DMB--Jam Band/Not a Jam Band

[jackstraw41]

So a friend and I were listening to the Dead today and we got to talking and came to the conclusion that we don't consider DMB a jamband. Sure, they jam, but not nearly as much as say...Phish or Umphrey's McGee.

It's like that Carter quote I read somewhere in which he is mentioning that they go off on extended solos sometimes, but they aren't a jamband. I was just wondering what others thought of this topic. Discuss.

[Erich]

im trying to find a proper description for this thread, but its hard. im wondering if someone can help.

"take THAT, dead horse"
"pin the tail on the dead horse"
"wake up next to the dead horsehead"
"the carraige is clean, the rider is smiling, the horse is dead"

if you can append your poll to account for these descriptions, that would be super.

*kick*

[kgoedman]

this topic has been discussed many many times...try searching for it

and no they arent jamband, they are a jazzband

[jackstraw41]

I know its been discussed, I just wanted to get peoples opinions when it is clearly stated.

[greppson]

dmb is a jazz band? i thought they were funk-classical.... damn.

[Erich]

Originally posted by jackstraw41
I know its been discussed, I just wanted to get peoples opinions when it is clearly stated.

ooooooh, clearly stated, in THAT case... its the same as these threads:

http://www.antsmarching.org/forum/sh...threadid=31356

http://www.antsmarching.org/forum/sh...threadid=32312

http://www.antsmarching.org/forum/sh...threadid=31925

[WaltzingBack]

b.u.m.p. to see how opinions of this matter have changed over the course of 7 years.

[RiotAct]

Originally Posted by Erich

im trying to find a proper description for this thread, but its hard. im wondering if someone can help.

"take THAT, dead horse"
"pin the tail on the dead horse"
"wake up next to the dead horsehead"
"the carraige is clean, the rider is smiling, the horse is dead"

Wake up, dead horseyhead?

Don't burn the dead horse.... away?

[Joyride4136]

depends on the song, but since they follow the same format (mostly) on their "jammy" songs, and also very rarely go into improv jams anymore, i would say they are not a jam band.

[KMHeiman]

DMB is not a jam band at all. They are a band that jams. There's a difference.

[inmytree]

Carter's right. They're not a jam band, although they don't play a carbon-copy of the record like many other rock bands. I don't think they're a jazz band either, but in terms of how they play and how they structure their improvisational solo sections, they're more like that then a jam band. They got labeled as a jam band because it was easy. They came up through many jamband channels, had a similar taping policy, and what the hell else were critics going to call them? They weren't rock, they weren't pop (although they are both those things at the same time). So they were called a jam band, even though they're nothing like what I think most of us think of when we hear the term jam band (as the OP said, Phish, Umphrey's etc.)

[bluesbrother41]

i think what creates their mass appeal is that they're in between a jam band and a mainstream rock/pop band. gets fans from all ends of the music spectrum.

[CGTP13]

Damn, accidently hit yes. No, they are not a jam band, they take turns soloing, they don't really jam. Jam bands like Phish and Umphrey's can jam on one song for 20 minutes. DMB will hit 15 minutes or so but rarely will they go past 20, unless the Flecktones are playing with them. DMB is all about soloing not jamming. Even Dave said in Scenes From BW he hesitates to call them a jam band.

[jammasterjustin]

nope. band that jams

[WaltzingBack]

Originally Posted by bluesbrother41

i think what creates their mass appeal is that they're in between a jam band and a mainstream rock/pop band. gets fans from all ends of the music spectrum.

nail on the head

[da309392]

I don't care what kind of band they are considered. I enjoy the music they produce. That's it and that's all.

[spoot388]

they're a hybrid jam band. anyone who says they aren't a jam band is wrong. anyone who says they ARE a jam band is also wrong. they are their own genre. they do not cleanly fit into the jam band or non jam band genres because they have characteristics of both. people need to start realizing that grey areas are possible when it comes to what DMB is. thats what they are, a giant grey area.

[bluesbrother41]

Originally Posted by WaltzingBack

nail on the head

gracias

[bloodybob]

Originally Posted by CGTP13

Damn, accidently hit yes. No, they are not a jam band, they take turns soloing, they don't really jam. Jam bands like Phish and Umphrey's can jam on one song for 20 minutes. DMB will hit 15 minutes or so but rarely will they go past 20, unless the Flecktones are playing with them. DMB is all about soloing not jamming. Even Dave said in Scenes From BW he hesitates to call them a jam band.

This.

Though that #41 from the Beacon show I might call a 'jam.' But yeah... people here would care less about setlists, more about each performance if they were a jam band. On a Phish forum, there are no threads about dream setlists, but there are tons of threads about “PLZ UP LAST NIGHT’S SHOW 4 ME!!”

[WaltzingBack]

Originally Posted by bloodybob

This.

Though that #41 from the Beacon show I might call a 'jam.' But yeah... people here would care less about setlists, more about each performance if they were a jam band. On a Phish forum, there are no threads about dream setlists, but there are tons of threads about “PLZ UP LAST NIGHT’S SHOW 4 ME!!”

good point. jam bands welcome more of a marijuana culture, while DMB welcomes some of the marijuana culture but also a lot of the booze culture. booze = big egos and big egos = setlist bitching.

Phans are less egotistical and just want to hear good music, no matter what song the band plays.

[DLCSBMMK]

DMB's songs have clear sections where the body of the songs go and areas where, the great musicians they are, they are able to improvise and solo. You know when and where most 'jams' occur. Jam bands just get up there and play in Emaj for 20 minutes; noodling.

[bloodybob]

Originally Posted by WaltzingBack

good point. jam bands welcome more of a marijuana culture, while DMB welcomes some of the marijuana culture but also a lot of the booze culture. booze = big egos and big egos = setlist bitching.


Phans are less egotistical and just want to hear good music, no matter what song the band plays.

I really didn't mean it as a knock on this fanbase... I mean it is irritating how everyone puts all of a show's merit on the setlist, but I also think it's justified. Because the jams pretty much follow the same format all tour long(b/c they're not a jam band), what do you judge a show by? I don't know. I have mixed feelings.

[timg1414]

No way

[BrotherChaos420]

i sleep in socks.

[ptb88]

phish sucks, jerry's dead, get a job.

jambands suck

[urlittlebrother]

Originally Posted by WaltzingBack

good point. jam bands welcome more of a marijuana culture, while DMB welcomes some of the marijuana culture but also a lot of the booze culture. booze = big egos and big egos = setlist bitching.

Phans are less egotistical and just want to hear good music, no matter what song the band plays.

[WaltzingBack]

Originally Posted by bloodybob

I really didn't mean it as a knock on this fanbase... I mean it is irritating how everyone puts all of a show's merit on the setlist, but I also think it's justified. Because the jams pretty much follow the same format all tour long(b/c they're not a jam band), what do you judge a show by? I don't know. I have mixed feelings.

i judge a show based on performance and experience. setlist isn't as important to me as it is to most others on this site. for me, i don't care if i'm hearing YMDT for the 8th time, if the band plays it superbly, i'll consider it successful.

[WaltzingBack]

Originally Posted by urlittlebrother

disagree?

[TwoStep2888]

No, they're like a pop/waytoomanyothergenrestomention band, but I wouldn't put them in the category of 'jam band'.

also, this topic has been argued to death and back more times than the infamous "#41 vs ___________" shitshow.

[ShotgunDMB]

No way. Too structured.