I agree..I think a lot of the rough, gritty and bluesy dead was lost with him. I find myself listening to the early days the most because he contributed so much to the dead. There were a ton of great songs that came out after his death but in terms of the live shows, they are often missing that pigpen touch.
Pigpen...Sweet vocals. I hadn't seen any video of the early period of the GD with Pigpen on vocals. I have all of their early recordings, but seeing the band play and then associating the voice with the singer was a wonderful experience. I liked the psychedelic flashing graphic in the video as well. Thanks for the video posting...
He knew all the the R & B tunes of the day, and the other guys could easily back him up untill they developed their own Material...Jerry w/the bluegrass, Bobby w/the country-western. Imagine what a mish-mosh they were in that day!
Pigpen fell ill from alcohol related stomach disease - not liver, but an easy mistake being from the bottle..
@TheShampow44 Pigpen was keyboardist (& harmonica) from 1965-1972. In 72 his health was failing him and Tom Constanten helped out on keys until Keith came in, in 1974. Pig was the man and lead vocalist most of those years.
@gratefulvideo TC joined the band in late '68 and left the band in early 1970 - Kieth Godchaux joined the band in late August/early Sept. 1971when Pigpen started getting sick - Pig returned later that year of '71 and was with the band through Europe '72 - His last show was June 17,1972 at the Hollywood Bowl; he did not sing.
Ronald C. "Pigpen" McKernan passed from this world March 8,1973
Pigpen is now and will forever be one of THE GRATEFUL DEAD
@TheShampow44 Pigpen was the Dead at that time. Their live music when Pigpen was in his prime was the best years of the Dead. Just my opinion though. He has such a raw sounding passionate voice.
that is the grateful dead. ragged nasty improvovational music about workin, card playin' prostitutional tripindicular wildness! sorry not allowed anymore...could i have another helping of wham or aha or justin beber................
this is the best version of easy wind - I love the way Pigpen rolls his eyes up at 0:40 after he sings "but you never heard a word it said" he was on a higher level... RIP brother
Superb...dig your vids, Pig was the heart and soul of the dead when they began, too bad he hit the bottle bad, but I understand, been there myself, ...he actually was a very shy person, I guess it helped him open up and provide us with extremely excellent music, Rip - Pigpen, Jerry, Vince, Brent, Keith, - miss you all
@spacemeddle Pig died of chroninc alcoholism. His liver gave out. His doctor had wraned him and some around him tried to get him to quit but it got him instead.
Love the sound of the 70-72 stage of The Dead, gotta be my favorite Dead era. Bob Weir turning into the rhythm guitar god that he is, fuckin' love it.
i was listening to the dead channel on xm the other day and they had a guest dj, but he was playing some really rare archival recordinds of some solo pigpen, it was just pigpen and his guitar doing some old blues covers, really nice stuff, i havnt been able to find any recordings of it other than what i heard on the dead channel but it would be great for this imaginary pigpen compilation lol
Thank you very much for posting this. It simply reinforces my opinion that Pigpen was the only real singer the Dead ever had, and that his no b.s. style is still to be admired. He's in fine voice here, and as usual, in total service to the music. Meanwhile, Garcia and company clumsily and obsessively pursue their mission from a still unknown source with the inspired zealotry of true believers. Personally, I've never needed herbal or chemical additives to have these guys blow my mind.
You couldn't think of the Greatful Dead without Pigpen and his style of hat that he always wore after he finally quite wear'n that big thick headband he used to have on in the 1966-67? Pigpen still lives on here and tapes thanks for this, it's just great isn't it !!!!!!!!!
Pigpen was the best RIP Pig , Jerry, Brent, Vince miss u all! what a band that is in the afterlife! maybe they jamin with Jimmie and Janis, and Mr Mojo Risin 2!!
Woaw that has to be one of the all time top 10 most amazing posts ever to hit the tube ya'll! It's awesome... a document! To think these guys went in this tv studio and played that crazy s*** wow! Love their looks at the end too! Epic... This ROCKS
4:26 and on...
77GGSS 1 week ago
A DEadHEad Delight!!!!
77GGSS 2 weeks ago
PIG
AlligatorWhine 1 month ago
PP was awesome. Check out Yale Alexander Band's rendition on u tube,,
YaleAlexanderBand 1 month ago
Awesome
YaleAlexanderBand 1 month ago
Wow! There was no other band like The Grateful Dead.....EVER!
oldnytv5911 2 months ago
Pigpen was the part time front-man for the Dead in those days. Another Soul in Communion in the Rock n Roll Pantheon. Pig was cool.
broangelicashere 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I agree..I think a lot of the rough, gritty and bluesy dead was lost with him. I find myself listening to the early days the most because he contributed so much to the dead. There were a ton of great songs that came out after his death but in terms of the live shows, they are often missing that pigpen touch.
j3rrygarcia 3 months ago
☯✵✵☺♬☺♬❤♥❤♥✺☯
IraHayesIraHayes 6 months ago
"Gotta find a woman'd be good to me, won't hide my liquor try to serve me tea..." Words of a true Stone Jack Balller
BigTeste 6 months ago
Pigpen...Sweet vocals. I hadn't seen any video of the early period of the GD with Pigpen on vocals. I have all of their early recordings, but seeing the band play and then associating the voice with the singer was a wonderful experience. I liked the psychedelic flashing graphic in the video as well. Thanks for the video posting...
flapjackhank 7 months ago
That brotha got soul!
Sophkat610 8 months ago 2
Best version I've ever heard.
flatpicker75 8 months ago
The Grateful Dead Started as Pigpen's Band.....
He knew all the the R & B tunes of the day, and the other guys could easily back him up untill they developed their own Material...Jerry w/the bluegrass, Bobby w/the country-western. Imagine what a mish-mosh they were in that day!
Pigpen fell ill from alcohol related stomach disease - not liver, but an easy mistake being from the bottle..
protomassive 9 months ago
i've never felt so calibrated!!!
kwcolvin1 1 year ago
i've never felt so calibrated!
kwcolvin1 1 year ago
Nothing worse than having your Rider hide your bottle in the other room
uddichschmuddich 1 year ago
@uddichschmuddich LOL :-D too true!
wolfkarel 1 year ago
Some serious fretwork by Mr. Weir in this. Give the man his props.
pawnee55 1 year ago
@pawnee55 I give props to Bob Weir. He has always been a mainstay for me.
jazzgoose 10 months ago
i could hear a needle drop across the room if they missed a note................ THEY JAMM SO HARD AT THIS SHO AND ALL OTHERS...........
Jakedadopemane 1 year ago
was pigpen the keyboardist, or just an occasional vocalist? or vice versa?
that dudes got some serious soul
TheShampow44 1 year ago 2
@TheShampow44 Pigpen was keyboardist (& harmonica) from 1965-1972. In 72 his health was failing him and Tom Constanten helped out on keys until Keith came in, in 1974. Pig was the man and lead vocalist most of those years.
gratefulvideo 1 year ago
@gratefulvideo thanks man.... agreed he was the man
TheShampow44 1 year ago
@gratefulvideo TC joined the band in late '68 and left the band in early 1970 - Kieth Godchaux joined the band in late August/early Sept. 1971when Pigpen started getting sick - Pig returned later that year of '71 and was with the band through Europe '72 - His last show was June 17,1972 at the Hollywood Bowl; he did not sing.
Ronald C. "Pigpen" McKernan passed from this world March 8,1973
Pigpen is now and will forever be one of THE GRATEFUL DEAD
wolfkarel 1 year ago 4
@wolfkarel Hey, thanks for the correct info.
gratefulvideo 1 year ago
@gratefulvideo You're very welcome :-)
wolfkarel 1 year ago
@wolfkarel that just gives me goose bumps.such great memorys
lionsbit04 10 months ago
@TheShampow44 Pigpen was the Dead at that time. Their live music when Pigpen was in his prime was the best years of the Dead. Just my opinion though. He has such a raw sounding passionate voice.
VegetableNan 5 months ago 3
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j3rrygarcia 3 months ago
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j3rrygarcia 3 months ago
This is excellent, the band are cooking; when Garcia was on, he was such an expressive guitar player.
clean3 1 year ago
Best band to ever graced any stage, pity they just let pigpen drink himself to death. =[
barrybuttery 1 year ago
that is the grateful dead. ragged nasty improvovational music about workin, card playin' prostitutional tripindicular wildness! sorry not allowed anymore...could i have another helping of wham or aha or justin beber................
gimmemojo 1 year ago
Damn, why the F they didn't put the mic volume higher?
IsaacRnR 1 year ago
this is the best version of easy wind - I love the way Pigpen rolls his eyes up at 0:40 after he sings "but you never heard a word it said" he was on a higher level... RIP brother
acidxtasy999 1 year ago
Superb...dig your vids, Pig was the heart and soul of the dead when they began, too bad he hit the bottle bad, but I understand, been there myself, ...he actually was a very shy person, I guess it helped him open up and provide us with extremely excellent music, Rip - Pigpen, Jerry, Vince, Brent, Keith, - miss you all
awakened666 1 year ago
Does anybody know the story of how Pigpen got skinny?
spacemeddle 1 year ago
@spacemeddle Liver disease
gratefulvideo 1 year ago 2
@spacemeddle Pig died of chroninc alcoholism. His liver gave out. His doctor had wraned him and some around him tried to get him to quit but it got him instead.
ChynaRider 7 months ago
San Francisco KQED Studio National Educational Television Network on Sunday
Augy San Diego
yguaray 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
40 year's later, still the best!
QQmorefag 1 year ago
ebbene si era un grande------"RON PIGPEN McKERNAN
msroberto1954 1 year ago
PIG keeps it DEAD!
Jenscool 1 year ago
Love the sound of the 70-72 stage of The Dead, gotta be my favorite Dead era. Bob Weir turning into the rhythm guitar god that he is, fuckin' love it.
gratefullistener420 1 year ago
Best Easy Wind ever.
Bigpolak57 1 year ago
I'd buy it
Fluffyfluffyhead 1 year ago
Churning that cosmic butter. Forever in the moment.
spreadneck7 2 years ago 2
Best years 70-72. Pig keepin it raw.
spreadneck7 2 years ago
hell yeah pigpen kicks some serious ass. He gave so much soul to the grateful dead.
liferevolving 2 years ago 12
@liferevolving - without him, they may never have been known
Occaras 1 year ago 2
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stonerbudkap 2 years ago
Comment removed
stonerbudkap 2 years ago
You said it man. A Pig Pen 4CD box set.....It's long overdue and we want it in UK too........
g5uk 2 years ago
i was listening to the dead channel on xm the other day and they had a guest dj, but he was playing some really rare archival recordinds of some solo pigpen, it was just pigpen and his guitar doing some old blues covers, really nice stuff, i havnt been able to find any recordings of it other than what i heard on the dead channel but it would be great for this imaginary pigpen compilation lol
123daydream321 2 years ago
That is a great idea. I bet GD would do so if people suggested it. But only 4 cds? :)
gratefulvideo 2 years ago 4
@gratefulvideo Lots more, lots more.
PhilipSkovgaard 2 years ago
@gratefulvideo
I second that idea. Long overdue indeed.
Bodie007 1 year ago
Just thought the same thing myself.
PhilipSkovgaard 2 years ago
That sticker on Garcia's SG said I AM AN AMERICAN. Pig was great!
6749er 2 years ago
Comment removed
0nekindfavor 2 years ago
Teac,Gibson SG,ES335,EB0...Pig front center & Bill & Mickey plyin' skin !!
phileesarah 2 years ago
Thank you very much for posting this. It simply reinforces my opinion that Pigpen was the only real singer the Dead ever had, and that his no b.s. style is still to be admired. He's in fine voice here, and as usual, in total service to the music. Meanwhile, Garcia and company clumsily and obsessively pursue their mission from a still unknown source with the inspired zealotry of true believers. Personally, I've never needed herbal or chemical additives to have these guys blow my mind.
jfrankley55 2 years ago
You couldn't think of the Greatful Dead without Pigpen and his style of hat that he always wore after he finally quite wear'n that big thick headband he used to have on in the 1966-67? Pigpen still lives on here and tapes thanks for this, it's just great isn't it !!!!!!!!!
Sam
class of 69'
grasspa 2 years ago
Check out the jams. Makes you want some peanut butter. Check out the deep switch up changing on 6:34. Peace to my heads. Long Live THE pIG!
MRTINKLES1000 2 years ago
MY MY MY! Listen to Pig & the dead lay down that ol' blues!.
CadillacL 2 years ago
thee original HD SIGNAL! Hi Def.....I think not!!!!!! ladies and gentelman, Hi DeaD
oneswatter 2 years ago
I was 20 digging this on local TV.
Loved them all but love Pig era the best. Thanks for this!
6749er 2 years ago
yes it was
caseyjones67 2 years ago
Don't ever forget this
funk and groovin is this thing
MRTINKLES1000 2 years ago
Dont ever forget this
MRTINKLES1000 2 years ago
I just played this like 20 x"s
MRTINKLES1000 2 years ago
Docter says "ya better stop ballin' that jack!"
If I live 5 years Im gunna bust myback....
Yes I will
MRTINKLES1000 2 years ago
WOW!
MRTINKLES1000 2 years ago
Yyyyyeeeahhhhhhhh!
desolationrow 3 years ago
love the time change at 6:20ish - masters of funk and groovin
hazaratkhan 3 years ago
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhh!
whats going on man!
MRTINKLES1000 2 years ago
the best
hazaratkhan 3 years ago
This vid should be required viewing for every man, woman, and child!!
tojo4 3 years ago
Pigpen was the best RIP Pig , Jerry, Brent, Vince miss u all! what a band that is in the afterlife! maybe they jamin with Jimmie and Janis, and Mr Mojo Risin 2!!
BPF57 3 years ago 2
really stoked this is back on youtube
DeadHeadTyler 3 years ago
Wow! Just fantastic. Thanks for posting!
BDP62 3 years ago
Go Pigpen!
Jenscool 3 years ago
Woaw that has to be one of the all time top 10 most amazing posts ever to hit the tube ya'll! It's awesome... a document! To think these guys went in this tv studio and played that crazy s*** wow! Love their looks at the end too! Epic... This ROCKS
WEIR4EVER 3 years ago
merry x-mas too me !!!
muckstar23 3 years ago
Thanks for sharing this. I'll be doing some Dead one day, it is on the list. Great video 5 stars from me.
mcatino 3 years ago