Grateful Dead

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Somebody mentioned elsewhere how to them, the new Daves Picks from '69/'70 is so raw and energetic as compared to how the Dead in '77/'78 sounded like elevator music comparatively, and I tend to agree with that. With Pigpen was still in the band, the Dead ha somebody in the band who could single-handedly turn a show up many notches just with his repoire with the audience. That element sadly disappeared with him. As Keith and Donna's roles grew into the fold more, in some ways, it became an antithesis of that level of connection between audience and band. When Brent was brought into the fold, and he became the guy to fill the shoes of both, Pigpen and Keith, it took him very little time to forge his own identity into the mix, and by the time of perhaps, '82 onward, the energy level started to grow more explosive again. By '87, when Jerry snapped out of his decade long drug induced coma, the energy level really came back. Jerry and Brent were the dynamic duo. I like the analogy of the culteral wasteland as it really manifested itself in the '80s and is fittng. In more ways than not, it only got worse with time. Now-a-days, contemporary bands pushed by the industry, all to often, play along with pre-recorded machines, if they even play instruments at all. American Idol, and the "Will i ams meets Britney Spears" have become the industry darlings. The jam band scene since the '90s hasn't fared any better. It was directly competing with grunge rock noise, and the two often intermingled. I am forever thankful that bands like the Grateful Dead, Little Feat, The Allman Brothers and the new life for the blues scene helped keep me grounded throughout the late-'80s and mid to late '90s. I am also thankful that bands like any of the offshoot Grateful Dead band members projects, The Allman Brothers, Deep Purple, Zappa Plays Zappa and the many modern blues acts like Joe Bonamassa who still keep it real, despite the industry mediocrity. I respect everybodies view of what they think is the best era for the Grateful Dead. I happen to like ALL era's of the Grateful Dead, including and especially the non and under-represented eras. There's a lot more to this band than '71 - '78. The new Dave's Picks is a true testament to that. That 12/20/69 Lovelight is a monster! More Pigpen and more Brent please!

about the cultural wasteland of the '80s and what an oasis the Dead were at the time.

Agreed. The 60's and 70's were so special. But the middle years in the 80's did have their fine moments for the Dead, and considering the cultural wasteland that was Western culture in the 80's, the band was still head and shoulders above.