GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST

Episode: Wake Of The Flood 50: Prelude/Tuesday Night Jam
Hosts: Rich Mahan & Jesse Jarnow
Date: November 7, 2023

Episode Overview

This special edition of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast marks a detour from the main coverage of the "Wake of the Flood" album to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its release. The episode centers on the unearthing and investigation of a previously unheard, mysterious studio recording from November 1973—titled "Prelude" and "Tuesday Night Jam." This long, experimental studio piece, recorded without Jerry Garcia but featuring Robert Hunter in a rare performance role, offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the Grateful Dead’s experimental ethos and collaborative spirit. The hosts present the tape, investigate its origins, and unpack its significance with special guests, including Donna Jean Godchaux-McKay and scholars of Dead history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery and Context of the "Prelude" Tape

• Timeframe & Purpose:
  • On November 6, 1973, the Grateful Dead convened at the Record Plant in Sausalito, CA, minus Jerry Garcia, and with lyricist Robert Hunter present. The official reason was to edit "Eyes of the World" for single release, but they instead recorded a unique improvisational session.
• Nature of the Tape:
  • Titled "Prelude" and "Tuesday Night Jam" on the box, the recording runs for about 36 minutes and defies categorizations, representing a collective improvisational experiment.
• Rediscovery:
  • The session was uncovered during vault research for the "Wake of the Flood" 50th anniversary release. The Deadcast team listens, analyzes, and contextualizes the session as a rare event, even by the Dead’s standards.

2. Robert Hunter's Unusual Role

• Hunter as Maestro:
  • Normally a background lyricist, Hunter takes a hands-on musical and directorial role in this session, leading the ensemble through spoken word, vocal improvisations, and collective experimentation.
• Hunter's Presence:
  • Guest Donna Jean Godchaux-McKay describes him as “a mystical leprechaun, darting in and out like a sprite” (43:36), recounting both his humility and brilliance.
  • “He was the most incredible human being... There are not words to describe this guy.” (43:36, Donna Jean)

3. Dissection of "Prelude"/Tuesday Night Jam

• Structure and Sections:
  • The session is split into multiple segments, some bearing enigmatic titles like “Whatever It Is,” “Titled, Various” and “The Point,” as annotated by Hunter.
  • The tape showcases freeform progressions, vocal passages, and experimental soundscapes including a flexitone introduction and extended jam sections.
  • The piece ultimately leads into a spontaneous version of “Sweet Inspiration” (a song with deep personal connections for Donna Jean) and segues into spirituals and near-biblical improvisations.
• Notable Participants:
  • The session features Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Keith Godchaux, and Donna Jean Godchaux, with Hunter orchestrating and contributing vocals.
  • Absent: Jerry Garcia.

4. Presentation at Winterland and Reception

• Live Playback:
  • The tape was played over the PA for early-arriving fans at Winterland on November 10, 1973—possibly the only night this occurred.
  • Audience members remember hearing the odd studio tape with some confusion and curiosity; most did not recognize Hunter’s voice.
• Significance for Dead Community:
  • The experimental tape was intended, as per Donna Jean, to be background “prelude” music for hall entrances, engaging the audience ambiently (49:40).
  • Nicholas Meriwether (GD Studies Association):
    • “What I hear is a remarkable project in collective band improvisation and Grateful Dead community. Really, what I hear is all of them coming together under Hunter's direction, which is itself absolutely fascinating to me.” (45:22)

5. Relation to Dead History and Hunter’s Trajectory

• Hunter’s Artistic Outreach:
  • The session exemplifies Hunter’s role as both the poetic conscience and mystical voice of the Dead’s wider community.
  • The episode draws links to previous Hunter-led Dead oddities, such as "A Message for Roger" and his contributions to the Deadhead Newsletter, showing a consistent bent towards avant-garde communication beyond ordinary lyricism.
• Hunter’s Solo Work:
  • At the time, Hunter was deep into the material that would become his solo debut, "Tales of the Great Rum Runners" (1974).
  • The session marks a creative peak before Hunter's partial withdrawal from the frontlines of Dead operations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Donna Jean on the Session’s Vibe:
  • "My son Zion said when he heard this tape, he said, mom, this is pretty much like it might have been the Acid Test." (04:31, Donna Jean)
• Robert Hunter's Lyrics (excerpt):
  • “The point is never quite when you ain't right back. The point is never quiet. The point. The point is there's never the point...” (13:59, Robert Hunter)
• Jesse Jarnow on Hunter’s Involvement:
  • "That is unmistakably the voice of Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. And it was here that I did a double-take and had to restart the whole track." (07:22, Jesse Jarnow)
• Nicholas Meriwether on Group Improvisation:
  • “What I hear is a remarkable project in collective band improvisation and Grateful Dead community... The kind of conviviality and collegiality and willingness to court the muse collectively...” (45:22, Nicholas Meriwether)
• Brian Kehew on the Discovery:
  • "I think the huge discovery is this track called Prelude. It feels like some chemically altered moments... and it is a real, I mean, it's really long. I'm looking, it's like 36 minutes long." (48:22, Brian Kehew)
• Donna Jean on Sweet Inspiration:
  • "When Keith and I got together, one of the first songs that we actually sang together and Keith played and I sang and we both sang together was that song Sweet Inspiration... And I wish to God I still had that." (79:21, Donna Jean)
• On the Experimental Nature:
  • "Nobody knew what the hell was happening from one second to the next. And that was quintessential Grateful Dead." (59:05, Donna Jean)
• Jesse Jarnow on Hunter’s Role:
  • “He’s doing all of this at the same time that he's remaining resolutely out of the limelight. So he's doing all of this, but he's really not putting his face out there, even though he's beginning to think of himself very much as an independent recording artist.” (74:42, Jesse Jarnow)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:31 | Introduction to "Prelude" and the unique nature of the session | | 04:31 | Donna Jean on hearing the session—likening it to the Acid Test | | 05:30 | First experience of the Angel Share tapes and the start of "Prelude" | | 07:22 | Realization of Robert Hunter’s voice on the tape | | 13:59 | Extended improvised lyric section | | 43:36 | Donna Jean’s personal reflections on Robert Hunter | | 45:22 | Nicholas Meriwether on collective improvisation and Hunter’s direction | | 48:22 | Brian Kehew on the tape’s existence and his reaction | | 49:40 | Donna Jean on the tape’s intended use as show entrance/prelude music | | 62:28 | Improvised vocal interplay—“The Point” segment | | 66:25 | Donna Jean, Keith, and others: impromptu gospel-tinged section | | 69:25 | Merriweather on the tape’s stylistic breadth | | 76:38 | Donna Jean on friends writing “Sweet Inspiration” and connection to Muscle Shoals | | 79:21 | The origin of “Sweet Inspiration” in Keith and Donna’s musical partnership | | 82:57 | Gospel/spiritual improvisation segue from “Sweet Inspiration” to “Jezebel” | | 84:25 | Untitled biblical-style improvisation; Hunter’s poetic mystique | | 87:06 | Robert Hunter’s voice: “Stop the tape. We're done it.” |

Thematic Takeaways

• Collectivity and Experimentation:
  The "Prelude"/Tuesday Night Jam session demonstrates the Dead’s fearless exploration of collective improvisation, with Hunter directing a session that blurs lines between poetry, music, and experimental theater.
• Robert Hunter’s Mystique:
  Hunter emerges not just as a lyricist but a spectral, guiding force—unifying the band’s artistic intent while maintaining enigmatic seclusion.
• Weird Americana & Dead Community:
  The Dead’s self-awareness as more than a rock band, but a living, weird American folk-myth community, is underscored by endeavors like this session, their newsletters, and other “outreach.”
• Personal Histories Intertwined:
  Stories of songs like “Sweet Inspiration” reinforce the blending of Deadhead mythos with members’ pre-Dead roots, highlighting personal and musical crossroads.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• This episode is a treasure trove for both diehard Deadheads and the merely curious: it uncovers and breaks down a never-before-heard, experimental group session from the Grateful Dead’s most innovative era.
• Listeners gain insight into the mysterious character of Robert Hunter, the creative chaos of the Dead in the studio, and how these moments fit into both the band’s and its community’s larger story.
• Memorable personal anecdotes from Donna Jean, scholarly analysis from Grateful Dead historians, and rare audio artifacts offer a broad, deeply engaging, and downright weird ice-cream-kid tour through the Dead’s Vault.

Recommended Actions:

• Check out the Wake of the Flood 50th Anniversary reissue for related unreleased material.
• Visit dead.net/deadcast for episode transcripts and links to referenced artifacts.
• Share your own Dead experiences at stories.dead.net.

For long-term fans and new listeners alike, this episode is a psychedelic deep-dive into the Grateful Dead’s improvisational heart and the enigmatic soul of Robert Hunter—with stories and sounds rarely heard, and the kind of serendipity only found in the Dead’s extended universe.