Grateful Dead Thread.

Get_Right wrote:

Grate post. The big difference between PJ and the Dead in that sense is that PJ has made some great records. The chasm between the quality of studio records and the quality of shows is MUCH larger when you are talking Dead. Highly recommend the Jerry Garcia band stuff as well-anything from 74-84.

And there are a couple of other bands IMHO that bring it live like PJ, Bruce and the Dead.
Wilco and MMJ-and both happen to make good studio material as well.

Thanks so much for this info. I will keep that in mind. Sounds like with the Dead, I need to put MUCH more of an emphasis on the live stuff - much moreso than with PJ.

I also thank the poster who provided a place to download some shows. I know how to download, so that should not be a problem. I'll buy a couple more CDs (any strong recommendations, given what I already have? I should probably buy In The Dark...and maybe have $$ for 2 other CDs...) and download a few shows and have some fun.

That torrent site has a ton of shows on it. Any recommendations for a complete n00b who has ZERO Dead bootlegs to her name?

(heh. Just what I need - another band with a massive collection of boots. I've already got an external HD full of PJ and Bruce...not to mention a bunch of the PJ boots on CD )

PKTrekGirl wrote:

I like The Dead. I think that when i was younger, I didn't appreciate them as much as I should have (thought they were 'too mellow' )...but over the past year, I've starting re-acquainting myself with their music - went out and purchased about 4 - 5 of their CDs, and have been watching some of the footage on YouTube.

I am thinking of buying a few more albums - which ones are the best ones? I already have:
The Grateful Dead
Workingman's Dead
American Beauty
Live/Dead
Europe 72

I'm pretty broke, so I can't go crazy and buy a bunch. I'd like to buy maybe 2 more in the near future.

I highly recommend "Ladies and Gentlemen". Its a 4 disc compilation from their run at the Fillmore East in 71. Gotta love the Pigpen era. Probably the best version of "Turn On Your Lovelight" I've heard on there. As well as great versions of "China Cat Sunflower", "Ripple", "St. Stephen", "Hard To Handle", "Me and Bobby McGee", and many others. The whole set is great.

July 9th, 1995 was the anniversary of the last Dead show at Soldiers Field. We amazingly enough were at those last shows. We should have stayed to see Pearl Jam but had to return home . My Daughter now has a facination with all things Dead, must have something to do with the fact she actually was conceived that year and was born listening to the Dead. I probably saw about 15 Dead shows in the early 90's ahhh the memories. Long live the Dead!