Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead

[psychhead]

I was at the local pub the other nite talking with people about jambands and bang!, JA and GD came up!!!! One guy was arguing that Greatful Dead was (is) a huge jamband, while JA was a bit.......what term did he use....ahh yes, sloppy!!!!!! Opinions??!

Rob

[Mr. Orange]

Sloppy? What an unfortunate soul....hahahah. I don't think they were sloppy at all, they definately had a very loose feel that might appear to someone who's not very, how can I put this, musically inclined? ear as sloppy. I think they rode the cusp of relaxed. and that's very cool. I love The Dead too, but JA was where it was at. Better arrangers, better harmonies and dare I say it...better musicians?

[noelpne]

It depends on the track - it depends on the album.
"Two Heads" -- Q. - How tight /Together is that ?? A. Very !!

"Embryonic journey" - ok a solo by Jorma---isn't that the definition of
neat 'n' sweet?

However, some of their Live Material does 'meander' - on some of the
tracks on some of the time....If you had happened to be 'there at the gig' -you would have probably eally ,really enjoyed it....but listening to it at home in a different ambiance ( remember...."Set & Setting ", Yes ? ) - is a different vibe.
It's been the case 'back in the day' where Gigs by Groups didn't have to/were not expected to....reproduce 'note-for-note' their tunes from their L.P's. It is more likely-than less likely, - that a band does nowadays. (This is probably more boring for the musicians -and for some of the audience-whilst others in the audience would appreciate hearing different/extended versions of some of the songs...

As far as the G.D. being a 'Jam' band....this is a rather simplistic musical
label....the Dead could jam/extend a decent tune and explore its moods
and colours withever way they lead down whatever path kinda opened -
- up to them....Live. In L.P. record-mode, listen to 'American Beauty' and
' Workingman's Dead' & you will find short, sweet, crisp tunes a'plenty...

Silly to put 'Stick - On' labels onto the Best Two Groups the U.S.A. has
given the World, in my opinion.

[psychhead]

Yeah, what that guy intended by 'jambands' I don't really know....both the Dead and Jefferson Airplane were BANDS and that's it in my opinion: jamband gives me the idea of a non-regular band playing on/off (but this is MY view). Perhaps the fact that both bands come from the same musical area enables people to compare them often
One thing is SURE: JA and GD, 2 of the biggest US bands ever!!!!!

Rob