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A
Hi, I'm kevin.
B
And I'm amanda.
A
And we are serving up all that jam. All that jam.
C
Quick hit.
A
Bob brolov working with vince wellnick. Vince got maligned by a lot of older heads at the time because he had one keyboard. People felt like he didn't do enough. I don't think people quite get what was going on with that, with his relationship with you and how you and he worked together.
C
Yes, you know, it doesn't matter how many keyboards you're playing, you know, it's the sounds. So Vince and I established a very early bond. I, in fact, I remember I was crossing the Bay Bridge and I got a call from Vince. He hadn't gotten to audition yet and he was preparing for this audition and he was tense about it and what should I do? And you know, I said, well, the way it's going right now is everybody says you can bring in your own instruments if you'd rather play that or if you want other, if you want the bands instruments you can use. I'll set up Brent's rig, you can do that. And you know, and he was tensing up and tensing up and I said, hey, whatever happens, these guys just lost a brother. They don't want your tension. Come in here with some joy. And he really took that to heart and he thanked me many times for that comment. And so he said, do the set up. Brent's rig. And I programmed the songs that he was auditioning for. I programmed them the way Brent might play them and I gave him some options and things like that. And you know, it just went really well. I remember they did Estimated Profit as one of the audition songs. And at the end and after, after Vince had left the audition, I remember Billy saying, hey man, he held on to the seven longer than anyone. So it was like, okay, you know, he was digging in and then, you know, we were updating his synths and at some point he said, look, I just want to play the songs as much as possible, so why don't you orchestrate stuff? And I will have a pedal for piano sounds, a pedal for organ sounds, and then a pedal that's you and whatever you want. And I would, I would know if he liked it or not, whether he used it. Brent, Brent was a player. Brent played in a style that was present and transparent at the same time. You could hear everybody through him and you knew he was there. He would do some subtle stuff. He would play through a tune, first verse and chorus with an electric piano sound, just straight. And then he might come back and do the next chorus with chorusing, you know, the processing on that piano. So then all of a sudden it becomes watery. And so it just shifted the. The feeling as it kind of grew and the tone would. Grew, but with that very subtle kind of thing. And then at the same time, you could blast your horns over on top of the organ and, you know, do all that kind of stuff. But for me, that transparency was very magical that. That you could be that present and hear everybody through you. Is tough thing for a keyboard player because you sort of trained to do these chords in a certain way, which I think Vince did. He played those chords, and I think Vince was in a. In a tough position coming in. You know, Jerry was rough at times in those days.
A
We can say it now we're far enough away, we can say it.
C
He was in rough shape at times, and everybody was kind of relying on the keys to clarify the chord progressions as things were moving through. So he had to be present in that way that made it less transparent. So he would, you know, that it was a tough position because, you know, if he wasn't there, then things could get a little wonky. If he was there too much, then you couldn't hear what everybody else was doing in the same way. That. And I thought he handled it really well. You know, he was really good at that kind of. What would you say, Structural playing.
A
You know, it probably comes from working with the Tubes and all his history.
C
Yeah, you know, I'm sure he held the Tubes together a lot. I'm sure I didn't. I didn't ever really talk to him about it, but it was, you know, he's that kind of a player. He's just knows where it's at.
B
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A
Also, look for full interviews on our YouTube channel. And remember, stay beautiful, but don't stay underground too long.
Episode Date: October 4, 2023
Hosts: Kevin Hogan and Amanda Cadran
Guest: Bob Bralove
This episode of All That Jam features a candid discussion with Bob Bralove, former Grateful Dead sound architect and collaborator, focusing on his working relationship with Vince Welnick—the last keyboardist for the Grateful Dead. The exchange unpacks misconceptions about Vince's role in the band, his audition experience, and the nuanced challenges he faced, both musically and interpersonally, during his tenure.
Bob Bralove tells a revealing story about Vince’s audition nerves:
“Whatever happens, these guys just lost a brother. They don’t want your tension. Come in here with some joy.”
(Bob Bralove, 01:19)
Bob describes prepping for the audition:
“He would play through a tune, first verse and chorus with an electric piano sound… and then he might come back and do the next chorus with chorusing… so then all of a sudden it becomes watery.”
(Bob Bralove, 04:35-05:11)
Bob notes the difficult position Vince was in:
On Vince’s adaptation and skill:
“I thought he handled it really well… He was really good at that kind of—what would you say—structural playing.”
(Bob Bralove, 06:13-06:28)
“I'm sure he held the Tubes together a lot… he's just knows where it’s at.”
(Bob Bralove, 06:32-06:45)
On bringing positivity into the band after Brent’s death:
“Whatever happens, these guys just lost a brother. They don’t want your tension. Come in here with some joy.”
— Bob Bralove (01:19)
On what impressed the band during Vince’s audition:
“He held on to the seven longer than anyone.”
— Bill Kreutzmann, via Bob Bralove (03:13)
On Brent Mydland’s keyboard artistry:
“You could hear everybody through him and you knew he was there.”
— Bob Bralove (04:27)
On Vince’s tough musical position:
“If he wasn’t there, then things could get a little wonky. If he was there too much, then you couldn't hear what everybody else was doing in the same way… And I thought he handled it really well.”
— Bob Bralove (05:38-06:13)
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