Long Strange Trip the Grateful Dead documentary....

SurfFuerteventura

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Sep 20, 2014
8,404
4,583
113
Ribbit
I remember making the tye dye. The guy who "taught" us in our college group house basement basically balled me out for excessive use of purple, and too few other colors. He said, "you just don't get it man!".

Until we unwrapped them the next morning after "coming down"... dude was flabbergasted. "Oh Man! I'm so sorry I said that! You are a natural, that's SO BEAUTIFUL! CAN I HAVE IT?"

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::shameonyou::monkey::nana:
 

casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,209
17,637
113
Petak Island
I like the Skull and Roses album.

On the other hand I really don't get jam bands and the culture.

Phish, Dave Matthews, OAR, etc.

It reminds me of well off white college kids from the NE. Who can be some of my least favorite people.
 
Last edited:

maybe

Michael Peterson status
Jul 23, 2011
2,293
1,073
113
Purple and dark green make for good tye dye in my humble opinion. I enjoyed the Long Strange Trip Documentary and streamed the 50th anniversary shows in 2015. Trey played well.

The Dead stand by themselves and are not to be lumped in with any other "jam bands." Either you get them or you don't. Not gonna waste my time arguing this point.

Had many a good time at Phish shows - but they are only similar to the Dead in that they also improvise every song and setlist. Like the Dead, no two shows are the same and that encourages people to go on tour. Each show is unique. The Dead and Phish sound nothing like each other. In fact, lots of Dead Heads can't stand Phish. Dave Mathews and OAR don't deserve comment.

A very brief synopsis is that the Dead culture goes back to the 1950's when most were working mundane 9-5 jobs in ultra-conservative America. Jack Kerouac and others eschewed that life and dove into Buddhism, traveling, drugs...freedom!
Jam band culture represents freedom and an escape from a "routine." It's either for you or it's not. No need to look down on them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rowjimmytour

grapedrink

Duke status
May 21, 2011
25,930
14,717
113
A Beach
Dead shows were epic, and some of their songs I like.

Phish rode the coat tails of the Dead movement. They have a tone deaf lead singer who recites lyrics that sound like they were written by a 3rd grader, which if anything is an insult to 3rd graders. It's high note driven musical masturbation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rowjimmytour

JSC

Nep status
Mar 11, 2008
661
540
93
I don't get the Grateful Dead either, but fortunately American society has space for those that do and for the Beatnik culture of the late 1950's when Kerouac, Ginsberg and others turned their back on ultraconservative mainstream America and chose to do something different. Many went surfing, which was a non-conformist thing to do, at least in California.

Even if you wanted to emulate Kerouac and the other beatniks, other non-western societies won't let you. You will be constrained by your peers and the conformist expectations of an entire homogenous society in Japan and Korea and by the conformist government in China. Non-conformist actions and tendencies can get you sent to a re-education camp to learn how to be a productive citizen, or else.
 

maybe

Michael Peterson status
Jul 23, 2011
2,293
1,073
113
Grape -

With that logic, you can claim that the Beatles rode Elvis' coat tails, the Stones rode the Beatles coat tails... insert any band and another that came after. Does that make sense?

Both the Dead and Phish had song writers who didn't perform with them. Trey talks about Phish's lyrics like when you are half awake from a dream and capture thoughts on paper. Phish can sell out Madison Square Garden 12 nights in a row and not play the same song twice and stoke out the crowd. Just because you don't feel it doesn't make it bad. Either you get it or you don't. No biggee.
 

grapedrink

Duke status
May 21, 2011
25,930
14,717
113
A Beach
Grape -

With that logic, you can claim that the Beatles rode Elvis' coat tails, the Stones rode the Beatles coat tails... insert any band and another that came after. Does that make sense?
In terms of style I agree. Aside from a small handful of visionaries, virtually nobody is an island in any creative pursuit. Everyone pulls inspiration from someone, and as any form of art continues to mature and evolve it gets exponentially tougher to create something original.

That said, what I meant was that Phish was able to pick up a fan base that wanted the experience of Dead shows once The Dead was, well . . . dead.

Both the Dead and Phish had song writers who didn't perform with them.
So do a lot of artists. Which is fine. Whoever wrote Phish songs shouldn't get paid, because they're garbage. Nor should Trey be a singer- he's a great guitarist, I'll give him that, but his vocal abilities (or lack thereof) leave a lot to be desired.

Trey talks about Phish's lyrics like when you are half awake from a dream and capture thoughts on paper.
Sounds about write, they do sound like the sort of gibberish you would expect someone with hangover from half a dozen substances to write down first thing in the morning. Glad we can agree on something.

Phish can sell out Madison Square Garden 12 nights in a row and not play the same song twice and stoke out the crowd. Just because you don't feel it doesn't make it bad. Either you get it or you don't. No biggee.
Cult power is real. So do christian rock concerts and evangelical televangelists.

A close friend of mine would always tell me, "You gotta see em live to appreciate it!" and "it sounds awesome on acid!". Sorry, but any good music sounds good on acid, and if it has to be live to sound good while you're whacked out of your gourd, then it doesn't stand on it's own feet.
 

Subway

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 31, 2008
13,496
10,104
113
LBNY
I like the Skull and Roses album.

On the other hand I really don't get jam bands and the culture.

Phish, Dave Matthews, OAR, etc.

It reminds me of well off white college kids from the NE. Who are some of my least favorite people.
We ain’t all bad
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Mr Doof

_____

Phil Edwards status
Sep 17, 2012
6,910
3,176
113
I like the Skull and Roses album.
On the other hand I really don't get jam bands and the culture.
Phish, Dave Matthews, OAR, etc.
It reminds me of well off white college kids from the NE. Who are some of my least favorite people.
Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsies were jam bands. Cream too. Lots of their songs were often way over 10 minutes live instead of their few minute album versions.

What happened to Leaverite?
 

SlicedFeet

Miki Dora status
Dec 17, 2004
4,730
968
113
Swarm Diego
I’m a head. Always will be. Was never really into the scene but dig the music.

Someone who just recently got into the Dead asked me what my favorite song. I had to do a double take on that...I like them all! Especially at certain times. He didn’t like that answer, didn’t get it. I saw him struggling with it and had to help him out....Alright, I’ve seen/heard Johnny B. Goode a few too many times as an encore.

Haven't seen the doc, will have to check it.

Lol, typing this out at my desk and have my favorite 100 shows at my feet. (so nice having this photo upload option now).

Maxell XLII 90 tapes were what we lived for. My parents would get me 10 packs of them for Christmas and Birthdays. Trippy remembering that.

3D1D4EC9-C4B8-4B85-B539-5C7DF7E3EE4D.jpeg
 

SurfFuerteventura

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Sep 20, 2014
8,404
4,583
113
Ribbit
Two words..... Workingman's Dead.

Never understood the Phish attraction/comparison to the G.D.

Always thought it was just the heads who couldn't handle the end of touring myself.

Never saw anything in Phish even remotely comparable to the Dead.

Robert Hunter was not only a lyricist, he was a poet.

Was fortunate enough to get to meet most of them, and except for Bobby, can say they were the most down to earth humbling people I have had the pleasure to meet, rich or poor, famous or not. Jerry was an extraordinary being. He immediately lit up a room like nobodies business. The moment people even knew he was coming, even before he gets there, ALL SMILES AND JOVIALNESS. Never heard an unkind word uttered from his mouth. Anyone notice what happened to the west coasts major airports radar the instant of his death? Blackout! Energy like that isn't commonplace now, nor has it ever been.

Last time in the bay area (hey now Mr. Doof! :waving: ) I got to revisit "Jerry's Room" at the Warfield Theater. It's kept exactly as he last left it, down to his last cigarette butts he put out in the ashtray on the counter. My buddy, the manager, and I blew a fattie sitting on 'his' couch. I sat in 'his' spot.

The Dead were way more than "just another jam band". I followed the Allman Brothers, saw many many many shows backstage, hung with Warren Haynes and Gregg... Even they, gods of rock that they were, didn't reach the status of The Dead.

It's difficult to put into words... like another poster above said, "you either git it, or you didn't".

I GOT IT. BIG TIME!

PHATTY ZONE FOREVER!

All that smoke coming from behind the drums? That WAS NOT A SMOKE MACHINE! It was me and my crew, blowing fatties as thick as a fist, one after another, tripping balls!

:jamon::bowdown::nana::monkey::roflmao::cheers::beer::waving::shaka: