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How did the Dead evolve into their later years? I know they didn't have a 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 like Phish. But did their sound evolve much into the 1980's and 1990's?
I really love the dead's music, I just need some help getting into their later stuff. I'm stuck in '69-'77 (which is just fine)
I really love the dead's music, I just need some help getting into their later stuff. I'm stuck in '69-'77 (which is just fine)
Score: 1
As they "switched" keyboardists, their sound definitely changed. When MIDI entered the picture in '88, that was another distinct shift. If you're stuck in '69-'77, then you need to listen to some '78 and proceed from there! 
Score: 2
Sure dont forget disco dead, pre coma jerry - post coma jerry. 85 is much dofferent than 87, 89 is different from 87, 91 different from 89, after 92 give up - espescially if your diggin their best years right now.Keys as well - I love the full hammond saound and vocals of mydland, brief epic moments with hornsby on keys, in my eyes welnick sucked
Score: 2
While the ever-changing lineup wasn't the sole basis of GD eras, it definitely provided for some different sounds.
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They most certainly evolved right up to the end, although things got kind of ugly in '95. Whatever you do, don't write off 1994. Some epic jams can be found in shows like 3/21/94, 6/19/94, 6/26/94, 8/1/94, 9/29/94, and 10/14/94.
If you want to hear a strong show from 1995, check out 3/18/95 or 5/26/95. (Be very afraid of popular 1995 shows that others will mistakenly praise, especially 3/23/95.)
If you want to hear a strong show from 1995, check out 3/18/95 or 5/26/95. (Be very afraid of popular 1995 shows that others will mistakenly praise, especially 3/23/95.)
Score: 1
I think Vince gets an undeserved bad rap. Jerry was in decline during the Vince Welnick years. The guy could play the shit out of some keyboards. 91-95 Dead can be hard to listen to sometimes because Jerry could be brilliant one moment and on a different planet the next, which affected everyone else, but it was a band that constantly evolved, and when they were on, few bands could possibly be better. Even though the songwriting output dropped a lot in the 80's, they were always throwing in new covers, and some originals, right up until Jerry died. That said, 89-90 Dead is some of my favorite. I feel like a lot of shows from those two years are very cohesive; the band seems to find a groove early in the first set and ride it all the way to the end of the show."Shakedown Street (the song)" feels like it was written for Brent to play, even though he wasn't in the band yet.
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@dscott said: They most certainly evolved right up to the end, although things got kind of ugly in '95. Whatever you do, don't write off 1994. Some epic jams can be found in shows like 3/21/94, 6/19/94, 6/26/94, 8/1/94, 9/29/94, and 10/14/94.10/14/94 MSG Scarlet-Fire is the hottest version frm '94 to the end IMO. I was at the show (and was getting used to watered-down jams when Jer surprised everyone by shredding the shit out of Fire! Def worth a listen. There was about a 5 minute ovation at the end of Fire and if Weir had t stepped in to start the next tune it would have gone on for another 5!!)
If you want to hear a strong show from 1995, check out 3/18/95 or 5/26/95. (Be very afraid of popular 1995 shows that others will mistakenly praise, especially 3/23/95.)
Score: 0
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