Grateful Dead - the Most Overrated Band Ever?

[firedog]

Overrated: yes. Most overrated of all time? Clearly not.

 

The Dead were good and original in their style and milieu.

Their big claim to fame were the live improvs-jams. What is true is that they managed with their live shows to truly communicate with their audience and as a result had  a dedicated audience who not only loved their shows, but also loved listening to tapes of the shows (and the Dead were about the only band that encouraged taping of their shows. Smart move). Having that kind of long running relationship with your audience - especially not a small audience - counts for a lot.

 

As a big Jazz fan, I find the Dead's improv-jamming a bit second rate. Not terrible by any means, but not up to the standard of a first rate jazz band. So in that sense, yes, overrated.

[firedog]

11 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

Who was more overrated than them then in your opinion, if I may ask?

A couple off the top of my head from the same era: The Moody Blues, Love. Love put out a few OK albums, IMO, and gets put on the lists of best albums of all time. There are lots of others.

[firedog]

11 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

There are more bands like this, even in my home country

Yes, but the Dead have a worldwide audience like that - and a very big one. Also multi-generational. How many bands do you know like that? There aren't a lot.

[firedog]

1 hour ago, sphinxsix said:

 

None of them IMO had a cult following similar to GD. That was exactly the reason why I chose GD as IMO most overrated one, of course beside my attitude to their music which in its essence I had described above.

 

The Dead have a dedicated very large following. I wouldn't call it a cult. There are just too many of them and many of them are just serious fans, not cultists. IMO, overrated has to also relate to the actual abilities and qualities of the band. The Dead's are not inconsiderable.

[firedog]

48 minutes ago, ASRMichael said:

The Beatles! 

And even if they were, they're still the best...

[firedog]

17 hours ago, Priaptor said:

Well tells you something. Could you imagine them playing In Memory of Elizabeth Reed at a Bar Mitvah or wedding??

I hear some parents ask for "Whipping Post".

[firedog]

3 hours ago, Jud said:

The friend I'd gone with and I were completely blown away by Miles, to the point where, when Herbie took the stage and started playing, we silently nodded to each other and left.  Herbie's music just wasn't in the same league.

Boy, Herbie must have been having a really bad night. He's such a talented musician and composer. Never thought of him as not in the same league.

[firedog]

11 minutes ago, rwwjr44 said:

Is a great single malt Scotch whiskey overrated? No, but it most often is not appreciated when first introduced to the palate. 

The better analogy would be if someone started a thread about "Single Malt XXX" being over-rated. I can think of a few that would qualify.

Single malt is not necessarily equal to good or best. That's one of the reasons blends were invented. 

IMHO, there are even some good blends that are superior to many single malts, if taste is your essential criterion.

[firedog]

6 hours ago, MarkusBarkus said:

I have a strict testing regime when it comes to Scotch. I'm trying to find one I don't like

Boy, that picture shows you aren't kidding. Impressive.