Grateful Dead

Gonna put on your Cutoffs for Old Time's Sake ??

PEACE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!

I totally agree that Weir has, always had, a tru;ly unique playing style. (Didn't all of the boys?)

Weir would strike those cords with remarkable altruism, giving everybody else the space to move around and create wonderful sounds. In my foolish youth, I used to think Weir was a bit of a hack, (forgive me Father, for I have sinned) but as I've grown up I've come to appreciate him more and more.

5 fingers from one hand, as Phil would say. Truly remarkable.

If you look at the opening licks of China Cat, as just one example, isn't Bobby playing lead??

In the dueling slides of some CC Rider's or other blues tunes, similarilry, Weir is lead; Garcia and Weir together were simply fan-fucking-tastic. So, I would no more chategorize Weir as a 'rhythm' guitarist any more than I would simply categorize the GD as a rock n' roll band.

Since the boys played so many genres of music, blues, rock, cowboy tunes, country tunes, experimental jams, etc. etc it is simply impossible to categorize any of it.

jalepeno peppers mixed with cayene, mixed with chilli, with a touch of taragon thrown in for good measure.

the acoustic grateful dead stuff is also totally enlightening; opening up new visions of reason in a lovely blend of sound. man, let's all remember the gd went 'unplugged' so long before Clapton, (no disrespect to the 'slow hand' intended) it is almost laughable that people thought Clapton's album was seminal.

Seminal?? Cum on cc! what kind of double entendre is that!!????

( -; yuk yuk yuk.

peace.

Agree, it's all about the space, the space is what makes this group of musicians constantly evolve and "play" with their songs for decades and constantly get a different feel. If you isolate Bobby and just listen to his playing, it is always completely unexpected, you can hear him playing in that space. This is a rhythm guitar player mind you.
That is why I believe he is the best rhythm player I have ever heard, by far.

UJS,

I agree that Jerry & Brent were an INCREDIBLE team. I loved watching and listening to them play off of each other - it was truly magical. BUT - I'm gonna defend Bobby here. His interplay w/ Garcia is truly magical, as well. Weir's style lent itself SO wonderfully to Garcia's!!! They complimented each other and that's the beauty of the GD - EVERYONE complimented each other SO well....the interplay with each and every member off of each and every other member is what made the GD magical.

Now, for the Chimenti/Baracco rant. First, let me say - I like BOTH of these guys a lot. BUT - Rob Baracco PLAYS HIS ASS OFF. And I don't mean that as a compiment. He's too busy. He never seems to stop. Great chops, but VERY little dynamics. Chimenti is more of a subtle player and is a better listener, IMHO. He may not have all the chops as Rob, but he's tasty. NEITHER of those guys are on the level of Brent Mydland or Melvin Seals (two guys who REALLY knew/know how to listen and utilize dynamics to the fullest degree), so at some point ya just gotta get over that...I know it's hard, but ya just gotta. It's my same beef w/ Warren. GREAT player. Chops galore. Too busy, not enough DYNAMIC interplay. Some of my favorite moments of a GD show were when you could hear a pin drop in the middle of a He's Gone or Stella Blue or even songs like They Love Each Other & Looks Like Rain. THAT'S what I want from a band. Too much "full-throttle" gets old quick to me. Raise the roof, then bring it back down. Let it breathe.

9 MORE DAYS!!! SEE YA THERE!!!

~ Pappy
www.theCAUSEjams.com

"Once in a while you can get shown the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right." - Robert Hunter