Dead Friday

Posted in honor of the anniversary of Brent Mydland’s death 19 years ago today …(July 26th, 1990). R.I.P. my friend.

Morning, Freaks!

I’d like to give a heartfelt welcome to the boys of The Butter Room this morning. I’ve added you to the distro list for this one time trial. Dead Fridays is a little therapy session that I send out on Friday mornings, mainly for my own therapy. It doesn’t matter where I’ve been in life, the Dead have always been a constant. When I’ve been on top of the world, they were there. When I hit the bottom, they were there. When things were in line and perfect, they were there. Through heartbreaks, struggles, and confusion, they were there. Maybe they’re a bunch of guys who play instruments, maybe they’re a celebration of life. If this isn’t your thing, kindly mash delete.

Based on last night’s poker game debacle, I probably should’ve found a show with this segue: Deal>Loser. I suck at poker and need to take up another hobby. Instead, for some reason I picked this one.

This was one of my first tapes. It’s funny how memories are so tied to music. My sophomore year of college was a time of new experiences. It was my first time living away from home, my transition from college/80’s brit rock to music of ‘60s San Fran, my first time tripping on psychedelics, and my first “girlfriend”.  This girl used to snap, and I would be on the bus out to her place. I think they were some sort of off campus school owned apartments, and I’d have to catch a bus from my dorm. I’d get on the bus with my long hair and tie dyed shirt, and throw the second set XL-II 90 tape of this show into my walkman (fuck you , it was the 80’s). My tape didn’t have the first 3 songs on it, it would start MSWS>He’s Gone and I would get dropped off at the corner near her house as it was going into Other One. I cannot even tell you how many times I listened to that combo that fall.  I thought I was so in love with this girl. I didn’t know she was everybody else’s girl, too. So naïve…isn’t living and learning awesome? Marnie, if you’re out there somewhere, I hope you drive your Porsche into a ditch…just kidding/not really.

First set doesn’t have a whole lot to say, although it’s tight and heartfelt. The front porch bluesy slide in Down in the Bottom>Superstitious is an interesting addition and is pulled off nicely. The real love comes in Looks Like Rain and Bobby represents in his Op corduroy nut huggers. Also, notice the interesting train combo of Tons of Steel, Big RR.

Second set is distant and spacey. All of the transitions are weird. Jerry’s kind of on his own trip, and everybody else just follows along in support. He’s Gone is simply amazing and by far my favorite ever. It’s not like the others. Listen specifically to Jerry’s first solo and the way he slides the notes and phrasing around. It’s like he’s telling a story.  Granted it’s undeniably mid-80’s in style.  In fact, the whole show is signature mid – 80’s…you can feel the pain and depth in Jerry’s playing and singing. His health was so questionable at the time, and you can hear it in his playing. Harmonies are tight all the way through on this great and often overlooked show.

04-14-85 Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Irvine, Ca. (Sun)

1: Touch> Bucket> Sugaree> Bottom> Superstitious, B. E. Women, Tons Of Steel, Big RxR Blues, L. L. Rain> Don’t Ease

2: Miracle> China Cat> I Know You Rider, Woman Smarter> He’s Gone> Drumz>Space >Mr. Fantasy> Other One> Wharf Rat> Sugar Magnolia E: Gloria

Enjoy! And thanks for coming with me to therapy today.

m-