The Grateful Dead

[MacDaddy]

Any Dead Heads on BC? Where's a good place to start listening to The Grateful Dead? The only song I remember is a Touch of Grey.

[chris_b]

I recommend Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. I'm not their greatest fan, but I like those 2 albums.   

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Isn’t @FinnDave in a Grateful Dead tribute?

[BoomTing]

 

[BoomTing]

Because they were more of a Jam collective it maybe what period do You like? Spotify is your friend here loads of live albums too.

Edited April 18, 2021 by BoomTing

[Rich]

I shall follow this advice with interest. I have never knowingly heard a single note of Dead music and I should put that right. 

[BoomTing]

Now Rich can start where MacDaddy did...

[Dad3353]

42 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

Any Dead Heads on BC? ...

There are so many aspects, it's difficult to point to any one definitive album or concert. A bit 'left field', but, to me, more typical of these variances, I'd tentatively suggest giving an honest listen to 'Anthem Of The Sun' (an early, more 'free, experimental' vibe...), ''From The Mars Hotel' (very much more polished, with some really splendid intricate work...) and 'Blues For Allah' (a haunting title track, with splendid stuff to boot...). The more typical recommendations ('American Beauty', 'Workingman's Dead', 'Terrapin Station' will all add to the mix. Enjoy. 

Oops, nearly forgot (tsk-tsk...) Any and all versions of 'Dark Star' (And there are many..!). Be warned: they are not an especially visual band, so not much go-go dancing nor hot chicks in convertibles.

Edited April 18, 2021 by Dad3353

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 14, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[BoomTing]

1 hour ago, Dad3353 said:

Any and all versions of 'Dark Star' (And there are many..!).

👍 Watch Zabriski Point for the version with Chicks LOL

[Maude]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Isn’t @FinnDave in a Grateful Dead tribute?

Yes, I don't think he listens to anything other than GD, and if you're seriously into them I don't think you'd ever need to given their, frankly huge, backcatalogue. 

I've given them a shot but it's not exactly my thing, and quite daunting to even know where to start. 

 

[Chiliwailer]

The Dead lived to play live really, so Europe 72 is a good start IMO, or Live/Dead if you want a trippier one. 

[jezzaboy]

2 hours ago, chris_b said:

I recommend Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. I'm not their greatest fan, but I like those 2 albums.   

I would agree with Chris here. These 2 albums from 1970 are their most "accessible" being the Dead doing country rock ish.

The thing with the GD is there are a few different versions of the band. Psychedelic RnR in the late 60`s, country rock in the early 70`s and a big mix until 95 and the end. There are loads of live stuff on YT, some of it great some of it iffy.

I only really like them from 71 to 74 when they only had one drummer instead of two and I can`t stand the endless jams that they are famous for. Sacrilege to some Deadheads I know but there you go.

Live is where they really shine, I own about 20 of their live albums (mostly 3 and 4 disc per album) and only 3 studio albums. I can highly recommend "Hundred year hall" from Germany in 72 as a personal favourite.

But there is so much good stuff out there so dive in and find out what you like the best.

Edited April 18, 2021 by jezzaboy

[pineweasel]

I’ve dipped into the Dead over the years. American Beauty and Workingmen’s Dead are the only great studio albums; most of the rest are a mixed bag. Overall I prefer the live stuff. 
The Cornell 77 concert is considered their best live show by many https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_5/8/77

One of my favourites is this 1990 concert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake_Up_to_Find_Out with Branford Marsalis sitting in. 

I also like this compilation of their songs by a bunch of more contemporary artists https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead_(2016_album)

[spongebob]

I love the Dead up to and including '72, when Pigpen was still in the band.

Less keen on the stuff afterwards,  TBH....I always think he kind of kept them grounded (well, a bit, anyway....)

A lot of the live stuff with him is super. The 'Festival Express' film has got some great footage of them....their version of 'Hard To Handle' is a masterclass in covers.

[atsampson]

If you haven't discovered it yet, the Grateful Dead allow noncommercial trading of live recordings of the band - you can find most of their live performances on archive.org (streaming or MP3 download) or etree.org (BitTorrent, lossless). The band's YouTube channel has quite a few full concert videos too.

I'd second the recommendation of the 1990-03-29 show with Branford Marsalis above as a particularly good one for jamming, but all the Spring 1990 shows are worth checking out - the mid-1989 to mid-1990 shows are probably my favourite era for the band live, with Brent on keyboards, some fun experimentation with MIDI, and the whole band generally playing well. The 1989-10-09 "Formerly the Warlocks" show is another favourite of mine.

For an early show, try 1968-02-14 which Phil Lesh recommends in his book - some lovely work by Pigpen in this one. Going even earlier, 1966-12-01 is also great.

In terms of studio albums, I'd start with American Beauty and Workingman's Dead (both 1970). As live albums go, there are lots to pick from - Sunshine Daydream (1972) is great, and the accompanying film gives a good idea of what being at the concert was like; The Grateful Dead Movie captures them in their 1974 Wall of Sound configuration.

[ubit]

18 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

Any Dead Heads on BC? Where's a good place to start listening to The Grateful Dead? The only song I remember is a Touch of Grey.

Same here. I particularly like that song but for some strange reason never researched into any of their other stuff.