Billy and no Mickey

[beaner]

There have been times when we(as a band) have needed shows to listen to with just Billy drumming(due to having only one drummer at times). I researched this a while ago and found that Mickey officially left the band in Feb. of 1971 and came back Oct.1974(see Mickey Hart's wikipedia page) probably having something to do with his pop running off with the loot. I am reading liner notes from ROAD TRIPS vol.4 No.5(6/9/76) and in the second paragraph it states "formal reintegration of Mickey Hart into the lineup after more than five years". So which is it?
I am personally fond of the "Billy Years" nothing against Mickey of course. Those years have a clarity to them and the jams seem to take smoother more fluid twists and turns.
Does anyone have the faintest idea what I'm blathering about?

[tigerstrat]

I'd say somewhere in between, like maybe when he recorded Blues For Allah with them more than a year prior? Maybe they are using "going on tour" as their yardstick, which at any rate would make 6/3/76 the date.

[Grant]

Mickey returned for the second set of the final October 74 Winterland show ('The Last One'). After that they were more or less on hiatus - only playing four shows in 75 (one of which wasn't really a Dead show anyway), and didn't return to full time touring until June 76. So although Mickey returned in 74, he wasn't really touring with them again until 76. And yes he left Feb 71 over the guilt of his dad ripping off the band. According to Phil he was always free to rejoin whenever he liked.

[Octal]

Mickey returned for the second set of the final October 74 Winterland show ('The Last One').

"Grateful Dead Movie"

[Grant]

The very end of it yeah. I think most of it was the 18th and 19th shows

[Tennessee Jedi]

To me its incredible that there are NO Mickey ONLY Dead shows.
Not ONE time in all those years did they do a gig with just Mickey ...
Billy never got sick ? Too much Acid ? Missed a plane ?
I guess the closest they came was Egypt 1978 - when Billy had a broken arm - so it was a Mickey and 1/2 a Billy.

[tigerstrat]

To me its incredible that there are NO Mickey ONLY Dead shows.
Not ONE time in all those years did they do a gig with just Mickey ...
Billy never got sick ? Too much Acid ? Missed a plane ?
I guess the closest they came was Egypt 1978 - when Billy had a broken arm - so it was a Mickey and 1/2 a Billy.

11/17/78, the acoustic set at Loyola University is just Mickey on drums, no Billy... also the only gig with Phil playing a Precision Bass afaict.

[Tennessee Jedi]

Wow !
Dag - you think thats the only one ?
Do you think its strange , too ?
I mean Mickey can certainly play - maybe its in deference to Billy having been the 1st drummer ?

[Rusty the Scoob]

Wow !
Dag - you think thats the only one ?
Do you think its strange , too ?
I mean Mickey can certainly play - maybe its in deference to Billy having been the 1st drummer ?

My foggy brain recalls a show where Billy did get incapacitated in some way and the band had to cancel because Mickey refused to drum solo even though the band asked.

IMHO it would have been tough to pull off because Billy and Mickey played very different roles. Billy was the rock-solid foundation that anchored everything together (with little or no help from Phil I might add, unlike how most successful bands function) and Mickey really plays off of him, pushing or pulling time at will, knowing that Billy would always be right there to hold things down.

[Tennessee Jedi]

Rusty I agree - but we are talking 1,000's of shows here ....
I mean the audience is all stoned any way ??????

I like what Mickey brings to the table ....
The Mickey years are fun
Scarlet Fire Est Eyes stuff
His tribal sound and energy ...
One time when i was looking for a second drummer I placed a craigslist ad for a " Mickey ".
The regular drummer thanked me for considering him the " billy "