Hi,

I have "American Beauty" and "In the Dark" both on record. 'American Beauty" is a great album. Many know that. "In the Dark' is good especially "Touch of Grey" (have some of that) and all of side two.

So where should I go next in terms of the Grateful Dead? I have never ventured much into their music.

Thanks

The secret to the Dead's music is in their live shows. Dicks Picks are a great place to start. Live Dead is also one of my favorite commercial releases. I also really enjoy Workingman's Dead and Wake of the Flood. Ok, Blues For Allah ain't too bad either.

You just gotta poke around!

I always liked "Anthem of the Sun", their second album. They were loosening up and heading out on their own direction after breaking the strictures that were placed on them for their first album, as well as benefiting from gained experience.

--Bob

Klownschool knows whereof he speaks! I second Dick's Picks and "Live Dead" and also suggest the self titled album "Grateful Dead" from 1971. You can also poke around their official site http://www.dead.net

David

If you like American Beauty I would recommend their 4th studio album Workingman's Dead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workingman's_Dead

Workingmans Dead and American Beauty were both done in the same sessions in 1970. Those are two must haves! The Dead based a career around these two albums.

I prefer the Dicks Picks from the 70's, especially the acoustic shows. The new "On The Road" series from Dead.net have been excellent.

Blues for Allah is another good one.

Terrapin station song for song is a great recording!

All these albums are wonderful, but IMHO to get a real sense of the dead, you GOTTA hear the live shows.

go to:

http://www.gdradio.net/

and listen. I even write down the songs or shows I enjoy the most then try to download the show from other sites.

PS Downloading Dead music is legal -
STATEMENT TO MP3 SITE OPERATORS
The Grateful Dead and our managing organizations have long encouraged the purely non-commercial exchange of music taped at our concerts and those of our individual members. That a new medium of distribution has arisen - digital audio files being traded over the Internet - does not change our policy in this regard. Our stipulations regarding digital distribution are merely extensions of those long-standing principles and they are as follow: No commercial gain may be sought by websites offering digital files of our music, whether through advertising, exploiting databases compiled from their traffic, or any other means.
All participants in such digital exchange acknowledge and respect the copyrights of the performers, writers and publishers of the music.
This notice should be clearly posted on all sites engaged in this activity.
We reserve the ability to withdraw our sanction of non-commercial digital music should circumstances arise that compromise our ability to protect and steward the integrity of our work.

Grateful Dead - Recommend?

Oh man, the ultimate question that requires an explanation rather than an answer.

As stated, American Beauty and Workingman's are the traditional starting points. You like In the Dark too. Good.

I love the Dead but the thing is many of their studio albums are...spotty. Wake of The Flood and Terrapin Station for instance, both have exceptional songs balanced by some not so good ones. My opinion of course. But that is partly why the guys are correctly saying the Dead's best was their live stuff. True and then some.

But rather than Dick's Picks's or Live Dead, I would recommend you grab Europe 72. Its a live album but has been tuned up a bit in the studio. Consequently, its very slick and thus the perfect gateway to their live recordings.

Then you will be ready for the others and the extensive archive of traded shows. A million fans will give you a million recommendations. Cornell 1977 is the Holy Grail for many.

You are on the threshold of an addiction. Enjoy.

I second Jack's "Europe 72" suggestion.

The "Cornell"/"Ithaca" 1977 show is justifiably famous. I have listened and listened for a better version of Scarlet > Fire, but no better exists.

"Workingman's Dead" on vinyl is a treat.

What about Bears Choice (aka Hist of the GD vol 1) from 73. I enjoy it, esp like the acoustic and some of the lead in banter. Will have to check out some of the later Dicks Pics recordings.

Dicks Picks Vol 8, 5/2/70 Harpur College, Binghamton, NY has a great acoustic set with lots of lead in banter. They do a slow "I know you Rider" which is so haunting as to be atmospheric.

KeninDC is correct. There is no better Scarlet/Fire than 5/8/77. I have looked far and wide- although the one I heard at the Cap Centre in 1987 came pretty close. Of course, I had a bit of help with that one.:D

Dicks Picks Vol 8, 5/2/70 Harpur College, Binghamton, NY has a great acoustic set with lots of lead in banter. They do a slow "I know you Rider" which is so haunting as to be atmospheric.

KeninDC is correct. There is no better Scarlet/Fire than 5/8/77. I have looked far and wide- although the one I heard at the Cap Centre in 1987 came pretty close. Of course, I had a bit of help with that one.:D


Too funny I was at the 87 Cap show. Personally I don't remember that much.

In addition to Europe '72 I woud recommend "Without a Net" as a great live commercially released album.

And 5/8/77 is also my favorite GD show ever.

5/8/77 (Cornell) is high on a lot of people's lists, I guess :-)

The Dead is (are) a complex subject. Given that, and given the fact that there's 'accessible' Dead and 'inaccessible' Dead (indeed, a fair amount of their groove has just never resonated with me -- I've probably never listened all the way through to a gargantuan live Dark Star in my life).

Anyway... all of this is my egocentric, long-winded way of saying that a good way to taste the Dead and enjoy it is probably Europe 72. Probably pretty redundant advice this late in this thread!

PS... another Zin fan here myself -- pretty partial to some of the Russian River Valley (CA) wineries.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/mhardy6647/dead.jpg

Grateful Dead - Recommend?

Oh man, the ultimate question that requires an explanation rather than an answer.

As stated, American Beauty and Workingman's are the traditional starting points. You like In the Dark too. Good.

I love the Dead but the thing is many of their studio albums are...spotty. Wake of The Flood and Terrapin Station for instance, both have exceptional songs balanced by some not so good ones. My opinion of course. But that is partly why the guys are correctly saying the Dead's best was their live stuff. True and then some.

But rather than Dick's Picks's or Live Dead, I would recommend you grab Europe 72. Its a live album but has been tuned up a bit in the studio. Consequently, its very slick and thus the perfect gateway to their live recordings.

Then you will be ready for the others and the extensive archive of traded shows. A million fans will give you a million recommendations. Cornell 1977 is the Holy Grail for many.

You are on the threshold of an addiction. Enjoy.

Addiction, nawww. LOL. I have most of their entire catalog, including the box sets. The only thing I don't own is the 10 CD Limited Editon Fillmore set (I have it on MP3).

If you like Europe 72, get the Stepping Out in Europe set, it's from the same tour.

I'm still seeing the offshoot bands today, just saw Phil Lesh & Friends on July 4th. No RatDog this year ... yet. I missed the Mickey Hart show because of work.

Keep in mind you can buy all the Dead catalog used, on either CD or vinyl. This is for you "new" Deadheads. Addicts already know all that.

FWIW ... I don't care for the Brent Myland era very much, that screaching male voice was a little too much. I'm a PigPen fan (B3 & blues), but have never seen him since my first Dead show was Oct 1973 Madison WI (yes, wall of sound).

Dicks Picks Vol 8, 5/2/70 Harpur College, Binghamton, NY has a great acoustic set with lots of lead in banter. They do a slow "I know you Rider" which is so haunting as to be atmospheric.
Ohmygawd, yes!!! 5-2-70!!
Also, many good recommendations so far. I love Wake of the Flood-one of my favorite Dead studio albums.
If you come across the sound of a woman wailing horribly off key, try to ignore her. I don't know why she's there.
I prefer the years without Micky. Esp. 71 and early 73. Donna is a nightmare though.

Actually and FWIW my second-favorite studio Dead is Aoxomoxoa. Except for What's Become of the Baby? of course. I really like this album.

Donna Jean doesn't sound too bad on Blues for Allah...

Wake of the Flood is a pretty good album.

Oh YES! Dick's Pick's are the way to go, generally you'll get a 3 disc set for about $21. Now that's a deal even if some disc may have some stuff that doesn't appeal to you every set will have some material that is exceptional. And I find that Dead sets that I initially didn't like grow on you to the point that they become faves. And contrary to the stereotype you don't need a lava lamp though putting them on some 10" reel to reel would be mesmerizing.

Get them direct at:
http://www.deadnetstore.com/Commerce/ProductCategory.aspx?CategoryGuid=a7b282e6-dfd4-42a2-b62b-d33057e65c42

I've seen these in stores (and at other sites) for far more than you can get them for here.
Way back in my teens I would edit out the "jamming" but then a friends older brother was aghast; "that's the best part, take the time to listen to the music (butterfly)".
Get some of the recommended ones and listen closely.
And you thought buying vintage gear was addictive?
JimB

PS- I was at Watkins Glen Summer Jam in 73 and saw The Dead, The Band and the Allman Brothers. And God.
Yes, I'm old.

Oh YES! Dick's Pick's are the way to go, generally you'll get a 3 disc set for about $21. Now that's a deal even if some disc may have some stuff that doesn't appeal to you every set will have some material that is exceptional. And I find that Dead sets that I initially didn't like grow on you to the point that they become faves. And contrary to the stereotype you don't need a lava lamp though putting them on some 10" reel to reel would be mesmerizing.

Get them direct at:
http://www.deadnetstore.com/Commerce/ProductCategory.aspx?CategoryGuid=a7b282e6-dfd4-42a2-b62b-d33057e65c42

I've seen these in stores (and at other sites) for far more than you can get them for here.
Way back in my teens I would edit out the "jamming" but then a friends older brother was aghast; "that's the best part, take the time to listen to the music (butterfly)".
Get some of the recommended ones and listen closely.
And you thought buying vintage gear was addictive?
JimB

PS- I was at Watkins Glen Summer Jam in 73 and saw The Dead, The Band and the Allman Brothers. And God.
Yes, I'm old.

I hear ya man! I wanted to go to Woodstock in 1969, but my boss made me work instead. He knew I'd get into trouble there.

Too funny I was at the 87 Cap show. Personally I don't remember that much.

Oh, I remember it all, especially dancing in slow motion to Scarlet and when they did Terrapin it was as if the song was dissected for me. Seasond Heads will know of what I speak but for the uninitiated, they grow in the ground and are put on top of pizzas.:music:

Get Live at the Cow Palace: New Year's eve 1976, a 3 CD set, unless you absolutely insist on an LP. The recording is first rate; the bass is amazing and gives the music tremendous rhythmic drive. The band is focused, with a minimum of aimless noodling. It's a complete transformation of the Dead into a band that can pump out rock'n'roll with the best of 'em.

a minimum of aimless noodling.
For some folks, that was the best part of the Dead live! :-)
Not for me, though.

Oh, I remember it all, especially dancing in slow motion to Scarlet and when they did Terrapin it was as if the song was dissected for me. Seasond Heads will know of what I speak but for the uninitiated, they grow in the ground and are put on top of pizzas.:music:


Yep! That was it. The lights were breaking into prisims for me. :D

For some folks, that was the best part of the Dead live! :-)
Not for me, though.

Not just the noodling, Jerry was famous for that, it's for the "groove".

I know I'm going to love a show that starts with the song Shakedown Street, and that's not one of my favorite albums.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Mickey's disco/rap "Fire". Anyone catch him on tour this summer?

I think Donna Jean only screeched in Dark Star/Space. She does sound good on the studio albums. That is her background.

Check out this excellent Dead related web site for any details you need.

http://www.deaddisc.com/index.html

All great suggestions I might add the Garcia album that has Deal. The Grissman and Garcia album is superb with great recording quality.

I like the Pigpen stuff myself, but most of it's good. I like Jerry's noodling, but don't care for final "Built to Last" at all.

Try "The Grateful Dead" (also know as "Skullfuck") The 2 lp set with the skull and roses, cover, "Live Dead" is a must too. And Dick's Picks #4 and #8 and #18 are nice, #18 because I was at those shows. The Dead are a bit of an acquired taste, but ask anyone who's been to one....
"There is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert" :D

BTW, Some of the Jerry Garcia Band and the stuff Jerry did with Merl Saunders is pretty nice too..

Also pick up Bob Weir's album, "Ace."

Its actually a Dead album in all but name.

Not just the noodling, Jerry was famous for that, it's for the "groove".

I know I'm going to love a show that starts with the song Shakedown Street, and that's not one of my favorite albums.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Mickey's disco/rap "Fire". Anyone catch him on tour this summer?

I think Donna Jean only screeched in Dark Star/Space. She does sound good on the studio albums. That is her background.

Well, there's well-aimed improvisation vs. aimless noodling. The former is great, and the Dead are capable of it, but it's sure not guaranteed.

Donna Godchaux is still alive and kicking, and performing. She was featured in a newspaper writeup when she appeared locally recently. The claim is that she screamed or sang off key in order to be heard in the midst of the wall of sound. So why didn't they give the lady her own tower of speakers and a bag o' McIntosh amps to drive 'em? In the Cow Palace concert, she seems to be in tune, doesn't screech, and is a welcome additional voice to the Dead.

From the newspaper article:

Godchaux had never head of the Grateful Dead and the group's records just about curled her hair.

"That ragged sound?" she says, 'I didn't think they could play. I figured 'These guys must be good-looking'. So I check the back of one of their album covers and went, 'Nope that's not it' " .

She didn't "get" the sound until one night in 1970, when her posse all but dragged her to a Winterland Theater show.

...

"When the Dead finally came on, they were on fire. They never did the same thing twice! To them music was an adventure, like something spiritual.

I'd never heard anything like that. I thought, 'This is what I want to do.' "


(Johnathan Pitts in The Baltimore Sun, 7/22/07)

That might be it - when the Dead are on fire, they are stunning. When they're not, they're, well, dead.

How about "Hooteroll?"

How about "Hooteroll?"
Personally, I never dug Hooteroll. It didn't seem to go anywhere. Not something I'd recommend as an intro to Dead/Garcia music. ---my $0.02

It's interesting some of you would recommend Europe '72, which I wouldn't have recommended. But I was just thinking that was indeed part of my intro to the band---That, and a first set from Philly in '82 with a bunch of Bobby rockers. (there was also a second set from Augusta 84 and Amsterdam 10/15/81)
It helped of course that where I heard these cassettes over and over again was creeping around the back farm roads of western Mass with a very good friend in his '66 Volvo 122 sedan drinking beer, smoking pot and occasionally dosing. ---That was back in the mid 80's.

I just wanted to stick the topic of Grateful Dead catalog recordings, and not get into any of the offshoot projects. That's a thread for another day. Especially the Jerry Garcia catalog.

Now you guys have made me break down and dig in the Scram archives for tonights selections. I know Europe 72 and Stepping Out are up here at my summer pad. The tourists that walk by my place at night always gawk, wonder why???

One more thing to mention ... the newer Dead recordings on CD are in HDCD format. That includes the later DP's, and the vault releasees.

Personally, I never dug Hooteroll. It didn't seem to go anywhere. Not something I'd recommend as an intro to Dead/Garcia music. ---my $0.02

It's interesting some of you would recommend Europe '72, which I wouldn't have recommended. But I was just thinking that was indeed part of my intro to the band---That, and a first set from Philly in '82 with a bunch of Bobby rockers. (there was also a second set from Augusta 84 and Amsterdam 10/15/81)
It helped of course that where I heard these cassettes over and over again was creeping around the back farm roads of western Mass with a very good friend in his '66 Volvo 122 sedan drinking beer, smoking pot and occasionally dosing. ---That was back in the mid 80's.

It might depend on your age. In the 80's I had infants running around the house. They are now grown, and have also acquired my taste in music. Without any prodding.

Oh yeah, my daughter has seen Phish a couple times. Way Off Topic!

Well, there's well-aimed improvisation vs. aimless noodling. The former is great, and the Dead are capable of it, but it's sure not guaranteed.

Donna Godchaux is still alive and kicking, and performing. She was featured in a newspaper writeup when she appeared locally recently. The claim is that she screamed or sang off key in order to be heard in the midst of the wall of sound. So why didn't they give the lady her own tower of speakers and a bag o' McIntosh amps to drive 'em? In the Cow Palace concert, she seems to be in tune, doesn't screech, and is a welcome additional voice to the Dead.

From the newspaper article:


(Johnathan Pitts in The Baltimore Sun, 7/22/07)

That might be it - when the Dead are on fire, they are stunning. When they're not, they're, well, dead.

Donna Jean & The Tricksters. I think one or more of her kids are in the band. Donna and I have the same length and color of hair.

It's low-fi but great for the car/commutes and another good way to get exposure to hand-picked live shows for me has been some of the dead podcasts over the past few years. Sam Whitmore had a great one, Closet Deadhead, but he closed it down last year with concerns over licensing i think. The other one I listen to is The Dead Show out of KOPN in Columbia, Missouri - http://deadshow.blogspot.com/

Great thread. Exploring the Dead live catalog rekindled my interest in vinyl and vintage gear. Someone suggested Bob Weir's Ace title. I picked this up at a GSale last year. Listening now, great stuff from 1972. :music:

It's low-fi but great for the car/commutes and another good way to get exposure to hand-picked live shows for me has been some of the dead podcasts over the past few years. Sam Whitmore had a great one, Closet Deadhead, but he closed it down last year with concerns over licensing i think. The other one I listen to is The Dead Show out of KOPN in Columbia, Missouri - http://deadshow.blogspot.com/

Great thread. Exploring the Dead live catalog rekindled my interest in vinyl and vintage gear. Someone suggested Bob Weir's Ace title. I picked this up at a GSale last year. Listening now, great stuff from 1972. :music:

A few years ago you could get MP3 files of the Grateful Dead Hour syndicated radio program by David Gans off his web site. I have literally hundreds of hours of that alone. I would load an hour show on to my flash MP3 player and listen to it while I was out walking in the winter. The best ones are when they had Steve Parrish talk about Jerry and meeting Bob Dylan. Steve is/was a long time employee of the Dead/Jerry Garcia. Very open person. Some of you may have met Steve if you ever tried to approach the band during a performance. LMAO.

Great thread. Exploring the Dead live catalog rekindled my interest in vinyl and vintage gear. Someone suggested Bob Weir's Ace title. I picked this up at a GSale last year. Listening now, great stuff from 1972. :music:

I read the Phil Lesh book over a weekend. The next week I pulled out the Golden Road 1965-1973 box set and listened to all the studio releases with a whole lot of background on what went on with each one. It's all covered in Phil's book.

I sold all my original CD's when I got the box set(s), they are so much better, and with additional material and outakes.

any thing by the dead is good!! at least i think so. ive been a dead fan for a very long time. i dont think they have one bad song- they just have a different style of tunes.
even their one disco song "shake down street" is a favorite of mine

terrapin station rocks- along with the others

FWIW ... I don't care for the Brent Myland era very much, that screaching male voice was a little too much. I'm a PigPen fan (B3 & blues), but have never seen him since my first Dead show was Oct 1973 Madison WI (yes, wall of sound).

FYI,
His (Pigpen) final concert appearance was June 17, 1972 at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles, California.

I really like Reckoning as well. Great acoustic action. Sounds great too.

FYI,
His (Pigpen) final concert appearance was June 17, 1972 at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles, California.

I really like Reckoning as well. Great acoustic action. Sounds great too.


He's all over Europe 72. It's just about time to go out and golf and then listen to it!

Lot's of interesting stuff about PigPen in Phil's book too.

I just wanted to stick the topic of Grateful Dead catalog recordings, and not get into any of the offshoot projects. That's a thread for another day. Especially the Jerry Garcia catalog.

Here's what you do. Just pick up Golden Road and Beyond Description. Everything is remastered, and there are TONS of extra cuts on each disc. That will keep you occupied for quite a while. :D
Jack

I hear ya man! I wanted to go to Woodstock in 1969, but my boss made me work instead. He knew I'd get into trouble there.

Well I was kind of at Woodstock in 69. I lived 10 miles from there and we drove up to check it out. Kind of a waste as I was 14 years old and had not a clue.
Interesting side note; my Dad was one of the few businessmen in Monticello (nearest sizable town) to be in favor of the concert. He was one of the only ones in town to also sell tickets from his store. A few days before the concert organizers called him up to tell him to refuse a shipment of a zillion posters (they where delivered late). Man those babies would buy a yacht today (or at least some primo gear).

On the topic of the Dead, which is actually off topic you should check out "The Pizza Tapes", (Jerry Garcia, David Grisman and Tony Rice) or at least the story behind it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pizza_Tapes

JimB

I can see I have lots of homework to do and records to search out. Based on all your input the live stuff sounds very interesting.

Excellent info here.

Thanks

ps mhardy6647 Zin - Russian River Valley (CA) wineries:thmbsp:

Well I was kind of at Woodstock in 69. I lived 10 miles from there and we drove up to check it out. Kind of a waste as I was 14 years old and had not a clue.
Interesting side note; my Dad was one of the few businessmen in Monticello (nearest sizable town) to be in favor of the concert. He was one of the only ones in town to also sell tickets from his store. A few days before the concert organizers called him up to tell him to refuse a shipment of a zillion posters (they where delivered late). Man those babies would buy a yacht today (or at least some primo gear).

On the topic of the Dead, which is actually off topic you should check out "The Pizza Tapes", (Jerry Garcia, David Grisman and Tony Rice) or at least the story behind it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pizza_Tapes

JimB

*partial thread crap*
Love the Avatar!

you betcha... we head to Healdsburg whenever we're in the Bay Area (which ain't often any more)

Hi

Ahh....may 2, 1970...my favorite live recording of all time. The days of dragon/snake music. Greatest The Other One...

They played at my college the nite before - Alfred Univ - for about 50 folks in the Tech gym. Afterwards, a few of us knew we had to see them again the next nite.:scratch2::thmbsp:

the Grateful Dead have many DVD's out there. I have all but 'Ticket to New Years Eve'
At least get 'Downhill from Here'

I dont even need to video, I turn the TV off and enjoy. Some are even in 5.1

PS I know JGB is a side project and thats for another thread, I just cant get enough of JGB live 2CD set where they cover Dear Prudence. - just the sh*t for me

Yea Jerry did Dear Prudence quite well.