Kevin's Watch

Holy crap.

Seriously.



This band has changed my life. I don't even know where to begin.

I've been listening to them for a few weeks now, and it was good, right? But nothing spectacular.
I mean, catchy? Sure.
Lyrics? Not bad.
But I wasn't at work yet.

THEN Dark Knight opening comes through the doors. And all the managers are being dicks, because my GM is being a dick, and for whatever crack-smoking decision led to it, but I had a crew of second-shift n00bies to work with. The theater is slowly sliding into the 'meltdown' stage, and as the only veteran on the floor, my manager is handing responsibility to me and sauntering off to hang around in the office. Whoopee.

So I take a few minutes to go to my Cave.
The Cave is the -10 freezer we have in the kitchen. It's great because I can turn off the lights inside and be in total dark and cold. I get to disappear for a few minutes.
I flick off the lights and try to calm down, when the pitch of the fans hits me.


*guitar*

Ripple in still water,
when there is no pebble tossed,
nor wind to blow.


I'm not sure how to describe in words what it means to me, without just repeating the lyrics over and over, but there it is.

Can anyone else hear it?

I tried really hard to get into the Dead. Went and saw them a couple of times.....traded some tapes.....

Nope. Don't like 'em even a little bit. I can't explain it, I just find their music hopelessly tedious.

I love em so much I play in a GD tribute band...

Balon, here's another lyric that seems apt right now:

Once in a while you can get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right.

I really haven't heard very much of their music, surprisingly. I dunno...they never really struck me as all that interesting. I did have a friend play me some album of Jerry Garcia mostly acoustic and I enjoyed that, but I'm not much of a jam band fan. Then again, I am primarily a singer, and jam bands don't have a lot of singing typically, so it is harder for me to like them. And this is pretty much the same reason that Jazz leaves me pretty cold, typically.

Relayer wrote:I love em so much I play in a GD tribute band..

That is SUPER cool. Any way for me to snag some of your tunes?

Relayer wrote:Balon, here's another lyric that seems apt right now:

Once in a while you can get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right.

I love them so.

Somehow I just knew Cail wouldn't like the Dead.

I've had a bunch of their albums can't spell Amoczcoca, Working Man's Dead, Blues for Allah, Mars Hotel and my fav the double Skull and Roses album. It's a lifestyle, an acquired taste-my fav song is Dark Star. Very long tedious instrumental.

Spoiler

best stoner music out there

I don't know that I buy that. I didn't like them when I was a stoner, and I know a fair number of people who really enjoy The Dead who don't get high.

I don't like jam bands (and again, not for lack of trying). I can appreciate the skill and musicianship in some of them (like Yes), but the music just leaves me cold.

I guess I'm jaded as New Mexico has been a long running retreat for old hippies and "DeadHeads" so I've been around a lot who do partake, the funny thing is that they all disappeared after Jerry died...guess they had to find jobs!

Garcia's pretty good on his own-Cats Under the Stars is a great album and his bluegrass stuff with David Grisholm (mandolin) is very good.

There was a guy I used to work with who was a huge Deadhead, to the point that he followed them for 4 years after high school, who totally gave up the life after he found out how much money the guys made (of course, that also happened right after Jerry kicked the bucket).

What a long strange trip it's been.
(I may be going to Hell in a bucket,
but at least I'm enjoying the ride!)

Not much of a Dead-Head, but I liked some of their newer songs. (And the party-ing materials.)

I can't explain why I like it so much. It's sort of bizarre, really, because I don't like not being able to explain my own emotions.

American Beauty is a great album.

Balon wrote:I can't explain why I like it so much. It's sort of bizarre, really, because I don't like not being able to explain my own emotions.

The unique sounds and emotions that The Dead could coax from the same chords and scales that everyone else used was amazing. Stella Blue for one is hauntingly beautiful:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxj43DKrTf4&feature=related

All the years combine, they melt into a dream,
A broken angel sings from a guitar.
In the end theres just a song comes cryin up the night
Thru all the broken dreams and vanished years.
Stella blue. stella blue.

When all the cards are down, theres nothing left to see,
Theres just the pavement left and broken dreams.

In the end theres still that song comes cryin like the wind.
Down every lonely street thats ever been
Stella blue. stella blue.

Ive stayed in every blue-light cheap hotel, cant win for trying.
Dust off those rusty strings just one more time,
Gonna make them shine, shine

It all rolls into one and nothing comes for free,
Theres nothing you can hold, for very long.
And when you hear that song come crying like the wind,
It seems like all this life was just a dream.
Stella blue. stella blue.

Like Neil Young and Dylan, Robert Hunter is one of the best songwriters of our times...

danlo wrote:Like Neil Young and Dylan, Robert Hunter is one of the best songwriters of our times...

No doubt.

Balon, I pm'd you a few days ago about your request... maybe it didn't go thru. Ping me if you're interested.

There's a comfortable feeling I get listening to a lot of Dead tunes. Like balon!, I can't explain why I like a number of their songs, I just know that I DO like them, is all.

ALTHEA
(Written by Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter)

I told Althea I was feeling lost
Lacking in some direction
Althea told me upon scrutiny
That my back might need protection
I told Althea that treachery
Was tearing me limb from limb
Althea told me, now cool down boy
Settle back easy, Jim

You may be Saturday's child all grown
Moving with a pinch of grace
You may be a clown in the burying ground
Or just another pretty face
You may be the fate of Ophelia
Sleeping and perchance to dream
Honest to the point of recklessness
Self-centred to the extreme

Ain't nobody messin' with you but you
Your friends are getting most concerned
Loose with the truth, maybe its your fire
Baby I hope you don't get burned
When the smoke has cleared, she said
That's what she said to me
You're gonna want a bed to lay your head
And a little sympathy

There are things you can replace
And others you cannot
The time has come to weigh those things
This space is gettin' hot
You know this space is gettin' hot

I told Althea, I'm a roving sign
That I was born to be a bachelor
Althea told me, OK that's fine
So now I'm trying to catch her
Can't talk to you without talking to me
We're guilty of the same old things
Thinking a lot about less and less
And forgetting the love we bring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7lMxNfb7rw