#159037  by HeadSpace
 
Fascinating. I am a big fan of Bobby and his playing but it kind of sounds like total hell by itself. Almost a "Bobby shreds" parody at times, in that it's surprisingly rough/sloppy in spots. It does reveal some interesting details, especially with respect to the times he would lay out, which were more than I thought. One cool detail is the palm muting during the China Cat riff about the third or fourth time through. Lots to dissect here, and lots of little stuff to steal, but overall, I'd say my impression verges on "ouch!" It's clear to me that Brent covered up quite a few of Bobby's sins.
 #159043  by bcresci
 
HeadSpace wrote:Fascinating. I am a big fan of Bobby and his playing but it kind of sounds like total hell by itself.
There are some track isolations on the GD Movie DVD and I thought the same thing about multiple instruments. Not that they were necessarily bad, but individually they aren't always what you were expecting. A lot of space at times, and definitely quirky at times. As my buddy Steve says, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That feels doubly true for how these guys play together. The totality of their quirky, loose playing is what makes the overall sound so interesting.
 #159044  by Searing75
 
Come on folks. Bobby wasn't playing with himself! He was playing with the Dead!
 #159638  by mgbills
 
In the mid-80's I thought that Bob had a personal vendetta against my ears. I think he floats between avant garde genius & bored 15 yo with his fingernails on a chalk board. But at this point in my GD listening career my appreciation for him is at an all-time high.

Playing the guitar over the last 11 years has really given me an appreciation for not playing all the time. Taking time to play something prudent, interesting, or different/exploratory is far better in the context of jam music in general. GD music goes flat if somebody is just hanging out playing along with bar chords.
 #159639  by lightningbolt
 
mgbills wrote: Taking time to play something prudent, interesting, or different/exploratory is far better in the context of jam music in general. GD music goes flat if somebody is just hanging out playing along with bar chords.
+1
 #159640  by Jon S.
 
All of the above is true. The road less traveled can make all the difference in the world, yet every emperor is naked at times.