[net.music.gdead] more flaming on video Dead

WILKINS@SRI-AI.ARPA (07/29/85)

From:  Wilkins  <WILKINS@SRI-AI.ARPA>


In response to D.S. Lerner (I won't append "Lerner," on the front
of every nth sentence):

You seem so sure that you are the wave of the future and I am living in the
past, that discussing it is probably futile.  I'll be on the lookout for the
tidal wave that will "mow me down".  (Will it hurt?)  With all due respect,
you might be living more in the past than me.

I did not say that electronic reproduction could never be a substitute for
live performances.  Despite living in the past, I actually enjoy listened to
digital CD's of great music (e.g, Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler) on my
state-of-the-art stereo more than I enjoy going to any but the very best live
symphonic performances.  All I am saying is that you guys in the middle of the
crowd in Dead shows with battery powered equipment are not going to make the
kind of reproductions that future generations will be impressed with.  (And
therefore do not have the right to prevent the most magical part of Dead
shows from happening.)

If I could buy Telarc-quality CDs of my favorite Dead shows I'd be first in
line.  I too am glad they made the movie. (FYI, I saw well over 25 shows with
the monster sound system.)  But that movie required having a guy with a camera
standing inches from Garcia while he played.  (I was at all 5 shows.)  Sorry,
but you ain't gonna do that from the balcony.  And even so, one guy on stage
with a camera is much less disruptive than a couple hundred doing it
independently in the audience.

Even if you could make audience movies as good as the Grateful Dead Movie I
would still not be in favor of everyone and his brother making a movie out of
every show.  One is enough. The fact that Dan Healy has already done it makes
it even more necessary for hundreds of others to do it also.  Of course, I
also think good mass transit (as in some European cities) is a better idea
than each person driving his own car to work every day.  Let's have one guy
make a movie, one guy make a CD, let them make some money selling them to us,
and the rest of us can just go and enjoy the music and each other's company, 
and not hassle with all the bullshit of electronic gear.  It wouldn't be 
that hard to do.  It could be done now -- just order a state-of-the-art
recording for a fair price from Grateful Dead Productions of any show you want.

I failed to follow the logic of why you think there will be more space when
people bring video equipment.  There is ALREADY a problem with the number of
people who bring audio equipment, even the Dead have noticed it.  Now you
claim that when we add more people with video equipment (even if they do not
also bring audio equipment) the audio and video people together will 
take up less space.  Huh?

You are sure that after a great show I first ask for a tape.  You're wrong.
If I thought about tapes at all, I would think "I'm sure glad i was at this
show because the people that only get to listen to it on tape (and the people
who spent the show dealing with their tape decks) will never know what it was
like".  I have got tapes of my favorite shows and in general on relistening
I'm always disappointed and wonder why I thought it was so great.  I haven't
seen the video of the Winterland Dark Star, but listening to good tapes of it
never comes close to what it was like being there.  (And anyway, I often close
my eyes at shows to better concentrate on the music.)

You think your kids will enjoy seeing what Dark Star used to be like.  I
humbly submit that an alternative, and equally likely, possible future is they
will listen to your cassettes (which will have faded considerably after 30
years) after being used to hearing digital CDs of most music, and they will
think that old Pops must have fried his brain on drugs if he thinks that muddy
sounding stuff is great!  Who's living in the past?

I don't mean to sound beligerant, but you seemed so convinced I was totally
out of it that I was hoping to show you that people with my views are also
reasonable, if a bit eccentric and peculiar.  If you want to talk the Dead
into hiring Telarc to record every concert and make the results publicly
available, you will have my wholehearted support.

your voice from the past,

David
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