DMB Losing the Jam-Band Edge?

[a1075dd63aa12]

i dont like the phrase jam band, its always bothered me

i WILL MAKE SURE NO ONE USES IT FROM NOW ON THEN.

Please dont bother this man with the usage of Jam Band.
Jam Band = Loose, subjective description of musical acts that perform songs Live for more than 5 minutes.



Back to the original question.

I see where your question is coming from. Back in the early days DMB's fans were highly comprised of "hippies", who typically were involved in the jam band scene. This is evident in the Van Rypers video (1992). They also allowed taping of live performances which later on proved to be a smart move as it allowed their music to be frelly spread across the United States and elsewhere. Does this tactic remind you of any other famous jam band? Perhaps, the Grateful Dead. Also, the band had a laid back attitude in the beginning, hence Dave playing in flannel pajama's (something that is characteristic of a "jam band") Anyway, I wouldn't classify their tunes as jam band music but I would say the early music appealed to mainly people who listened to Jam band music & the band acted in a way that was similar to other jam bands with respect to their taping policys.

I do remember going to DMB shows prior to the Frat boy, teenage girl drunk fuck fest. It really was composed of older, "hippie" like crowd without a teenager lusting for Crash in site. You would also never see little girls in tight outfits trying to get a sip of beer from some horny cock eyed hat wearing toolbox with hopes that he might get "some".

Anyway, this isn't to bash on the new generation of fans but to kind of show that they did "kind of" start out as a jam band. Anyway, we can go back & forth if they are to be considered a jam band. my 2 cents

[Kahn]

in the classical, grateful dead sense of the word, they are not a jam band. in todays sense of the word, they are.

true with phish gone, but moe. is keeping it goin

I don't think moe is filling Phish's shoes. I don't think anyone can; but, if you're referring to who can be the next biggest act in our music scene, I would have to say Panic, step on up. They've been together since what, like '84? They're baddass. moe doesn't cut it for me. I like the music and I have all the Warts and All volumes and a few boots, but I can't get into them like I can with other bands. I can listen to Phish and Panic and Umphrey's and SCI all day, but moe's vocals get on my fucking nerves after about an hour, and if I'm not drunk. So my ballot goes to Panic, step up and take your rightful place on the jam throne.

[Speenis]

in the classical, grateful dead sense of the word, they are not a jam band. in todays sense of the word, they are.

true with phish gone, but moe. is keeping it goin

I don't think moe is filling Phish's shoes. I don't think anyone can; but, if you're referring to who can be the next biggest act in our music scene, I would have to say Panic, step on up. They've been together since what, like '84? They're baddass. moe doesn't cut it for me. I like the music and I have all the Warts and All volumes and a few boots, but I can't get into them like I can with other bands. I can listen to Phish and Panic and Umphrey's and SCI all day, but moe's vocals get on my fucking nerves after about an hour, and if I'm not drunk. So my ballot goes to Panic, step up and take your rightful place on the jam throne.

Yes, as I'm sure you know, I would much rather hear/see Umphrey's than any other "jam band" out nowadays. They are the only ones that don't make me fall asleep.

[Usaj88]

On that note, I downloaded a video of some umphrey's show off of archive.org, and the crowd is probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. An orgy of doped up hippies dancing like a bunch of fucking morons, it cracked me up for awhile but then it got pretty annoying when they started undressing.

[Kahn]

On that note, I downloaded a video of some umphrey's show off of archive.org, and the crowd is probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. An orgy of doped up hippies dancing like a bunch of fucking morons, it cracked me up for awhile but then it got pretty annoying when they started undressing.

ummmmmmmmmmm, link?

[Coldchillin]

He said archive.org in his post...

[Brock]

yeah but archive is huge, he probably wants a link to the show

[Kahn]

yeah but archive is huge, he probably wants a link to the show

exactamundo

[Coldchillin]

My bad. I really am stupid.

[DRMusic]

i feel like dmb is more of a jazz improv type band than a jam band. they'll do 10...20 minute songs with wicked improvs, but they're still somewhat guided in where they're going each time they play the song. i agree you hear the long "jam" version early in the tour and it sounds very simliar months later.

[KevinGTArch]

I think its a misconception of the difference between what makes a jam band and "jamming" on a song for 10 minutes.

To clarify, how I've always kept them separated, a jam band will start with a set song but totally take it in a different direction in improvisation. Key changes, time changes, soloing, whatever you want to include to the point where the original song only acts as a foundation and the rest a total departure with an occasional return to the original piece. Phish was excellent at this even on studio albums (i.e. "Run Like An Antelope" on Lawnboy) where I feel that's hard to accomplish in the time alloted.

DMB on the other hand in terms of "jamming" typically only have extended solos or series of solos in each song. While Boyd can take LIOG to different heights with his violin solo, Carter can drum solo on Hello Again, or Leroi on the end of #41 the songs (chord progession, timing, etc) typically remains the seem underneath. DMB does a great job of varying sections of songs they tend to "jam" (solo) but its rarely a dramatic departure and it's more on a year to year basis than night to night. Free soloing everynight always allows for a bit of improvisation but this alone should not constitute them as a jam band.

This make sense to anyone?

[a1075dd63aa12]

I think its a misconception of the difference between what makes a jam band and "jamming" on a song for 10 minutes.

To clarify, how I've always kept them separated, a jam band will start with a set song but totally take it in a different direction in improvisation. Key changes, time changes, soloing, whatever you want to include to the point where the original song only acts as a foundation and the rest a total departure with an occasional return to the original piece. Phish was excellent at this even on studio albums (i.e. "Run Like An Antelope" on Lawnboy) where I feel that's hard to accomplish in the time alloted.

DMB on the other hand in terms of "jamming" typically only have extended solos or series of solos in each song. While Boyd can take LIOG to different heights with his violin solo, Carter can drum solo on Hello Again, or Leroi on the end of #41 the songs (chord progession, timing, etc) typically remains the seem underneath. DMB does a great job of varying sections of songs they tend to "jam" (solo) but its rarely a dramatic departure and it's more on a year to year basis than night to night. Free soloing everynight always allows for a bit of improvisation but this alone should not constitute them as a jam band.

This make sense to anyone?

yes, completely. they arent a jam band. most of the stuff they do that people consider jamming is composed previously. when a jam band dooes something (god i hate that term, as previoulsly noted) they take it somewhere else and create something diifferent. i saw dmb 5 times in a row in 2000 and they didnt jam, the solos and evertything were the same, therefore they arent a jam band. sure the extend the song and include nice solos and solid rhtyms but to say they are jamming is something completely different. IMO

[acousticraven]

Sorry for dusting off an old chest-nut.. and bringing this dead topic back up again for the upteen'if time, but what all of you are saying is that DMB's "jams" are just well chorographed numbers?

[i am sam2]

Sorry for dusting off an old chest-nut.. and bringing this dead topic back up again for the upteen'if time, but what all of you are saying is that DMB's "jams" are just well chorographed numbers?

i dont speak for anyone else, but from what i gather to be the general consensus is that dmb has a general idea of what they are going to do for a certain jam, and almost always stick with it. thats not to say that there isnt jamming/improv or that they cant jam/improv, because they can and do

[acousticraven]

i see..compared to some of the mainstream music out there, i've always considered DMB to be .. "jam-ish".