I've been enjoying the Dead for about 40 years now, and I agree that Dick's Picks are a good way to get the real flavor for what they were about. The problem, though, is that you sort of need to now *how* to listen to the Dead before you can really see the magic. Yes, you can enjoy the tunes, but it's sort of like classical music -- knowing a bit more about it really helps to understand what's going on. In many ways, great Dead jams are sometimes like classical music in that a theme may start early on, while the music slowly changes into a variety of different arrangements, sometimes with the theme present in an understated way, and then returning to the theme. Or morphing into something completely different, but in a smooth, uninterrupted, and often unintentional way that still somehow seems to be exactly right. These jams can go anywhere -- they were unscripted. So you could say it was less classical-like and more like the jazz of coltrane and davis, where thematic bits get rejumbled and mixed as the bandmembers lead each other down different paths culminating in all of them bringing things together. Of course, this is just my take on the thing.
My point is only that to really appreciate this stuff, starting in with a deep jam from say a '74 Dick's Pick's may not be the most readily approachable way to get into it. Or LiveDead, from early '69 -- a true classic but again perhaps not the most approachable if you've never listened to them before. Instead, I'd recommend something like Europe '72 for its mix of easily picked up songs like Mr. Charlie, Tennessee Jed, Brown Eyed Women, and Sugar Magnolia, along with some sweet jammin out of Truckin which really shows the meandering among the musicians quite well. Not to mention the glorious China Cat > Rider and a magnificent Morning Dew. A lot of great material on this one, easily approached and easily appreciated. Or perhaps Skullf*** from early '71, with Bertha, Not Fade Away > Goin Down the Road, and a monstrous Other One with Phil's bass thundering. (Funny, much of that album comes from the Fillmore East run in April '71, and that Other One was recorded 39 years ago tomorrow -- yikes, I feel old). Then when you've caught the bug, start in with the Dick's Picks. Or check out the community on etree or others -- I used to trade a lot of tapes, but now I've got brilliant recordings essentially complete for every show from '67-77, then selected shows from other years.
Again, just my own ramblings on the subject.
Mark
(Message edited by grok on April 27, 2010)
(Message edited by grok on April 27, 2010)
