I'm joined by guest Phil Stacey as we dig into the catalog of the Grateful Dead, starting with the band's 1967 debut. Listen to the episode below or download directly.
Show notes:
- Recorded at CompCon world HQ
- Other podcasts have focused on catalogs of U2, R.E.M., Phish, The Tragically Hip
- Looking at the Dead album by album
- Phil's a tie-dyed in the wool Deadhead, Jay has only superficial knowledge of the band
- Phil: Got into the Dead in the mid-'80s, saw them live in '89
- Attracted by the musicianship, lyrics
- Live is where the band really shines
- Songs would be played live years before it showed up on an album
- Band's biggest hit, "Touch of Grey," was first played live in '82 but became a single five years later
- Self-titled debut has a different sound than the one they evolved into
- Recorded in four days
- Only got up to #73 on album charts
- Mostly covers of folk and jug band songs
- Band took a lot of speed during recording, which shows in the songs
- Garcia rips on guitar throughout
- Not too much jamming on record
- Psychedelic rock was starting to happen in general
- Live versions of these songs were much longer
- Most Dead shows were 2.5 to 3 hours
- Jay: Really liked "Cold Rain and Snow," "Viola Lee Blues"
- "Sitting on Top of the World" bears some resemblance to Allman Brothers
- Phil: Garcia was very prolific, always playing guitar
- Bob Weir gave up the short shorts for cargo pants
- John Mayer plays with Dead and Co. now
- Surviving Dead guys are in their 70s now
- Not your typical Dead album
- The band didn't like how it was recorded
- Next up: Anthem of the Sun
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
Show notes:
- Recorded at CompCon world HQ
- Other podcasts have focused on catalogs of U2, R.E.M., Phish, The Tragically Hip
- Looking at the Dead album by album
- Phil's a tie-dyed in the wool Deadhead, Jay has only superficial knowledge of the band
- Phil: Got into the Dead in the mid-'80s, saw them live in '89
- Attracted by the musicianship, lyrics
- Live is where the band really shines
- Songs would be played live years before it showed up on an album
- Band's biggest hit, "Touch of Grey," was first played live in '82 but became a single five years later
- Self-titled debut has a different sound than the one they evolved into
- Recorded in four days
- Only got up to #73 on album charts
- Mostly covers of folk and jug band songs
- Band took a lot of speed during recording, which shows in the songs
- Garcia rips on guitar throughout
- Not too much jamming on record
- Psychedelic rock was starting to happen in general
- Live versions of these songs were much longer
- Most Dead shows were 2.5 to 3 hours
- Jay: Really liked "Cold Rain and Snow," "Viola Lee Blues"
- "Sitting on Top of the World" bears some resemblance to Allman Brothers
- Phil: Garcia was very prolific, always playing guitar
- Bob Weir gave up the short shorts for cargo pants
- John Mayer plays with Dead and Co. now
- Surviving Dead guys are in their 70s now
- Not your typical Dead album
- The band didn't like how it was recorded
- Next up: Anthem of the Sun
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
