Today is the release date of a double-barreled download: a single disc from 1970 (mostly 2/4, with one song from 10/5 and two from 12/31), all mixed from 16-track; and what looks like the complete show (on two CDs) of 12/10/73 in Charlotte NC.
I listened to all three discs last night, and it was the perfect antidote to all the non-musical GD traffic that’s been careening through my brain of late.
At this moment I’m listening to the jam in Good Lovin’ from 12/31/70 – an airy, subued affair that seems somewhat unusual to my ear. This is the sort of collective, structural, melodic jamming I came here for. Hard to imagine that this one is going to wind up anywhere near the Booklyn Bridge (see 4/17/71), but who the hell knows?
The other 12/31/70 item here is the only electric Monkey and the Engineer in GD history (aside from that entirely forgettable attempt w/ Bob Dylan in LA in 2/89. Great fun. Weir’s spoken intro reminds me that I was in my parents’ apartment in San Jose on 12/31/70, watching this show on Channel 9 – at least for a while. I wouldn’t go to my first GD show until March 5, 1972; this might have been the first time I ever saw them – no, I must have seen the movie Petulia by this time. I also must have been on my way out to a party or something, because I don’t remember much of the broadcast. If only I’d stayed home and watched the rest! Anyway, Jeffrey Norman’s mix is wonderful and so is the music.
Okay, Pigpen is into his improv now – a key phrase of this rap, “One monkey don’t stop no show,” is the title of a song that was popular around that time.
Highlights from the main part of the 1970 disc include a soulful Black Peter; a powerful Me and My Uncle (this song eventually became so routine that it’s hard to find anything memorable about any latter-day performance, but in this era the song has some real menace and narrrative power); and a terrific St Stephen-> Not Fade Away-> St Stephen (the thing I remember best from last night’s audition is the transition back into St Stephen) into Midnight Hour.
I need to go back and listen to 12/10/73 a few more times, but the things that stuck with me from the first hearing include: a sweet, meditative Playing in the Band jam (characteristic of the ’73-’74 era, although without the meltdowns that marked some – but this is not a complaint!); Bobby saying “Have a safe and sane fourth” during Fennario, obviously in reference to a firecracker thrown toward the stage; a kick-ass Nobody’s Fault But Mine out of Truckin’; and a really cool transition from the post-Eyes of the World jam into Brokedown Palace.
I’ll be featuring some of these highlights on Dead to the World tomorrow night (Wed 12/7, 8-10pm on KPFA 94.1 in Berkeley, and streaming on the web). Also on tap are an interview with April Higashi, editor of the new Jerry Garcia art book, and 4/1/91 set 2 part 1 (Tim Lynch will play the rest on 12/14).
P.S.: I asked David Lemieux what, if anything, is missing from the download version of 12/10/73. His reply:
Four songs, I think. All from the first set. Hmmm, Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, El Paso and Brown Eyed Woman. Sonic issues. The second set is complete, starting with Promised Land, although Deadbase lists a Me and My Uncle in the second set that was nowhere to be found on the tapes, so that’s dubious.
Correction: Bill Herz passes along the deadlists entry showing an electric Monkey and the Engineer at the Fillmore East on 1/2/70. So the one on the new download isn’t the only one.
Addendum to the correction: Davld Lemieux notes, regarding the 1/2/70 Monkey:
If I remember, it’s a quick little attempt at the song while technical problems are solved, similar to Jerry’s Little Sadie on 10/31/80.
We try to be thorough here at Playback!
Thanks for sharing your feedback on the new releases. I’m still on the fence with the boycott thing, especially in light of Bobby’s recent comments, but may pick up one of these downloads.
BTW, Justin just posted for folks to download his Thrill is Gone and Wheel videos up on his blog (http://rockandreel.blogspot.com/). Very nice gesture on his part and we all appreciate his contributions over the years! Looking forward to putting these on my Video iPod asap.
Just curious…
Did you fork over the c.$30.00 for these new downloads or were they somehow provided?
I’ve always admired your work and never really considered you an “insider” so much as “connected.”
I did pay $17+ for the 12/10/73 excerpt and am reasonably happy with the product, given that it was never available in any format previously. But I still think these things are WAY *WAY* overpriced. I would buy ALL of them if they were less expensive, archive or no archive.
I am someone who downloaded a ton of shows over the last few years — particularly of the latter era which was (and continues to be) underrepresented in “official” product — but I also bought every single Dick’s Picks and vault release the day they became available. The good faith that the GD fostered has been seriously breached in all this and I am sadly reluctant to continue supporting their endevours, especially when (in the case of the downloads) I feel genuinely ripped off and exploited by this predatory pricing scheme.
While the attacks on your character and the accusations of being nothing more than a shill for GDP sadden me, I do understand where it’s coming from if you are not required, as the rest of us are, to plunk down some serious bucks for the privilege of hearing this music.
Respectfully,
–R
I dont’ pay for the downloads; they send CDs to me so I can play them on the radio.
I totally sympathize with you on the price issue, but I have zero influence on that score. I guess the people who make that decision will have to learn the hard way they they’re charging too much.
I don’t see how my getting the CDs for free disqualifies me from commenting on the quality of the music. I got the radio gig because the band knew I knew what I was doing. In fact, Phil Lesh told me long ago that I didn’t have to ask for permission to play this or that – I had his confidence. That meant a lot to me.
I have done my very best to put the GD’s best foot forward musically on the radio.
David, doesn’t 1 2 70 have an electric Monkey and the Engineer as well?
David, I agree with your description of Black Peter being soulful. Garcia sings that song so well. I also found his singing on China Cat excellent too.