Very sad to see "Phil Lesh, Bassist Who Anchored the Grateful Dead, Dies at 84/One of the first rock bassists whose instrument regularly took a lead role, he also had a hand in writing some of the band’s best-known songs" (NYT).
In addition to providing explorative bass work, Mr. Lesh sang high harmonies for the band and provided the occasional lead vocal. He also co-wrote some of the band’s most noteworthy songs, including ones that inspired adventurous jams, like “St. Stephen” and “Dark Star,” as well as more conventional pieces, like “Cumberland Blues,” “Truckin’” and “Box of Rain.”
Key to the dynamic of The Dead was the way Mr. Lesh used the bass to provide ever-shifting counterpoints to the dancing leads of the lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, the curt riffs of the rhythm guitarist Bob Weir, the bold rhythms of the drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, and, in the band’s first eight years, the warm organ work of Ron McKernan, known as Pigpen.
A source of particular excitement was the relationship between Mr. Lesh’s instrument and Mr. Garcia’s. At times they mirrored each other. At other times they contrasted, in the process widening the music’s melodic nuances while helping to create the kind of variety and tension that allowed the band to improvise at length without losing the listener.
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Probably a quarter of my musician friends play in a Grateful Dead cover band. There are a few Dead songs that I like, particularly “Dire Wolf.” I was never into the lifestyle thing. 84 years is a pretty good ride in the Hell in a Bucket.
Was that a particularly bad rendition of "Box of Rain"? Maybe I'm thinking of a different song, but I was expecting something else.
They weren’t my thing but they played where I worked back stage from time to time, not that I got close or anything. He seemed a mellow dude amongst mellow dudes. Deadheads descended and it was a lot but not too much trouble. I don’t like the idea they’re going…
No, I think Box of Ran was just not that great. It was long, though.
St. Stephen and Sugar Magnolia are the only Grateful Dead songs that I really liked.
My older brother, who in his college days was a free market fan, somewhere in his 20s became a kinda hippie. For many years now, he's been a super lefty obsessed by Trump and, as relevant here, the Dead. I mean he loves, Loves, LOVES the Dead! Still listens to them a lot. And even subjects his kids to it. At least he has excellent personal hygiene and works a productive job.
I wish Phil had played some with Dead and Company, but I guess that stuff is complicated. R.I.P. Mr. Lesh.
A source of particular excitement was the relationship between Mr. Lesh’s instrument and Mr. Garcia’s.
That's from a robot, yes?
I'd rather listen to Springsteen.
RIP Phil.
I have to say that I never got the hype for the Grateful Dead.
One of my Dead favorites, but I've never heard a live version I thought was anywhere the studio version. Was fortunate to have seen them do "Unbroken Chain" near the end, not because it was well-performed but because Deadheads had waited 20+ years to hear it. The studio version was better (not always the case for their songs).
It all sounds the same to me. Maybe you need some MJ to enjoy it more.
"Was that a particularly bad rendition of "Box of Rain"? Maybe I'm thinking of a different song, but I was expecting something else."
I briefly had up a performance of "Box of Rain," where Lesh sings lead, but it was really bad, so I ended up with something else.
Also, for a minute, I had a performance of "Mama Tried," a song I remember enjoying Phil sing very energetically in concert, but I didn't like the clip. Ended up with "Brokedown Palace" because it was nice and old — from 1970 — and because it's my favorite Grateful Dead song. Phil is harmonizing.
"I'd rather listen to Springsteen."
I know someone who, back in the 1970s, walked out in the middle of a Springsteen concert — a live concert — to go see the Grateful Dead movie — a movie (which he'd already seen multiple times).
A bold expression of taste.
He wasn't a strong or confident singer, which is one reason why the live performances of his songs were not as good as the studio versions.
Ahh. Thanks.
I had a few Dead albums back in the day - Workingman's Dead and American Beauty were my favorites. I even went to a Dead concert around 1970 and wandered backstage and Jerry Garcia saw me and waved to me (same thing happened at a JA concert with Jack Cassady and Jorma Kaukonen) Security was a lot more lax back in those days I guess. But I didn't really start to seriously like the Dead until I mellowed out somewhat in my sixties. They put out some great studio albums but I really don't like most of their live stuff, especially the vocals. Brokedown Palace is one of my favorites, but this rendition is too painful to listen to.
Every musician I’ve ever played with in the popular music arena wanted to play a few Grateful Dead tunes. I know of at least six Dead cover bands in my area and they all work constantly. This is a bit of a mystery to me, but you can’t doubt the band’s influence. I ran into Rick Danko in the parking lot in Woodstock on the day that a spin off Dead band was playing in Woodstock II, and Rick was very excited about sitting in with them.
I'm getting spam filtered, so I have to repeat it:
Thank you.
Not a Dead fan, but the man had a sound, and made a lot of great music (also a lot of tedious stuff, but who didn't). RIP Phil. "Box of Rain" and "Ripple" are classics.
I first switched over to the FM stations around the time of Wake of the Flood (1973). That's my sentimental favorite (especially Eyes of the World), but I listen to American Beauty more often these days. I can't say I was a big Dead fan but always liked the records from that era. Never saw them live though. Sad to see Phil go, but 84's a pretty good run considering the hard living.
Also gone, probably not well remembered in this crowd, but I liked him, Jack Jones. Smooth, strictly MOR even when he tried to cover hits from the "In Crowd," but when he stuck with what he was best equipped to do, he ran on all 8 cylinders.
A few weeks ago, someone posted in an overnight Instapundit open thread a Youtube version of Ripple by Playing for Change, which included Bill Kreutzmann. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHo1fNnXFVU )It was magical; check it out.
I saw the Dead as a college sophomore in 1974. I swear one of the songs lasted 20+ minutes. The friends who gave me the ticket were stoned out of their minds and thought the concert was great. I didn’t partake at the time and didn’t get the hype. Still don’t. They are ok but nothing special to me.
The Love Boat
Soon will be making another run
The Love Boat
Promises something for everyone….
Come on now join in! You know the words!
Lots of great memories, but a few stick out:
At my first shows, I would capture a free-floating balloon to feel the bass vibrations more tangibly.
After Jerry passed, Phil put together a show with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. We had always been fans of classical music, and resisted the new music (mid 1900’s &tc). John Cage, Terry Riley and the like were introduced to us and it was, as the Heads like to say, a “mind-opening experience.”
Thanks Phil, for all you gave us.
Lesh's bass line on Fire On The Mountain is a thing of sonic beauty.
“Brokedown Palace” was the last song of the last Dead show I saw before Jerry died. Giants Stadium, June of 1995.
Ya boy Dylan opened, and I remember a killer version of “All Along The Watchtower”.
Lesh was a helluva bassist, IMHO. My faves are China Cat Sunflower and Eyes of the World.
"Uncle John's Band" - the only Dead song that I liked. But I really liked it.
I’d pretty much ignored the Dead until my first girlfriend gave me their Europe ‘72 triple album as a birthday present. The girlfriend is long gone, but my love of the Dead lingers on. Thank you Phil ( and Jerry and all the others).
If you want to hear some prime Grateful Dead, limit your search to 1972-1974.
Maybe back to 1970 to include American Beauty?
Yes....and Workingman's Dead........I was speaking of recordings of.their live shows.
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