, I’d like to hear as many as possible, even if just once, vs listening to say, only the same 200 shows repeatedly. So more shows equals a positive, no? Especially looking for those weird little chestnuts that only a super squirrel finds 🐿
Also, it’s a fragile eco system. Been listening for over forty years already, hope to be able to do so for many more.
Variety is the spice of life!
Ok,enough of all that,
ONWARD!

EDIT: as your senator from the great deadnet state of altered consciousness I hereby propose an amendment to the cosmos hear-by declaring that henceforth the Elevan, should, and must be played on, well....11!

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In reply to by bluecrow

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I also missed out on FW and the steamer trunk, although I did get the 72 AME.

Have FW 27 and 28 on vinyl. Both say Plangent Process. I don’t believe that the FW69 Box says Plangent, but I don’t have a physical copy to look at.
Can some check their Box to see if it says Plangent?
If it doesn’t then that suggests that FW69 has been remastered - Plangentized, Normanized, and vinylized.
27 and 28 sound really nice.
The question is, when will they release the 24/192 hi-def copies?
They could put it on BluRay audio like Led Zep did for Song Remains The Same.

No offense meant Oro, I don’t actually keep up with the picks every day, mostly just on weekends since I don’t listen to music at work. Sometimes do partial shows at night.

Well, it’s around 50 here, the snow is gone, and there’s 2 months of dog poop in the yard....
That's going to take like 45 minutes to clean up.

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Conekid, no Plagent was not used on the Filmore box. The first box they worked on was Winterland 73.

Oroborous, yes, we are still not This Day in Grateful History. Shoot, we are coming up on the one year anniversary of The Pick of the Day. Let's keep it rolling!

Do you all remember what the first pick was?

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In reply to by DeadVikes

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I've got the POTD list ;)

Might've missed a day or two here and there when there wasn't a pick or it wasn't clear what the pick was.
But usually would jot down a notation.
For the most part it's complete.

VGuy... I wrote down 2/27/69 for today.

It's too epic not to give it the nod.

But.. that leaves room for more goodness, might have to do 2/27/81 later.

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In reply to by proudfoot

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None taken!
This ones for you and the job ahead
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mLNAkPsjAEk

EDIT: lol I thought we were doing 69 today? or am I a day late and a dollar short again!
Dbl Edit: yeah, nice work GOGD...we oughta call him scribe, or Radar O’reily

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In reply to by Oroborous

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Plangent or not, still sounds pretty good!
Haven’t heard these since some awesome person turned me on to copies s couple years ago...so good call, ...was due!

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In reply to by Oroborous

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A man walks down the street
He says, "Why am I soft in the middle, now?

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In reply to by proudfoot

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And Betty when you call me,
You can call me Al.

Yeah... listening to the Dead all day can make you a little soft in the middle.
But what a way to go.

Don't want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard
Bonedigger, Bonedigger

God I love DeadHeads, I just wish there were more in my neighbor.

FW Box was a Multi Track release.

....tbh Proudfoot, I dabbled. Started with him circa 1980, then moved forward and backward. Got distracted with another band. Circling back.
Like most nuts, pistachios are healthy and good food.
Avocados are up there too.

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God, I must be getting old. A good hit on Friday night at work, up all night, cloudy all Saturday, passed out early, up now.

Anyway,,, coming home from work Friday night fairly electric. Got billboard hits of 1973 playing and the Temps come on with Papa Was a Rolling Stone. (the 12 minute version) My Buick has a ok sound system so I cranked it up. What a great recording. Wonderful separation of sounds, the relentless cymbal. If you haven't heard in a while, pop that bad boy on,,, good headphones sound great,,, and crank it.

I always say Motown is like coke,,,,,, everybody likes coke,,,,,, and sara lee.

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In reply to by Vguy72

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The Zappaverse is vast. I like some of it, dislike some of it, ignore much of it.

If it didnt take, thats cool. His stuff is definitely not for everyone.

If you decide to try it again, i recommend WOIIFTMoney

Also, I happened upon a youtube video called Zappa 60s guitar solos yesterday. That stuff rocks

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In reply to by proudfoot

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Uhhhhhh....

I am on a "no GD for now" diet. So, I got nothing for POTD.

I was surprised yesterday by several facts. Biggest, Temps not the original band,,,, Undisputed Truth (yes, Smilin Faces), put out the first cut and when I scanned my collection I was shocked at the number of covers. And yes, there were maybe 3 from Mickey's band :-)

Another one of those songs the Dead should have done,,,,,, right after Ghost Riders in the Sky!

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In reply to by Dennis

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....is Mickey Harts Mystery Box CD. Or the last show from Anchorage.
Choose wisely.