Dead to the Core: An Almanack of the Grateful Dead by Eric Wybenga

Author:Eric Wybenga [Wybenga, Eric F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: music, Genres & Styles, Rock, Individual Composer & Musician, reference
ISBN: 9780307768407
Google: vBjEG-sQDN8C
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-08-17T00:23:46.311532+00:00

JERRY: “People up—uh, hello?—The people up front are getting smashed horribly again. If everyone on the floor could sorta try to move back it would be helpful.”

PHIL/BOBBY: “Move back, move back, move back, move back, move back.”

JERRY: “It’s hard for us to get off seeing smashed human bodies up here. Give us a little mercy.”

Jerry then launches into Dire Wolf, which seems to be his pet piece of musical commentary when confronted with hideous vids (also sung by him under death threats at Nassau ’79 and Deer Creek ’95). This version is played pretty fast, with enthusiastic vocals and Donna still right on. A very speedy Mama Tried, through which Jerry’s solos simply ricochet, shares its last beat with the first beat of Big River, a masterful segue. Jerry’s Candyman is so-so, but the set-closing Jack Straw → Deal is big and beefy.

Phil makes his presence known from the start of the second set, with a solo that the drums and Jerry join after a time, creating a sinuous backdrop for the only Take a Step Back that could be described as beautiful. It’s kind of a shame, though, that what could have developed into a momentous set-opening improvisational jam was wasted on having to tell the audience not to crush one another. Sure, this jam saved lives, but too bad it was necessary. Eyes starts out strong, with Phil and Jerry going off right out of the gate, but it loses some of its drive when Bobby, apparently bored with holding down the rhythm part, starts playing noodly little figures in an increasingly tentative fashion, forcing Jerry to descend from the looping heights of his soloing to hold down the rhythm. Keith meanwhile does nothing but play the rhythm part, pounding out the same E-major-seventh chord over and over again. This period roughly marks the beginning of his decline within the Dead. Luckily Bobby regains his footing sufficient to assist Phil, Jerry, and the drums in making this the hot version it ends up being. Phil’s big phat solo right in the middle doesn’t hurt matters either. Momentum from the end of Eyes carries over into Samson, which just may be the hottest one ever—this and and the next night’s stand out even among ’77 versions. It seethes with Jerry’s raunchy, crunching power chords and screaming southern rock leads. As for the drums, they sound as if they’re trying to flay the head off the lion.

After such a scorching Samson, It Must Have Been the Roses comes as a splash of cool water, a chance for the band to take a breath and assess. All are clearly ennervated by what has come before, however, making this a very forward-leaning Roses. The heat returns with a ferocious Estimated, to which Keith’s organ playing lends a real full-bodied flavor. The Dead cover a lot of territory in the closing jam. He’s Gone experiences a nice slow build to the bridge and contains a long “Nothing’s gonna bring him back” coda vamp before ceding to Drums.

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