The reason that I like Live/Dead so much is that it is the absolute pinnacle of the Deads two- drummer years. I usually prefer the years where it was just Bill the Drummer (pre 1968, 1970-1974) because it was straight forward rock (a little jazzy sometimes maybe) drumming. But when Mickey came back after the break in 1975 they had this brilliant idea (sarcasm) to orchestrate the drum parts. Like, Bill would do the snare on the two and four while Mickey would do the tom fills. I don’t think it worked most the time and sounded incredibly lame. This went on for the last 20 years of the Deads career! Don’t get me wrong, Mickey Hart is an incredible drummer + musician, but doing the same drums-space every night, when the obviously weren’t creating anything new or having fun anymore (and only because the fans expected it) was just sad.
Live/Dead on the other hand finds the rhythm devils at there absolute best. They complement each other perfectly, and there is so much great snare work (especially on ‘the Eleven’) And at the beginning of ‘Dark Star’ when it is just Bill on the kit and Mickey is playing that percussion thingy...you know the part? Absolutely fucking brilliant my friends.
So there you go. Everyone should go out and buy this cd. Or itune it if that’s your bag.
Ps. From now on this blog is gonna be 30% The Grateful Dead, 70% lifes little foibles.
JB
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3 comments:
Nice review JB, might have to thow that one in later at home, can't play it here at work though, i think the dead are on the permanent instore play ban list. Get in touch w/ me later.
everyone should also get the dead's 11cd complete 1969 fillmore west thingy. its totally amazing. sounds awesome. i have the whole thing on my ipod and tracks from it come up all the time on random. its lovely.
jb, my favorite dead period is about 68-72 or so.
pre-cocaine dead is my favorite.
yeah the snare work on Anthem or shows from that era is so amazing. and they get into some great loose polyrhythmic stuff. with the flow of jerrybear, lesh and weir, its just about perfect......
yay! for 30% DeadBlog!!!
happy new ear,
greg
Retaliate against Burlington buisiness bans on Dead! just play cd's deadheads don't know is the dead.
ben
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