[phpbb]

Hard to Imagine that it's been 19 years, I remember my happiness from the Tinley Park shows turn tragically sad as I was driving home from work and hearing the news.

[NashvilleMike]

Saw him 1 month before in Eugene...2 great shows. Saw them only twice after Brent...it wasn't the same. RIP buddy.

[tigerstrat]

The day my perfect musical universe ended. He was simply irreplaceable, not as a virtuoso but as an ensemble player and singer and cog in the Great Swiss Watch. The best way I can put it is that "It" rarely visited the stage after he departed...

It's like you don't think love can get out
Get away from you so long as you hold it inside
But you're wrong
The only thing you're doing
Is keeping that love out, keeping love out
Keeping it out, keeping it away from you

You gotta open up the door
You gotta open up the door, let love in
Let it come and go, let it do what it wants to

Do you wanna know love?
Do you wanna know real love?
Real love you don't hold inside you
Real love you can let go
And it'll come back, it'll fly right back to you
That's real, that's real love

[bucketorain]

IMHO he was the quintessential sound of the Dead...it was never the same...as they progressed with new key players, when they reached Brent, that was the peak...in retrospect, I was more bummed when Brent died then when Jerry died...for me I guess I was just more shocked with Brent as Jerry's health was always up in the air...

[deadguise]

It marked the beginning of the end...

[ebick]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. The problem I have had with all post Jerry incarnations of the band is that the surviving members are all part of the ryhthym section, and bringin in guys to play "leader" in the melody positions......just hasn't worked (although this last tour did have the old "as good as it's going to get", I think).

I believe that if Brent had not died, that when Jerry died, there would have been a brief hiatus to regroup, and Brent would be leading the Grateful Dead.

[Tennessee Jedi]

I believe that if Brent had not died, that when Jerry died, there would have been a brief hiatus to regroup, and Brent would be leading the Grateful Dead.

Very interesting theory.
I dont know that he had the ego to reign in the others.
He knew all the Jerry parts and all the riffs though. And he had a great voice.
Check out Without A Net.
The Help/Slip in particular.
Many many tunes Brent would double Jerry riffs.
I always think "What If" Bruce had joined instead of Vince ...

[strumminsix]

I believe that if Brent had not died, that when Jerry died, there would have been a brief hiatus to regroup, and Brent would be leading the Grateful Dead.

Very interesting theory.
I dont know that he had the ego to reign in the others.
He knew all the Jerry parts and all the riffs though. And he had a great voice.
Check out Without A Net.
The Help/Slip in particular.
Many many tunes Brent would double Jerry riffs.
I always think "What If" Bruce had joined instead of Vince ...

Interesting, Ed. I can see that.

TJ - I don't think Bruce would have been happy with the GD full-time. He seems a bit too happy-go-lucky to deal with addiction and dysfunction. But what do I know?!

[Tennessee Jedi]

TJ - I don't think Bruce would have been happy with the GD full-time. He seems a bit too happy-go-lucky to deal with addiction and dysfunction. But what do I know?!

Yep .... Jerry had some kind of musical connection to him that might have turned into something worthwhile.
But I dont think Bruce wanted the baggage that went with being in the Dead.
Of course he might have been afraid of the Curse of the Dead keyboardist's ......

[ebick]

TJ - I don't think Bruce would have been happy with the GD full-time. He seems a bit too happy-go-lucky to deal with addiction and dysfunction. But what do I know?!

Yep .... Jerry had some kind of musical connection to him that might have turned into something worthwhile.
But I dont think Bruce wanted the baggage that went with being in the Dead.
Of course he might have been afraid of the Curse of the Dead keyboardist's ......

"Of course, the law of averages states that it can't happen to EVERY candidate"........ (using quotes, but don't have it exactly I'm sure as it is said in Spinal Tap)

[strumminsix]

Of course he might have been afraid of the Curse of the Dead keyboardist's ......

+1

[seamones]

I only had the pleasure of seeing Brent 5 (possibly 6, I gotta go check) times out of the 48 I saw the GD. Many, many years later I realized that I spent 5 years and 43 shows chasing what was there with him. Not that there wasn't significant highlights and great times along the way, but Brent was so perfect for the role.

At their best, I liken Jerry and Brent to two guys building a ladder one rung at time for the other to step up on.

[tigerstrat]

I believe that if Brent had not died, that when Jerry died, there would have been a brief hiatus to regroup, and Brent would be leading the Grateful Dead.

Very interesting theory.
I dont know that he had the ego to reign in the others.
He knew all the Jerry parts and all the riffs though. And he had a great voice.
Check out Without A Net.
The Help/Slip in particular.
Many many tunes Brent would double Jerry riffs.
I always think "What If" Bruce had joined instead of Vince ...

Interesting, Ed. I can see that.

TJ - I don't think Bruce would have been happy with the GD full-time. He seems a bit too happy-go-lucky to deal with addiction and dysfunction. But what do I know?!

Wow, much as I loved Brent and the GD with him in it, I cannot see that at all. Brent probably would have taken part in all the TOO/TD reunions, possibly even RD and/or PLF, but not in a leadership role imho. He might have gotten involved with some of 2nd/3rd gen jam bands, like Galactic, Mule (!! yah!!), or even SCI (not my fave by a stretch, but Barlow wrote for them and Brent might have continued that collaboration)

[mttourpro]

It is hard to believe it's been 19 years already, I still miss him.

[seamones]

I believe that if Brent had not died, that when Jerry died, there would have been a brief hiatus to regroup, and Brent would be leading the Grateful Dead.

Very interesting theory.
I dont know that he had the ego to reign in the others.
He knew all the Jerry parts and all the riffs though. And he had a great voice.
Check out Without A Net.
The Help/Slip in particular.
Many many tunes Brent would double Jerry riffs.
I always think "What If" Bruce had joined instead of Vince ...

Interesting, Ed. I can see that.

TJ - I don't think Bruce would have been happy with the GD full-time. He seems a bit too happy-go-lucky to deal with addiction and dysfunction. But what do I know?!

Wow, much as I loved Brent and the GD with him in it, I cannot see that at all. Brent probably would have taken part in all the TOO/TD reunions, possibly even RD and/or PLF, but not in a leadership role imho. He might have gotten involved with some of 2nd/3rd gen jam bands, like Galactic, Mule (!! yah!!), or even SCI (not my fave by a stretch, but Barlow wrote for them and Brent might have continued that collaboration)

I have been thinking alot about this since this morning. I think it depends on how you define "lead."

Certainly Bob and Phil's egos are not gonna let him be the lead - in the 'what I say goes' fashion. But outside of that stuff e.g. tour decisions, song selections, who plays guitar, etc - it would be the Brent Mydland show.

Put the Core4 plus Warren and Brent on stage, where it counts and especially when it counts and Brent is the main event.