Grateful Dead

I have the remastered “experience” editions of DSOTM and Wish and the bonus disc from DSOTM is all of DSOTM labeled “Live at the Empire Pool, Wembley, London 1974”, while the bonus disc from Wish has Shine On, Raving and Drooling, abd you’ve got to be Crazy labeled “Live at Wembley 1974”.
Also have a 24:10 Echoes from “Wembley 1974” off of Early Years box, cd 20 track 11 (Thanks Again Dave!)
So yeah, are all these from the same show?

Wembley in north west London is home to the Empire Pool, renamed the Wembley Arena in 1978, which was an indoor swimming pool built for the 1934 British Empire Games and last used as a swimming pool for the 1948 Olympic Games. After that the pool was covered and it has been used as a venue for various events ever since. It is next to Wembley Stadium, the national football stadium. The original stadium was demolished and rebuilt early this century. Sometimes it is used for concerts but most concerts take place in the Pool/Arena. If a concert is described as having taken place at Wembley, chances are it was at the Pool/Arena.

Yes... , and it would have been the Wembley Pool/Arena The Dead played in 1990. A cavernous place - if you are more than 2/3rds of way from the stage it's questionable whether it's worth going at all. I was so far away, and so high up in the clouds, when I saw Page and Plant that I might as well have been in the next county. It was great in the stalls for The Dead on 10/30/90 but two night later, up in the Gods, to the right...not so good.

Oro - I'm not 100% certain, but going off comments on the Steve Hoffman forum, it looks as though all sections released in the sources you mention are from the same Floyd show. There was a discussion recently about whether the sound quality would be improved on this new live Dark Side compared to what had come out earlier. The general idea,as I remember it, seemed to be that it would be the same.

I've noticed a few live recordings of bands that have come out that give no, or very little, indication of the date of the show being presented. Some of The Stones ones are like that - they tell you the year, but not necessarily the date.

That show was broadcast on BBC, so decent copies have been in circulation for years.
But set 2 that came with the remastered DSOTM sounds better than the copy I have.

But at least my copy is the complete show.

Tanks fellers!
Weird they don’t list the actual dates?

ForensicDoc is quite knowledgeable in the Floyd and gave us some background about Wembley 74 when it came out as CD 2 of DSOTM remaster. I don’t remember the details but maybe he will fill us in again.

So, I suspect that the vinyl is the same as CD 2 of the DSOTM remaster.
They don’t give the date because they think that people won’t buy the CD if they already have the circulating BBC copy. But that doesn’t apply to me because I will buy the audio upgrade.
Too bad Floyd has to mostly rely on old TV and radio recordings for their live releases. And they may have already emptied the vault with the Early Years Box.

Doc here, who was a FloydNoyd long before he was a Deadhead............

Most of the story surrounding Wembley 74 is pretty well known, although why a broadcast of one single complete show wasn't done remains unclear.

To recap: The shows from Novermber 15 and November 16 were both recorded by the BBC. A mix of the DSOTM portions of both shows was broadcast on the BBC on January 11, 1975. The first half was from the 16th, the second half from the 15th. The Echoes from the Early Years box was from the 16th. Shine On, Raving & Drooling, and You Gotta Be Crazy--which appeared on the Wish You Were Here Immersion box set----were from the 15th. Why they did it this way, who knows BUT these are pretty much the highest quality sonic documents from this period.

Like most other bands, who didn't record all their shows unless prepping for an official live album, the Floyd apparently did not routinely record everything. Which means that there really aren't a lot of soundboards or even FMs of their best work, which in my opinion was 68 through early 73. However, with that being said, there are LOTS of audience recordings from that era, and some are even fairly decent.

The Floyd didn't ditch their acid-rock-cult classics until well into 73, but after DSOTM had been around for a while, they really got locked into a format and their old stuff pretty much disappeared (although, LOL, they did their last Axe in May of 1977 in Oakland). Still a great band, but much less interesting...........

Oh what I wouldn't give for a soundboard of my first Floyd show---Boston Music Hall March 14 1973. I do have a nice audience recording, and yes it brings back fuzzy but fond memories............

Floyd on,

Doc
One inch of love is one inch of shadow

Thanks Doc.

....which one's Pink?
Seriously though. You know your stuff. Thanks for not abandoning us plebes.
You stay cool my dude.

There has been a small avalanche of live Floyd, circa 1970-1972 mainly, released over the last 12 months, in England. I have just had a quick count on Amazon UK and there are 14 there at the moment. These are bootlegs in all but name , though, and seem to be either FM or audience recordings. Looking at the reviews, the consensus of opinion seems to be that they feature great playing - but indifferent sound. They are not always what they seem, either. "Sound of Philadelphia" supposedly from that city 3/15/73 seems in actuality to be another version of Wembley 1974.

How Doc describes Floyds acid rock status is very much reflected by how I perceived them in the early 70's. "Relics" " Meddle" and "Ummagumma" were the first ones I got in 1972. Very far out, with an underground audience to boot. While it was immediately apparent that DSOTM was a great album , it was also the moment they went mainstream. By 1973, their image as lords of infinite space had been usurped by the likes of Hawkwind, Gong and Faust - and Tangerine Dream, who seemed to be inspired by the space epics Floyd had introduced and played up to 1972.

I didn't see them until Knebworth 1975 - a very indifferent show, with a set list almost the same as Wembley 1974 - except for "Have A Cigar" sung by Roy Harper.

So this is what the end of civilization looks like, huh. Dave's Picks still on the shelf after 6 weeks and the topic is Pink Floyd. I've seen worse ends to civilization.....

Like most classic rock bands I got into Floyd sort of backwards. The Wall was my first exposure - every other year my Dad bought a cool album, and 1979 was The Wall (the previous was News of the World). Then I started hearing it all over the radio, along with a lot of Time and Money. Once In a while they break out One of These Days, US and Them, or Wish You Were Here. And then I found Animals in a friend's record stash, and Dogs caught my attention. Side two eluded me. I just plain didn't like Pigs (Three Different Ones), and I never made it to the Sheep outro early on (a few years later a friend pointed out the ripping guitar ending by Gilmour. In those days without internet or complete song background and recording history in the liner notes, we had no reason to believe it wasn't him. It became a favorite.

Went on to get the rest of the 79s stuff and happily saw them on the Momentary Lapse and Division Bell tours. I don't really like either album, or the Final Cut, or Waters solo material (Radio Kaos was ok). It's a shame really, because the post-Wall years featured a lot of workable material that could have been crafted into at least two more great Floyd albums. But alas, it was not to be. One of the best bands to hang it up before their time. Oh...imagine my disappointment severl years later when I learned it wasn’t Gilmour playing the guitar on Sheep.

Who was it, then?

I wonder if the lack of knowledge about exact dates of shows is something of a British malady. I have no idea what dates I saw most of the bands I witnessed in the past. I can usually remember the year, and the time of year - Floyd at Knebworth was summer 1975. More than that, without looking it up, I know not.

It's not a criticism by any means, in fact it's a quality - Deadheads generally seem to have a phenomenal memory and knowledge of dates. If any Britain knows the exact date of something he or she did in the 70's or 80's, chances are they are a Deadhead.

Three days off, up too early, walked dogs, not enough coffee, time to poke the Pink Floyd bear..............

3/14/73.........6/18/75........6/27/77................believe me, I remember.............

I never cared for The Wall. One of the most overrated Floyd albums, but they were superstars already so it sold millions. Couple of decent songs, lots of filler, overexposed on the radio. The fact that they brought it to only 2 US cities, I thought was arrogant and disrespectful to the fans. Which, in a way, was very ironic. Yes, I have it, but it hasn't gotten airplay here in decades...........

Took me a while to warm up to Animals. I'm not a huge fan of "political music", but I like it a lot. Very underrated Floyd album. Snowy White was in the studio for this, and his solo was released on the eight track version of Pigs On The Wing. Yes, I'm a dinosaur, I had that in my car lol...............

The Final Cut? More like a Waters solo album. Still listen to the live cuts from Ummagumma, Meddle, DSOTM and WYWH with some regularity. Atom Heart Mother, kinda weird, Alan's Pschedelic Breakfast a big waste of vinyl, 3 pretty OK short songs, and the big suite. Of course, if there was no Atom Heart Mother, there might not have ever been an Echoes lol......

When I first got into bootleg recordings, late 1979, I quickly discovered that there was very little high quality Floyd around, and I think this was an issue for me, it may have had something to do with me turning away from the Floyd and more towards the Dead. Some of the best Floyd out there, then and now, are their BBC appearances, which have been well preserved and are worth checking out.

After the "big Pink Floyd divorce", I went to see the first tour of what I sarcastically called "the 3/4 Floyd", more out of curiosity and to pay my respects. The spark wasn't there and I never went again. And while I'm not a big fan of Waters' politics, he's right about one thing----Gilmour doesn't write very good songs. In one man's humble opinion, the "post-divorce" albums are very weak. But I'm a fan and a sucker and I have them, so bad on me..........

Enough for now, back to our irregularly scheduled programming............

Rock on,

Doc
The path you tread is narrow and the drop is shear and very high.......

Hey rockers!!!

Now, too much coffee...................

Recap, part 2:

It appears that the "streaming releases" issued by the Floyd in 2021 and 2022 are related to the changes in European copyright laws, especially the "use it or lose it" aspects that have prompted numerous reissues of old stuff from several bands.

The funny thing is, of all those Floyd releases in 21 and 22, they may not have "originally owned" those, almost all of which were audience recordings. Unless, of course, they bought the masters from the tapers.

It appears that audience tapers latched onto Floyd shows fairly early on, maybe around late 1970, because moving forward from there there's lots of audience recordings. Of these "streaming issues", the Hollywood Bowl show from September 1972 may be the best. The recordings they issued in 21 and 22 have actually been around for a long long time. Glad I have them, but I don't go there often.......

One noteable exception is the 1/23/72 Southampton recording----sounds like a soundboard, maybe worth checking out? A very early DSOTM show...............

More coffee? Sure, why not?!!!

Rock on,

Doc
I'm drinking champaigne like a big tycoon.......

83

Happy Birthday to The Phil Bomb!!!!
83 & still Bomin'

Sixtus

Happy Birthday Phil, you stalwart!

By the way, which one is pink?

I love Atom Heart Mother, not a weak track on it for me including Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast. It was the first Floyd record I bought and that might be a lot to do with it. I can't listen to anything after DSoM, they are all mega yawns. I have a friend who's first intro to Floyd was WYWH and he's not fond of anything before that. I think that your first taste often lasts longest.

Apparently Waters played rhythm guitar on Sheep and Pigs, while Gilmour played bass and lead guitar. So they did the 'ol switcheroo. I would classify the Sheep outro as a chord-based rhythm guitar piece, so...Waters it is.

I don't think Gilmour is a great lyricist by any stretch, and I don't own anything after The Wall (which, I agree - 25% filler - The Show Must Go On and Run Like Hell are great, but I can't take the rest of Side 4). I don't think it's a coincidence that three of the best songs on The Wall were co-written by Gilmour (Comfortably Numb, Run Like Hell, Young Lust). From the demos it's obvious they're his compositions with Waters lyrics. Also keep in mind - Bob Ezrin wrote a ton of uncredited music and arrangements on the record (Waters confirms that part of the deal was no writing credits for Ezrin; but he was a multi-instrumentalist himself, and routinely wrote bridges and ordered arrangements for the bands he produced).

According to Waters, Gilmour had little to do with Floyd's success - it was all about Waters songwriting. But he did add that Gilmour sings well and plays a jolly-good guitar. All the things missing from Waters solo records. I think they both had their role and it worked for a good decade. No disrespect to Wright and Mason. The end of Shine on You has some great keyboard work.

Happy happy joy joy and hopefully many more to you sir!

I didn't like it much when it came out, but it has aged well for me. It seemed to chime with the mood of the time in England, with punk rock and every body getting bloody angry. The Floyd were getting angry too... so watch out. It was a long way from ideals like "Julia Dream" which always reminds me of walking round an art gallery looking at Pre Raphaelite paintings while slightly stoned. "Animals" wasn't exactly hey ho lets go...but in it's way it was their punk album. I haven't heard anything much after this one. The Division Bell once or twice.

I was always put off "The Wall" by this girl I used to know, years ago, who used to love the track "Comfortably Numb". Her mantra was - once a junkie, always a junkie - which she used to tell me with a look of resignation on her face. She died believing it to be true. "The Wall" reminds me of that world and perception .

wow, Phil bear still truckin at 83. I gotta say, I hope I can still smile like that when I get that old, if I make it till then. So I put on Fallout from the Phil Zone this afternoon, some nice picks on that one. New Speedway Boogie from 3 days before the Kent state shootings, an Easy Wind from 2 weeks later, so good. The 31 min. In the Midnite hour from November 67 is a historic document and the Visions of Johanna from 3-18-95 is just soo good. Happy birthday Phil and thanks for the picks.
Not a big fan of The wall either. There are a couple of tunes on the lp I can tolerate but mostly that one just doesn't get the play here, I don't even own a copy anymore. I do have a great little cd titled "The Film" which has different versions of the Wall tunes. I prefer pre Dark Side of the Moon Floyd, after that, not so much, altho WYWH has a couple good tunes too.

PHIL! Good suggestion PT! Digging that tape out now.
Got that Hard To Handle and a cool Jack-a-roe as I recall.
Been messing with cassette decks today anyhow.
Just finished a tape of Dead Set from the Warfield/Radio City.
Amazing sound quality for a tape from CD. Must have been a multi-track.
Damn good year 1980.
Cheers

Spending this evening at the capital theatre with Mr. Lesh. Happy Birthday Phil!

Happy Birthday Phil.

A man of thunder and power in 4 strings or 6. I hope he finishes, or, if it's completed, actually gets to see his piece for three orchestras performed. I hope he keeps on truckin' for all of us. Glad he's out playing with his family.

Back to the bickering Bettys of the Floyd: not a huge fan of The Wall album or film, dig some songs, the Bricks, Numb, In the Flesh, Run Like Hell (had a band that used to jam the hell out of this one), but so dark and dreary. However, seeing it live in 2012 was one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. As was Waters on the Us & Them tour in 2018. I would love an Animals tour, the newishly released 2018 remix is utterly fantastic. I got the BluRay and each version sounds so much better, Nick Mason's drums sound great. Hate there was no show from 1977 or any outtakes or anything, other than maybe a rumored easter egg of the 8 track-only release of the joined up Pigs On the Wing with Snowy White guitar solo.

Forgot about the Wembley 74 WYWH and Raving and Drooling and You Gotta Be Crazy on the Immersion set. I can't recall listening to that disc more than once or twice. When I play that, it's the 5.1 for that amazing Have a cigar mix with the multiple bass tracks all around on the intro, each with phaser. That was the standout moment on there, but Shine On in surround is just amazing as well.

I'd snap it up in a second if they were to do an Immersion box of Meddle with that 5.1 mix by James Guthrie that was hidden in those few Early Years boxes (which may or may not have been among those that failed beginning in 2019...), I know there's tons of outtakes for that album. Don't know how many takes of the other songs, but the collection of Nothing pts 1-24 (they only put out Nothing pt 14 on Early Years), The Son of Nothing, Return of the Son of Nothing, maybe some different takes of the Echoes guitar solos?

Love Atom Heart Mother! Think the Early Years 1970 Devi/ation pretty well covers any need for extras, quadrophonic mix of the album, video on KQED, several live versions of the epic, and older classics.

....and he's still out there dropping bombs.
Happy Birthday Mr. Lesh.
And I'm going to buck the trend here. I love The Wall. I spin it every few months.

Jesus, is this a Dead thread or a Floyd forum? I love it. Lot of you cats are really up on your Floyd minutae...

I'm seeing Dark Side of the Mule from Row 25 at Red Rocks this summer and also Sean Lennon and Les Claypool doing their Animals tribute at the Mission Ballroom. Seems every time I turn on classic rock radio, Young Lust, Mother, or Hey You is on.

I dig them more and more as I get older - I'm 54. When The Wall came out, I had just turned 11. I was still buying 45 rpm singles and discovering B-sides, but when The Wall was released I went to Musicland at the London Square Mall in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and dropped down like $19.98 or whatever it was for a double album (on cassette) and that album became the soundtrack to my life for a couple of years.

Not that I was depressed, weird or didn't have friends - but it initiated me into the adult world of art and emotion. When I brought it up to the counter to make my purchase, the dudes working all made jokes about "this little kid" buying The Wall. I was like, whatever, douchebag, I'm cooler than you right now and certainly will be when I'm older.

This is a playlist I've burned and sent around to enthusiastic reaction. 100 bonus points to anyone who can name the album all these are off or even knows them all:

"Obscured by Floyd"

Childhood's End
Biding my Time
When You're In
A Spanish Piece
Paintbox
Empty Spaces
Party Sequence
What Do You Want From Me
The Gold It's In The...
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Free Four
More Blues
Astronomy Domine
Keep Talking
Obscured by Clouds
Ibiza Bar
Any Colour You Like
Careful With That Axe, Eugene

Dave is the only other guitarist with any touch of Jeff Beck in him at all, to my ears. It's the delicate ferocity of their fingers. Beck was the better technician, an aural magician, but David plays smoother blues and is a great singer and not half bad composer. His tone, taste and phrasing are second to none.

I love Pink Floyd, a band that will only grow in stature. Sad how angry, insecure and pathetic Roger has become.

Thanks to you all for your thoughts and remembrances of Pink Floyd. There will never be another.

\m/

....I'm also 54. 🍻 Ledded.
We were 12 when Back In Black came out. Just exactly perfect.

One of the coolest tunes the Dead never played.

I agree with Nicks 1234's point that the music we first hear by a band - in this case Pink Floyd, but it applies to all bands - is most often the music that sticks with us the longest. Double that with the age we were when we first hear it - mid teens being the sweet spot for me So, in my case, at 15, I first heard "Relics" and " Meddle". The first was a doorway back into the 60's, which already, in 1972, seemed antediluvian, and the second was of a piece with the space rock bands already mentioned from Germany and England. I heard them as psychedelic and experimental, and when they moved away from this area, I tended to lose interest in them a bit, and listen to more of the other bands exploring the same areas.

It was also unusual in the 70's, from my experience, to be a fan of an actual band, come what may. I used to like albums by specific bands, but if they changed direction into any area I wasn't as fond of, I simply stopped listening to them. Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Sabbath, Deep Purple...so many. In fact...all of them, when come to think of it. I usually moved on to other bands when this happened. I don't think there was an equivalent to Deadhead culture in England, where people followed one particular band. The nearest equivalent seemed to be people following specific football teams, and travelling around to see them.

I'll go with Dave and Nick, first takes usually stay the longest. Among Doctor Who fans they say your first Doctor is always your favorite. (I have the tee shirt,,, "you always remember your first doctor") Sometimes I think we know our teen albums the most simply because we had less albums back them so we listened to them more. I think we all circle back to what we like more than new horizons. New horizons can be hard.

First rule of music---- Good music is what I like.

I'll go with Vguy and buck the flow,,,, I think the Wall is the greatest pinkie ever did. Certainly the GREATEST rock opera ever. Quadrophenia, blah. Tommy, fuck off. Maybe Jesus Christ Superstar is a close second. I saw the wall live 14th row center,,,,,, life changing. (and I'm not a heroin addict :-) )

Okay, maybe Dark Side is up there :-)

I'm always amazed at the jam in Time. Only about 1.5 minutes, but when it comes back to the lyrics "And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking", encapsulates the feeling of having tripped balls and the jam was a LOT longer!

Could not agree more.

From the first notes of Zeppelin's Good times Bad Times in middle school, I was hooked.

Same goes for S>F 5/8/77. To this day I still haven't listened to the first set. No need.

Both were seminal moments in my musical journey.

My musical progression was:

Zeppelin>Floyd>Traffic>GD

I never understood, and still don't understand, why Traffic doesn't get more love on this board or anywhere else.

Sad news regarding Jim Gordon. A troubled soul for sure.

Good luck to Colgate and UVM. Both very good teams that got terrible draws and will likely make an early exit.

Maybe not the greatest, and maybe not even rock , but Nirvana's "The Story of Simon Simopath" subtitled "A Science Fiction Pantomime", from 1967, might be the first. A great example of what I call chocolate box psych.

Another corker is "S. F. Sorrow" by The Pretty Things. If you get the cd you will have two of the best psychedelic singles and B sides ever made added on as bonus tracks.

There was a brief time, in December 1971, when I had only one album - "Electric Warrior" by T.Rex. I must have played it continuously until I got my second, "Fireball"...then "Deep Purple In Rock"....then I just kept going.

Few people of my generation will forget the impact of the first Doctor Who, with William Hartnell as the Doctor. That amazing theme, and the weird grinding noise of the tardis. Strange and frightening.

Just put all 18 tracks in a playlist and they're spinning now. A fresh mix every now and then really hits the spot. Thanks Ledded (just bank my 100 points). On this St. Patrick's Day Eve, will be hoisting/firing one up for Pink Floyd along with the newly birthdayed Phil and his band. Onward.

Let me show Traffic some love -- I love 'em! I was on my way to Giants Stadium in the Summer 0f 94 and the new and improved Traffic was opening so I took the bus from N.Y.C.s' Port Authority Bus Terminal -- an armpit -- and was determined to see Traffic opening the show. And, no joke, a traffic accident in N.J. delayed the bus and I missed their set. Later in the early 2000s when they toured as The Dead with Steve Winwood opening. . .. Winwood and Co. were great and joined in with The Dead for an exquisite musical tapestry. Joan Osbourne and jimmy Herring were a very nice addition too. Winwood and Co. with Osbourne-Herring really made The Beatles Tomorrow Never Knows an exotic and outstanding experience on a hot Summer evening. In those days you could buy the officially pressed cds of those shows from roving guys who took your info and issued a ticket so I bought all off those shows that I attended and glad that I did.

Also the Clapton-Winwood tour was fantastic. "So Glad I made It!"

Wow, I hadn’t heard about Jim Gordon, but then, he has been incarcerated for so long. Sad ending. I know Chris Hillman (the good looking dude sitting next to me in my avatar) mentioned him in his book, when they played together in that band Geffen put together. He said there were signs even back then in the mid-70s that Gordon had anger issues, which those around him took to be substance abuse, and because he was a physically imposing guy, he was often given a wide berth. A shame.

My last five are actually my last six - I’m working my way through the wonderful Rhino release “All Good Things”, covering Jerry’s five official studio albums, plus extras, and a bonus disc of amazing odds and ends. I forgot how good this box set was, and how really amazing his first release - “Garcia” - was. His Magnus Opus, really. Lots of gems in this box. I’m sure everyone on this site has it, and I’m not sure if it’s still available, but it was so worth buying. I missed out on the additional bonus disc at the time, though. Snooze, you lose

....the Talking Heads Stop Making Sense movie and is going to restore it in 4K for theatrical release, I'll buy a ticket!

agree, never saw the Dead do it and it's one of my fav's off of that Mars Hotel lp. I did catch furthur do a great rendition of Pride, it was done just like the lp and done quite well. Phil in phine voice. That was back in...10, 2010, still had the original line up with Jay Lane and Joe Russo on drums. Sunshine on vocals. I liked furthur, they did some great Dead tunes that had never been done by the band before, Silvio, off of Bob Dylan's lp Down in the Groove, penned by Bob and Mr. Robert Hunter, comes to mind.
Actually, my first Pink Floyd lp was Meddle, then Relics and wham, hooked. Saw Floyd several times, 73, 77, that tour without Waters (still a good one) in the 80's sometime. Then for me it was Roger, saw the Pro's and Con's of Hitchhiking tour, copped tickets day of show, walked right in place only half full. That was back in the day when a lot of people blamed Roger for Pink's demise. Then In 2001 In the Flesh tour, so good had to catch that tour twice back to back. Then Waters did the DSOTM tour in 05 or 07, memory is not what it used to be, and it never was that good, hence, notes, lots and lots of notes. Last time was when he released his new lp, we called it the 'hate stupid trump" tour. All excellent but the last one Roger starting to show his age. Like us all. Now he's on his Beginning of the Final Tour, Tour. Which will eventually lead to the Final Tour.

The only Traffic album I am familiar with is their first, "Dear Mr Fantasy", from 1967, when Dave Mason was still with them. A great album - but I have always been under the impression they changed after that. A lot of British bands did, going from psychedelia into rock/ blues/soul/folk/jazz or progressive rock with indecent haste. They are like rare jewels, those early psych singles and albums.

One of my favorite tunes they never played. I am so glad Phil & Friends do it!!! A certain cover band finds it too difficult to play, along with many other jams ??.......Last night, I heard Opie Taylor say, "He has rings on his fingers and bells on his toes". Did Hunter/Garcia take this from Mr. Vebee?....or was it Mr. Bebee?..........the smoking lamp is lit, and my bracket is already busted.

Had Welcome to the Canteen first which led to lots of Dave Mason. Only recently found a good copy of Barleycorn and still looking for a good used Low Spark without going on line. It's out there... waiting for me. Always liked 40,000 Headmen. Can't think of a Traffic tune I don't like. Need to dive deeper there.
Cheers and RIP Jim Gordon

That's great, indoctrinated to Andy Griffith Show as I am, and knowing that episode well, I never noticed that lyrical echo! Wonder if Robert Hunter in his early 20s watched Andy Griffith? May have liked him because of What It Was Was Football, No Time For Sergeants, or A Face in the Crowd, which I could see as being more up Hunter's alley.

On a somewhat related note, I was actually thinking of learning the Matlock Theme this weekend. That bassline is pretty funky, especially later seasons where they play it a little slower, little funkier. But I also wanna learn the trombone part.

And on Cucamonga, I caught one with the Phil Lesh Quintet in 2001, had no clue what it was, but dug it. I miss that band; wish I had caught the Capitol shows the last couple years with them.

First four Black Sabbath albums
Motorhead another perfect day
Om advaitic songs
Megadeth so far so good...
Megadeth peace sells
GD 8 23 69
GD 6 22 69
Double dutch bus
Funkytown
Safety dance
Melvins lysol
Tom Tom Club genius of love

....deep cuts on XM radio played John Barleycorn Must Die on the way home from work today.
Sometimes I wish it wasn't a seven minute commute. But most of the time I'm glad it is.
Going home for lunch is awesome.

Steve Winwood is one of the most underrated virtuosos of classic, but especially, British rock. His voice is just astounding 56 years ago when he sounded 50, and now when he's in his mid-70s. His keybord work is top notch, he's on hell of a bass player (Traffic was really lucky), and, in my opinion, he is by far a better guitar player than his bandmate in Blind Faith. I like a lot of things Clapton has done, but mainly through the involvement of others, such as loving Cream with Jack Bruce's awesome bass and Ginger Baker's insane drums; Derek and the Dominos because of Duane Allman, and his addition livened up sessions that had devolved into Clapton shooting up, and napping in the studio. But I've always rated him the third best of the Yardbirds legends. RIP to Jim Gordon. He and Carl Radle and Bobby Whitlock weren't just the Dominos, they had been the rhythm section for Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Delaney and Bonnie and Friends when Clapton was playing with them (after George Harrison had a run with the band, and before Duane had a tenure of shows with them as well), and they were also used for most of All Things Must Pass. Pretty impressive. Also, it was Jim Gordon who wrote, and played the piano part for the coda of Layla, which just was gonna fade out rocking (originally it was going to be more like the unplugged version, but everyone including Tom Dowd hated it, and Duane took a John Lee Hooker lick and turned it into one of the greatest rock riffs of all time), but they heard the tape that Gordon had recorded during a night session where he wanted to put something down for a solo album. They convinced him to let them use it for an ending section to Layla, and a magical slide duet was born. A sad story in the end, but for a brief stretch, he was one of the biggest drummers in the world, and his recording legacy is pretty massive.

For pure tone, energy and innovation my favourite guitar playing on record by Eric Clapton may be the one he cut with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, referred to as The Beano album. That was a real game changer, taking the blues of the three Kings, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush etc into realms it had never been before. The sound rips out of the speakers like no other white guitarist of the time. The birth of rock, you might say. He got a similar tone on the first Cream album, "Fresh Cream", so I am guessing he used the same guitar and amp as on the Bluesbreakers one. It never appeared again after 1966.

You know, Dave, often when retailers can't sell merchandise and have it laying around, they put it on sale to clear it out. Just a thought. Maybe you should discuss it with Rhino.

Had a sticker that said "caught dead 'n traffic 94. Saw Traffic as headliner in 94, great band, had a guy named Randall Bramblett taking the reigns on Sax and Flute that was previously held by the late, great Chris Wood. Very good to almost perfect. Opened with Pearly Queen and ended with Gimme Some Lovin.
First time I was fortunate enough to catch Traffic was in 1973 in Orlando, Fl. quite foggy on that one, if my memory serves me right, we dosed pretty heavy that nite.

Daverock your comment about Clapton on John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, album is spot on. that really stopped me in my tracks. Eric left the Yardbirds for better things. I have seen Clapton in 7 different Decades and to me he is the best. Just my Opinion and I am not an Expert in Guitar playing.