Steppin Out With the Grateful Dead England 72

Grateful Dead | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 31, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Label: Grateful Dead / Wea
• ASIN: B0002T2Q7O
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,225 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This feels so good!, July 17, 2002

By 

Paul Spitalny "Paul S" (Seattle, Washington USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead - England '72 (Audio CD)

I have been listening to the Dead since 1976 when I saw my first show at the Beacon theatre in NYC. I have heard and colected hundreds of tapes, and more recently, CD's. Believe me when I tell you that, if you like the Grateful Dead, BUY this CD!! The band, in 1972, was at (or beyond!!) the top of it's form. Before the drug problems and comas this was when the Dead were probably one of the best bands bands in the world. The CD starts out with a sweet "Cold Rain and Snow' and takes-off from there. "Playing in the Band" nearly leaves Earth orbit. "Comes a time" is sweet as can be, one of those prortypical slow (Almost frozen in time) Jerry ballads. And check out the Monster Dark Star -> Sugar Mag -> Caution. Caution in '72 - you bet. Fasten your seat -belts and take the phone off the hook.

My only complaint is that whoever did the mix mixed Jerry too loud. I have heard other bootlegs of these shows with a better overall volume balance between all the instuments. Althought I obviously love Jerry's guitar, I prefer a mix that goes more for the overall orchetra or "gestalt" sound. But still, I am very happy with this CD. Actually, more than happy!!

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Some Folks Look For Answers, Others Look For Fights...", March 24, 2006

By 

Mike (Philadelphia, PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steppin Out With the Grateful Dead England 72 (Audio CD)

Steppin' Out (along with Hundred Year Hall) is probably the greatest example of how powerful the Dead were in 1972. This set contains, in my opinion, the greatest Dead lineup, minus Mickey Hart.

What is actually great about this set is that fans of the early Live/Dead era stuff or fans of the Post-Pigpen years will get the best of both worlds, here. You get Pigpen's B3 organ, Soulful Voice and astounding harp blowing wrapped up with Keith Godcheaux's stinging grand piano (he used the Helpinstill piano pickup system, that's why the piano always had somewhat of an electric feel to it, which you couldn't get with microphones; piano players and/or Helpinstill enthusiasts, take note).

Steppin' Out contains so many definitive Dead moments that were never released. Disc 1 and 2 contain superb performances of the shorter songs, especially "Greatest Story Ever Told", "Deal", "Black-Throated Wind", and "Playing In The Band". Speaking of "Playing In The Band", I really think that this is the best version that the Dead had ever done of the song. I really don't think that any hour-long jams that this song bookended after 1974 really captured the essence of the song, as well as this version does.

Speaking of hour-long jams, the "Truckin'-Drums-The Other One-El Paso-The Other One-Wharf Rat" jam on Disc 3 is the true defining moment of this set. However, "Dark Star-Sugar Magnolia-Caution (Don't Stop On The Tracks)" on disc 4 is just as deserving of the same title. But the only problem I have with it is that Donna Jean Godcheaux doesn't get up and harmonize on the "Sunshine Daydream" section with Bob Weir. She did that so well when you heard it on "Europe '72" (although I read that Donna's part was later added during studio overbuds for "Europe '72", so that answers my question). After mayhem of "Caution", Disc 4 and the entire experience in general, ends with the best closing song ever imaginable, "Brokedown Palace". It just sums up everything that has been experienced throughout the duration of the set.

Getting down to the musicians, Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh's lead guitar-bass guitar interplay has never been performed so well, especially in the cerebral modal crosstalk throughout "The Other One" and "Dark Star". Whenever Jerry plays low notes on guitar or Phil plays high notes on bass, they sound so similar, it's almost impossible to tell them apart. Bob Weir's solid rhythm guitar has never sounded so rich and full and hasn't since (during the tune up between "Ramble On Rose" and "Black-Throated Wind", he plays the opening guitar lick from "Weather Report Prelude", which makes you wonder what other things they may have needed these tapes for). Billy Kreutzmann's drumming is just so solid , especially on "Drums" where he rings in "The Other One" in true rhythmic splendor. Along with Kreutzmann, McKernan's random moments of backup percussion (tambourine [audible on "Deal", "Jack Straw", "Wharf Rat", and "Black Throated Wind"] maracas/shakers ["Sugar Magnolia", and "Playing In The Band"], guiro ["Uncle John's Band"]) really does at least make up for parts that were originally played by Mickey Hart in the studio. Still the double drumset crosstalk is sadly absent, and in a way was never the same again after Hart's departure and return, being that both Hart and Kruetzmann changed their drum sounds and styles radically after 1972.

Basically to summarize, any body who even likes the Dead a little bit, should get this set just to here really good live versions of their short songs, but any devoted Dead fanatic who followed the band in it's later years, but couldn't get over to England in time for the recordings of these shows (or you weren't born yet), should get this for the metaphysical/psychological rush of musical mayhem that is the jams, that encapsulate the ends of discs 2, 3, and 4.

The Dead sound very powerful, yet very natural. In later years, they would expand their stage setup with so much percussion equipment and amplifiers that the music seemed to become less original and astounding. This is why, in many respects, this was The Dead at their pinnacle, with Pigpen on his way out and Keith and Donna on their way in. Pretty much the only thing that could've made this better would've been a surprise appearance by Mickey Hart, but unfortunately that was never to be (at least with Pigpen still in the group).

So please, do yourself a favor and buy the album. I promise that a fan of The Dead on any level will love it.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maximum Upgrade Sound, July 16, 2002

By 

krishna sherchan (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead - England '72 (Audio CD)

Like many DeadHeads I have heard much of this material before, most recently on CD-Rs of exceptional quality. Still, the sound here is a big step up in depth and ambience, making the collection a must have (I guess for GD addicts it's all must have but this time I really mean it).

In any case, the E72 shows represent a peak in the Dead's creative output matched, possibly, only a few other times in their career. The compiled version of Other One>El Paso>Other One and the Dark Star (not a comp - most of disc 4 is from April 8th 72) are a healing journey for which I am grateful indeed. Another fave of mine is the Black Throated Wind, which was never better than in 72. This set is a great companion to the original E72 (recently augmented and rereleased on the Golden Road set), and will stay in my CD changer for some time to come!

And I suspect that GDMusic is saving 5/25/72 for a release yet to come....