Grateful Dead

RT3. 2. Give it another shot Oroborous. The official release is spectacular. I don't hear any distortion. I know Doc will weigh in on this show at some point but we might have to wait until November.

Anyway, when I look at some of my favorite early 70 releases, there is a common theme, Rex Jackson.

Are you still out there Otis? Carlo? Charlie?

3/19/86 OB

Some good jams on this one.
Started up at:
Visions > TMNS
China > Rider, PITB > D> S
and it is working on this Sunny Friday afternoon :)

Sounds like it was fun!

PS - OB Taper's Compendium gives cool review, great story about Truckin'.
Just listened and it gives some fun insight to what you’re hearing:
Guess they were fixin' Bob's mic.
He was acting agro.
Once fixed, he proceeds to forget all the words.
Then at the end… they shred the place down!!
Bring back any memories?

Ya got my eye since I was at this one. The tour I barely remember, veg fest 86....
According to a poster on archive, it’s on YouTube? If so, that’s my entertainment tonight ; )

11/4&15/71: DV, interesting your thoughts on quality for this one? Though I dig much of it, parts sound pretty distorted to me? I’ve noticed similar on E72 shows and perhaps others from this era. Didn’t spend quality time so I’d have to go back etc, but I’m thinking it’s just their actual rigs I,e., they had to push those old Fenders since they weren’t using McIntosh MC 2300 power amps yet on the instruments...so I’m sure part of it is their just playing loud and overdriving their rigs etc, but it could also be tape over saturation too? I remember this one really surprising me though when I first got it.

What else?
The 82 was cool but not mind blowing. Nice solid 82 show though perhaps a tad mellow?
The 3/9/81 seemed a little meh to me? Now I was doing other things but still, usually there are enough things in a good show that will divert my attention...but maybe it was just situational?
Forget where else y’all been poking around? Haven’t messed with those 72s? Guess I’m still burned out on early 70s stuff...meaning burned out on the same old Bob tunes over and over....definitely been editing some of those outta my mix...

3/18/95 looks interesting, same with the night before? But,
Think I might go 6/6/92 just cause nothing else really shaking and I’m trying to (sort of) work my way through post 91 shows that I was at, but maybe haven’t heard, or official releases from the time, that I haven’t got to YET...I’m looking at you Boxilla! Also, have shit to do so this would be a good one for secondary listening...

He writes everything's been returned which was owed

Dig it. Box > Visions of Johanna. That's a hell of an opener.

I'd say Visions & She Belongs To Me are my two favorite Dylan covers by Jer.

It always strikes me when I listen to Visions, that Jer only played it with the GD during the two years he was essentially dying.

That's powerful stuff.

Sure do like this band!

Thanks for the share Proudfoot.

PS - What.. No Box Set news?!?!
But I second big props to all the GD Women!
And Phil's got a Bday coming up :)
Bird noises during Bird Song on 4/22/86 are groovy.

I was eyeballing 3/19/86..

Check out that Visions from 3/18/95 & I'll check out 4/22/86 and we can compare :)
(but you should prob check out all of that Set 2 at some point)

please please please listen to 4/22/86 VoJ

really nice

howls in the bones of her face.

These visions of Johanna have taken my place.

Nice!

Total rookie move, I was so enamored by the Nudie suits, it didn't cross my mind to look at the instruments.
I dig Bob with his suit & an SG.
Sad to hear Jerry's suit burned up.
But def a story here behind the short lived Nudie suits.

How'd that Erlewine guitar sound on 11/22 BlueCrow?

Love that November '72 tour.
And gotta give another shout out to 12/15/72 PITB & Jam out of Truckin' > Dark Star.
If you missed it, def revisit those tunes for a fun trip.
Jerry guitar licks at the beginning of the Jam.. otherworldly.

Alright, I'm lost.
I missed the Texas Dead yesterday.
Found myself listening to 12/15/72 PITB & Dark Star again and reading about Nudie suits & guitar forensics.
Checked out the 8/3/82 which was fun, but I was distracted and mostly paid attention to TLMD & Let It Grow which are worth the trip.

And then stumbled into some more '90s goodness.
This time Set 2 of 3/18/95.
I'd recommend it to 90s fans & doubters.
If only for the Iko, listen to Jer having fun!
If that doesn't bring a smile, well I can't help ya.
But all of Set 2 makes for a good time if you ask me.

If there's a pick for today, I can't tell.
But if not I might seek out the Erlewine guitar sound.

As for RoadTrips, I know I heard Dave talk about the discussion with Rhino to end the Road Trips series and start Dave's Picks. I think it probably was something that was started or in the works before the Rhino partnership / formula was really established. Def sounds like there was opposition from Heads who wanted full shows and the series was not a hit in regards to sales and feedback. Can't say I love the format in comparison to Dave's Picks.
But I will say this.. if they release it, I want it ;)
"If you build it, they will come." - ghost voice

All in all, good stuff you guys, Happy Friday!

Jim, don't you keep these under lock and key?

Thanks for the information and checking it out.

I will say for those of you that don't have RT3.2, do yourself a favor and go get it. To my ears, one of the best quality recordings I have ever heard. Rex Jackson knew what he was doing and must have passed it on to Betty.
Oh and the Dark Star, El Paso, Dark Star is fantastic!

Stay well.

Yea, that is weird.. they signed a ten year deal with Rhino in 2005, I believe FW the Complete Recordings was the last item truly released by GD Merchandising.. the Download Series came out about the same time. The first Road Trips didn't come out until 2007, but you are correct.. the label for the early Road Trips was Grateful Dead. I still suspect Rhino was involved they just hadn't hashed out all the details of the transition and finalized the legalese.

I do remember there being a hold up.. Dicks Picks stopped, digital downloads were not very satisfying.. and then the Road Trips announcement a year and a half later. Also, they did four Road Trips per year except in the final year when we got Road Trips 4.5 from Boston (a good one) so season four had five quarters. So something changed mid stride, there must have been something going on behind the scenes.

The first CD that was officially released under Rhino records was Road Trips Volume 4 Number 2. They talk about it a bit on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grateful_Dead_discography#Road_Trips

It took me some time to find my Road Trips to figure this out, they were not on the usual shelf because they are sort of a different size and shape.. after some digging I found them randomly mixed in with the brown paper bags we use to pack lunches, I can see how you would make that mistake.. Looking through all these, Blair Jackson was much more involved and wrote liner notes. It looks like Scott McDougal did the artwork. Ahh... the priceless bonus discs.

A rough transition and vanishing profits? It was about the same time we saw Blair's Golden Road disappear and a new take on the cover art, an attempt to cut costs??? Anyway, I don't miss the lunch bag cardboard and I welcome (for the most part) complete shows. #ReleaseMore68!