is the Billy vs Mickey thread coming next? i hope not.

That's a rough call because of each having a go at carrying the tribe. In the Primal years, they were a wonderful team that filled the space like nobody else. The rattles, shakers, cow bells, and other percussion instruments were smartly, sparsely used to bring Dark Star and the spacier places into further depths. The subtle dynamics were extraordinary. Then Bill driving the band like an overbuilt locomotive when he was all alone. But when Mickey returned, Bill went on vacation and really never established dominance again. Mickey became the primary energy between the two. He came back with ideas and a vengeance. Mickey was relatively consistent with strong energy throughout the 80s and 90s, whereas Bill showed up here and there and played in a similar inconsistent manner as Jerry. He was going through the motions for a long time there, and Mickey picked up the slack.

I don't have a favorite between them, and I don't have a favorite period because of either of them. My favorite periods involve some things they offered, but I would never say I was sorry to see Mickey go or for him to return. I know a lot of people like '71-'74 so much that they weren't excited to see Mickey's return. I'm sorry the dynamic changed like it did, but I'm not sorry Mickey came back. I missed him, though Bill was incredible by his lonesome.

"Do or do not....there is no try" Yoda

Wow -- from Zeno Marx to Takin it Weirder ... Often disappointed by some of the commentary on this site, especially about Bob... But really don't have much to say... Someone reading the entirety of the thread would read some top notch insight all the way around.

The reason I posted this -- one could obviously point out that playing bass and guitar is just different. Well I'm happy no one took that road and it confirms my belief that the "people" are sensible... With the exception of wlewis who could not answer the question "who would you rather see solo " (ie he's in denial Bob has more to offer than Phil in a solo setting which factually means HES A A more interesting musician). Phil made the dead more interesting cause he played more like a lead player than the traditional bass note boring bass player. Let's not confuse that bass greatness with greatful dead greatness (as was pointed out with peeps seeing dead for Jer and Bob tandem and rightfully so).

gdrew817 wrote:
that's quite a statement (and leap). Interested in reading you argue it and take it from hyperbole to "fact". Not rhetorical. Sincerely would like to hear how your logic works.

gdrew you don't seem to get it. i wouldn't want to see either of these guys solo. their music was NEVER about one person. i saw bob solo and it was lame. i said seeing phil solo would be a head scratcher for most, and nothing like when weir plays solo. i don't see denial there. weir is straightforward with his solo format. the guitar chords for the songs are recognizable to all. phil's bass parts ARE different than guitar parts, that's the FACT. how is being honest with yourself not sensible? i play bass, more specifically, GD bass for years. i'm more interested in what phil is doing than bob. however, i still get off watching weir hang ten out on space and time. but everyone seems to assume that i hate weir simply because i don't like everything he does. all i can say is i go to the shows and form my own opinions. i don't form opinions based on what other people think on the internet, like so many do.

"Hey Phil, why do they want us to fight?" "I don't know Bob, but I could take you down with one punch" "Let's just kiss and make up"

When you put vs in it becomes one or the other and both are a part of the whole music we love so if the point of this thread is to start some kind of feud or refuel one all i can say is childish.
ANd if you have to ask who is better i think you dont get the whole picture of whats going on with the making of the music.
If you did you would know that the bass is doing his own thing and by that running scales but not just scales alone sometimes the bass holds the rhythm up so another can play lead over it.One way a bass player can be evaluated is by the ability to hold the rhythm.
Im going on and on and the best way to put it is if you like fruit salad there may be some in the mix you dont care for but the next person loves it. so it matters to you no need for someone else to tell you your correct or wrong.

gdrew you don't seem to get it. i

I'm sure he gets it he just sees it differently...

all i can say is i go to the shows and form my own opinions. i don't form opinions based on what other people think on the internet, like so many do

Really? There is so much irony in this statement I don't know where to begin. Lets start with I agree with your sentiment but..you hardly demonstrate it here. As far as your sentiment.. I posted I think Mountains of the Moon sux ... I woulda said the same thing 10 20 or 30 yrs ago. Yet I am whats the word I'm looking for : Lambasted for having this opinion. Furthur, I would say a good percentage (not all) of folks here do exactly that.. rarely is there a dissenting voice. Back to the original thread .... after Jerry passed and Phil started Phil & friends it became "the cool thing" to love Phil and hate on Bobby. These posers ( some not all) just regurgitate the same thing they read or heard a friend say... " F weir Phil is where its at. "The vast majority of these folks had little to no knowledge or time "spent "on the road" with the GD. I can't honestly believe anyone could hate on any member.. they all played their part in making the sum much greater than the whole.

i meant what i was saying. not "it". don't want that to go any further than it needs to.

Both...at the same time or separately...

For what it's worth, I love going to Furthur shows and they have proved great times with my wife and friends. However, after seeing Phil and Friends at the Welmont, in my humble opinion, the music proved far more energetic and inspired than recent Furthur offerings. Understanding that it is a different entity all together, many of the faithful I am contact with expressed similar opinions. Does this mean that I believe Phil is Bobby's superior, not exactly. Phil's ability to keep up with younger musicians and their respective interpretation of the music is probably "better." At the end of the day they are both approaching their twilight years, and they are who they are; a couple of elder statesmen doing the best they can at this stage of their storied life. Their relative prowess or lack there of should not be a sources of divisiveness among the collective, its all relative.