john@fritz.UUCP (John Gilbert) (10/23/84)
A little background for non-Deadheads: The Grateful Dead utilize one of the
finest sound systems on any concert tour. In addition, their concerts are
exteremely free-form, and versions of songs change dramatically at
each show. At any given concert you will see up to a hundred different sets
of stereo microphones pop up as the band takes the stage, most of them directly
in front of the sound booth. Most of the equipment is portable walkman type
recorders and shotgun microphones which make excellent quality recordings.
The equipment is usually smuggled in through the gates in pant legs, crotches,
or false bottoms in backpacks. Some places are easy to get in, some are tough.
A few people manage to get "back door" passes which allow them to get their
equipment in easily. These days, each show typically will yield two C90
cassettes of music and crowd noise. The Dead have *passively* endorsed this
activity for years.
The upcoming Hallowe'en Dead shows in Berkeley offer something new, the
advent of "taper tickets" - seats behind the sound board where open
taping is "permitted". This is the first time I have really ever heard
the Dead organization *actively* endorse such activities, and their posture
on the issue is good news. It shows that they understand the significance
of the live tapes, and that they don't fell that there is a conflict with
album sales.
The bad news about the taper's tickets is that they were inspired by what
is seen as a growing problem of visual obstruction at the shows. They want
to see if they can encourage people to move behind the sound booth. I
might add that the sound is excellent there (but, the view sucks).
According to "The Golden Road", the Dead are considering the problem, and
it sounds like they want to continue to provide the taping environment.
They are soliciting comments from Deadheads (addressed to Grateful Dead -
Taper Issue). I have been thinking of perhaps getting some sort of co-op
going. This co-op could provide a small scaffold to be put up behind the
sound booth at each show, and allow folks to mount their microphones on it.
Personally, my greatest hassel at any show is my tripod. It is the only
equipment I have ever been unable to get into a show. And I have to agree
that the number of mics has been steadily increasing. The co-op could even
provide a set or sets of mics which people could tap into, though I am not
well versed on the problems of signal-splitting and reduction of quality.
This might involve amplification or signal boost, and might require power.
If the scaffold could be packaged neatly in a compact container, the Dead
might even agree to haul it from show to show, as long as there were co-op
members there to unpack, setup, teardown, repack and otherwise be responsible
for the equipment. I am not sure how far they are willing to go.
A nominal membership to the co-op could offset maintenance
and organizational costs. I sort of hate to see what has been a real
free-form thing go this route, but better to co-operate than to let it get
out of hand. I really appreciate having those tapes - some are indespensible,
and want to continue my collection.
I will probably collect my thoughts and send them on to the Dead office.
I would love to get involved in such an effort. Unfortunately I do not
make it out on tour very often, and think there are better candidates to
lead such an enterprise. Anyone with comments or suggestions, please
send them to me, and better still, to the Dead:
Grateful Dead - Taper Issue
P.O. Box 1073
San Rafael, Ca. 94901
John Gilbert
..!decvax!trwrb!felix!john
"If you ask me like I know you don't,
I'd tell you what to do but I know you won't"rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn) (10/30/84)
> The upcoming Hallowe'en Dead shows in Berkeley offer something new, the > advent of "taper tickets" - seats behind the sound board where open > taping is "permitted". This is the first time I have really ever heard > the Dead organization *actively* endorse such activities, and their posture > on the issue is good news. It shows that they understand the significance > of the live tapes, and that they don't fell that there is a conflict with > album sales. Hmmm, well, it's sort of the first time that they've really made an open public statement. However, the not-infrequent tape taken from the sound board--i.e., a tape made by a D'Head from a feed from the band's sound equipment--would seem to indicate that SOMEone has been paying attention to the issue. I HOPE they don't see a conflict between live tapes and album sales--given that the last albums came out, lessee, um, over three years ago! There aren't any recordings of the recent songs other than what tapers have given us--let alone wondrous stuff like Dark Star, Smokestack Lightnin', or St. Stephen (for which, on LP, you've got to go back to the antediluvian Live Dead and Bear's Choice). I'm not a taper myself, but I'm eternally grateful to the folks who are. It's a unique phenomenon to the Dead. I agree with John that it's touchy to try to formalize it--but it could be a lot better than having the promoter's goon squad busting up equipment and roughing up people, which has happened on occasion in the past. *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** (But I already wrote my message?!) -- Dick Dunn {hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303)444-5710 x3086 ...Simpler is better.
Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@BRL-VLD.ARPA> (10/31/84)
(couldn't use "answer" option to send to Dick Dunn <rcd@opus.uucp>) If you are a serious listener to the music, it is an experience to listen to live AND studio recordings. (I was not pleased to find, in the Beatles' Aug. 1965 Shea Stadium concert film, the studio re- cording of "Act Naturally" dubbed in.)