I like The Dead, but I think some of their early psychedelic albums, from their first through to Aoxomoxoa, are hideous.

However, that's not to say that I don't love Live / Dead, or Workingmans, American Beauty, Skull & Roses, Wake of the Flood, etc, as their Americana is pretty tasty.

I also adore some of their archive live stuff, like the Wake Up to Find Out 3cd set with Branford Marsalis, and the Bruce Hornsby era Dicks Picks stuff. However, sometimes Donna Godchaux wailing like a banshee is a bit disconcerting.

One other thing: the Dead are bad at the blues and soul covers, i.e Little Red Rooster and Dancing In The Streets. However, Jerry Garcia Band isn't too bad at blues and soul, so maybe Lesh and Weir might detract somewhat.

Pigpen was the bluesiest of the bunch, he bled blue:

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
Smokestack Lightning
Big Boss Man
Hard To Handle
The Same Thing
Midnight Hour
Easy Wind
Operator
Next Time You See Me

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TeaAtThree

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HMS
Never heard a single Dead-song in my life - and that´s true.
I only know them as the backing band on Dylan´s live-album "Dylan & The Dead", which is one hell of a lousy live album.

Ain't that the truth. That album is universally panned by both Dead and Dylan fans. If that's the case, who's gonna like it?

T@3

Not by me as I love it , what I don't love is people that presume to speak for me !