Grateful Dead Music Forum

1979 soundboards seem to have a very unique sound to me. There a few things I can point to, but there seems to be more going on:

1. Brent is new and uses that one keyboard a hell of alot.
2. Brent tends to be very forward in the mix.
3. Tiger is new.
4. Obviously Keith and Donna aren't there.

There also seems to something about Garcia's vocals. They sound so 'present.' I am thinking of the OMSN from the Stanley in PA as great example, or the Stagger lee from 11-8.

Bobby's slide-work seems very up-front as well

Does anybody else notice this?

Was there something unique in the mixing/recording going on in 79?

seamones wrote:1979 soundboards seem to have a very unique sound to me. There a few things I can point to, but there seems to be more going on:

1. Brent is new and uses that one keyboard a hell of alot.
2. Brent tends to be very forward in the mix.
3. Tiger is new.
4. Obviously Keith and Donna aren't there. Are you sure about that ? I thought it was done between tours ?

There also seems to something about Garcia's vocals. They sound so 'present.' I am thinking of the OMSN from the Stanley in PA as great example, or the Stagger lee from 11-8.

Bobby's slide-work seems very up-front as well

Does anybody else notice this?

Was there something unique in the mixing/recording going on in 79?

I dig '79.
Brent all nasty
Good energy
new energy and direction
the boards do sound great

seamones wrote:1979 soundboards seem to have a very unique sound to me. There a few things I can point to, but there seems to be more going on:

...

Was there something unique in the mixing/recording going on in 79?

The only year, IMO, that there is a good balance between Jerry, Bobby & Brent.

Subsequent years Bobby gets lower, Brent gets higher and Jerry even higher.

Tennessee Jedi wrote:

seamones wrote:1979 soundboards seem to have a very unique sound to me. There a few things I can point to, but there seems to be more going on:

1. Brent is new and uses that one keyboard a hell of alot.
2. Brent tends to be very forward in the mix.
3. Tiger is new.
4. Obviously Keith and Donna aren't there. Are you sure about that ? I thought it was done between tours ?

There also seems to something about Garcia's vocals. They sound so 'present.' I am thinking of the OMSN from the Stanley in PA as great example, or the Stagger lee from 11-8.

Bobby's slide-work seems very up-front as well

Does anybody else notice this?

Was there something unique in the mixing/recording going on in 79?

I dig '79.
Brent all nasty
Good energy
new energy and direction
the boards do sound great

I guess in my mind Dead years don't always synch with calendar years. When i speak about 79 in general, I am probably talking about summer 79 thru spring 80.

Keith and Donna's last show was 2/17/79 I believe and Brent's first was in April. The SDB's are very well balanced and the energy of the band seems very strong. I love that Stanley theatre 12-1-79 show. One of my favs. I wish I was into it then as I could have ridden public transportation to it. Check out the recently released Roadtrips from fall of 79---Brent is killing on it.

I don't care for the '79 sound. Not saying the playings all bad. The sounds just is missing that bite to my ears. IMO Same thing happened post Brent.

mttourpro wrote:I love that Stanley theatre 12-1-79

YES!

The only thing about '79 is it was the last of the Seventies. Music just gets worse from there on out.
I personally don't care much for Brent's contribution to the band. That's me. That tinkling keyboard sound he always uses is such a jam crasher. Always with that tinkling and pinkling. Sounds like a Fisher Price Xylophone!! Brent's singing wasn't my cup of tea either.
Other than that, the rest of the bands evolution of sound I can deal with.
I think someone on this Forum mentioned Brents songwriting skills as depressing, and lackluster. I totally agree.
OK I'm done with my anti-Brent Showcase now-sorry. Obviously it's all about 1968-1978!!
The opinions expressed here were my own- I'd rather listen to a my Nassau 1980 stuff than listen to any present day composers.

Highballin' wrote: I personally don't care much for Brent's contribution to the band. That's me. That tinkling keyboard sound he always uses is such a jam crasher. Always with that tinkling and pinkling. Sounds like a Fisher Price Xylophone!! Brent's singing wasn't my cup of tea either.

Wow, we truly disagree on that one.
FWIW, I'm still trying to tweak my sounds to be more like that which you don't care for.
Safe to assume you like Keith the best?

I like 79 because the whole band seems to respond to Brent's presence in amazing and energetic ways. 12/5, 11/6, 11/9, 10/27, 12/1, 12/26

tigerstrat wrote:I like 79 because the whole band seems to respond to Brent's presence in amazing and energetic ways. 12/5, 11/6, 11/9, 10/27, 12/1, 12/26

Pretty obvious that Brentsky was a spark plug for the Dead ; just as Kieth was before him.
The energy that year is awesome.

Oddly enough, one of Kieth's highlights with the band was in one of his last shows - that buildup and crash transition from Miracle > Shakedown 1/15/79.

Chuckles wrote:Oddly enough, one of Kieth's highlights with the band was in one of his last shows - that buildup and crash transition from Miracle > Shakedown 1/15/79.

I dig the Kieth era Shakedowns ...... the one from Egypt has some Darkstar like jamming.

Chuckles wrote:Oddly enough, one of Kieth's highlights with the band was in one of his last shows - that buildup and crash transition from Miracle > Shakedown 1/15/79.

I'd also call 1/15/79 Keith's swan song w/ the GD, but due to the EPIC Playin' > Drums segment. A must-have jam.

mttourpro wrote:

Highballin' wrote: I personally don't care much for Brent's contribution to the band. That's me. That tinkling keyboard sound he always uses is such a jam crasher. Always with that tinkling and pinkling. Sounds like a Fisher Price Xylophone!! Brent's singing wasn't my cup of tea either.

Wow, we truly disagree on that one.
FWIW, I'm still trying to tweak my sounds to be more like that which you don't care for.
Safe to assume you like Keith the best?

Yes and don't forget Donna. Keith never sang. Donna sang. I love the sound they gave to the Dead.
I also love pre Donna and Keith Dead just as much. Tom and/or Piggy. The Meteoric Type Jams of the 60's and 70-71.
I loved that Old Timey sound of Keiths Piano. Very Gospelish I guess. Donna same thing. I know alot of folks hated to hear her Screeching sometimes, but I liked the Kind of Delaney and Bonney sound they sometimes hit.
Brother I'm glad you're trying anything at all. I know alot of people Love Brent. I'm sure you rock it.
I have a dysfunctional issue with music- I don't open up to anything made much past 1980. I just like that classic sound. Like I said- I have a few late Dead CD's Buffalo 79 Nassau 80 Live Without a Net. I'll listen to them or any other Dead stuff. I've heard Brent stuff that was Hummin'.
I'm not a huge archivist, like some folks. I have about 80 hours total of the Dead and about 25 hours of JGB/LOM. I don't have a huge amount of shit to draw from. I just like what i like.