Under The Blankets:Other People Playing Grateful Dead Music

The Grateful Dead have played a lot of other peoples songs in their long strange trip. To keep in that tradition lets explore other people playing Grateful Dead songs.










Next week I am going to explore the songs that the Grateful Dead covered by viewing the original artist play them.

Steve Kimock's Dead Family History

After I posted that long list of where to find the Dead on archive.org earlier this week, I sort of stopped listening to the Dead. So today's random blogging is goin to look at Steve Kimock. Sure I can talk about his bands, his influence, his history. Instead I have decided to take a deeper look at his musical interpretations of Grateful Dead music. This is a Grateful Dead blog after all.

When I think of Kimock and Grateful Dead music the first thing that comes to my mind is Phil and Friends. He had filled the guitar role very well I believe. His connection doesn't start there though. It began as early as 1980 with the Heart Of Gold Band. This was Keith and Donna's band after they left the Grateful Dead. Kimock was young. Yet he seems extremely experienced. His riffs were very Jerry-like yet they had his own personality behind each note. This band only played one concert. Then Keith had died in a car accident. After this Kimock was in a band called Zero. This would end up being his love affair for a better part of his musical career. Garcia even sat in with Zero for one concert. Click the picture Jerry and Steve for a download!!!

Zero became one of the most popular Bay Area band in the 80s and early 90s. Well other than the Grateful Dead (They were still a Bay Area band right?) Zero has adopted much of the Grateful Dead's style over the years without being a Grateful Dead cover band. They even have Robert Hunter write a few songs for them. Not many bands can get that kind of offering.

Zero has covered Crazy Fingers. This song is perhaps my favorite Grateful Dead cover...ever. (Next to Widespread Panic's 8-23-2008 Morning Dew) Track 10 is Crazy Fingers. The voice should be familiar since it is Donna Jean. Don't Let that scare you away though!!! Click Here To Download 5-25-07!!!

Another amazing Kimock band with yet another endearing cover is Steve Kimock's Crazy Engine. This band is with Melvin Seals of JGB fame on the keys. This band absolutely tears down the house with every show. With this band Kimock has covered a moving version of Stella Blue and a few other familiar JGB songs. Melvin Seals is in the band after all. Stella Blue is track 15.
Click Here To Download 4-17-09!!!

Now that I have covered this ground I can move onto Steve's work with Post Jerry Dead bands. The first I can think of was The Other Ones. This was the first "Grateful Dead reunion band" Since Garcia had died. The music was fun and Kimock added a lot to this lineup. The Other Ones plays Mountains On The Moon. The last time this song was played was way back in 1969 by a little band called The Grateful Dead. The same concert also has a great Scarlet>Fire. Scarlet Begonias brings Kimock full circle in the Grateful Dead universe, this was the only Grateful Dead song on Keith and Donna's Heart Of Gold Band's album which Kimock played on. Click on the picture of The Other Ones to Download 6-29-98!!!



Steve Kimock was also in Vince Welnick's Missing Man Formation in 1998. I am not sure if Missing Man came before The Other Ones though. Here is a full concert you can watch and enjoy. I really dig this band and Vince Welnick in general.



Then in 1999 Kimock had joined Phil Lesh's ever revolving door of musicians in Phil Lesh and Friends. This pretty much ended badly. When Kimock left the band he posted on his website "I ain't going to work on Maggie's farm no more." Either way this musical relationship ended the music was stellar.

Kimock may have been over shadowed with playing during the time that Trey and Page from Phish joined the band for a few nights. Yet Kimock could certainly hold his own. In many ways I enjoyed Kimock's playing better than other "friends" during that time peroiod. A favorite Kimock song of mine, Tangled Hangers, showed up on 10-21-99!! Click the Picture above for a Download of 10-21-99!!!


I know I am leaving out Kimock's work with Mickey Hart here. Maybe that will be another day. Instead I am skipping to 2007 when Kimock sat in with Ratdog. The interesting thing about him playing with Ratdog for a tour was he had NO rehearsals. In his own words, "It’s stupid, man, with a capital ‘D’! [Laughs]. But there really wasn’t much time, either. Basically, I got in the car [in Pennsylvania, where he lives] and drove up to Milwaukee, hopped up onstage and said, ‘Let’s go!’
Obviously I know where this stuff is coming from, and I’ve been playing onstage with rock bands all my life, so it’s not like they grabbed a clarinetist out of a Broadway pit orchestra and said, ‘Here, cover this stuff.’ So I wasn’t entirely clueless on an energetic level. But on the detail-specific level of arrangements, I had a bit to learn or discover. As regards the whole band chemistry thing, that’s not something you can rehearse or second guess; you just have to get up there with the guys and play. Weir’s been playing some of this material all his life, and most of the rest of the guys have been playing in this band for ten years, so they have their thing down in a way, and to enter into that is a little tricky. But I usually know when to shut up and I usually know when to stick my little foot in it." Here is one of the first shows he played with Ratdog.


Click the Picture to Download 7-11-07!!! This show also features special guest Keller William sitting in on a few songs.

I might have missed some stuff but this gives you a good idea of Steve Kimock's history with Grateful Dead music.

Grateful Dead Family On Archive.org

Boombox (Keith and Donna's son Zion's band)
http://www.archive.org/details/BoomBox

Dark Star Orchestra (I am including this since John is in Furthur with Phil and Bob)
http://www.archive.org/details/DarkStarOrchestra

Donna Jean and The Tricksters
http://www.archive.org/details/DonnaJeanandtheTricksters

Donna Jean Band
http://www.archive.org/details/DonnaJeanGodchauxBand

Grateful Dead (we should all know this one by now!!!)
http://www.archive.org/details/GratefulDead

Henry Kaiser (1994 Japan show with Bob and Vinny!!)
http://www.archive.org/details/kaiser1994-08-27.shnf

Jackie Greene (From Phil and Friends..if you dig through it you will find Bob and Phil sitting in)
http://www.archive.org/details/JackieGreene

Melvin Seals and JGB (NO JERRY ON THESE RECORDINGS)
http://www.archive.org/details/JGB

KVHW (Steve Kimock, he has played in Heart Of Gold Band(Keith and Donna's post Dead band, The Other Ones, Phil and Friends, Rhythm Devils, Ratdog)
http://www.archive.org/details/KVHW

KVMW (Steve Kimock)
http://www.archive.org/details/KVMWBand

Little Feat (Shakedown Street's producer, Lowell George's band)
http://www.archive.org/details/LittleFeat

Mickey Hart Band
http://www.archive.org/details/MickeyHartBand

Moe. (Bob Weir has sat in with them a couple of times, you can find the exact shows though. I am too lazy for all of that)
http://www.archive.org/details/moe

Phil Lesh and Friends
http://www.archive.org/details/PhilLeshandFriends

Psychedelic Guitar Circus (Henry Kaiser and Steve Kimock...great version of Dark Star)
http://www.archive.org/details/PsychedelicGuitarCircus

Ratdog (For those that don't know Bob Weir's band)
http://www.archive.org/details/Ratdog

Rhythm Devils (Mickey Hart and I think Billy K. also Steve Kimock and Mike Gordon from Phish)
http://www.archive.org/details/RhythmDevils

Steve Kimock
http://www.archive.org/details/SteveKimock

Steve Kimock Band
http://www.archive.org/details/SteveKimockBand

Steve Kimock's Crazy Engine (SK and Melvin Seals)
http://www.archive.org/details/SteveKimockCrazyEngine

The Dead
http://www.archive.org/details/TheDead

The Other Ones NEW!!!!
http://www.archive.org/details/TheOtherOnes

Melvin Seals
http://www.archive.org/details/MelvinSeals

Vince Welnick
http://www.archive.org/details/VinceWelnick

Zero (Steve Kimock)
http://www.archive.org/details/Zero
****Jerry sits in with Zero here:
http://www.archive.org/details/zero1988-07-16sbd

Dark Star From Sunshine Daydream

So I have been in the process of listening to every Dark Star performed. I decided to check out YouTube to see what I could find. To perhaps watch one as opposed to only listen. PS If you want to read my full Dark Star reviews these are all Lost Sailor Pub exclusives. That and I really don't want to copy and paste that much into this blog. So head on over to LSP Go to Songs Sang Aboard The Ship Of Fool and you will see my Dark Star Project at the top!!!

Half -Step>Rider?!?!

This show was suggested by a friend. After I looked at the second set I couldn't resist. We will get to that later though.

1st Set
I NEED to point out that the tuning featured a Morning Dew riff.This show opens with an upbeat, pretty rocking Touch. The entire band seems to be energetic from the get-go as they move into Hell In A Bucket. Brent as normal does shine through during the mini jam of Bucket. Bob's vocals are pretty good for this as well. With Bobby screaming "Ride! Ride! Ride! At least I'm enjoying the ride!" the song closes and the band finds itself in a strong Sugaree. This is a good version. Once Jerry finds the groove, he stays there and rides the tidal waves that Sugaree often offers. He adds a blues touch in the middle of Sugaree. Jerry sings the chorus one more time as the song ends. After some regrouping they launch into Cassidy. Bob is having fun with this song. Brent also adds a nice a element to the song. With his vocal work and key work. The jam in Cassidy has an amazing climax that I haven't heard in other versions. Stagger Lee is played with a certain amount of energy that the rest of the set has. It's All Over Now features some nice band interplay. Garcia once again finds his home on the fretboard as the song builds on top of itself. The vocal harmonies are also top notch. Great slide work from Bobby during Over Now. He was really coming into his own as a slide guitar player as of 1985. The closing jam features some really fun Brent keys. The next song is Row Jimmy. Sometimes this is an excellent song, other times is a snoozer and I want to skip it. This one has nice guitar work from Bob and Jerry. Yet overall, I want to skip it. I can say there are some outstanding harmonies in this version. I suppose it is something to get me through the song. The ending of the song picks up energy. After a quick tuning the band goes into Feel Like A Stranger. Once again the high energy of the entire set is brought back. Bob's vocals are once again in top form. Also the band goes into a funky little jam. This reminds me of a Shakedown jam but a lighter version of it.

2nd Set
1/2 Step is the set opener. The band still seems to be in full form. Jerry's vocals are a little Kermit The Froglike. It is a decent version of the song but nothing to crazy. Then comes what sounds like it could be Iko Iko. Wait no...its I Know You Rider!!! It could have been a smoother trasnition. Either way I am very happy with the execution. This Rider is very up tempo. Jerry's guitar work is very fluid, which at this point in the concert I am expecting for the rest of the show to be the same. Then they segue right into Playin' In The Band!!! This seems to be about an average 85 Playin'. Then Brent steps in and changes all of that. After that boost from Brent Jerry finds his footing as does Bobby. Overall, this mix doesn't showcase Phil too much. He finally gets a little room to move in Playin' though. From what I can hear I just wish he was in the mix better. Although, the Playin did take a quick turn from average to kick arse. Amazing musical thoughts happening on the stage that night. This segues very smoothly into Uncle John's Band. This UJB features some harmonies that range from 2 to 11. (on a 0-10 rating 10 being the highest). No need to worry about the vocals though as the music is above par. They nail every jam flawlessly. As the Supplication jam is underway. This also gets very spacey. The entangled notes just bounce off each other as the drummers become a little antsy. Drums is nothing special. It isn't bad, but it is very basic. The beginning of Space begins with a roar that could almost be compared to thunder. This space is very pretty and organized. It is very dreamlike. I often wonder what the themes were for Space. For a moment I think I can hear Stella Blue, just for a second. Instead the band settles on Truckin'. After a great vocal show for Bob Truckin' had to come up. He messes up lyrics like it was his job. Jerry also has some weird Kermit moments in it. Still the band was on fire as they continue into Comes A Time. Jerry seems to struggle through the vocals with a little Kermit in his throat. Yet the emotion that he conveys is very powerful. Brent and Phil seem to follow each other very closely behind Jerry's lead and Bob's rhythm. The drummers have also added a lot to Comes A Time. After the ballad slot comes Around and Around. It brings the energy back that was throughout the rest of the concert. This moves smoothly into Good Lovin'. Bob gets to scream a little during this one. The set closes to leave time for an encore. Another song with It's All Over Now in the title. This time It's All Over Now, Baby Blue. A pretty good version of the song. Bob adds a lot of color into the mix with some nice guitar playing. I would say this song suffers the worst from Kermit Jerry in this concert. Over all this is a great listen, worth the time to listen to the entire thing.


Stream the soundboard

Download The Aud!!! Click The Ticket

Two shots of whiskey, This show is looking good

So this show was suggested to me by Sugarmag. According to her this is a Swami pick. Go to Lost Sailor's Pub for more picks like this one. Anyway lets get on with the show.

The first set features a solid '84 style first set. Minglewood and Dupree's are both highlights. Then Far From Me, a song I normally skip, has excellent key action from Brent. Ramble On Rose is also played excellently. Next up is the "power slot" in the 1st set. Sailor>Saint features some nice keyboard work from Brent. Also the whole band seems to be on for this set which always works.The band is getting warmed up for the set that follows with this combo. During the 4 minute mark they begin to really get on fire. A very tight jam which leads back to the chorus. In the chorus Bob gets carried away and raps, "I just want to fuck you I do". The audience cheers at the improv lyrics and the band soon ends the song. Then the set closes with Deal. A solid version which features an amazing jam at the end of the song. The four minute mark is to be taken note of. You can instantly tell they are about to rock the song, which of course they do!!! Jerry's lead is precise yet, the whole band really takes credit. You know how sometimes you hear a song and think to yourself, "Jerry just rocked, I wish the rest of the band could have been there with him." Ha Ha this is not one of those moments.

On to set 2!!! Which opens with Shakedown Street. I really love the '84 Shakedowns. When they nailed them they were perfect. Phil comes through excellently, as he should on Shakedown. Brent's backing vocals are very prominent on this as well. Then the real jam begins. Oh wow!!! Check out Bob adding color under Jerry and Phil in the Shakedown jam. Then Shakedown melts into a rockin' Playin In The Band. Very focused and straight to the point during the verse and chorus. Then they begin to stray. When the stray it is pure beauty. Which sits really well in this otherwise high energy show. You can hear hints of Terrapin being played in the ending jam of PITB. Once we get that Terrapin Brent adds some nice keys to help keep the beauty alive. Jerry also compliments Brent during this Terrapin intro. Terrapin is very hypnotic as you can hear the drummers begin to get restless. The Rhythm Devils are at it again in this concert. Sometimes I wonder how electronic music fans can not like the Grateful Dead. If for anything just the Drums segment of each show in the 80s and beyond. Space carries over the same theme with some excellent guitar work from Jerry. The space also showcases Jerry's love for brass instruments. His timing reminds me of Miles Davis or John Coltrane. Then as space cools down they smoothly move back into PITB. A high energy performance to balance out the beauty part of the show. After a rousing Playing Reprise they move full throttle into Truckin'. I am not able to listen to the rest of this show at the moment. I can tell you there is a Day Job encore, which in theory means its a hot show. I really wanted to finish this show too. My internet keeps acting up and I have had to reset it like 5 times during the listening of this concert.

Click On The Ticket To Download!!!

Primal and Woodstock

I have chosen to feature some "Primal Dead" in this weeks Sunday Video. The video is rough at times but historically important.



And now to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Woodstock some videos from The Dead and more from that historic concert. I know the Dead's set was way below par but we have video of it!!!