I only just now have been able to finally check out the Dead...

It's funny, but after all these years and after having been interested in hearing them ever since 1987 or so, and even after having a couple of their shirts and their merchandise (three bears, no pun intended), and even after having watched the documentary "Tie Died" ten years ago, I had just never gotten around to actually hearing a single note of The Grateful Dead.

Even whenever I had turned on my classic radio stations, they seemed to play everything but the Dead for some odd reason. As a clerk I recently ran into told me, "They always seem to be a band you hear more about as opposed to hearing."

It had just always seemed like one of those things. Either I could never catch them being played on the radio, or I just didn't have the extra cash to fork out to hear someone I hadn't heard yet.

So this weekend I was at a used book store and they happened to be selling a few used Dead cassettes for $1 apiece. I got three of them: "Europe '72", "Terrapin Station" and "Go To Heaven". I just got the first three I saw, since I had no idea which ones to try first.

"Europe '72" appears to have an extremely heavy country influence so far, which surprised me as I wasn't expected it. Not that there was anything wrong with that (the soundtrack for "Easy Rider" tends to be the same way), but it still surprised me. I haven't tried "Go To Heaven" yet because I looked it up on the internet after getting home and I keep reading awful things about it and wonder if I made a bad choice.

But "Terrapin Station" I love. I decided to play side 2 first just to hear the title track, and I loved it. The funny thing is, it actually seemed to end pretty abruptly (as opposed to an extended Pink Floyd jam, when you know that it's about to end with a fully-rounded whole) and seemed surprisingly short somehow. I loved every moment of the Terrapin Station side 2 medley and wanted more.

Very interesting so far, anyone out there have any thoughts/recommendations for me?

 

try out this show:
http://www.archive.org/details/gd83-10-21.sbd.bertha-ashley.24998.sbeok.shnf

 

If you want to hear IMO the best accessible dead collection, check out the four cd set Ladies and Gentlemen... The Grateful Dead.

 

Europe 72's got a country vibe, yeah...that's the last of Pigpen though (rip) so after that it seems to shit into other genres...Terrapin is an excellent cd and you can literally just climb into it if you desire to. Not a big fan of Go to Heaven, except for Althea...

Purchase the following:
(1) Blues for Allah (the cd that turned me on to the Dead...amazing studio album
(2) American Beauty (classic)
(3) Wake of the Flood (really nice studio)
(4) Closing of Winterland (Really great live set)
(5) Truckin' up to Buffalo (Really great live set)

 

Steppin Out is actually a really nice choice too...

 

fox theater october 17-19 1972 my favorite show. archive.org probably has it

 

oh europe '72! that was a super good one to get. morning dew is on it and its jsut the most beautiful song. I find "rekoning" to be a great album. And the album "live dead" is mind blowing too! there really is nothing like hearing the dead play live.

 

I think listening to studio albums if you're not familiar with the dead will put you off from the band. And I second Steppin Out, besides Ladies and Gentlemen that's the best 4 disc set live compilation.

 

if you're feeling really adventurous, the Fillmore West 1969 10 disc boxset is one of the gnarliest live releases by any band ever

 

I just can't get over the cover of go to heaven. Not one of the deads high points. there is some good stuff on there though - alabama getaway, althea, feel like a stranger, Don't ease me in. Check out the Dicks picks - Dicks pick 1 is really good, I also really like Rockin' the Rhein from that 72 europe run. There's so much stuff! The Grateful Dead can be quite an expensive addiction. I miss the days when they were free

 

they still are, its called the library and people still trade shows, also there are a bunch of sites where you can download them

 

My library has In The Dark - YES!

- yea you can trade shows but archive was a lot easier!

 

im sure there are other sites you just gotta find them theres been some posts on here with links to sites where you can download shows from the soundboard i believe

 

Ladies & Gentleman is a good start so is Rocking the Rhein...the Dead live is something to behold. there always Skeletons in the Closet too for a studio compilation.