If I could get ONE show (I don't want too much, now!) with as many of
those horrible songs on it as possible, which would it be?
And it would be nice if the show were still relatively enjoyable,
despite the setlist.
PS--If anybody wants to set up a trade, let me know...I've got some GOOD
stuff to send back!
The thing is, I don't think there was much "bad Brent." OK, his songs weren't
all that special. They weren't all that bad either. For me, his songs were
just "there." Just pleasant little ditties, not what one normally associated
with the Dead, but so what? The beast kept changing, and that ain't bad.
Anyway, Brent's compositions were few and his most important contributions were
his keyboard playing (esp. the organ wailing) and his harmony vocals. He was
probably the best vocalist the GD ever had. Maybe it's because I started
seeing the GD in the late 80's, but the run from '87-89 remains my favorite
period. '70-'74 is pretty awesome though.
Peace,
Shaun
Oh, yeah, Brent was a mighty fine performer! He sang well, played well, and
definitely brought out the best in Jerry, who seemed to thrive off of
interaction with the keyboardists. But some of his songwriting skills left
a bit to be desired.......
Peace,
Neil X.