[ebick]

4/3/82 Scarlet->Fire
4/6/82 Truckin'->Other One->Dew
4/22/83 Stranger

Some of my favs from the era.

[Shaft1038]

"You'd rather there was no jam scene?"

Kind of. I'm not entirely sure on this to be honest. The jam scene is fine if not a little copy cattish. It's the bands that leave something to be desired. I realize there will never be another Grateful Dead. Every star allingned for them. It was the perfect time, the perfect writer, and the perfect set of guys plus friends. I just want something I can latch onto, become a fan of. When i become a fan of something it is after they have proven themselves worthy. I put everything i have into something, as a fan. Everything within reason that is.

Before i piss off an entire online community that i wish to be a quiet member of, let me state this. I think that the new jam bands all contain strong musicians, they obviously know their stuff and play very well. Unfortunatly, being a good musician and playing music full of substance doesn't always go together. I've played with, seen, and studied players who knew everything about their instruments, almost to the point of insanity. But i have always had a fondness for people who knew just enough to get by, but played better then everyone of the know it alls.

Maybe an example will explain what i am saying:
I know 3 drummers personnaly. 2 of which have been schooled in percussions and both have played for well over 15 years. They are both talented, and i repect the time that they have put into honing their craft. Then there is the other kid, plays drums once every 3 months and has been playing since 2003. With his lack of knowledge, underwhelming skill, and general bad timing he outshines the other two. He has "it", you know, that invisible thing no one can explain or touch or ever take away. He knows exactly when to beat the shit out of those drums and when to put his sticks in the bag. I wasnt around for the Grateful Dead live. I've never met, spoken with, or had contact with any of the members. The only person i would ever be interested in talking to(through a medium i.e. internet) is RH, but with everything ive read and listened to, i think thats how every member of the dead was.

put 5 other musicians with any of the dead members and at least one knows more about his instrument, but do they play it as well? i dont know, dont really care.

if you cared to read all of that shit, im sorry, i get to ramblin and cant stop sometimes.

Can anyone cite good jam band lyrics?

[strumminsix]

In all honesty, I can see many of your points, newby

To me, the shows in 68/9 Death>DS>Caution>H2H>.. etc were so powerful and intense nothing could compete. It seems that back then the jams were IT! and they weren't a journey.

Then sometime around 70 or so the jams were a journy to a mystical place and you'd never know where you'd end up but you were sure you were gonna end up somewhere. This was very different than the 60s were the jams were NOT the journey but essentially the destination.

Then sometime in the 80s the jams the journey was more premeditated where the first set was more uptempo, quick, less jammy, then the second set open and it'd be more jammy then then there'd be a bigger jam, then some space>drums>space then something like Wharf Rat or Stella or Dark Star on a special night.

But I too prefer me some 60s where the jam was the destination.

[tigerstrat]

Nobody said you had to like all the jambands- I sure don't!! But at least there is still a scene for the good ones though... or for YOU if you care to try.

It's like ANY genre of music, even ones you might profess not to like. There is a LOT of crap... then there is SOME decent stuff, and a VERY FEW sweet sweet gems to grab onto and enjoy. And its different for everybody. At least today you have a HUGE amount of diversity, and if you don't like something, you're free to move on to the next offering. That last sentence paraphrases Garth Brooks, believe it or not.

[tigerstrat]

Don't forget the Space>Other One 6/27/83

[strumminsix]

Nobody said you had to like all the jambands- I sure don't!! But at least there is still a scene for the good ones though... or for YOU if you care to try.

I'm too old to try. Seems like most people who make it are touring nationally and succesfully by 30. Missed that boat. However, I'm slowly working the Chicago scene and hopefully in 5 years or so will be doing well here.

As far as jambands go, I'm a jamband snob thru and thru.

I love the GD, love Phish, love ABB, love all GD's sides (OAITW, JGB, LOM, Go Ahead, Bobby & Brent, NRPS, Kokomo, etc), enjoy the band, have fun at Big Wu shows, Keller is cool... BUT, I don't get SCI, YMSB, moe. or UM...

[Shaft1038]

I don't know. I've listened to Mule, STI, Phish, Widespread, etc. I don't like any of them for one reason or 10.

I just went to a local jam band concert Saturday. The music sucked, but the woman and young ladies were outstanding. Grade A. I didn't even have to hunt. One came to me, and a cat and mouse game insued. If all jam bands attract such attractive girls then maybe I can make an exception for some shows. The music though, the real reason to go, does nothing for me. Phish especially. I can not stand Phish. Their organized, goofy jamming, and wondering, no point lyrics make me cringe. Trey's voice is neither appealing or very good. At least Jerry had some soul when he sang. Take at least in context because he had so much more.

The people were, for the most part, very nice and I even ran into some old buddies. Friends I haven't seen in years. Bad music, good times.

Oh, and this local band is suposedly popular in CO, and other places in the US. I just don't get it.

[Trystine]

Everybody's entitled to opinions and I certainly see a lot of your points--never got Phish WSP or SCI. Someone asked me one time, "How come everbody I know that likes Phish likes the Grateful Dead, but every deadhead I know hates Phish?" I said, "I don't know I guess you'd have to be a deadhead to understand."

Anyways, think of it this way. Everybodies had that one great love when they were young (maybe it was a girl maybe it was a guy, I don't care) and for some reason it didn't work out. I know I had a great girlfriend in high school that I compared every other girlfriend to after our relationship ended. It wasn't until years later (and many woman) that I found one that was an infinity better...so I married her.

Anyways, if it is the lyrics that do it for you than your going to have to wait until there's a better song writer than Hunter to come along for you to marry. And, brother, let me tell you, you're in for a long wait....

[Shaft1038]

Yeah Trys, you head the nail on the head. It's not just the lyrics though, it's the package deal. I do give bands a fair chance. I've listened to more Fish then I care to tell about. The only band that really has had an impact on me after the dead is Blind Melon. Their "Ripped Away-No Rain" on SNL was amazing, and they always had a natural, innocent feel to their music. I digres.

When something comes along that is truely great, and new, will we even know or get a chance to hear?

[Shaft1038]

p.s. Trys,
I think more of Hunter then I probably led on for you to believe.

[Trystine]

Other thing is, we know this thing called "It" is rare and sparce. I've met a few musicians that had it; but what are the rest of us supposed to do. I'll be the first to admit that I don't have it when it comes to playing the guitar but I still have fun stretching my fingers around the frett board.

Same with those jambands that you don't "get". Just because they're not playing Federer at Wimbledon doesn't mean they can't have a tennis match of their own. And it also doesn't mean that people come out to watch tennis only when it's Wimbledon. They enjoy little matches, too.

[AugustWest]

I love post 77 dead! I don't buy the idea that the Grateful Dead peaked in 72 or 74. I don't think he Dead ever peaked in their music. Did the band's sound change, absolutly. I think every year sounded different, but they never peaked in my oponion. Every night they had the ability to play music more powerful than music had ever been played before. There may have played more weak shows in 94 and 95 , but even in those years they would find those magical moments that are equally powerful to any other year. I don't care if it's 67 or 95 when the dead are on, there on, and every deadhead took notice on those nights and had thier minds melted. I love every year, becuase you can find GREAT music in every one of them. well maybe not 65.

As for jambands, don't really care for many of the big ones like phish, WSP, and cheese. But i love railroad earth great lyrics, great musicians, and great vocals. I just don't like the Trance/techno elements that a lot of jam bands have. I need roots. I need soul.

[Shaft1038]

Other thing is, we know this thing called "It" is rare and sparce. I've met a few musicians that had it; but what are the rest of us supposed to do. I'll be the first to admit that I don't have it when it comes to playing the guitar but I still have fun stretching my fingers around the frett board.

Same with those jambands that you don't "get". Just because they're not playing Federer at Wimbledon doesn't mean they can't have a tennis match of their own. And it also doesn't mean that people come out to watch tennis only when it's Wimbledon. They enjoy little matches, too.

I dig that more then you know(the last part). Sometimes though, i get the feeling that some of my friends and people who follow these local bands are in it or for the wrong reasons, or they have nothing better to do. the later being better then the prior. some love the music, i can see that in the way they listen and speak so fondly of it, and i wont knock them for what they like.

i find comformity to be a major factor in liking a band. if 10 people tell you something is good, or is the place to be then how can they be wrong? furthermore, if you arent there, what is wrong with you? this is a limited opinion. limited to my area and my experiences in observing and conversing with people, for the most part, i grew up with. but i also feel that this is a microcosm for something bigger, and that it does reflect on areas outside of mine. people may talk, dress, and drive different from region to region, but being cool, or not standing out to much is something that everyone can relate to.

Now here is the kicker.

Very few, if any, will admit this. why? it shows weakness. are we not sharks on land? admitting you feel awkward or weird is a one way ticket to being put on top of the "to pick on list", in a social fashion that is. afterall, the easiest way to get unwanted attention off you is to put it on someone else. i really do not know where im going with this, but something tells me i should stop. call it a gut feeling. i think i was trying to explain why jam band scenes are still so very popular, but now, i think ive pulled out a broad brush without knowing. and if that is the case, i understand the scene just a little bit more.

[wisedyes]

I think the jam band scene is still going because there will always be an audience for something out of the mainstream. Hell, if WE all like it, then there must be others, just by the amount of sheer population alone. It does seem to be losing strength instead of gaining it to me, though, but I really haven't been around it enough over the last few years to know.

I kind of look at jam bands as the new jazz groups. There was a time that jazz actually WAS a commercially successful music, but the biggest sellers were always still the more "pop" variants of it, say the Sinatras, or the Glenn Miller/Tommy Dorsey big band type stuff, than the hardcore be-boppers, say. But, the audience that the hardcore guys had was much more devoted to and knowledgeable about the music.

Now, the heirs to that legacy are the jam bands and their followers, imho. People that are too in love with MUSIC to swallow the pop garbage that the modern corporate music/entertainment industry tells them they should like because it's "cool". Basically, if you love music, you cannot be into stuff like, say, Britney Spears.

I have heard most of the post-dead jammers, but honestly, most of them leave me a bit cold. Gov't Mule is good, moe. is good, SCI is good, but they just don't move me the way the Dead or Little Feat did. However, I do absolutely LOVE robert Randolph and the Family Band and Soulive to death. So i guess if you look hard enough, you can always find something you like.

[Shaft1038]

That's somewhat funny...I wasn't looking when i found the dead 4 years ago.