Phish has employed outside writers but never anyone of the same caliber as Robert Hunter. That's another huge difference between the two to me. While Phish's lyrics have always tended towards the nonsense side, the Grateful Dead's are like mini-movies: Jack Straw, Friend of the Devil, etc.

I don't think vinyl is going anywhere. Record stores as we once knew them are closing all around us but vinyl has actually been enjoying a resurgence in recent years. I also don't think CDs will ever disappear completely, at least not any time soon. I did get a bit of a scare the other day though. My car stereo has been acting up so I contacted the store that originally installed it. They said they don't repair CD changers anymore and said most likely the problem wouldn't be worth fixing. They said they would just replace it with a tuner that was compliant with the latest iPod technology. So, pretty soon it looks like you won't even be able to buy CD players for your car.

I don't know that they were necessarily trying to be the Grateful Dead as I honestly don't see that much similarity between the two other than the improvisation angle. By that token, Zeppelin was also known for their ability to improv but I've never once heard them referred to as a "jam" band. One thing I did notice about Phish was that after the demise of the Grateful Dead a lot of Deadheads latched on to Phish in an effort to replace the following them on the road experience. Same thing with the Allman Brothers. I've also attended a few Dylan shows but didn't notice a huge influx of Deadheads as they've pretty much always shared the same fanbase anyway.

Not sure what's up with the store bought CDs but sometimes CD-Rs don't work in all players. As far as better technology, I very seriously doubt there will ever be a physical format to follow CDs. Everything has now moved on to digital downloads, that is the next technolgocial step. Lord knows what it will be ten years from now but I hope mp3s don't prevail, then we're all fucked.

I do but I also remember how inescapable it was back then. Sorta like how Hootie and the Blowfish's Cracked Rearview was in the early 90s. It was every fucking where you turned: on the radio, on MTV, blaring out of every car on the street, every college dorm, etc. It seemed like everyone from toddlers to grandparents owned a copy. Then you have classic rock radio which has played cuts like Do You Feel Like We Do into the ground. Thank goodness I subscribed to satellite radio a few years back. They play Frampton but not the well worn cuts from Frampton Comes Alive!. In fact, it took me years before I could ever even listen to Frampton Comes Alive! again. When I did, it was the deluxe edition that finally broke the silence. It's well worth the investment if ever you feel the need to own a copy. There's also a concert from that same era that was recently released (although I don't own that yet). 1. Introduction / Something's Happening 2. Doobie Wah 3. Lines on My Face 4. Show Me the Way 5. It's a Plain Shame 6. Wind of Change 7. Just the Time of Year - (previously unreleased) 8. Penny For Your Thoughts 9. All I Want to Be (Is by Your Side) 10. Baby, I Love Your Way 11. I Wanna Go to the Sun DISC 2 1. Nowhere's Too Far (For My Baby) - (previously unreleased) 2. I'll Give You Money 3. Do You Feel Like We Do 4. Shine On 5. White Sugar - (previously unreleased) 6. Jumpin' Jack Flash 7. Day's Dawning - (previously unreleased)

Really? Can't say I was ever that huge of a fan of Waiting on A Friend. Certainly there's some much better singles out there than that like R.E.M.'s Radio Free Europe b/w Sitting Still for instance. Id love to own a copy of the original pressing on the Hibtone label but last I checked at Wuxtry Records in Athens, GA it was going for upwards of $600. I love me some R.E.M. but that's far too rich for my blood. Radio Free Europe b/w Sitting Still (1st pressing on Hibtone label)

My biggest problem with CDs is that they were originally advertised as being "indestructible" when in reality they're just as delicate, if not more so, than vinyl. There's also the sound quality issue but great strides have been made in that area in recent years. When I listen to cassettes now all I hear is tape hiss. While I always got a huge kick out of assembling my own mixes on cassette I wonder now how I ever tolerated all of that extraneous noise. As for 8-tracks, I consider them a nice curio at best. I definitely don't miss the "click-click" between tracks. For years after listening to Zep II and Houses of the Holy on vinyl (not to mention records by Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, etc.) I kept expecting to hear them change tracks during the middle of a song. Can't say I miss a damn thing about cassettes or 8-tracks.

Not sure I can answer that question but I can list some of my favorite female vocalists and/or bands fronted by female vocalists: Tift Merritt Joni Mitchell Kasey Chambers Caitlin Cary Throwing Muses Tracey Chapman Alison Moorer Iris Dement Kimberly Morgan Belly Mother's Finest Neko Case 10,000 Maniacs Donna the Buffalo Bonnie Raitt Melissa Etheridge Janis Joplin Kathleen Edwards PJ Harvey Emmylou Harris Aretha Franklin Nanci Griffith Tres Chicas

Rolling Stone once had substance? I thought everyone here hated it because they slammed Zeppelin in their early days like they're the only band that ever mattered or something.

Can't say I'm a huge fan of "jam" bands either but I do love the Grateful Dead and the Alllman Brothers Band. I also don't mind Widespread that much but the fan aspect can be rather annoying. I also like Donna the Buffalo and Yonder Mountain String Band. A friend took me to see Phish at the now defunct Boathouse in Norfolk back in the early 90s. I liked them well enough but have never really understood what all the fuss is about them and still don't.

At this point I have to wonder if you've even been reading what I think of Sheryl Crow but most definitely not. As for Stevie, yes, I think she has a very limited range but that doesn't mean I don't think she's a good singer. What she does, she does very well but it can grow tiresome after a while. I think Ann certainly has the whisper to a scream ability down but a multi-dimensional singer that does not make. Otherwise I do believe she can do everything from heartfelt ballads to out and out rockers. Janis could also do slower stuff like Me and Bobby McGee or rock out. I think her true strength was the blues belters like Cry Baby or Piece of My Heart.

Guess Widespread didn't do any of their Zeppelin or Sabbath covers that night?

There's really not much catching up to do with Tift as she's only released three albums so far. She did have a live album out that was recorded in NC but it's now out of print. She does have a DVD from Austin City Limits that's well worth checking out though.

Like I said, there's lots of musicians out there that are still active. B.B. King is another prime example.

I should have been clearer about that, I didn't mean to imply that Chuck performing for only 30 minutes had anything to do with his age. I was just trying to give folks a heads up that may be interested in seeing him in concert. Anyone that's every seen Hail! Hail! Rock n' Roll is well aware of his business practices when it comes to his performances. If anyone hasn't seen it, I highly recommend it, especially the newly released 4 DVD deluxe edition.

There's a retirement age for musicians? Guess someone forgot to tell that to Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Van Morrison, Keith Richards and and endless amount of other musicians who continue to tour and record well past what most folks consider "retirement" age.

Read more about it here.

Having just seen Chuck this past year I would say his show teetered on the edge of becoming a trainwreck the entire time and ventured into that territory a time or two when one song morphed into another. I'm glad I got to see him and that he's still out there touring but sadly his age is definitely a factor. The show I saw was free but anyone thinking of going to go see him be forewarned, he plays a 30 minute show and that's it.

All of that is understood. If I leave the house now and forget my cellphone I'll definitely turn around and go get it but we got by without cellphones for years. Still, I don't take mine in with me to clubs or movie theatres. If I do, I at least have the courtesy to put it on vibrate so I don't disturb others. There's few things I hate worse than some asswipe walking around a club yapping on their cellphone or hearing one go off during the middle of a concert or movie. I have no doubt they've helped save many a life but that really wasn't my point. As for the photos sent during the Zep reunion show, that just shows how spoiled some of us have become with all of the modern conveniences at our fingertips. Sure, it's cool but it's not like they wouldn't have showed up eventually in all of the reports in music magazines about the concert. Hell, I haven't even heard that show yet, all I've done is watch a few clips from it on YouTube.

Thanks, I could sure use some of that. Awesome photo of the double rainbow here.

Not a bad idea but I detest cellphones (I own one only out of necessity, long story but it involves a hurricane). Only thing I hate more are cellphones with cameras on them (just ask Peter Buck what he thinks of those). I think I'll just start taking my camera with me more often.

I don't know if "happy" is the right word but a double rainbow I saw over Raleigh this afternoon while a storm raged definitely blew me back a couple of feet. Of course I left my damn camera back at the house...

I'm glad you like it. Kasey's voice can be a bit of an acquired taste but if you're able to get past that you're in for a real treat. Now spinning:

I like Stevie's voice well enough and do find it unique, I also think it can be a bit limited and very one dimensional at times. Years ago I saw a special on the making of Tusk that showed Stevie working in the studio. The clip in question featured her isolated vocals and quite honestly her voice sounded like shit. I also have to say the same thing about her version of Silent Night that was on one of those Very Special Christmas albums. To me, her voice on that sounded like a goat on helium.