Dylan & The Dead [Live]

Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000026RU
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,937 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For a man openly hostile to tie-dyed nostalgia, Bob Dylan's 1987 summer tour with the Grateful Dead was a confounding event indeed. The result on this concert recording is Dylan warbling across the usual Dead groove: neither rock nor roll. No new compositions emerged from the summit, so their repertoire is limited to an unsurprising list of chestnuts ("All Along the Watchtower," "Knocking on Heaven's Door," etc.). Their meandering version of Dylan's "I Want You" would be a vicious parody of the original if it weren't so sadly true. And if these were the stadium tour's best performances, pity anyone who actually sat through one of these concerts with a clear head. --Steve Appleford

Product Description

Out of print in the U.S.! 1989 live album recorded during the legendary tour that these two legendary acts, sharing the stage and rippin' it up night after night. Seven tracks. Sony.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Let's Keep This In Perspective March 18, 2008

By M. Crowley III

Format:Audio CD

Over the years, I held off on purchasing this disc due to the almost uniformly scathing reviews blasting it - some of the most virulent and sarcastic can be found here on Amazon. However, the intriguing pairing of these two classic artists (and I'll admit like other reviews state - the beyond cool album cover) got the better of me and I bought it used as a hedge.

I've taken a listen - what do I think? a) Dylan and The Dead is not the place to start your collection of either artist; b) There are better commercially available live albums of each artist individually; and c) keeping those caveats in perspective, this is a ragged, free-wheeling, and ultimately satisfying performance that I will go back to from time to time, because I seek out this type of music for the feel and inspiration it gives me.

Contrary to what I have read, Dylan's vocals are acceptable, and they are intriguing for what he chooses to include and leave out given the generally accepted crossroads he was at in his career. The Dead's sound is unmistakable, and provides an interesting filter to standard and not so standard selections within Dylan's substantial song catalog.

Finally, I find this unique album (it will never happen again with all the same key players present) every bit as listenable as any of the countless live Dave Matthews/Phish/String Cheese Incident/You Name It albums out there that I have heard bits and pieces of but would never be motivated to purchase based on their meandering sound and lack of songcraft.

All and all, a worthy album that you will be surprised by if you are a fan of either artist, given the amount of negative reviews associated with it.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars not that bad! December 5, 2000

By Greg Gorden

Format:Audio CD

OK, if you can get the tape of the Oakland show of this tour you will be astounded because that tape has tight, enthusiastic, rocking performances. For some reason this cd's tracks were culled from the early, more tentative performances on the tour, and not the later West Coast swing. At the time of the release Garcia and Hart complained that Dylan just picked the tracks and put the thing together with either minimal input from the Dead or any critical distance. Also, I have heard tapes of the rehersals and Dylan's heart just isn't into it, he stops songs halfway and you can hear the Dead's disappointment with their idol. All in all, an interesting cd that could have been a whole lot better.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, but not great April 23, 2009

By bass boy

Format:Audio CD

The remastering sounds really good on this. It's not compressed too much, and there's nice low end from Phil Lesh and the drummers. Jerry Garcia turns in some decent guitar solos, although the tempos rush and drag here and there. Not the poo-poo stick many claim this to be, but it's not fantastic, either. I'll reach more often for Dylan/The Band's "Before the Flood," which has quite a bit more punch and grit.