Okay, we've arrived at the midpoint of this series, and curiously it's also Phil's birthday. You may notice I've reused a previous subtitle too, but it's a valid choice.
Today's 'Believe It If You Need It' is the final one featuring The Grateful Dead (performing as a band), and it focuses (mostly) on the Brent era and beyond.
Unlike each of the two earlier shows in this special, I did not try to have something from each year for this one. Instead, I've selected many tunes with Phil singing (or free associating), or laying down some epic, monstrously low, loud notes.
As previously stated, my aim with this series is to offer a comprehensive listen to the quality and expansiveness of Phil's work as a musician, composer, lyricist, and vocalist, across seven decades. But as before, be prepared for some disappointment. There's simply too much material, and ideas regarding their presentation, to squeeze it into about 7 1/2 hours, given that Phil has perhaps played more live concert time than anyone else (can we know this?). You can expect each broadcast to have a focus, maybe even foci.
If you missed either of the other episodes, fear not, they're here [#1 & audio, #2]
- KBOO