Reposted from the GD Hour mailing list with permission – Jon Winer’s review of GD Hour #1000:
When Phil Lesh came to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a couple years ago he said that the Grateful Dead’s most interesting period, from his standpoint, was their experimental era of the late 60’s. In David Gans’ recent interview of Mickey Hart, aired on Grateful Dead Hour No. 1000, it is apparent that Mickey shares Phil’s fondness for this glorious era, in which the band reached a crescendo in terms of musical creativity.
Although Mr. Gans’ interview of Mickey Hart begins with conversation about, and musical exerpts from, Diga Rhythm Band, Mystery Box and the beginnings of “World Music,” David’s question about the Grateful Dead’s vocal “bols,” heard occasionally in the Drumz segment of a late-60’s show, creates a segue taking Mickey back to the era in which the band rehearsed day after day to develop “group mind,” while Robert Hunter “composed like James Joyce.” Mickey describes the members of the late-60’s Grateful Dead as “circumnavigators,” rather than performers. He explains that when the audiences and the paychecks got bigger, the band grew more cautious, just as the most popular “jam bands” of today are somewhat risk-averse.
Mickey recalls that Bob Weir was once severely criticized by a fellow band member for forgetting a part. The experience made the entire band realize that their strength was not in memorizing notes. Their essence was improvisation, in the tradition of jazz. The “failure rate” was high, at first, but lessened over time, as they developed group mind.
David mentions that it was Mickey who first referred to the Grateful Dead as the band that was not afraid to be wrong. Although David Gans may be likewise unafraid to be wrong, I have to say that his interview with Mickey Hart, recalling this glorious period in the band’s history, was a right choice for GDH 1000.
David, 1000 thanks for doing what you do!