| Subject: Re: Are you serious??? |
Author:
Jim Harris
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Date Posted: 12:52:40 09/16/05 Fri
In reply to:
phishhed
's message, "Are you serious???" on 16:42:35 09/02/05 Fri
yes, well said by everyone, and thank you pishhead for your well thought out and articulate post on an always hot topic for discussion. And yes, it is good to see the trash talking has ended. These are in fact talented musicians we are talking about afterall, like you said. This is probably some of the most difficult music for anyone to cover, especially if they want to do it justice and have it received graciously by the fans. But there are also very talented musicians out there who might choose to cover Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Nirvana, or even ABBA, Duran Duran, or Journey for that matter. And because they choose that music to play doesn't mean they're any less talented. It's only that their expression of their talent is different, that's all. But with that being said, allow me to say this; And I know I'll get gang-tackled for it b/c I have been before, but here it goes.
There have been, and still currently are, a lot of talented musicians all over the country that play Grateful Dead music and that offer a great experience for even the most Deadicated fans. This might seem like common knowledge too many of you, but all too often, with all due respect, it seems that some of the DSO fans (from what I've read in this forum, other chat sites, and what I hear on the street), believe that DSO are the only ones around who do this and do it well as they do. Of course, like pishhead said, you're entitled to your opinions and entitled to believe that DSO are the only ones out there covering this stiff that are worth seeing, and I respect that. They are in fact the only ones who do it on a national level, and yes, they take the "tribute" to another level both musically and in terms of their production as a "cover" act. But people, please don't overlook the folks who are offering it up right in your own back yard. You might just be pleasantly surprised by them too. I love DSO and have been a fan since '99, and my hat's off to them for making it as a touring act and for being able to pull together so many people who help them with their production so they can deliver the music the way they do to us fans. But there have been talented musicians that have offered a great Live Dead experience for many years prior to DSO's existence. And there also are many around the country that still do --- so please, don't take the little guys for granted I guess is all I'm saying. They've all got the right to choose playing this music too, and if they're offering it up in your home town, then go out and support em!! You might just enjoy it, and many of you probably already do, and so that's cool --- it doesn't mean you have to love DSO any less. It ain't a competition, it's an exhibition, right? even in that regard (of who's playing the music)it's always been and always will be, an exhibition.
thank you
>Allow the title of my post to remain in your, dear
>readers, mind as you read my reply to the banter on
>this message board.
>
> First of all, we begin with a look into my own
>position. As a lover of the GD, I have seen DSO a
>number of times. Approaching the venue at the Royal
>Oak Music Theater in Michigan I had a light heart
>about what to expect that night I ventured into their
>world for the first time. I was 16 years old, and had
>been a lover of the GD since I was in the 7th grade.
>Not expecting to be that impressed with a "cover band"
>as they were labeled by my friend who introduced me to
>the show that evening, we entered the venue in the
>middle of the Bertha opener. I was amazed at how well
>vocally and instrumentally the band sounded. The rest
>of the show was a great time; I danced, met some cool
>people and had a wonderful experience. It was so
>satisfying to hear songs that dwell in the very fiber
>of my being played live for me to enjoy.
>
> Since that night I have seen DSO a number of times
>whenever they have come to Michigan and have been to
>Gratefulfest twice. (BY THE WAY YOU GUYS SHOULD COME
>UP TO EAST LANSING AND PLAY SOMETIME. MSU WOULD
>WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS)
>
> I have opened my thoughts with a statement of my
>position on the music to inform you, dear readers, as
>of my stance to the level of my appreciation of DSO.
>I know many people whom LOVE DSO, people that think
>they are the greatest band in the world. I know people
>that hate DSO, people that think what they do is
>phony, unoriginal and lacks creativity. To be honest
>with you both sides of the issue make points that are
>true. I will choose not to venture into examples of
>what I FEEL are the good and bad points, I will only
>say that they do exist.
>
> I make my stance in the middle of the pack. I
>enjoy seeing DSO; I think they are very talented
>musicians (let me also say that besides my love of the
>music, my technical knowledge of music, styles and
>theory in non-existent). I say this to extinguish any
>further debate as to the fact that I said DSO were
>"talented" musicians. All I know is that they sound
>good to me and I enjoy listening to them and the music
>they play.
>
> I begin now the purpose of my post, the prior of
>which has been to educate you, dear readers, of the
>angle from which I write to you.
>
> The music that was created by the GD begot a
>culture. It developed into a way of life. I have
>always felt that it was not the purpose of the music,
>but a byproduct of it. I have always felt that it was
>created by the phans not the music. It was centered
>on the music but held, within itself, a number of
>different purposes. Politics, schools of thought,
>mindsets, beliefs and ideologies thrived in this type
>of environment.
>
> Over the years, at the point that I have been
>introduced to the music, these things have come to be
>the "scene" not just a byproduct of it. I think that
>a culture that was developed on ideals of acceptance,
>caring, love, understanding, freethinking and peace
>has become a complete caricature of itself. I feel
>that everything that was able to thrive in the type of
>environment that was created by the GD has been
>suffocated out by those things themselves.
>
> Acceptance has been given a prerequisite of "as
>long as you are equal to my experience and my
>intelligence level"
>
> Freethinking has been morphed into a collection of
>thoughts and ideals so genre based that the term
>"Freethink" has become a complete oxymoron in its
>description.
>
> I have never been involved and have never been
>drawn to the culture that surrounds this music by any
>of those things. I find myself to be made an outsider
>by my political viewpoints, upbringing, way of
>thinking and overall appearance. The only thing that
>has ever drawn me has been the music. The music that
>is able to speak to me a hold me hostage like nothing
>else on the planet, and I think that so many of the
>other issues that I have spoke of have clouded the
>music as the main purpose of it all.
>
> I think that nowhere has this been made clearer
>than on this message board. The complete lack of
>respect that both sides of the argument have shown to
>each other is unbelievable. As I said before, both
>sides have made great points, however they have been
>completely overshadowed by the lack of control you
>have over yourselves.
>
> To be offended so personally by someone else’s mere
>opinion does nothing but show a level of
>self-righteousness in you. Why is it so hard so
>accept that someone else has a different opinion than
>you? Sitting on this message board picking apart
>trivial points in each other’s arguments to prove that
>your reasons and knowledge and your opinion are
>superior to someone elses is the biggest form of
>mental masturbation that I have ever seen. Also
>though it has not been blatantly stated (or maybe it
>has) it seems that for most people involved the point
>of the discussion is not to further the goal of such
>discussion but to simply prove that "I am smarter than
>you, I know more about this than you, I have seen more
>shows than you, therefore I am right."
>
> All of these things have taken away from the fact
>that this is all about the music and nothing else.
>You either like it or you don't. Just because you
>like it doesn’t mean it is better than another form of
>music, all it means is that you like it better. I
>could sit here and begin to debate with you on how I
>think 50 cent is a more talented artist than Jerry
>Garcia. I could rattle off a ton of facts proving my
>points and you all could rebut them with facts of your
>own.
>
> Case and point: opinions are backed reasons,
>reasons are made up off facts (whether they be
>personal facts or statistical. You will always have
>opinions, reasons and facts on both sides of any
>argument; they can be shaped to prove anything the
>author of them wants.
>
> Let your egos subside and remember the ideals that
>all of this once stood for. I believe that the
>individual components of the culture that I mentioned
>before were no the whole of it. The whole of it was
>obviously what all those things created, TOGETHERNESS.
> Being able to dress, look, live, think, love, speak,
>read, watch, participate in, stand for, hope for, and
>work for whatever and however you want. And to let
>the music bring you together.
>
>"Pride, Envy, Avarice-these are the sparks that have
>set aflame the souls of man..."
>
>-Dante
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