Completely Conspicuous 506: Wake of the Flood

I'm joined by guest Phil Stacey as we discuss the Grateful Dead's album Wake of the Flood. Listen to the episode below or download directly.


Show notes:
- Recorded at CompCon world HQ
- Jay: Knew nothing about this album until recently
- First album on the Dead's own label
- New phase for the Dead: No Mickey Hart, the Godchauxs arrive, Pigpen had died
- Shades of jazz fusion
- Three years after their last studio album, American Beauty
- Material was well-honed in concert before making it to studio recording
- Horns featured throughout
- Phil: Live versions of these songs are better
- Two big shows with Allman Brothers and the Band that summer
- The rise of Frampton
- Nobody cares about live albums anymore
- "Stella Blue" is a standout track
- On the merits and demerits of Rush
- Back when AOR stations would play album sides
- Pulled back on the country influence of previous two albums
- No immediate "hits"
- Touring is one of the few ways bands can make money nowadays
- Ultimately, not one of their best, but a piece of the puzzle

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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.