Album Review – GRATEFUL DEAD – Long Strange Trip Soundtrack (Rhino)
Review by Geoff Jenke
Long Strange Trip is a four hour documentary film about the Grateful Dead which has Martin Scorsese as one of the directors. A 2 CD Soundtrack from the doco has been released covering the Dead both live and studio tracks.
The story of the Grateful Dead is in real life, indeed a long strange trip. Formed in 1965, the band fused elements of rock, psychedelic rock, blues, reggae, folk, country, jazz and space rock. They were well known for their lengthy live performances which often went over the four hour mark. The Dead called it a day in 1995 after original member Jerry Garcia passed away. However some members have toured since 1995 as The Other ones and The Dead.
The Dead played over 2,300 concerts in their 30 years and actively promoted the taping (and swapping) of their shows by fans. Fans went by the name of Deadheads and were extremely loyal to the band.
They released over 15 studio albums in their career, but to date well over 130 live albums. An amazing feat for a band that have only had 4 top forty singles in the U.S. charts and these after 1980.
The Grateful Dead were never really popular outside the U.S.A, although did several successful tours of Europe. They never toured Australia or Japan.
This 2CD set captures the Dead from early studio tracks in the classic Uncle John’s Band and Easy Wind from their 1970 album Workingman’s Dead and Candyman from American Beauty album (also 1970) but it is the live tracks that capture the band at its best.
The earliest live tracks are from 1969’s Dead/Live album in Death Don’t Have No Mercy and St Stephens. Their “tour de force” live track Dark Star is an unreleased 1970 version and stretches to 25 minutes, every moment a listening wonder.
Two further previous unreleased live tracks are versions of The Beatles Hey Jude and Traffic’s Dear Mr Fantasy, done as only the Dead could do.
Long Strange Trip Soundtrack is certainly a great place start if you don’t know the band but want to check out what they are all about. Of the nineteen tracks only 6 are studio so it barely scratches the surface of the Grateful Dead’s output. Be careful though. Once hooked it will be an extremely long strange trip for you to catch up on them.
No Comments