Greatful Dead Selling Out?

[Passinwind]

Tapes, I'm a late 80s guy; studio, I'm a late 70s guy. I've got a few early shows with pigpen that KILL me, though. I'm too young to have experienced the losses of the victims of the cursed keyboard seat but I get what you mean, or close to it.

Pig was the de facto front man at my first few shows, not Jerry or Bob. It was just different after that, and by the time Keith checked out I was listening to other stuff and couldn't really hack the hockey arena/stadium/festival scene anymore.

In the 80s I was playing the Dead's tunes myself, for many hundreds of people. So I have mucho respect to this day and I am more than happy to see the boys make money on their legacy.

 

[colcifer]

The change in the dynamic of the group through the Pigpen years is an interesting thing. What are the guys doing to cash in, anyway? And why isn't this in Misc.?

 

[2milehighspike]

The change in the dynamic of the group through the Pigpen years is an interesting thing. What are the guys doing to cash in, anyway? And why isn't this in Misc.?

Good ?, probably nothing that they have'nt been doin for 30 years

 

[daff]

FWIW,....maybe you are right about me not understanding "why they play music" which is fine,...I don't really care "why they play",...nor am I trying to portray them as sellouts. I'm just saying that what the OP is pointing out isn't exactly a new development,...nor is it really all that shocking or surprising.

I would also agree with you that they weren't particularly savvy businessmen. I've heard accounts they would just put friends on the payroll for no more reason then to just give them a job. The result is that they barely broke even (if not lost money) on tours. I do get the impression that money was not their primary motivation though.

I'm not opposed to the Grateful Dead,...or Rat Dog,...or Phil and Phriends,...but I do prefer those projects with Grateful Dead songs intermixed over the remaining band members trying to continue on AS the Grateful Dead in the absence of Jerry.

I've listened to a bit of live Grateful Dead and I have several of their Studio Albums and a few Dick's Picks. Perhaps I'm talking with a "paper ***hole" as I've never heard any of "The Other Ones" or "The Dead",...but a Grateful Dead without Jerry Garcia just isn't the Grateful Dead In my O.

"The Dead" was absolutely terrible. I walked out of the show I saw that tour at the beginning of the second set, and I never leave show early. It was so bad. Phil and Friends in 2001 was pretty great, though. And I don't even care for Warren Haynes.

That being said, I have no problem with the surviving members of GD cashing in.

 

[ocoaibass]

I'd like to think that its an opportunity for anyone who wants their music to get it, no matter how obscure or just repetitive. Fans want it, I'm sure, even if I can't understand why. If a band took the time to record something, its a glimpse or a chance to glimpse the creative process and the expression of those musicians on a living, given night. I love crap like this. I'll wet my pants over vault emptyings of some of my favorites. Let the retirement homes fill with poorly recorded demos and concerts, mastered to the ceiling & mixed within an inch of its life, but the notes are there...

 

[lowfreq33]

God forbid any musician actually make a little money.

 

[Passinwind]

Yea i wish i could have seen pig, but i am lucky to see what i did, the pig years were the best

I originally meant that to be a bit tongue in cheek, in case you missed the smilies. Those years were the best for me, but it sounds like you saw some great shows yourself, for sure.

 

[2milehighspike]

I originally meant that to be a bit tongue in cheek, in case you missed the smilies. Those years were the best for me, but it sounds like you saw some great shows yourself, for sure.

Yea i got it, and i meant it when i said the pig years were the best, i always liked the bluesier side of the band, i do wish i could have seen him, i glad i got on the bus in time to see them at the smaller theatres, wharfield, rcmh in ny, the greek etc. i went to school in chicago from 77 to 81 and was at every uptown theatre show they played at that time, they lost the intimacy when they were "discovered"by mtv , but the europe tour in 90 was really special! after that jerry was'nt into it as much and thats when jgb brought back the spark of the early years , damn fugnmissm!

 

[tycobb73]

I think henry rollins explained it well a few years ago

 

[groooooove]

Oh boo hoo, some old people with retirement and medical bills on their mind have decided to squeeze some final money out of all the work they did over the years.

they're dudes who have been very close for a very long time. them working together is far from "selling out."

everyone always looks at things like this from all these angles. like paul mccartneys new record. i heard people grilling him because he "puts out anything he can just for money." what a crazy angle to take on that!

IMO, they're not selling out.

 

[pie_man_25]

Why do we have a problem with the remaining Dead cashing in?

don't you mean the "living" dead?

 

[Pilgrim]

I read today where the remaining members of the GD have decided to uncover their burried treasures and exploit their wears - Bobby, Phil you might as well capitalize on your legacy while you're still alive.

Not a Dead fan - but what do the tru Dead Heads think of the move to capitalize!!!

Heavens! A band taking commercial advantage of their past work!!

How SHALL we cope????????