Althea - A tribute to Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter

[Jif]

I've wanted to do a version of this song for years, nay, decades. Thought I better do it while I still can!

A composition by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter, originally recorded and played by The Grateful Dead.

Music - Jerry Garcia

Lyrics - Robert Hunter

Background graphics generated using the Butter Churner visualisation algorithm and rendered on the Pasteur Web App. I slowed the video graphics down to 25% and blended in a few different visualiser video tracks to get a combined effect.

Used my 73 Gibson SG loaded with a couple of P90's for the lead track, Washburn KC70 for the rhythm track, Schecter Diamond Plus 5 string bass, MSA Legend 12 string E9 extended pedal steel and various VSTi's for Rhodes and Hammond B3. Drums played in using an Alesis DM10 electronic kit with additional drums and cymbals.

All stringed instruments going through my Fractal FM3T. The Pedal Steel initially using a Tonex One, loaded with a Fender Twin captured for Pedal Steel by Joe Rogers, then using a couple of JBL 120's IR's in the FM3T, again captured by Joe Rogers for Pedal Steel.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

nice track.

[saddletramp]

Excellent. I love this song and you have more than done it justice. Well done.

I'm working on an ambient version of Dark Star played entirely on PSG. Slow progress.

[Gary James Peters]

Very cool track Geoff. Great overall vibe and lush mix, SG sounds good too (which I never thought I'd hear myself say)...Excellent!

G

[Jif]

@JD - Thanks John, appreciate it.

@Saddletramp - Thanks ST, took a while to put it together, enjoyed doing it though. Dark Star, there's a task and a half, will look forward to hearing it. Probably my favourite Dead song, certainly up there. I saw them playing it live at the Bickershaw Festival in 1972, was amazing. They projected a star onto one of the screens with it moving around with trails as I remember. I think they played for around 5-6 hours, but maybe it just seemed that long. One of my treasured memories.

@Gary - Thanks Gary, very much appreciated. LOL Yeah, the SG, I bought it early 80's 2nd hand for £180, a bit of a bargain. It was originally loaded with mini buckers, pretty rough sound, I ended up using it mainly for bottle neck and it worked well for that. Recently I decided to convert it back for regular playing, did a fret job and setup on it and put in a couple of Lace P90's, which really improved the sound quality. I wanted to use it for the lead, as Garcia originally used an SG for their early stuff. I thought about putting in a bid for his Tiger in the recent auction, but slightly out of my price range The SG is so easy to play, the neck is super narrow and thin, although it actually took a bit of getting used to, even with my small fingers.

[Uncle Roy]

That’s pretty cool Geoff, nice all round production!

[Jif]

Thanks Roy, always wanted to do a version of this song, took a while but got there in the end.