Published on Nov 16, 2001
I’ve always proclaimed myself to be a
nouveau Deadhead. I’ve never taken drugs, I never followed
the Grateful Dead from town to town (though I was there for their
final concert in 1995), and I don’t pretend that every note that
Jerry Garcia and crew was the greatest thing to ever emerge from
the speakers.
If my status was already looked down upon by true Deadheads,
then my reaction to
Dick’s Picks Volume Four, a three-CD set covering the band’s
legendary stand at the Fillmore East on February 13 and 14, 1970,
will cement my fate with them. There is plenty to celebrate on this
collection, but this entry from the Dead’s tape vaults also shows
how the excesses of the band could do in an otherwise decent
set.
Let me explain for the non-Deadheads. This particular run is
considered to be among the Holy Grail shows for Deadheads,
capturing the band at what was supposed to be a creative peak. They
were just about to release
Workingman’s Dead on an unsuspsecting public, and were
pushing the limits of free-form musical association with such
performances as “Dark Star” (which was wonderfully highlighted on
Live/Dead) and “That’s It For The Other One”. Portions of
these shows have been heard before on
Bear’s Choice: History Of The Grateful Dead Vol. 1, though
none of the songs on that disc are repeated here.
Now, I admit I don’t have as much experience with the Dead as
many others out there, though I think I could hold my own in
discussions. And I find numerous flaws in this particular set.
First, the vocals – from Garcia and others in the band – are not
the strongest I’ve ever heard committed to tape. Listen to the
harmony vocals on “I Know You Rider” fall apart – and if you’ve
listened to any number of audience tapes, you know the Dead were
more capable vocalists than this. (I do admit to having some bias
toward the version on
Europe ’72 – which was the first Dead album I ever owned.)
And while I recognize it was still very much a new song for Garcia,
he sounds a tad uncertain on “High Time”. I will concede, though,
that he was probably trying to find the right chemistry for this
song, and it maybe just hadn’t clicked yet.
The second disc of this set is the one I have the most problems
with. Now, I’m not against the Dead cutting the chord on time
limits and just letting the magic flow through the music –
something they did well on the version of “Dark Star” that closes
the first disc. But the two songs that take up the second disc
overstay their welcome. The biggest offender is “Turn On Your
Lovelight,” a 30-minute exercise featuring the vocals of Ron
“Pigpen” McKernan – and an exercise which could have easily had 20
minutes lopped off of it. I could have lived without the stage
banter sung by McKernan to lengthen the song, or the mindless jams
which fill the entire middle portion of this track. The fact is,
“Lovelight” is a good song if it’s kept as a tight, concise musical
package – and I’m certain that Deadheads cringe at the shortened
version that was featured on
Skeletons From The Closet. But when no limitations are put
on the music or musicians, it’s like leaving Pandora’s Box wide
open, allowing everything – including listener interest – to
escape. Fill that time with work that keeps me wanting to hear
more, as they did on “Dark Star” – or even on “Feedback” – and
that’s one thing.
What’s sad is that this one disc drags down the power that the
first and third discs have. “Casey Jones” – another song which
features the band trying to get what would become a natural rhythm
down cold – is a powerful way to open things up, and the versions
of “Alligator,” “Not Fade Away” and “Me & My Uncle” are
absolutely brilliant. (“Mason’s Children,” though, offers up more
proof why this track never made the cut on any album – at least
until after Garcia’s death.)
I’m willing to admit that this run of shows might never offer up
their true power unless you were there, watching the scene unfold
in front of you. Maybe the Deadheads in the ’70s could relate to
this show better, especially those who are in the “Pigpen” camp
when it comes to keyboardists. And maybe this particular release
will become appealing the more one gets their feet wet in the whole
Dead scene. Then again, I’ve been into the band for over a decade,
and I still don’t understand the magic of this show.
Dick’s Picks Volume Four has some wonderful moments, but
this really is one for completists only – or for those whose
audience copies of these shows are wearing out.