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    What a setlist!... Made me jealous of those who saw this era live. Great sound… like ‘77 was yesterday. @derekb192 on 10/1/77, YouTube

    Wow! Just as when you think eyes is gonna go to drums out of the bliss comes dancing! One of my all time fave moments! Not just classic 77 but classic ever dead! - @emrysdavies1215 on 10/1/77, YouTube

    ...this show was off the hook from the very get go. The Casey Jones is the best I've heard... beginning a jam that goes through each member going off on an instrumental solo. The end has them jamming so hard you can no longer hear them singing through it. Now you know you're in trouble (The Good Kind) when a show starts like that... Weirtheir on 10/2/77, Dead.net

    Holy hell, the 10/2/77 Betty Board sounds incredible... I just wanted to pay homage to this unreleased gem, which features the lovely, tight playing you'd expect of a 77 show with some of the highest audio quality I've ever heard ... What a treat. u/monsteroftheweek13 on 10/2/77, Reddit

    I told my mother I was going into Portland with friends. I never told her where I went... @jamesmoore3694 on 10/1/77, YouTube

    We know where you've been and we're taking you back with the twice as nice DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 45: PARAMOUNT THEATRE, PORTLAND, OR - 10/1/77 & 10/2/77. Back-to-back complete previously unreleased shows on 4CDs? You betcha! Why? Because we couldn't pick one over the other of these two nights that have been described as "fire," "mind-frying," and "crispy" (bit of a theme here) too many times to count. Witness it for yourself when you dig into the inventive medleys and pristine sound, not to mention the first "Dupree's Diamond Blues" since '69 and the first live "Casey Jones" since '74.

    Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, this release was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson (with a boost from Bob Menke, more about that in David's video) and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.

    *2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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  • That Mike
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    Oroboros

    Great story, well told!

  • 1stshow70878
    Joined:
    The Tale of the Oroboros

    Or is that tail? Epic tale well told Oro-1.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Cheers
    DiP 18 is my favorite Dick's.

  • Oroboros
    Joined:
    45 years ago, Madison Wisconsin!! And the next morning......

    was my 'brush with greatness.' Apologies to you all who have heard this tale, but with this anniversary and the releases of shows from '77 and '78, I want to spin this old chestnut again (hopefully some haven't heard this).

    But first grab a cup of coffee (or your preferred beverage) and get comfy, because this will take a while. Brevity is not my long-suit, so bear with me on this, but the background/back story is info it help it all make sense. Back in 1977, myself and my girlfriend (now wife) and two buddies decided to road trip from Nebraska to a New Year’s Eve Dead show run at the Winterland in San Francisco.

    I toted along with me a clay sculpture that I had made the prior year. It was a one and ½ foot (in circumference) dragon that was biting or consuming it’s own tail. It was fired and had ‘scraffitto’ (my own designs) carved into it’s ‘hide’ and then stained. It was the biggest piece of clay sculpture I have ever made. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to give it to the band on New Years Eve show.

    So away we go on the trip and get there and secure tickets for the shows on that Winterland run. The shows were unbefuckinliveable and that old Winterland was such a great venue. We were all sitting on the sidewalk on Dec 31st waiting for the doors to open early. We heard Bill Graham was going to let us all in early and we were going to play ‘freak’ volleyball until Graham played us movies from his collection (16 MM of Ray Bradbury’s Illustrated Man and the original Beatle’s Magical Mystery Tour) before the start of the show tonight.

    I thought that I better try to unload ‘Oroboros’ now (it was heavy and how was I going to talk that past the gate?) so I spied a door that said Backstage. No answer. The line of people on the sidewalk started getting up and moving to the door. Banged even harder thinking “I got to get this dragon in there so I can go in and play before the show tonight, this thing is heavy”, and as I pound harder the door yanks open so hard it draws me into the doorway, where a gigantic black man in a red Winderland shirt stopped me from being pulled inside with his had on my chest. “What do you want?” he bellowed. Startled, I said “I want to give this to the band” and held out the dragon in both hands. The giant took it in his immense hand and immediately the dragon shrunk to the size of a keychain. And he asked “Wow, what is it, I’d like one” and I explained “it’s an Oroboros, and that is the only one there is”. He grinned and said “Cool, who do you want me to give it to?” and I stated “Garcia, give it to Jerry Garcia.” And the door closed quickly, like in Dorothy’s first attempt to get into the Emerald city in Wizard of Oz.

    So, I happily hurry into the show and needless to say it was a singular experience: with those movies starting in the afternoon, the celebratory/raucous/colorful crowd, and the Grateful Dead 'playing in' the year of 1978. As each of us entered we were handed a piece of paper that had the message "Good things come to those who wait, surprise at midnight" with the stealie logo on it. Once inside I was stopped by ‘Rainbow’ Rose who had an eyedropper of liquid party favor in her hand. She said “ just one dollar per drop, on your tongue or for the adventurous, a drop in your eye.” Wow, this was going to be some night! One on the tongue, please!

    When you entered Winterland, you could go into the 'big hall' surrounded on all sides by an elevated balcony (complete with theater seats). You could also go into a bar, which was playing black and white videos (on an old fashioned 'big screen') of past performances of Hendrix, Airplane, etc from Graham's Winterland archives. Very entertaining, hey, the New Riders are starting to play, I got to get in there, the sound is loud and they are rocking the house.

    Anticipation is high and the Dead came out for the first set. Our party favors are now starting to engage...things began to sparkle and the old Winterland venue takes notice, and her walls start to sweat and then to sway with the strains of familiar music and the Dead coaxes this old hall to join us in our dance.

    Bill Graham got into the act dressed as Uncle Sam and he rode his motorcycle down a cable suspended high above us from the back of the Winterland auditorium to the stage. As the Dead improvised/noddled into the New Year Uncle "bill" Sam slowly moved above us illuminated by a spotlight. The hilarious part was as Uncle BoBo (as Bobby called Graham) was on this motorcycle, and as he approached the stage, the combined weight was too much and he sagged below the lip of the stage. So as the stagehands ran out and to drag ‘Uncle Sam’ onto the stage, Jerry and the band were all laughing as they saw his hilarious arrival to the stage. Then they burst into Sugar Magnolia, along with confetti explosions, as balloons dropped from the ceiling of the Winterland for our NYE celebration. Also on stage flanking the Dead were a gal and guy dressed in diapers as the new year's babies, dancing their asses off.

    And as I squinted at the band, I noticed in between Billy and Mickey’s drum set, sitting on a monitor with a white candle by it was the Oroboros ! ON STAGE with the Dead. Then I watched as Jerry walked over to it and he lit his cigarette off that candle. And when the stage lights went down between songs, the Oroboros was illuminated by the candlelight. I was 'on top of the world' (dead reference intended). If you google the song 'Fire on the Mountain' from the NYE show in 1977 on Youtube and at the conclusion of the song (7:20 or so), the camera focuses on the Oroboros by the candle (as we hear Bobby waxing about 'technical difficulties'). It is an old black and white movie/video, but I did show that to my three sons to prove the old man's story was true. But the boys still rolled their collective eyes at me, but I am used to that.

    We walked out into the cool San Francisco early morning and drove through the fog back to Nebraska. Now fast forward to Madison, Wisconsin 2-3-78 and I made the road trip to catch the show. It was a killer night and the Dead were in fine form (second half was in DP 18). The 'Cold Rain and Snow' was thunderous and Phil's bass boomed out to shake that snow off the roof of the venue.

    The next morning before I left the hotel, I got a wild hair and called the front desk “Could I have Jerry Garcia’s room please” and the phone rang and Jerry answered! I said “Hey, I’m that guy that brought that dragon to the New Year’s show” and Garcia said “Meet you in the coffee shop in 20 minutes”. I couldn’t believe it what was happening but stumbled into the Madison Hotel coffee shop at the appointed time and looked around and saw Jerry Garcia seated at a table with a ravishingly beautiful raven-haired Gypsy woman.

    I walked over an introduced myself and ‘shook the hand, that shook the hand of PT Barnum and Charlie Chan’. Jerry beamed that smile and gestured for me to sit down. “Man, how did you fire that dragon, so that it didn’t explode in the kiln ?” Jerry asked me. I told him that I had cut it in half lengthwise with a guitar string (that a friend had given me) and then put it back together. We locked eyes and he exploded with laughter and I followed with “Ironic, huh?” And he said “No, not at all, that makes perfect sense.” And we laughed some more. Then the Gypsy Beauty said “where are you from” and I replied Nebraska. And she stared at Jerry and stated “He came all the way up here from Nebraska to see the band”. Jerry shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows and said “we didn’t ask him to come” and looked at me and we both howled with laugher. No deadhead was she!

    We talked more about art and the dragon, I didn’t know at that time of Garcia’s interest and practice in art. He was completely engaged in the topic of art, but quick witted with ‘turn on a dime’ twists, turns, and little quips. (Sound familiar to a band we know/love) Garcia was so focused on listening, not acting like he was the center of it all. He was locked in on taking time with me and talking about our shared interests, along with side commentaries on a variety of topics. The Gypsy woman asked “You went out to San Francisco and then traveled here?” and I stated yes and turned to Jerry and asked why don’t you come back to Lincoln? He said “you mean to Perishing Auditorium?” and I corrected him “no it is Pershing Auditorium, after the General” and he quickly retorted “no man, it was Perishing, really.” And we erupted in laughter again. There were some drunk frat boys yelling ‘boogie” at the top of their lungs at that ’73 Lincoln show, but the music was still topnotch! Anyway, I asked Garcia “could you bring your Circus back to Nebraska?” and Jerry grinned his Cheshire cat grin and said “who knows”.

    I saw it was time for me to leave them to eat as their breakfast arrived and excused myself and took off. Jerry brought the Dead back to Nebraska, that summer on 7-5-78. I taped them on my Nak 550 (my best aud tape of all) and then I had to follow them to their (and my) first Red Rocks shows.

    So that is my story of that time in space (or space in time). Garcia was totally a gracious, engaging, and kind man to this DeadHead who approached him for a moment in time. So to make a long story short (which I am constitutionally incapable) Jerry was focused on what he could learn, not what he could teach, on humor/laughter and valuing another person and really listening to their experience. He was so inquisitive, asking questions and then sharing his own thoughts. I have often thought about that lesson he taught me that cold Wisconsin morning. And for the rest of my life.

    Apologies for the thread hijack, so everyone can return to your regularly scheduled programming.

    Teachers open the door, but we must enter by ourselves

  • Angry Jack Straw
    Joined:
    Insomnia

    Is the worst. I’ve had it for years.

    Melatonin will help you temporally but it wears off after a short period of time as your body acclimates to it. Chamomile tea is mildly effective. Of course the best remedy is a couple of shots of bourbon.

    I’ll reuse an old joke and tell you to put on some Dead and Company. You’ll be asleep instantly.

    In all honesty it sounds like you might have something else going on there with your legs. Probably worth going to get checked out by a doctor.

    Good luck.

  • That Mike
    Joined:
    Proudfoot Counting Sheep

    Proudfoot - Everyone has a remedy for insomnia, here is mine, and you’re right, insomnia sucks. There is some science to the “478” Rule, which works for folks with insomnia, or anxiety. Breathe in deeply through the nose for 4 seconds, and hold it for 7 seconds, then exhale deeply through your mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat. Studies have shown lower blood pressure and reduces heart rate, leading to greater relaxation. I’ve tried it myself, with success. Good luck.

  • proudfoot
    Joined:
    Insomnia bites

    Hard.

    Lie down CANT SLEEP TWITCHY LEGS CANT BREATHE
    Get up sit there DROWSY AF think I will lie down
    Repeat

    Ever since fookin' Covid

  • rasta5ziggy
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    Random Stuff

    Loving #45. Starting 2nd set, 1st show now. Great music. I was a 1-3 show/year person beginning in the early 70's, and I got to wondering if I ever caught a '77 show. My only one was in Bloomington, IN on the IU campus on 10/30. I always wondered why they never returned to do another show there.
    Also, I read a lot of chatter here about an Ark box. Curious if anyone here ever attended a show at the Ark, or is this just an urban legend of a great venue. Lots of places I would have loved to have seen a show but never got the opportunity (Labor Temple, Electric Circus, Thelma, to name just a few).
    I've never heard a bad Passenger, either live or on CD.....really allows Jerry to make that guitar scream.
    I love all the DaPicks, because I prefer full shows. That was my issue with Dick's Picks is that you rarely, if ever, got a full show. And I loved the Road Trips series, even though I got in on that party too late and only have 2 (Big Rock Pow Wow and Valentine's Day), and those are full shows.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Norman is a genius....

    ....as is Betty. As is the best band in the land. Hit the spot. Can't go wrong with Drumz -> The Wheel imo.
    Onto some Doors. People ARE Strange indeed. Especially these daze lol.
    10.1 this weekend.

  • carlo13
    Joined:
    Holy mackerel

    That DITS jam is sweet as honey. Eyes too. A spliff is needed for that dancing jam.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    #4773....

    ....gonna start with 10.2.
    Checked out the following show in Phoenix off and on at work earlier. Good shit.
    Edit....check out Donna on Duprees 💎 Blues. Very nice.

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What a setlist!... Made me jealous of those who saw this era live. Great sound… like ‘77 was yesterday. @derekb192 on 10/1/77, YouTube

Wow! Just as when you think eyes is gonna go to drums out of the bliss comes dancing! One of my all time fave moments! Not just classic 77 but classic ever dead! - @emrysdavies1215 on 10/1/77, YouTube

...this show was off the hook from the very get go. The Casey Jones is the best I've heard... beginning a jam that goes through each member going off on an instrumental solo. The end has them jamming so hard you can no longer hear them singing through it. Now you know you're in trouble (The Good Kind) when a show starts like that... Weirtheir on 10/2/77, Dead.net

Holy hell, the 10/2/77 Betty Board sounds incredible... I just wanted to pay homage to this unreleased gem, which features the lovely, tight playing you'd expect of a 77 show with some of the highest audio quality I've ever heard ... What a treat. u/monsteroftheweek13 on 10/2/77, Reddit

I told my mother I was going into Portland with friends. I never told her where I went... @jamesmoore3694 on 10/1/77, YouTube

We know where you've been and we're taking you back with the twice as nice DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 45: PARAMOUNT THEATRE, PORTLAND, OR - 10/1/77 & 10/2/77. Back-to-back complete previously unreleased shows on 4CDs? You betcha! Why? Because we couldn't pick one over the other of these two nights that have been described as "fire," "mind-frying," and "crispy" (bit of a theme here) too many times to count. Witness it for yourself when you dig into the inventive medleys and pristine sound, not to mention the first "Dupree's Diamond Blues" since '69 and the first live "Casey Jones" since '74.

Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, this release was recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson (with a boost from Bob Menke, more about that in David's video) and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.

*2 per order. Very limited quantity available.

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In reply to by Angry Jack Straw

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I have family in Quincy - I’ll have to coordinate a visit sometime when both the Bruins and Red Sox have games! A great sports town. As for Marchand, he is one of those nasty pricks you hated playing against, always with the jabs, a little loose with his stick, an elbow or three, but a guy you would definitely love on your team. Philly had that guy years ago you may remember, Ken Linesman, dubbed “The Rat”, because he was Marchand Extra Strength. But a great guy to have in your lineup!

To non-hockey Dead fans, we return you to your regular broadcast.

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In reply to by That Mike

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I've been to both Red Sox and Bruins games many times. Both are a blast and well worth attending.

As for Marchand, I may be in the minority here, but no way do I want him on my team. Unlike Linesman, the Rat, he is too talented for those antics. Linesman had to resort to that style of play because just he wasn't that good. Don't forget guys like Darius Kasparaitis from Pittsburgh either.

So, if you want to know why I don't want a guy like that on my team, go watch the end of the first period during game 7 of the 2109 Stanley Cup final. Marchand jumped off the ice and bailed on his team.

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In reply to by Angry Jack Straw

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Laughing/enjoying you two guys with the B talk.
Back in early 70s my Grampy took me to an Orioles double header at Fenway.
Being from WNY and no home team, I was a Cardinals fan for various reasons, and liked the Os…
So there I am with my fake Cardinals batting helmet and an Orioles pennet!
Well the locals made a big deal outta it: totally just teasing me etc, all good fun, the world was different and I was little.
So while this is happening, the old man starts denying that I’m with him lol.
Like “Boooo, Cards/Os, this is Boston” etc, and the old man’s like “he’s not with me” etc
Now if it had been a Bills game, who knows lol
Only time I went to a Donkeys game it was against the Chargers, and we were all rooting for the Bolts.
Mostly good fun, think there might of been one drunk dipshit being stupid, but we just made fun of him and had all our neighbors laughing! Being hammered helped lol.

Marchand…the human hemorrhoid on skates!
Yeah, why does he have to be a dirty goon with all that talent?

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In reply to by Angry Jack Straw

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Jack - I forgot about Marchand’s little baby cry act after Game 7. A poor sport, and a dirty SOB, for sure, but I’d like him for at least a playoff run.

Oro - The most even tempered fans I ever saw were in Buffalo, for the Bills or the Sabres. Just a pretty friendly bunch, all round. The same for concerts in WNY - a very chill group of people, I always love going there, and not just for the wings! The harshest thing was that crazy cold wind directly from the Arctic to Ralph Wilson Stadium - holy shite!!! Whatever did Buffalo do to piss off the weather gods so bad!?!? Earthquakes and biblical winter storms this year alone!! I get why you ventured West, South-West! :)

I ment if seeing Da Bills in Boston at a Pats home game lol That might get fun!

Ps, not quite warm enough for hockey season here yet ; )

....I think that's Swedish for, "what are you waiting for!!"
A friend of mine invited me to the VGK/Canes game tomorrow knight for free.
Who am I to say no?

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Immediate sell out. Complete Oct 1974 Winter land audio & video, immediate sell out.

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by billy the kiddd

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....I think ANY 1970 board show would sell out before they even went on sale.
Remember when the Get Shown The Light box was released and it broke the internet? I do!
I got #333.
Magical number.

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What a show! In the conversation for greatest show of all time. Definitely the coolest 1st set opener of all time. That 1st set must of left people going Wow, that was incredible!

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In reply to by billy the kiddd

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*****
October 30th, 1971
Taft. Auditorium
Cincinnati
*With NRPS & Jerry playing ‘Pedal steel guitar’ before the Dead’s performance with ‘new riders of the purple Sage’!
Very heavy Grateful Dead! Everything seems so soulful! I love it! Heavenly!
Have a grateful day everyone! Peace be with you all!
“Keith is brilliant, primo playing! Jerry is just nailing it thru out the entire performance! Man, it’s just so beautiful! Good Ol’ Grateful Dead!
💀🌹

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In reply to by Vguy72

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It's hard to know what releases will sell out, and there is no shortage of good suggestions for more new releases. But, for me, the waiting is the hardest part. In a few years, provided I am still on this planet, will I finally get to hear a remixed full Terrapin Suite? (um, probably). Blues for Allah's Unusual Occurrences in the Desert? Sandcastles and Glass Camels? You get the drift. Anniversaries are wonderful for celebrating loved ones, or to give out an award. But is it really necessary to wait for the "exact date?". What about "Deluxe / Commemorative Editions or smaller box sets (a few albums) for each era instead?

I really love all my Daves-Dicks titles, and even had over 700 tapes at one time. But creating something new from something old? The first time I heard the opening notes of the latest American Beauty remix, it brought a tear to my eye. I didn't expect that from an album I've heard so many times. But, as for Terrapin, Keith Olsen recently passed, so he won't be able to do revisit his work. But a fresh mix of somewhat unique tracks? Yes please. And then, a few more live releases from the early days.

On a somewhat related note, I also wonder about any official releases of the band Reconstruction, the fast, jazzier JGB from 1979, although Legion's pace is just exactly perfect for me. I could listen to it all day (and I do sometimes). And I also recall David Grisman mentioned he had many more hours of "just playing", akin to the "So What" release. So, it's like the banana box quandary. There's so much music out there, in proverbial banana boxes yet to be re-discovered. I recently spent a "lifetime" during the pandemic on Bill Graham's "Wolfgang's Vault", with so many great artists and shows. I searched all of the Great American Music Hall Shows (So many Jazz and Folk Greats), every Record Plant, Fillmore. And then Joe Pass, John Fahey, Bill Evans, Booker T, and finally the various CSNY incarnations. Many of the shows still have the original between-song banter. For some recordings, it pointed me to better versions out there. But I only captured a small fraction. So much great music, just not in "the vault". Well, back to my main point, maybe I can wait just a tiny bit longer for those studio remasters, but then again, who am I fooling here? For now, I will just listen to the 2-20-77 Terrapin Session on Archive and imagine what may be someday. So, I will wait for the next box set, as I remain thankful for all the great music we get to hear every day.

I wouldn't have thought it was necessary to wait for the exact date to release a commemorative edition of an old album. Other bands release them as and when they see fit - I've just had a look at the remastered box set of "Goats Head Soup" I have here, and that came out in 2020, despite the original coming out in 1973. There are scores of others who do this - too many to list. Even those without classic albums do it.

I wouldn't have thought every album warrants a remastered box set package either. Certainly every one up to now has. And "Blues For Allah" does, I would say. But I'm not so sure either "Wake of the Flood " or "Mars Hotel" do. Maybe "Terrapin Station", although side 1 is no great shakes. But "Go To Heaven"? Leave it out. I guess it's down to personal choice which ones have classic status and which ones don't.

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Jazzy jammin band indeed! I've been waiting on an official release for YEARS.

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I’ve sometimes thought that 1972 might’ve been the Greatest Year in the History of Rock. Several of the greatest bands and artists made their greatest albums: The Stones’ Exile, Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, Sabbath’s Vol 4, Can’s Ege Bamyasi, not to mention Lou Reed’s Transformer, Neil Young’s Harvest, Rundgren's Something/Anything. Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book, the Allmans Eat a Peach. And of course Europe ’72. And they were all touring.

But then there’s 1973: Dark Side of the Moon, Houses of the Holy, Quadrophenia, Stevie’s Innervisions, King Crimson Larks Tongues in Aspic, the Stooges Raw Power, Sextant AND Chameleon from Herbie H, Birds of Fire from Mahavishnu, Toots and Maytals Funky Kingston. And Bear’s Choice and Wake of the Flood.

I mean, holy shit. There’s a reason people say music was better back in the day. And being as I was just then getting into music, I just assumed it would always be that way. Little did I know ...

I have to admit having a soft spot for Wake. I admit it’s not that great of a record, but man did I love it when it came out. I’m assuming they’ll do some sort of anniversary release, hopefully with a live show. I think Blues for Allah is really the one to look forward to: given that it was basically put together entirely in the studio (and given that it’s one their very best studio albums, IMO) there’s probably a fair number of outtakes and jams they could release.

And Daverock’s totally right: you don’t HAVE to wait for an anniversary to release this stuff. Other bands and artists with extensive archival release programs (Allmans, Neil, Crimson, to name a few) just release stuff whenever the hell they want. So what I’m saying is: Hey, Dave? Just go nuts, OK?

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I found a grateful dead TI 3 cd-33 track set, shipping is only 4 clams. I'm sure most of you have it already.

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The bean counters don’t care about releasing “anniversary editions” on time for significant albums. Even when they attempt to do that, it seems something always ‘comes up’ that delays the release. Pink Floyd Animals ring a bell??
As long as they get their sales, they don’t give a flying crap about a ‘commemorative release’.

I’m kind of with DAVEROCK about the Dead titles. Mars Hotel & Go To Heaven get NO play in this house. Of course, if they came with a complete concert as ‘bonus material’, the Dead will get my money. I’m all in for Wake, Allah, & Terrapin. I’m 1/2 in for Shakedown.
Right now, I’m ready to get my latest Zappa release on Friday. Mudd Club/Munich, 1980. No matter how much music I own, I ALWAYS need more!!

I guess we are discussing what albums deserve a special re-release (or 50'th) party? I don't think we get to choose. It's really just marketing mumbojumbo, buy it if you like.. or not..

But perhaps there is a historical perspective that could or should be recognized.

They were a live band, but their albums, I think, are historically under-rated and worthy. Some are even classics but rarely did well at the box office on release day. Perhaps their weakness was their leaderless approach.. Keith and Donna both have a song, Brent has several, Garcia and Weir have the most but with few exceptions (Anthem comes to mind) their albums lack a cohesive story because everyone had their finger in the pie. And so it is, that's who they were and why their live jams soared so high, they listened to each other.

To me, their creative peak was 67 through 69 maybe into 1970, but I think their song writing peak came after that, certainly including WMD and AB, but add all the 'GD records' albums to that list (Wake through Blues for Allah) and I would extend that into the Arista period. I really do like Anthem though; it might just be my fav. I don't know man, Eyes of the World comes to mind, Stella Blue, WRS, Wake might or might not be a great album but it's an album thjta has great songs on it. It's really been decades since I listened to it start to finish, but songs come on the radio and that's enough for me.

Unbroken Chain might just be one of the best album songs they ever wrote and released. It took them another 20 years to figure out how to play it live (and by then, it was really too late).

I treat their albums like kids.. no favorites, but from day to day we enjoy some more than others. Even albums I used to loath surprise me sometimes. No, sadly.. (or perhaps gladly), the Grateful Dead did not produce Steely Dan or Beatles type albums. But they sure did make my jaw drop to the ground live and their albums, I believe, are a tad under-rated.

No offense meant, just a counter point. As you were.

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In reply to by JimInMD

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It's obviously very subjective, our liking of certain albums. For me, the ones between and including the First album and Europe 72 are all massively underrated. Anthem and American Beauty are my favourites - but they are all excellent. Blues For Allah too. Many of those albums have the best versions - or should I say my personal favourite versions of songs that I have ever heard. Live Dead and American Beauty both contain many all time best versions of songs for me.
But after that, although some albums may contain great songs, they are nearly always surpassed by live versions of those songs. Wake of the Flood - I think all that was better played live.
Mars Hotel is more interesting for the Phil Lesh songs-especially Unbroken Chain. And I liked the spooky feel of China Doll. But it's also got a couple of howlers on it. I never feel like listening to it. Or Wake, or the post Blues For Allah ones.

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3 years
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Fantastic show to end an incredible run. I wonder when the record is coming out.? Thank God that these tapes didn't get erased like some of the 1980 Warfield tapes did.

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10 years 9 months
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I'll take the plunge on GD records and re-issues.

I'm an Anthem thru Blues for Allah man. Never bought another studio album after Blues. Full disclosure: I've made road CD setlists of the very best post-Blues albums.

Wake of the Flood is a special one for me because I tripped out heavily from fall '72 to fall '73 on the songs from that album played live at -- let's see -- seven shows in that period. Not a big number, but a heavy impact of the band's live prime on a 15-16 year old fan who hitchhiked hundreds of miles for many of those shows. I acknowledge that the production on Wake is not as powerful as, say, Mars Hotel -- wonder if a remix/remaster might put a bit of muscle into the sound?

In any case, I never get into rankings or desert island choices because the album I'm listening to at the moment is the best and I don't do cruises, and if I did, what would I be doing with records in my luggage? If you're taking records to a desert island, ya bettah have a generator and a killer sound system, eh?

Also, as pointed out by my fellow sages here, WotF will be re-released this year no matter what we say. The only questions are: will it be remixed? will there be related studio jams released? what will the live companion tracks consist of? And, of course, what's the price tag?

Here we are, 50 years later, and I'm eagerly awaiting answers to these questions. (As well as, what's in the new box, Dave?)

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12 years

In reply to by JimInMD

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Agree on Unbroken Chain, ALWAYS loved that cut. That long whistling sound that moves from left to right :-)
Great imagining on that bad boy,,,,, truley great studio work.

Also hard to beat the studio work on Terrapin.

One of the giants of jazz, words are not enough to describe his extraordinary contributions. Very fortunate to have seen and heard him play live under difficult circumstances. Eons ago Miles Davis was a no show at a concert in a remote location in New Hamster, so Shorter had to step up to lead the band in front of a very disappointed audience. Three songs later, he was blowing us away. I had seen Miles earlier so it was specially impressive to see Shorter wrestle with the restless audience expectations and triumph. Among his best: Super Nova, Adam's Apple, Speak No Evil.

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10 years
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One of the best shows I ever saw was Wayne Shorter. An incredible legacy he leaves, be it his solo work (Juju & Speak No Evil are Must Haves), with the Jazz Messengers, Weather Report, Joni in her Jazz phase, and of course, his work with Miles. RIP, good sir.

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3 years
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I saw him play a benefit show up in Oakland on 1/23/88 with Garcia ,Weir, Santana, Boz, Scaggs,Tower of Power , Bonnie Rait and a bunch of other musicans. It wad a cool show.

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4 years 1 month
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This is Wayne Shorter's musical world. Everybody else is just living in it.

These days, we're pretty used to hearing about the death of this or that celebrity on a weekly, if not daily basis. But this is different. Wayne's death truly marks the end of an era. The musical universe would not be the same without the work he did with Blakey, Miles, all the Blue Note recordings he made under his own name and with people like Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, and others, the stuff he did with Weather Report. All those amazing compositions (many of which I still can't figure out, even after playing them for 20+ years.) So many amazing solos and gigs. Glad I got to see him six or eight times, always great. Just a giant intellect, giant player, giant human being.

Nam myoho renge kyo.

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17 years 4 months

In reply to by Crow Told Me

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....bought Tix for Widespread Panic for this Saturday when they first went on sale. They are playing three shows, but went with that because it's not on a school night.
Two weeks later, The Flaming Lips announced they are playing the same evening here at a different venue, but only one show.
No refunds.
I've seen WP twice. Never the Lips. Love both bands equally.
Ugh....timing.

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4 years 3 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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Nashville Pussy high as hell
Led Zeppelin presence
Motorhead snake bite love
Motorhead inferno
Om advaitic songs

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4 years 3 months

In reply to by proudfoot

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12 31 72
9 6 80
4 17 69
11 8 69
Davz 45

I never saw him, just listened to him on various albums. The ones I have most played have been the Miles Davis Quintet box set from 1965- 1968, covering the albums from ESP to Miles In The Sky-with various tracks from compilation albums, outtakes etc. Bamboozling, but great. Some great live cds from the same band and timespan, too - my favourite there being the Bootleg Series 1. - Live in Europe 1967. "Live At The Plugged Nickel", from 1965, is another classic.
He also played on The Stones "How Do I Stop" off Bridges To Babylon.
He doesn't feature on my last 5 though - dig this -
Flying Teapot - Gong
Future Days - Can
Kings of Oblivion - Pink Fairies
Wattstax Complete Concert cd1. - Various
Live at the BBC 1973 - Focus

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9 years 7 months

In reply to by daverock

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Jolene (vinyl)
Blood on the Tracks (vinyl)
Dave's Picks 45 (still can't get enough of these shows)
5/9/77 (the new 77 shows sent me down a rabbit hole)
5/7/77

hope everyone has a great weekend. All this talk of hockey makes me jealous and slightly bitter that the Flyers are a shell of their former selves. Used to be a proud franchise that you could count on being in the playoffs most years but now they are so bad and so boring (and have been for a decade) that they are practically irrelevant in this town.

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10 years 2 months
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Only got to see him once in 1983.
Small venue called the Rainbow Music Hall at Monaco & Evans in Denver. Ticket says $10.20; how did they make a living at that price? Victor Bailey on bass by then. Excellent show and close up being a small venue. Band was on, especially Joe Z. Wayne was great but somewhat subdued, but they did do a couple of his own songs that I did not recognize. Went with some rockers who had never seen good jazz. They were suitably impressed.
Cheers to Wayne

DaP 15, 4-22-78 last listen

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10 years

In reply to by 80sfan

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Take heart - Philly is a great sports town. The Flyers will rebuild, and they certainly always have a few elite players that make them watchable. If nothing else, they have the best coach in the league for sound bites. The stuff that Torts says is hilarious, and his blow ups with the press should be released on DVD. This guy could start a fist fight in an empty room. Better days ahead.

As for this DaP release, you are right - it’s fantastic. Two shows of pretty prime Dead. Pennies from Heaven. Or is that Go To Heaven?

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12 years

In reply to by 80sfan

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Wow, we just talked about this tune at the store last night.

I was like, I only know one Dolly song,,,, Coat of Many Colors.

My bud like, you have to know Jolene?!?

I said no, we played. But while searching "the Tube", found a group called "The Petersens". A family group doing Jolene. The woman singer (one of the Petersens) had a very nice voice.

Bored, check the tube for the petersens and Jolene. ( Filmed in the family living room)

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9 years 7 months

In reply to by Dennis

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Jolene is my favorite Dolly Parton album - the only complaint is every song is under 3 minutes so just as i'm getting settled i have to get up again (i know, first world problems).

Back in 2005 (i think?) I went to a White Stripes concert in Berkeley and they played the song Jolene. Thought it was pretty cool.

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3 years
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What an incredible musician. I saw him play at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley many years ago.

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10 years
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Sorry to hear about David Lindley. I saw him with Jackson Browne in 75ish, playing guitar, fiddle, lap steel, pretty well anything with strings! The man had great chops.

“ Let the music keep our spirits high
Let the buildings keep our children dry
Let creation reveal it's secrets by and by, by and by
When the light that's lost within us reaches the sky”
Before The Deluge

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14 years 11 months
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I can't top what has been said about Wayne RIP kind sir, you were one of a kind. David Lindley was and still is one of those guys when you first heard him you were like, whoa who is that? So good, great sense of humor and El Ray-0 X was a great band. Never forget that first time I heard David Lindley play, and what a voice too. Love ya man, rest in peace my brother.
Last five:
El Ray-O X
Traffic first
Back Street Crawler The Band plays on
Arc Angles First
Dave's Picks #8

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3 years
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KPFA 94.1 FM Grateful Dead Marathon today 9am to 1am pst. Streamed on KPFA.org, GDRadio.net, nugs.net. 16 hours of unreleased Grateful Dead tapes, live in studio performances , host David Gans.

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12 years 11 months
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On it!! The t-shirt is way cooooool!!

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11 years 7 months

In reply to by wissinomingdeadhead

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Streaming KPFA now, great to just hear thirty minutes of Terrapin/Playin' and Charlie Miller comment. Like the synchronicity of knowing thousands are hearing the very same music at the exact same moment.

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