• 736 replies
    Dead Admin
    Default Avatar
    Joined:

    Friend of The Devils: April 1978 (Dead.net Exclusive) [19 CD]

     

    WHAT'S INSIDE:
    Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL 4/6/78
    Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL 4/7/78
    Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL 4/8/78
    Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/10/78
    Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/11/78
    Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC 4/12/78
    Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA 4/14/78
    Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV 4/16/78

    Recorded By Betty Cantor-Jackson
    Newly restored and speed-corrected audio by Plangent Processes
    Mastered by Jeffrey Norman
    Liners By Author Steve Silberman
    Artwork By Acclaimed Artist Matthew Brannon

    Limited To 10,000 Individually Numbered Copies
    Dead.net Exclusive

    It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit

    .... April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit

    Sportatorium - April 7, 1989

    when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net

    Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978

    This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'... It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk

    We're hitting the bullseye with the eight previously unreleased stellar shows that make up FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978. Filled to the brim with peak performances from the Grateful Dead's post-hiatus period, this collection captures the historic tour where "Drums" begat "Space," morphed into "Drums">"Space" and cemented the Rhythm Devils' second-set power move from the music business to the "transportation business."

    Spring 1978 finds the Dead consistently weaving spontaneous magic, showing signs of great promise and potential - from the no-nonsense rock'n'roll in Tampa, where scholars cite the first "Drumz" leading into "Space," to the lengthy communal get down in Pembroke Pines to Jacksonville where the twain emerge fully formed, offering the primordial opportunity for "soul retrieval." It's evident in the dynamic range delivered on back-to-back nights at the intimate Fox Theatre and through the laid-back unity of the band's performance in Durham at Duke, a comfort that carries over to Virginia and West Virginia where the playing is unbridled, bursting with momentum, threatening to carry itself away. And nowhere can you hear that more clearly than through Betty Cantor-Jackson's original recordings, reliably crisp, bright, and vivid.

    Individually numbered to 10,000 copies and exclusive to Dead.net, FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978 has been mastered by Audio Engineer Jeffrey Norman using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Steve Vance designed the collection’s custom box, which features a removable wave drum. (We invite you to unleash your inner Rhythm Devil.) Acclaimed artist Matthew Brannon created the set’s original artwork. The collection also includes a 48-page book with original liner notes by author Steve Silberman and photos by James Anderson, Bob Minkin, and more.

Comments

sort by
Recent
Reset
  • Colin Gould
    Joined:
    UK

    FRANKPARRY
    Since you asked. Yes, the final leg of my delivery will use Parcelforce. DHL got into the country but then passed it on.The same happened with the NY box. Tracking on my GD box said ‘Cleared Customs’ for two or three days than several updates appeared at once saying it was held until charges were paid. I had to wait 4 days until a letter from Parcelforce was delivered detailing the charges. Delivery arranged for Tuesday and I live in hope they manage to do it this time.

  • DeadVikes
    Joined:
    OB

    Good to see you OB. Glad the Hey Now folks didn't stop you!

    Hope you recover fast. Loving the box so far, but can't speak to a full review yet. Might take me a couple of weeks to get through all the shows. Which is okay.
    Yes, 3-0. Hard to believe.
    Bills out to a good start.

  • That Mike
    Joined:
    Three Shades of Blue: MD, JC, Bill Evans

    Oro - Do we say “Welcome Home!!!”? Quite a roster of MIA. Glad all is well - as far as alien abduction is well - and nothing grievous going on (sorry to TOO - The Other Oroborous - on his loss). That jazz book is one of had my eye on, may invest for a nice post-Hunter read! I preordered Miles’ Live In Paris bootleg, but I’ve been buried in lots of music to play in a short period lately, as it tis’ the season of the box.
    Sabres - This year! Believe.
    Besides, no team can be that bad for that long. ;)

  • icecrmcnkd
    Joined:
    First pass through complete

    All CD’s played fine.
    Today copied to HD, converted to ALAC, and loaded onto a portable music player.
    Now going through the ALAC files to confirm that the CD’s copied to the HD without error.

    It’s fine with me that the Dead air was removed, we got 8 shows across 19 CD’s in the Box. Leaving the Dead air in might have required 24 CD’s which would have driven up the cost and made the Box larger.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    They say laughter makes one live longer....

    ....if so, I just gained an hour!!
    Pulled the last minute trigger to see Blue Oyster Cult in Laughlin (coincidence? I think not!) tonight. About an hour south from here. Rumors swirling regarding Eric Blooms health, so might as well see them while they are still performing because I'm not a fan of regrets.
    I will be taking the first Fox Theatre show with me.
    Update....Close Encounters sighting in the Jacksonville Space.
    Is that the first "official" Space? I'm down for it. The band is on fire!

  • Charlie3
    Joined:
    Nice

    I am digging this box. I am listening to the shows in order and up to the 4-10-1978 Fox Theater Show, and so far the sound is good and the shows are hot. Definitely cool to hear the genesis of the drums-space show format in these shows, I was always a big fan of the interlude and the transition to whatever came out of space, but I realize the sentiment was not universal. The design of the box is intricate but actually pretty functional and I find it pretty appealing, particularly now that fivebranch has explained the connection between the devil iconography and the deep south folk art. I'm pretty easy to please, so your appreciation of the box may vary, but if anyone is on the fence about getting this, I would pick it up. Thinking good thoughts for your smooth recovery Oro, good to see your sense of humor is intact.

  • Oroborous
    Joined:
    I was abducted by Aliens…

    at least that what it looks like after my robotic surgery lol.
    Fun to mess with people who don’t know any better: “hey, long time no see, how ya been” at which point I show em my scars and repeat the above header ; )
    In reality, it’s a long tragic tail involving collapsing vault tunnels AND Aliens.( DL has some serious security at that vault, bastard!), but the only way Bolo agreed to free me from my near impossible situation—(and as we KNOW, the situation is the boss not that douche from Jersey)—was after NDAs and blood oath to NEVER ever mention any details involved in my extrication, so yeah…

    Decided to go full cleanse of everything and anything, including Dead and dead related accessories for my somewhat “routine” procedure, but as things took a bit more than I had planned (all good, just takes longer to heal as ya get older) I kinda just kept with it, and as things have been slow here on DN, then kinda decided to have some fun and see how long it took to notice the absence of my usual over prodigious pontifications and general weirdness lol.
    Thanks to the kind folks who did notice, although that might have been directed toward the Other Oro, Oroboros who did lose his beloved mother recently. Condolences again as “a motherless child has a harder time” a the song goes…
    Chever way/intentions is good, and I’m ok, and hopefully he and his are doing better also!

    But we have been missing lots of good folks who used to add to the mix.
    Big names like Strider and Bolo, and Nappy, and one of my favorite DHs, GOGD, and SKULLTRIP, or even Gratefulhan, Wilfredtjones, Hendrixfreak, Angry Jack, Thin, Kiethfan (and more I’m unintentionally forgetting) and haven’t heard from the Onesies camp, hope things are progressing positively for you folks, and Mrs Doc, and big elephant in the room, PT Barnum…been like a couple months now…gulp. And Franks knee!
    Good to see Jimbo, Charlie, and Fivebranch, Fourwinds and some other “strangers” checking in! The more the merrier and less chance for me to ramble ; )
    Sorry to Mikey, but the fog from the drugs and alien mind erase incapacitated my ability to view said Bat signal until most recently! But do appreciate the RH book intel: of course TOO is such a hopeless book junkie that she already knew. As kind as she, is I’m starting to think her purchasing books for others is just a way to attempt to quell her savage insatiable book Jones…ahem, girls got a bit of a problem.
    Oh, to Mike and all jazz nicks, finished a great book during my time out:
    Three Shades of Blue: MD, JC, Bill Evans and the lost empire of cool.
    His prose is sometimes weird, but great research and detail. I’d call it a must read for anyone with interest in jazz!
    Also Spitz’s Led Zep Bio, good but? Left a weird after taste…
    And another, Once There Were Wolves, interesting fiction. Very informative, but perhaps a tad over the top story line?

    APRIL 78 BOX:
    Finally arrived after what seems to unfortunately have become normal MO of convoluted temporary lost in the ozone again fuckery,…but at least it’s here, ripped and ready and just finished an enjoyable listen to 4/6!
    “Sound sucks”…really? Maybe the sound of the band at the time might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’d say the recordings don’t get much better, but maybe that’s just me? Certainly head and shoulders better recording than the previous last dog (ok show, perhaps worst released recording yet?).

    And ya gotta love DHs and our opinions lol. Now I dig Nitecat (and no offense intended!) and all he’s done here and on the toob of use etc, and I get what he ment about the tuning break pace, vibes/nostalgia, but after all these years I’m all for editing out unnecessary “dead air” though banter is always appreciated when space allows, but man I don’t miss the never ending tuning BITD before they had tuners, especially when after lengthy tuning break, they’d start playing and all ready be out of tune( like early 70s and primal) lol. Yeah, thank goodness for Korg tuners! Of course as any smoker knows, half those breaks were probably JG and that ole song (see Commander Cody’s take on ) Smoke, Smoke, Smoke lol
    Solid show and perhaps typical tour opener and already a step up from Jan/Feb run (did all those in order leading up to this box), but from what I recall things only get better, perhaps peaking at the Fox, especially the second night? We shall see, yum yum!
    Oh, dig the blown or overdriven speaker during 4/6 A&A being picked up on the instruments mic! Can’t figure out who’s speaker yet, but as a musician and roadie BITD I’d recognize that sound in my sleep. Just to illustrate how revealing these recordings are! Good Sheet Mon! Thanks to Dave and company for getting this awesome tour all gussied up and out to us!

    Ok, enough ketchup lol, good to see ya, now I need to call my BFF of almost fifty years (and awesome GD music bass player) to wish him a happy biff day, in spite of fucking cancer!
    Be well all, hope everyone gets their box soon and fully digs it!
    And
    DV, go VIKS! Lol

    Rombumzora: have you tried playing the discs on other players?
    The optics do wear out on players eventually…just a thought, good luck!
    ONWARD!

  • frankparry
    Joined:
    UK delivery

    Colin, did you say that Parcelforce is delivering your box? Mine is coming rom DHL and the tracking just says customs cleared but no mention of fees. It has supposedly been on its way for two days. Earlier I thought UPS had it, but that was another order.

  • nitecat
    Joined:
    CMD 70's tuning

    Oh yeah, CMD, I recall those long long tuning breaks in between songs. Listen to 71 shows you can hear the long breaks. It was kind of part of their charm, low key and not so showy.

  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Must Have Been The Roses....

    .....maaaaan. That song holds a place close to my heart. It was the song that was playing on the tape in my car the day Jerry died. I don't remember the show, but I remember the song. 🎶 If I tell another what your own lips told to me
    Let me lay 'neath the roses and my eyes no longer see.
    Edit. Billy Strings wife's water broke and he had to leave his Renewal Fest.
    Social media all over the place regarding his decision. I can assume you can guess why.
    Treys birthday is 9/30 btw. The big six O. That would be cool if Ally can hang on just a little bit longer.
    His new record is phenomenal btw. 🍻

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

3 years 6 months

Friend of The Devils: April 1978 (Dead.net Exclusive) [19 CD]

 

WHAT'S INSIDE:
Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL 4/6/78
Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL 4/7/78
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL 4/8/78
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/10/78
Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 4/11/78
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC 4/12/78
Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA 4/14/78
Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV 4/16/78

Recorded By Betty Cantor-Jackson
Newly restored and speed-corrected audio by Plangent Processes
Mastered by Jeffrey Norman
Liners By Author Steve Silberman
Artwork By Acclaimed Artist Matthew Brannon

Limited To 10,000 Individually Numbered Copies
Dead.net Exclusive

It’s been said before but April ‘78 was an incredible month for the Dead. Like May ‘77, you could throw a dart and guarantee you hit a stellar show. - KyloRensPecs, r/gratefuldead, Reddit

.... April/May '78 has a lot of the same qualities of Spring '77 but with some extra edge and a much bigger sound from the Rhythm Devils. A really special era that often gets neglected. - viewtiful_alan, r/gratefuldead, Reddit

Sportatorium - April 7, 1989

when drums started I thought, oh s*#!, i hate drum solos and Billy and Mickey stopped me in my tracks. Wow, these guys are really good. Little did I know the pervasive influence this phenomena would have on my life. - pearlybakerbest, Dead.net

Huntington Civic Centre, West Virginia – 16 April 1978

This is another must-hear concert by The Grateful Dead. The sound and mix are almost ‘absolutely perfect'... It’s difficult to pick out highlights because everything is played so well; the band are tight, Donna is great and the set list is strong. - Grateful Ted, gratefulted.co.uk

We're hitting the bullseye with the eight previously unreleased stellar shows that make up FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978. Filled to the brim with peak performances from the Grateful Dead's post-hiatus period, this collection captures the historic tour where "Drums" begat "Space," morphed into "Drums">"Space" and cemented the Rhythm Devils' second-set power move from the music business to the "transportation business."

Spring 1978 finds the Dead consistently weaving spontaneous magic, showing signs of great promise and potential - from the no-nonsense rock'n'roll in Tampa, where scholars cite the first "Drumz" leading into "Space," to the lengthy communal get down in Pembroke Pines to Jacksonville where the twain emerge fully formed, offering the primordial opportunity for "soul retrieval." It's evident in the dynamic range delivered on back-to-back nights at the intimate Fox Theatre and through the laid-back unity of the band's performance in Durham at Duke, a comfort that carries over to Virginia and West Virginia where the playing is unbridled, bursting with momentum, threatening to carry itself away. And nowhere can you hear that more clearly than through Betty Cantor-Jackson's original recordings, reliably crisp, bright, and vivid.

Individually numbered to 10,000 copies and exclusive to Dead.net, FRIEND OF THE DEVILS: APRIL 1978 has been mastered by Audio Engineer Jeffrey Norman using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Steve Vance designed the collection’s custom box, which features a removable wave drum. (We invite you to unleash your inner Rhythm Devil.) Acclaimed artist Matthew Brannon created the set’s original artwork. The collection also includes a 48-page book with original liner notes by author Steve Silberman and photos by James Anderson, Bob Minkin, and more.

user picture

Member for

11 years 3 months

In reply to by Chuck

Permalink

Received the shipping notice last night. Shipped out Fed Ex. Fingers crossed for delivery by the weekend.

user picture

Member for

8 years

In reply to by TN John

Permalink

Nice TN John. You must have the magic touch with the shipping as you always seem to be at front of the line. Nothing for me yet. At this point it looks like next week.

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month
Permalink

Label created yesterday.
Surprised it was Fedex.
Must be box size.
Cheers
Thanks for the tip Obeah.
EDIT: Tracking now says Friday!

user picture

Member for

15 years 1 month
Permalink

My GD box is still in California so I doubt I’ll see it before next week. However, this might give me some time to play the new Dylan box which has dispatched in the UK so should be here in the next day or two. The Neil Young ‘deluxe’ box is sitting a few miles from me in Liverpool but won’t be delivered until I pay the taxes. I can’t do that until I get a letter (!) telling me the amount. Have they not heard of the internet? My weekend listening looks to be crowded.

Edit: RIP JD Souther.

Another 130 Reelz is wowzer; forgot to comment on that.

Appears the Unlimited Road will go on beyond my lifetime for sure.

That is exciting news also.

user picture

Member for

9 years 3 months

In reply to by Gary Farseer

Permalink

Thanks for the BBQ update. Got me pokin around. Looks like that location was less than 5 miles to the Greek. Looks like it is closed now. I love bbq, grew up with it in my baby bottle. Saw their mention in the national magazine, and almost ordered a case of mild and hot, but their sauce has sweetness to it which I do not enjoy. May order a bottle of each. Looks like a happy family with a substantial Q presence. Turns out they were born less that 50 miles from where I am; you may remember that. Also only25 miles to the joint that developed Alabama White sauce. Fantastic on slow smoked chicken. Did an enormous Q tour when I lived in North Carolina for several years including the differences between East and West NC and then down into South Carolina. Great smokey mustard based sauce from that region. Unfortunately due to health, I have had to cut back on Q, and a lot of other things. Weird, I have beef short ribs roasting in the oven, been 5 hours so far. Bout to throw them on the smoker for about 45 min to an hour. Short ribs are tricky, still trying to mess with ways to cook.

Any way, thanks for the rabbit hole. This is a hole I thoroughly enjoyed. As A matter of fact I have thought about offering to help folks with a southern tour. Maybe hit Nashville (Ryman), Memphis, and Muscle Shoals. Possibly even New Orleans. As you can imagine tons of great entertainment and food. My health aint great but if there were enough people that wanted to I could help. Maybe even see if some European counter parts might want to joint in. Thing is I have 3 surgeries coming, 1 basic, 2 more tricky.

Guess I shouldnt be cooking short ribs. D'oh!

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

Received the Dylan 74 box today. I'm 2 discs in and thoroughly enjoying it. Impressive performance and for £3 a disc the recordings are excellent. Highly recommended.

user picture

Member for

2 years 11 months
Permalink

Gary, Big Bob Gibson's Bbq in Alabama developed the White sauce. I've bought some from them before, also some bbq dvds. They win lots of awards at the bbq competitions. Ive bought bbq pits from both Texas and North Carolina and had them shipped to me.

Big Bob for the score. Got to eat there before he died. Been too many times to count. He and family also have and had multiple locations. One closest to me burned down maybe 18 months ago. Still waiting and wondering what will become of that part of family.

Didn't realize you were that big of an aficionado.

Blows my mind thinking about seeing Scully getting Q for Jer. Makes me grin big. Another story there also.

When you get into southern Tennessee there are joints all over the place in small barely known about places that only locals know. My brother lives on a farm in Tennessee and our family has a partnership with a family that owns a spot. They also raise cattle. They use brother's farm to rotate cattle. Every so often we buy a full cow wholesale. Great food, I only eat beef and chicken now due to health.

Just blows my mind a west coaster is so inamorate with Q. Although all great food through out this country spread around. One of first lessons to small business/entrepreneurship is to find something and take it elsewhere. I was in tokyo 28 years ago, wish I was the first to bring yakitori chicken to the states. Small but growing, will spread. I admit yakitori chicken hearts weren't my fav at all; too chewy. Another restaurant had these big rooms where 30 or so gentleman would meet to eat, fellowship, talk business. There was a grill in the table between every 2 people. That is popular and growing also. Thing is, between every 2 people behind you on the wall, there was a beer tap. Just reach around for enjoyment. First night in this tiny county in southern Japan, I had to learn a valuable lesson about drinking too much again.

May explain more later, gotta jump.

G

user picture

Member for

3 years 8 months
Permalink

Just musing about how long after official release this big Debel Box sells out? It contains the last big chunk of what was the 'missing Betty Reels' aside from a bunch of random shows from various years and of course what's left of the Port Chester run. 5 of the 8 shows are from that haul, as was Davez#37. Last years Sunshine Box was gone in like a few hours at best! Lucky for me about a week prior I decided to pre~order figuring 'what the hell' money ain't no issue now. Although originally after first announcements I had only pre~ordered the single 6/10/73 show for various reasons. Sure glad I came to my senses & acted fast because it was quickly gone. I didn't realize the magnitude of the May`73 run and the RFK shows. That Sunshine Box fit in perfectly with my PNwBox, to which I was lucky enough to pick up that Box of Boxes 2 & 1/2 years after initial release!

R-120SW subwoofer
RP-500M II speakers, with stands.
12 gauge copper speaker wire.

After Vguy’s new subwoofer acquisition I started looking and decided to upgrade during holiday sales later this year.
But, the subwoofer has been replaced by a newer model and this one was more than 50% off. The speakers and stands were also on sale.
All delivered today.
Got it set up and am breaking it in so it’s ready when the new Box arrives.
Phil sounds grate on the 12-inch sub.

The first post didn’t ask for reCRAPTCHA but then told me that my answer wasn’t correct.
I then took the quiz (motorcycles, but the photo was a moped) and passed, which generated the double post.
Erased it and replaced with this.

I also got a shipping label generated by Gnarlywood.

user picture

Member for

2 years 3 months

In reply to by Gary Farseer

Permalink

I blew a gasket when I saw FedEx delivery, I have a UPS premium subscription specifically to avoid the Dead.net UPS/USPS circle jerk. And so now FedEx will deliver to USPS and I'll wait longer.

According to the dimensions it is not a big box..

user picture

Member for

7 years 9 months
Permalink

Shipped late Wednesday afternoon for me. Fedex. Just the shipping label at this point, which means even though both origin and dest are in CA I won't see it until Monday at the earliest. But that's to be expected.

Package size showing as 10x10x8 - hmmm. PacNW box was 10x10x14. (Inches)

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months

In reply to by Obeah

Permalink

....I'm going with baby steps. My Onkyo bookshelves are getting old and tired. Fact.
Just picked up Gilmours new record today at Target while getting food at the Petsmart next door for three of this households best friends. Also just Pre-ordered Billy Strings new record due on 9/28. And the Surfragettes new record. Due in October. Cool all girl surf rock band. There is my vinyl spending for the month.
No shipping notice here yet.
New avatar is the wife and I getting off our first train ride. Ever.
Edit.....shipping notice just dropped. No more intel however. Par, meet course.

user picture

Member for

8 years

In reply to by Obeah

Permalink

FedEx as well. Showing a Tuesday delivery. No USPS hand off. FedEx home delivery, which is great.

Next week will be fun.

user picture

Member for

6 years 11 months
Permalink

Is there a better day than "Box set day"? I can't wait to hear this stuff. By April 1978 Jerry’s voice is string again and they're still tight like 1977 (I prefer April 78 over Oct 77 - tighter and more rehearsed IMHO). And many of the songs on Blues for Al and Terrapin grew in 78 (jams and whatnot).

What I won't be doing is including rhythm Devils tracks on my digital folder not even ripping this crap. The only thing worse than wasting 20 minutes of concert time that could have gone toward ANY real songs is to "theme" a box set after this bathroom break activity. What next - 74 box to celebrate Seastones? Drum solos should have been eliminated by promoters for everyone but Bonham and Peart. I would say Moon too but his routine was a constant drum solo all the time (but with the who playing around him).

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Tracking still says: Awaiting Processing, Whittier, CA - Sep 16, 2024, 10.23h AM PT -
So, next week should be a good week!
Looking forward for first comments.
Cheers Gerd

Dark-Star has me laughing out loud...

Deadvikes, I hope you are correct about no hand off.

VGuy, Thats a nice picture. :)

My box has made it to New Mexico, I am in Central New York :(

I'M IN, BABY!!!!!

The 20-minute drum solos? Yes, I can live without those.

I was listening to 4/14/78 the other day and...nearly 20 minutes of banging and clanging.

Got shipping notice for the box and the vinyl - makes sense to ship separately, but no date yet to New England...

user picture

Member for

3 years 8 months
Permalink

Interesting be the comment on drum solos, even more so when a few well known percussionists of all time are name dropped. {Humorously correct about Keith Moon} I would argue that 'Rhythm Devils' is more than just a simple drum solo, to which the Dead did plenty of. I would also surmise the 'Rythym Devils' era was some of the best drum solos the Dead did, but there were also some great Brent era versions, especially during the early 1980's. Now anyone needs a bathroom break every now and then, and also must choose an opportune time to do so. Though to dismissively cast away drum solos {aside from time length duration} would be to test the wrath of one of the greatest all time percussionists, Ginger Baker! All due respect to Ginger and may the Great Spirit rest his soul, he passed on five years ago this October. {There is a great documentary about Ginger with the same name as my post title} If Ginger was alive and within earshot of any drum solo condemnation, you better beware of Mr. Baker!

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

About 90% of the time i'll listen to drums. Its part of the flow of the show and i agree there are great ones in the 80s, and the 90s too. I'm a fan of the beam.

Poor drummers. They barely get more respect than banjo players. Every time they step out to do their thing they look out at people turning around to head for the concessions.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Mine has finally been received at Whittier and was processed at 6.32 am Pacific Time, September 19. Its on its way at last!

user picture

Member for

14 years
Permalink

My box was sitting on my porch this morning, a day early!

user picture

Member for

10 years 2 months

In reply to by Slow Dog Noodle

Permalink

I thought that was little harsh about drum solos and Seastones too. Having said that - I don't think the drum solos in 1978 were that great - but both drums and space in the following decades were interesting. I have said before, when I saw them on 11/1/90 drums-space was the highlight of the show. I wasn't remotely in my "right" mind - be-mushroomed is the phrase that comes to mind, and on that night, all the songs - including Dark Star - were just alright. Nothing to get too excited about -pleasant enough background music. But when drums started to develop - the world came alive. Followed by space - I felt like I was living it. Back to Not Fade Away, everyone singing along - time to get your coat - or at least have a bathroom break, knowing you might never get back.

user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Simonrob,
tracking site now shows an additional DHL Tracking-No (DHL de), saying transportation to destination Germany,
Th, 19.09.2024,17.17 h.
Wunderbar
G.

user picture

Member for

1 year 1 month
Permalink

...DEVIL'S Box...
well, now
I have a much better
understanding & appreciation
after having listened
to the 1st two GOOD Ol' GRATEFUL DEADCASTS
(1) Friend Of the Devils: Florida, 4/78
(2) Friend Of the Devils: Atlanta, 4/78

user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I see the same, but 2 minutes later than yours at 17.19.

user picture

Member for

9 years 3 months

In reply to by icecrmcnkd

Permalink

Nice set-up. I may be buying a Klipsh 12" sub if my current 12" SVS sub is done. Do not think it is. One good thing is as one poster put a few years back "Good clean sound trumps all." No affiliation. One thing I know my system, it is usually music thunderin'.

user picture

Member for

4 years 3 months

In reply to by Gary Farseer

Permalink

April 78 Drums: meh (ironic, I know, given the new release)

later on, ja, gerne.

my first show 7/18/82: the Drums section was great (the Space was greater...flying saucers, I tell ya.)

user picture

Member for

10 years 2 months

In reply to by proudfoot

Permalink

It also makes a huge difference with drums and space being there - with all that entailed - and listening to a recording at home - with all that entails. It's not going to blow my mind in quite the same way, listening to cd of drums and space sitting here quietly in my living room with just a cup of tea and a biscuit to fortify myself.

user picture

Member for

11 years 3 months

In reply to by daverock

Permalink

Mine's showing delivery tomorrow. Maybe Fed Ex will be hitting my carport right after work. I was scoping him out in the neighborhood when I took my walk after work today. Lol

user picture

Member for

4 years
Permalink

That ALL drums solos are rubbish ... except for the ones he played. And maybe a few of Art Blakey's.

Not a big fan of 'em, myself. Because unless you're a genius on the Ginger Baker/Art Blakey level, there's generally not much going on in terms of, you know, music. Most drum solos are more like feats of athleticism ("watch how many cymbals I can get ringing at the same time!") and self indulgent excess ("I bet you were wondering why I needed 47 different toms") than actual musical improvisations.

The Rhythm Devils were an exception, but then again ... that's probably because what they did was not a 'solo'. Because there's two of them. It's a percussion duet, and sometimes trio, quartet, etc if band members felt like participating. So it wasn't just one guy wanking away up there. There was some interaction and some development of ideas.

I always thought Drums/Space was a key part of the show, so I wasn't one of the ones headed for the head. I'd usually try to make a break for it during Me and My Uncle. Which is a cool song, the first two or three hundred times you hear it.

Last five!

Zappa: Make a Jazz Noise Here
Brad Mehldau: Day is Done
Miles: Nefertiti
Zeppelin: How the West was Won
Airplane: Crown of Creation

user picture

Member for

15 years 1 month
Permalink

Yeah, ironic that Like Dark-Star, I will be skipping drums on this Rhythm Devils box.
What bugged me most about drums, was the predictability. After 78, you just knew there would be a long drums interlude interrupting the flow of the 2nd set, unlike previous years when they showed up in a more organic way, and sometimes not at all.
So from that point on, shows followed a format, pre-drums songs > Drums > post-drums songs. Don't think they ever deviated from this pattern, except in Amsterdam 1981.
I'll take Art Blakey, Max Roach, Brian Bennett, Dave Lombardo, solos anytime though.

user picture

Member for

15 years 1 month
Permalink

Captcha got confused...

user picture

Member for

10 years 1 month
Permalink

Billy Cobham
Lenny White
Jack De Johnette
Trucks/Jaimoe
To name a few
Cheers

....and has too many nicknames to count. Jon Sullen Melancholy is my favorite. Right behind Tubbs.
Didn't think I'd see so many drumz/space skippers.
Personally? Beat that shit right on down the line. My wife doesn't enjoy them. It's OK to not be OK.
Label is still being created re my order.

....I've gotten lost in a few of them.
What's going on?
Vinyl shipping received.
And The Race Is On.
Booyah.
Edit.
Label is on the package. Currently in Oceanside, CA.
Literally. Right down the freeway.
I bet when that bullet train between Vegas and SoCal is finished, if ever, it would be here before I finished this post.

Regarding Ginger Baker, not only is his extended solo on "Wheels of Fire" the worst track on the album, it's also one of the worst recorded drum solos I've ever heard. Unlistenable. He got kicked out of Hawkwind after one album.

Drum solos were generally something of a cliche in the early 70's, as I remember. Many bands featured them - particularly in the heavy rock world. Black Sabbath used to move through their set like a freight train, then the pace would slow down, band members would gradually slope off stage, and drummer Bill Ward would start an interminable solo. Then he would be replaced by Tony Iommi, who would play an unaccompanied guitar solo - bit of Django Reindhart in there. All very nice, but hardly in tune with the moment. Then the full group would come on and pick up again from where they had left off about 20 minutes ago. They always seemed to play twice as fast and hard as they had done before. Quite a break they must have had back there.

user picture

Member for

15 years 1 month
Permalink

My GD box has a DHL code now but they don’t say they have it yet, it’s shown as ‘Open Status’.
The Dylan box has just been delivered. No chance to hear it yet, but on the plus side the 27 cd box is small and easy to store.
I’ve paid the taxes on the Neil Young box but refused to pay £12 to have it delivered on a Saturday. It should arrive on Monday.

user picture

Member for

1 year 1 month
Permalink

...Duke FOTDevil's watch party on youtube was a fun time capsule trip

user picture

Member for

11 years 3 months
Permalink

The watch party on the "Tube" was quite enjoyable last night. Slow to start but really picked up as the show went on. Jerry was very animated and constantly smiling. Great to see.

user picture

Member for

3 years 3 months
Permalink

My Label has been created but not delivered to FedEx yet.

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

10 years
Permalink

My download will not work. I get an error message essentially saying file not found. Is Dead.net aware of this problem?

user picture

Member for

9 years 3 months

In reply to by Cousins Of The…

Permalink

Got an opinion on that too early in the morning.

There are a lot of incredible drummers out there. Was insomniac the other night and turn channel and the Journey 1981 show from Houston was on so I watched most of it, even though I have a recording of it. Steve Smith incredible drummer. Some may great drummers. Omar Hakim that played with Sting during early years, check out I burn for you on the toob.

Being a former drummer I really like the video on the toob of Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd - Buddy Rich: tribute. An amazing segment of different drum styles, love all 3.

Watching toob, pulling toob makes for a very nice afternoon. More on D/S l8tr.

product sku
081227816759
Product Magento URL
https://store.dead.net/en/grateful-dead/special-collections/friend-of-the-devils/friend-of-the-devils-april-1978-dead.net-exclusive-%5B19-cd%5D/081227816759.html