Grateful Dead [Import]

Grateful Dead | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Warner Bros
• ASIN: B000002KBN
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,768 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Bertha

2. Mama Tried

3. Big Railroad Blues

4. Playing In The Band

5. The Other One

6. Me & My Uncle

7. Big Boss Man

8. Me & Bobby McGee

9. Johnny B. Goode

10. Wharf Rat

11. Not Fade Away/Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Rock and Roll's ultimate live album, October 6, 2002

By 

David Haggard "river minstrel" (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grateful Dead (Audio CD)

This album is well reviewed by various listeners. I appreciate Alan Sandler's review pointing out Bob Weir's work on the bridge between Not Fade Away and Goin'Down the Road. Another excellent example of Bobby's ability to lead the transition between songs in medleys can be found in Europe 72's China Cat/I Know You Rider combo. In both of these recordings, Weir lays out the plot with Jerry providing punctuation, then when the mood is set, Garcia is able to elaborate on the story with soaring lines that truly define the Dead during this era. Listen closely to the stereo separation on these recordings and it becomes easier the distinguish these two very different guitar styles that blended so seamlessly together.

Another facet of the Skull and Roses recordings that is underappreciated in my mind is the drumming of Bill Kreutzman throughout this album. Kreutzman once said that drumming should feel like dancing, and if you want to hear a drummer dancing to the sound of a band in its prime, just listen to the drum tracks here. I love Mickey Hart and his contributions not only to the Dead, but to percussion in general, but to my ears,the single drum set on this recording lends a simplicity and purity that is seldom evident on Dead outings with the full double drum set-up.

One more item that stands out and separates this live recording from others that came before and after, was the engineering of the sound. The Dead were surrounded by technical people who loved the music and found a way to give it life on vinyl (and digital media). The sound here is remarkable, especially in light of the fact that the technological leaps that were just around the corner, were not at the disposal of the bands at that time. It wasn't long before the Dead jumped into the world of digital effects and processing, pioneering new sounds and techniques, but the pure energy of the band always sounds best to me right in the grooves of Skull and Roses.

I claim this as the best live American Band recording, fully appreciating some other fantastic live albums (The Allman Brothers, the Band's Rock of Ages, and many others). I admit to a slight bias having followed the Dead since 1968, but I have never been a fan with blinders, unaware of the band's shortcomings, or of the great efforts from all over the American Rock and Roll map. Still, this album can give me the same sense of euphoria that I felt listening all those years ago.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Balanced Styles, March 7, 2000

By 

G. J Wiener (Westchester, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grateful Dead (Audio CD)

This is a very good album which explores the many different styles of this classic band. Jerry, Bobby, and Pig Pen all have their time on lead vocals and each have strong moments. The re-working of Not Fade Away is just great as Bobby's vocals and Jerry's guitar bring the song to new heights not acheived on previous versions. Then the jam and the intro to Going Down The Road Feeling Bad just sounds so darn creative. Bertha is performed with such spirit that you tend to overlook Jerry's technical flaws in the vocal department. The feeling he puts into the song overides any moments that he wavers off key. Me And Bobbie McKee is another finely reworked cover with some excellent drum work by Bill Kreutzman. The Other One is a bit dull in spots but otherwise this is fine recording of the band at its best, which is Live In Concert.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One stop shop for all your Dead needs, July 31, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Grateful Dead (Audio CD)

The Skull and Roses album is a wonderful live Grateful Dead album. It contains a lot of variety. It has everything from 50's rock (Johnny B. Goode, Not Fade Away) to blues (Big Boss Man) to country (Mama Tried, Me and Bobby McGee) to jamming (The Other One). This is a good sampler of what the Dead is all about. However, most of the lead vocals on this album are by Bob Weir, so Jerry Garcia doesn't get much action. His lead guitar, however, is very prevalent throughout the album. This is just one of the many live albums that the Dead have released, but it's among the best. The other essential live Dead albums are Live Dead and Europe '72.