prunebreath (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

A bluegrass/jug band called the Warlocks heard their buds, MG, practicing a noodling song called "Dark Magic." (That MG would sometimes play for it for an entire set. ;) A short time later, the Warlocks became a noodling band with a new song called "Dark Star" and a new name, the Greatful Dead. In 1966/67, in SF, there was no question as to who/whom was best. -le prune

skimballc (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Arkady63, quit trying to suck your own dick and go whack off to John Mayer videos.

ortleyman (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Your right I shouldn't have put them over the Dead (it's blasphemous). Sought of like dissing Dylan. The reason I went there was The Grapes sound ranges from the Byrds to Vannilla Fudge to the blues. That song Mr. Blues sounds like Otis Redding is sing it. The vocalist is just awesome on that song. Its too bad they were not able to stay around for long then maybe I could make a case.

kingcrimson1973 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The Grape were fucking awesome, but the Dead are in a different league altogether. I would never go so far as to say they blew the Dead away, different things.

ortleyman (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Love The Grape. Skip Spence was the shit. This band blew the Airplane and the Dead away in my book. Anyone tend to agree.

tedplaysguitar (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I worked in the 60s in TV stations for CBS, ABC & local networks. I can confirm there was not all the technology you needed for a live band to play. maybe one monitor & the techs often kept the band at bay, not the bands fault. You may get lucky & have 1 or 2 Fairchilds (602 )or Pultecs, Gates Sta-level, CBS Volumax/Audimax & very basic desk eq/limiting & pre amps and little time to set up. The components we use today just were not around in the 60s. The Grape were 1 of the better bands around.

Arkady63 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Sure you did. If this was 1967 or after there was all the technology you needed. Those who defend these clowns have got the right to. But things like keeping the host waiting to tuning your instruments only seconds before performing to making all that backstage noise to pulling those dumb and condescending faces reeks of pretention and self importance. A band that sucks its own dick by claiming to "bridge the geography gap" (whatever that meant) is a bore.

jpinnacle (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

You're aware they didn't have stage monitors back then, right?

Arkady63 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Terrible stage presence...probably the only band to be making back stage noise and keeping the host waiting during the taping of a show they're on. Pretentious and self important...especially for a band singing out of tune and playing slightly off rhythm.

pretorious700 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Shows how much you know