Comments on: JWelsh: An Ode To The Filler

By: MrsTJ

MrsTJ — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:48:34 +0000

On the bootlegs of my first Dead shows (3.23.86) was an audio recording of Bob and Jerry on the old David Letterman show in 1982. The chit-chat with them and the band is priceless. I love the picture of the Maxell XL II. If I had a dollar for every one of those I bought, at 1980’s prices, calculate for inflation, with interest, I may have enough $ to get to the lot the next time Phil comes around. Those tickets, that I camped out for in front of Buzzard’s Nest records for back then were less than $20 each-with ticket tron fees! Crazy.

By: jr

jr — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:21:52 +0000

2 great examples:

1. My Bomb Factory tape had the encore left off to leave room for the full Murat Gin as philler… good call, phan!

2. I had a God Street Wine tape back in the day with a filler of Prince doing Purple Rain in his 80’s heyday complete with a 10 minute guitar solo by the purple wonder.

By: Phillip Z

Phillip Z — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:21:54 +0000

I recall the “politics of filler” more than anything, i.e. the diversity of reaction that would be generated by the inclusion of filler from any band not the same or at least intimately associated with the band on the main tape.

That a certain % of people would never even mention the filler was to be expected, as was the fact that those who did pay attention would have a wide range of opinions as to the filler’s musical merits. But what always amazed me was that such a significant minority would be turned off — nay, *offended* — by the inclusion of certain bands. The most obvious example would be if one were to include Phish filler on a Dead tape, which, harmless though that may sound, could generate incendiary response. Many “old-school deadheads” (a characterization I apply to myself) were “open-minded” in that they would be happy with The Dead -OR- Jerry Band as their filler. :-) This reminds me of the Jay Strauss “map of acceptable music” (or something like that) which I’d love to dig up. This type of “pure-bred” thinking would often manifest in explicit “do’s and don’t’s” filler policies listed on tape lists, which would always be a comical red-flag to me.

While I don’t at all miss the mechanics, environmental impact, flaky trades, and wide-ranging quality of physical tape trading, I definitely miss that one-on-one, highly personalized process of expanding musical horizons. Some of my most long-lasting friendships in life were forged out of meeting folks through trading tapes online.

By: makingflippygoffy

makingflippygoffy — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:01:08 +0000

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Ry Cooder

Beck

Pornos 4 Pyros

duke Ellington

All of these were just a smidgin of some of ‘off the wall’ fillers off my tapes. (actually just went and blew off the dust from the tape cases and looked at a few)

also, What really drew me in here was the pic of the Maxell XL II-90.

when i had little money, it was tough to go and buy these at Sam Goodies for nearly twice the amount of the cheaper 60 min. tapes.

thanks JWalsh for the contribution.

cheers.

By: Scott Bernstein

Scott Bernstein — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:18:02 +0000

Oh man, good call on the Slow Rift from the 8×10.

By: Andrew "Butch" Weiss

Andrew "Butch" Weiss — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:59:25 +0000

Slow Rift soundcheck on 6-18-84
Unbroken Chain acoustic rehearsals (from 1973) on 6-9-77

By: Rob F

Rob F — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:11:57 +0000

Great essay Jeremy! I think I had a sweet Good Times Bad Times Zeppelin cover on one of my first tapes. I think the tape was from Burlington VT 94 but it was made for me around 98. I’m sure there are greats that I forget though. It’s been a while since I popped in a tape.

By: scottyg

scottyg — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:15:43 +0000

Wow, this is a bit daunting. Without peeking at my ol’ cassettes, I’d say two all time faves are Robert Hunter’s “Tiny Wheels” (tacked onto set 2 of GD’s Swing Auditorium 1977!) and excerpts and outtakes from Andy Summers’ and Robert Fripp’s I ADVANCE MASKED. In the pre-Deadbase era, I had a tape mistakenly labelled “Kirkwood, MO 1970″ which had an INCREDIBLE “Estimated Prophet” as filler, complete with Bob Weir robotized voice–obviously not of that particular vintage. Not sure what show that’s from, but thank Healy it was on that tape!

By: Oliver

Oliver — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:27:14 +0000

I always put filler on discs now that I burn for myself or others. No reason to leave so much empty space on a disc and most of the shows I burn for people have that retarded third disc that no one knows what to do with. I usually add some other stuff from the same band, depending on timing.

By: P2G

P2G — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:19:53 +0000

I think my all time fav was the full Sanford & Son theme at the end of a hot 93 MMW sbd I would have had around 95ish.

Hadley, remind me to hook you up with an excellent DJ Food/Ken Nordine track.