Customer Reviews

Before Time Began

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This CD consists of 6 demo tracks by the NRPS when Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, and Phil Lesh were in the group. The second half is David Nelson goofing around. The demos (4 from November 1969 and 2 from July 1968) feature some of Garcia's richest pedal steel playing, especially on "All I Ever Wanted." This recording of "Superman" is much different than that which later showed up on the Gypsy Cowboy LP (out of print---an outrage to music lovers). The backward tracks are still entertaining if you like weird stuff and have a sense of humor, but get it for the demos!

This CD is worth buying if a) you're a serious NRPS freak and want to add some old rare tracks to your collection, or b) you'd enjoy some true inovational pedal steel playing by Jerry Garcia.
The demos and outtakes give some insight into the formative years in the New Riders brand of country rock. Superman is done sweetly. But it's Garcia's approach to the pedal steel that really grabbed me. Like his guitar playing with the Grateful Dead and his banjo picking with Old and In the Way, Jerry shows that he had music in his head that nobody had ever heard before. Buddy Cage and Barry Sless carry on his style with the pedal steel, but here it is, fresh from the source.
Also, of passing interest, is David Nelson's experiments with his electronic toys.
If you're looking for hit records, forget this one, but if you're reading this reveiw, buy the CD. ;)