Grateful Dead “Terrapin Station”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#126 in the Series) is Grateful Dead, Terrapin Station.
You hardly ever hear people mention this album when they talk about the Dead, well maybe a little but it doesn’t get it due.
Side one of Terrapin Station five songs. The most known songs being Estimated Prophet and two cover tunes, Dancing in the Streets, and Samson and Delilah.
What Terrapin Station is known for is the full sided title track that is side two.
The sixteen plus minute song, and one that was performed in it’s entirety many times by the band.
It’s broken into six parts.
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Lady With a Fan
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Terrapin Station
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Terrapin
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Terrapin Transit
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At a Siding
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Terrapin Flyer
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Refrain
The 1977 Arista release was produced by Keith Olsen. It was one of the few times that the Grateful Dead used an outside producer. Keith also produced bands like Fleetwood Mac, Whitesnake, Scorpions and Ozzie Osbourne. So he was quite the interesting choice to say the least.
On an personal note regarding Terrapin Station. Sonor drums had just released a new drum line right before the recording sessions began. The first two kits were ordered by The Dead’s Mickey Hart and a good friend of mine, Shadowfax drummer, Stuart Nevitt.
Stu’s kit arrived first. Mickey Hart wanted to use these drums on the album so he borrowed Stu’s to do the sessions. Well, at least I thought it was cool.
Terrapin Station peaked at #28 and was certified gold in 1987.
David Grisman “Hot Dawg”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day is David Grisman, “Hot Dawg.”
What a wonderful sounding piece of music. Not really bluegrass, but pretty close. David calls his music, Dawg Music.
This was an album that I could listen to front to back day after day.
David, mandolin, was performing with a quintet during this period. Band members included, Tony Rice on guitar, Darol Anger on violin, Mike Marshall on violin and mandolin, and Tony Phillips on bass. All heavyweights!
Highlights include ’16…16, Dawg’s Bull,Minor Swing’ and ‘Neon Tetra.’ But listen to the whole album. You won’t be disappointed.
“Hot Dawg” reached #14 on the Billboard Jazz Charts early into 1979.
Here’s a live version of ‘Dawg’s Bull” from the old ‘Fridays’ show on ABC.
Old & In The Way “Old & In The Way”
Today’s Cool Album of the Days (#5 in the series. Yup, I just started this) is the self titles album by “Old and In The Way.”
Five great musicians getting together for some great pickin’ and singin.’ I guess you could call it bluegrass but there’s more than a hint of old fashioned mountain music thrown in.
For those of you not familiar with this project, “Old and In the Way” were Peter Rowan (guitar, vocals), David Grisman (mandolin, vocals), John Kahn(bass), Vassar Clements (fiddle) and Jerry Garcia (banjo, vocals.)
Can I name a stand out cut. No, not really since EVERY track is a must listen. There’s no filler on this classic. This live album was recorded and released in October, 1973.
There’s an interesting story
on how I first heard about this album. It was 1974. My sister and I
took a ride to the great Hegewish Records in Calumet City Illinois.
She went to pick up the Dead’s “From The Mars Hotel” album. When she proceded to check out, Joe the owner, seeing her purchase and then figuring she liked the Dead, gave her some promo 45s that were all Grateful Dead related. I remember it clearly to this day. They were in nice picture sleeve jackets. They were Robert Hunter’s Tiger Rose, a Keith and Donna Godchaux promo, Ned Lagin andPhil Lesh’s Seastones and then of course, Old and In the Way. How cool would it be to have those now!
I didn’t know much about bluegrass nor The Grateful Dead at the time.
I quickly became a fan of both.
Cool Album of the Day 