tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post8443609852596037836..comments2024-03-16T07:13:50.487-07:00Comments on Lost Live Dead: October 26, 1978 Paramount Theater, Portland, OR: Jerry Garcia Band/Bob Weir BandCorry342http://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-39170171747710201302022-04-23T22:28:39.136-07:002022-04-23T22:28:39.136-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jim Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07775659356285581409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-13549399247434995892022-02-16T08:56:32.675-08:002022-02-16T08:56:32.675-08:00In a recent episode of the Good Ol Grateful Deadca...In a recent episode of the Good Ol Grateful Deadcast, Donna categorically denies that she and Bobby had any romantic involvement at all, FWIW.Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-13116260017248224512022-02-16T02:31:15.408-08:002022-02-16T02:31:15.408-08:00Yeah - reading more above that there were K&D ...Yeah - reading more above that there were K&D shows in early 79, i really do wonder when the briefcase incident was and just curious and interesting if they played after that. But until now I had forgotten about a factor that must have added to the band's acceptance and indulgence of Keith's decline and associated behavior: he must have been crushed and humiliated by the very "public" affair that developed between Donna and Bobby... so even if the briefcase thing was earlier I could see Garcia deciding that was that but having the understanding and compassion to let Keith finish out the scheduled shows. although one wonders if it played a role in the cancellation of the Nov/Dec dead dates. anyway they were a great addition to the band and played on some of my favorite shows, although I totally disagree with the comments that the band "sounded better" with grand piano only... my opinion but also that of many others, particularly Jerry who's main interest in Brent was his B3... and obviously it was a sort of "love at first sight" thing too, the vibe between JG and Brent was pure affection very different from how Garcia interacted with other band members even at his most ebullient...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15258411026063368426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-33047958291163502292022-02-16T01:40:35.330-08:002022-02-16T01:40:35.330-08:00I had always heard that the "briefcase incide...I had always heard that the "briefcase incident" was the deciding factor. What I'm more curious about now is when that was and whether, and if so how many shows were played afterwards? or was it at the end of or between tours?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15258411026063368426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-55577705040933931012022-02-16T01:29:11.001-08:002022-02-16T01:29:11.001-08:00many disagreemany disagreeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15258411026063368426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-77753935749265428432019-10-28T12:18:08.172-07:002019-10-28T12:18:08.172-07:00I always thought this was the scoop March 10, 1979...I always thought this was the scoop March 10, 1979 SF Examiner Tom Campbell column says GD lost Kieth and Donna. In the Pink March 11, 1979 SF Examiner Joel Selvin says GD announced the departure of Keith and Donna. Looks like Tom got the scoop BUT I found Jon Bream Minneapolis Star writer had this in his March 7, 1979 column and Ernie Santosuosso in the Boston Globe March 9. Hmmmmm Grateful Secondshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16866611234014012885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-11439260490724710422016-09-04T11:05:05.627-07:002016-09-04T11:05:05.627-07:00Btw, I was at the 78 Portland JGB show. It was one...Btw, I was at the 78 Portland JGB show. It was one of my all-time favorites, along with the 78 Dead at Mac Court and the Keith and Donna's finale at Oakland in 79Bill Buchananhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11710930003642585241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-80592057686850826302016-09-04T11:01:01.884-07:002016-09-04T11:01:01.884-07:00Interesting. In my opinion Garcia and Weir were ju...Interesting. In my opinion Garcia and Weir were just wrong about the keyboard sound. From the audience both JGB and the dead were best with the open percussive sound of the acoustic piano. You could track each instrument in the weave. The organ and synths cread a mid- range mush that swallowed Bobby and sometimes Phil. Bill Buchananhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11710930003642585241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-57043429772942475612013-03-25T21:50:37.819-07:002013-03-25T21:50:37.819-07:00There's a recent interview with Ozzie Ahlers -...There's a recent interview with Ozzie Ahlers - <br />http://www.jakefeinbergshow.com/2013/03/jfs-110-the-ozzie-ahlers-interview/ <br /><br />In early '78, Ahlers was playing keyboards in Robert Hunter's band Comfort, and they opened for the JGB a number of times. Ahlers says that at two of these shows when Keith "wasn't feeling well," he sat in for Keith in the JGB! (He isn't sure of the cities.) <br />So Ahlers would've had some JGB experience long before he actually joined the band in '79...it makes sense that Garcia would call on him. <br /><br />In a parallel GD universe though, imagine if Garcia had invited Ahlers to join the Dead & Mydland to join the JGB?....Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-88667648890313732572012-10-01T08:26:39.376-07:002012-10-01T08:26:39.376-07:00Weir played Slide on Werewolves of London 4/19/78 ...Weir played Slide on Werewolves of London 4/19/78 - for sure.<br />Listen to it here:<br />http://archive.org/details/gd1978-04-19.fob.sonyECM250.walker-scotton.miller.94494.sbeok.flac16<br />Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01442319894983489827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-57552554938442737492012-09-14T23:50:46.468-07:002012-09-14T23:50:46.468-07:00As far as I know, spring '78 is when Weir star...As far as I know, spring '78 is when Weir started playing slide; so Werewolves may well have been the impetus. That was also the tour where they started doing the realllly long drum breaks. The Dead sound very energetic & excited on some shows that spring...perhaps overly so.Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-20605245963520724612012-09-13T19:56:52.868-07:002012-09-13T19:56:52.868-07:00Reposted from a different thread: You asked, "...Reposted from a different thread: You asked, "does anyone know when Weir 'debuted' as a slide player with the Dead?" When I reheard Warren Zevon's studio version of Werewolves of London and the slide work on that, I theorized that when the Dead learned that tune is when Bobby had the impetus to play slide guitar live. First GD performance of the song on April 19, 1978, did Bobby play slide prior to that date?SDBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16406472867038961017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-61212275164056748752012-01-06T09:32:24.428-08:002012-01-06T09:32:24.428-08:00Brent Mydland was a perfect fit with the Dead from...Brent Mydland was a perfect fit with the Dead from the first show. I was listening to his debut performance from Spartan Stadium, San Jose 1979 and he really does a great job. <br />By the way that show will make a great vault release. David Lemieux, the archivist mentioned to me it's one of his favorites, especially the terrific "Scarlet/Fire" and "Estimated>He's Gone."Barryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02073561658686815631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-15294579694559476462011-03-24T11:37:28.400-07:002011-03-24T11:37:28.400-07:00I found a comment about the Bob Weir Band from bas...I found a comment about the Bob Weir Band from bassist Rick Carlos, on the Wolfgang's Vault page for the BWB show at the Old Waldorf on Mar 25 '78, here<br />http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/bob-weir-band/concerts/old-waldorf-march-25-1978.html<br /><br />Wow ! Nice to find this. I have no photos or recordings of my days with Bob. The bass was recorded "line direct" so the sound is rather dry compared to what was coming from my amp but I'm happy just to hear this stuff again. I recommended Brent for this gig even though he was always hard to work with . We had played in bands together since high school. John Mauceri is back to his original name "John White". After the Weir gig John went on to play with Danny O'keefe , Jackson Brown and Etta James. Great memories ! Rick Carlos.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-84705270907898948992011-02-12T01:41:46.869-08:002011-02-12T01:41:46.869-08:00One of the most baffling comment scenes to me is t...One of the most baffling comment scenes to me is the following. On the 3-28-81 Rockpalast video broadcast of the show in Germany, Pete Townsend comes out and plays with the Dead on NFA > Wharf Rat > Around & Around > Good Lovin.<br /><br />Right after they go into Good Lovin (last song of the second set), Garcia walks up to Townsend, says something to him, and Townsend then walks off stage. <br /><br />There's nothing that indicates any animosity between the two (Garcia’s all smiles) but I've always wondered what that was about. I figured it was along the lines of, "Pete, we're gonna finish the set with this one and I'll talk to you after the show."<br /><br />You can see it for yourself here on youtube:<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc7npDaySok<br /><br />(Good show by the way and excellent camera work - my fave Dead vid by far. It's a shame the Dead don't officially release it.)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01352186705192690969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-48921659589413843772011-02-10T17:50:12.268-08:002011-02-10T17:50:12.268-08:00These things do tend to take on a life of their ow...These things do tend to take on a life of their own ...Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-88584747884161463712011-02-10T06:27:16.047-08:002011-02-10T06:27:16.047-08:00The funniest part is that I originally conceived t...The funniest part is that I originally conceived this post as being about The Bob Weir Band, and an excuse to mention the fact that Dee Murray played with them for a few dates in the Fall. I ended up writing more about Keith and Donna than I expected, and then LIA's research made the whole thing take off.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-75812627001830544692011-02-10T01:41:35.893-08:002011-02-10T01:41:35.893-08:00I'm not much of a banter-seeker in those years...I'm not much of a banter-seeker in those years, but there's at least one episode from this period that must be pointed out: <br />http://www.archive.org/details/gd1978-11-18.sbd.miller.81131.sbeok.flac16 <br />In the last 30 seconds of the From the Heart of Me track, the band starts cursing each other out like middle-schoolers as they get ready for the next song. It's pretty hilarious...if you ever wondered what they were saying to each other between songs...<br /><br />(The rest of the show is pretty strong, by the way, with a rare Ollin Arrageed jam.)<br /><br />Anyway, synchronicity struck with this post, as I had actually written part of a post on the end of Keith & Donna, when Corry beat me to it. After some soul-searching, I decided to use the material in the comments here rather than do a duplicate post on my blog. After all, I'm devoted to the *early* Dead, and if I suddenly posted about 1978, readers might wonder if they were in the right blog!Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-91900099552794748862011-02-09T22:05:34.744-08:002011-02-09T22:05:34.744-08:00Bill, I never took it as a snub. One of the great ...Bill, I never took it as a snub. One of the great things about blogging is the collective nature of it. LIA's research on all the quotes was so great that I periodically forgot it was my post, too, since it added so much to the discourse.<br /><br />I, too, had always wondered what the Dead said to each other onstage. Back in the 70s, they use to tune a lot, and I would see Garcia and Weir talking while they tuned up between songs. What were they talking about? Even if they were talking about the next song, which I mostly doubt, what were they saying? <br /><br />Most of these interludes were edited out of tapes, much less of videos, so they are mostly forgotten, but there was often extensive private chitchat between songs.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-22954432116176977322011-02-09T19:57:38.324-08:002011-02-09T19:57:38.324-08:00Sorry Corry for snubbing you accidentally. Thanks ...Sorry Corry for snubbing you accidentally. Thanks for the great post! Great stuff! (and thanks LIA for letting me know)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01352186705192690969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-22008775199315714712011-02-09T14:31:01.164-08:002011-02-09T14:31:01.164-08:00Corry did the post, I just did the comments!
It ...Corry did the post, I just did the comments! <br /><br />It wasn't uncommon for the Dead to talk to each other mid-song...I think there's an instance in the GD '74 Winterland movie as well, where Jerry has a joke with Donna while Weir's singing in the middle of a song - of course, now I can't remember which one.<br /><br />I agree that late '78 is a big drop from early '78 - to me those February Dick's Picks shows are as good as the year gets; and the spring tour has some highly regarded, but repetitive shows (though I prefer '77). They were very hot (or coked-up, if you will) in some summer shows like 6/4, 6/25, 9/2, some in early July. They had problems in Egypt...the October Winterland run has its moments...but the Nov/Dec tour to me sounded like a real slog, aside from a few standouts like 11/20 and 12/16. They seem to have perked up in Jan/Feb '79; at least many of those shows sounded a lot more energetic to me.<br /><br />But Keith-wise, in the Dead his playing had been on a slide since '76, which is the last year where we get real jazzy piano improv in the jams. Whether it was a change in the Dead's approach (fewer 'outside' jams; more rock and less jazz) or a change in Keith's interest, by '77 he's sticking much more to chordal backing, and often never leaves the chords. Which I think is the cause of Jerry's comment that he was just playing what the guitars were already playing. <br /><br />Someone else would have to detail how Keith's playing progressed through the JGB in those years, but it seems he was much more of a contributor to late-'78 JGB than late-'78 Dead. It's my guess that in the Dead, the personal problems with Donna didn't become disastrous until the last few months (the Dead weren't on the road that much in mid-'78).Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-72062298531097004422011-02-09T03:25:17.206-08:002011-02-09T03:25:17.206-08:00First off, thanks to LIA for the great research an...First off, thanks to LIA for the great research and post. <br /><br />I don't know if there's anything to this but if one watches the dvd of the Closing of Winterland (12-31-78), at one point during the middle of a jam, Garcia walks up to Keith and says something to him. <br /><br />That always puzzled me because what in the world would Garcia say to Keith in the middle of a jam? <br /><br />After reading above about Garcia being pissed about Keith copying his licks (which I had read about before somewhere), it's possible though admittedly doubtful, that Garcia said something to Keith to the effect of "can you stop copying my licks?" <br /><br />I realize this is probably not the reason he said something to Keith during that jam (apologies for not knowing what song it was but it was on the first dvd so probably the first set or beginning of the second) but I was always baffled that during the middle of a jam, he would walk up to Keith to say something to him. <br /><br />At the very least, I assume it would have been hard for Keith to catch what he was saying.<br /><br />One final note. I've been listening lately to some January and Feb, '78 Dead shows and the level of playing during that time period blows me away. It's really a continuation of the energy they had in late '77. <br /><br />Now I can't say that I've done any thorough comparison of that period with late '78 / early '79 but my gut instinct tells me the energy level and creativity level of the end of '78 didn't match that of the beginning of '78. <br /><br />If this is so, it could have been due to drugs (Garcia getting more into Persian and Keith getting more out there and Lesh possibly drinking more), wear and tear of being on the road for almost another year (they had only been on the road for 1.5 years by end of '77), or a combo of things but I just don't remember being blown away by anything I've heard from late '78 / early '79 to nearly the level I've been compared to the ridiculously great playing of early '78 (the well-known 1-22-78, Eugene, OR being a typ example). <br /><br />The one I heard very recently from that period and is an aud recording of Feb 4, 1978 (Milwaukee) and thus freely available at archive.org (get it here:<br />http://www.archive.org/details/gd78-02-04.aud.vernon.12199.sbeok.shnf ). It's a great aud recording with excellent versions of Ten Jed, Dancin, Playin, Black Peter > Around & Around. This night is between the two nights that make up DP 18 (Feb 3 & 5, 1978).<br /><br />Anyway, thanks again for the good & entertaining post (interesting to read about Dee Murray, who's name I remembered from Elton John's big albums, playing with Weir - he died at the age of 45 from skin cancer according to Wikipedia).Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01352186705192690969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-9297555865792030602011-02-08T05:07:06.188-08:002011-02-08T05:07:06.188-08:00An audience review of the 10/28/78 JGB show on the...An audience review of the 10/28/78 JGB show on the jerrysite is ecstatic about Keith's playing that night.<br />Personally I always felt that late '78 was a real low-point for the Dead's shows, a lot of very sludgy playing... The lack of enthusiasm could be mine (I haven't revisited those shows lately), but the tapes from that time were mostly very dispiriting.<br /><br />Lacking more info, I'd be hesitant about taking the position that Garcia 'defended' Keith in the Dead in any way, except perhaps through non-discussion. (And Donna suggests there were a lot of post-show discussions.) We have Lesh's viewpoint that Garcia was irritated by Keith's playing; we also have the fact that Garcia basically asked Weir for his keyboard player shortly after those Oct '78 shows. That doesn't sound like a strong defense!<br />I agree that Keith being in two Garcia bands would have been a complicating factor that might've kept the rest of the Dead from complaining too loudly, deferring to their non-leader... (And remember, the Dead only played a few isolated runs between early July '78 and mid-Nov '78.) <br />But it would no longer have been an issue after Nov 3 '78 - which coincidentally or not, is right after Garcia first heard Brent. <br />From Donna's report, it sounds like the next 3 months of Dead touring was the nail in the coffin. The band may simply have felt like they had to wait til their next long tour break in Feb before they could really hash it out/break in a replacement.<br /><br />Actually, I can't remember seeing any interviews where Garcia talks about Keith at all...there must be one.<br />Though there is a Gans interview from April '81 where Garcia says that Brent "is an excellent musician, and a great choice for the band... What we always wanted was somebody that would produce color. The thing of having another percussion instrument in an all-percussion band was really too much of the same thing. The effect the piano had on the ensemble was something we could accomplish with guitars, so we were really looking for that sustain - you know, we were all hungry for color."<br /><br />Although, in the same interview, he also praises the Cats Under the Stars-era JGB: "I've kept having new versions of my band that I wasn't quite satisfied with... My band was good during that period of time. I was really comfortable with the way that band was going... We had some real beautiful things going, nice things. [He mentions their Moonlight Mile and Let Me Roll It as being especially good with Donna's harmonies.] I'm just waiting for the band to evolve to the place where I can take it in those directions again. I may get some singers in the band." <br />So from the perspective of '81, he seems quite nostalgic for the Keith-era JGB, at least the harmonies!Light Into Asheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943335142002007213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-54411491545520710472011-02-08T04:35:13.281-08:002011-02-08T04:35:13.281-08:00Great conversation all around, thank you all!Great conversation all around, thank you all!Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493557313410969282.post-39622836758421174972011-02-07T22:18:29.687-08:002011-02-07T22:18:29.687-08:00From reflecting on my own post and all the great c...From reflecting on my own post and all the great comments, I now think that Keith and Donna remained in the Dead throughout 1978 because of Jerry Garcia. Even LIA's great research doesn't seem able to find a quote where Garcia criticized Keith's playing, and note that Kahn only said that Jerry got fed up with Keith's behavior, not his playing. <br /><br />Weir and Lesh seem full of complaints about Keith's playing, but I have to guess that Garcia either implicitly defended Keith (probably by silence) or that the others felt unable to broach the subject. That's why it's significant that Garcia suggested to Weir that Brent might work out--Weir and Lesh were waiting for Garcia to concede that Keith wasn't workable anymore. <br /><br />Garcia had an economic stake in Keith's presence that was different than the others, and there had to be at least a whiff that Jerry might choose JGB over the Dead. This is not to suggest that Garcia would have "broken up" the Dead over the JGB, but by 1978 he could tour profitably without the Dead, and he could have chosen to do more JGB tours and fewer Dead ones. Don't think that the other Dead members didn't consider this.<br /><br />To JGMF's comment, it seems that Garcia was happy with Keith's playing right up until the end, but too many other issues intruded. Based on the chronology we have determined, I wonder if Phil Lesh had either met Brent Mydland or heard him play before his tryout with the Dead...my guess is "no." I think Phil was so happy for a change, he took Jerry and Bob at their word, which was ultimately justified musically.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.com