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From: jws@dartvax.UUCP (John W. Scott)
Newsgroups: net.music.gdead
Subject: Re: VIDEO DEAD
Message-ID: <3381@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Jul-85 12:40:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.3381
Posted: Tue Jul 23 12:40:45 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jul-85 20:47:53 EDT
References: <199@lzwi.UUCP>
Reply-To: jws@dartvax.UUCP (John W. Scott)
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 43

A friend of mine got caught video taping at the Berkeley shows and they
just about skinned him alive.  They dragged him backstage and told him that
he wasn't a deadhead, he was an sh*thead.  They threatened to throw him
out of any future concert they found him at, with or without video equipment.
A pretty harsh penalty especially since he is well known.  This certainly
seems to demonstrate just how serious the Dead are about not having people
make videos.  It is a great pity.  I am too busy to tour with the band
these days and often the only way I get to see them is on tape.  

The quality of videos varies greatly.  Most of the professional stuff is very 
well done, although the editors can be butchers.  The Dead Ahead tape is a good
example of this.  They cut out first set Cold Rain & Snow and Jack Straw, but
included Me & My Uncle.  Little short of barbaric.  The closing of Winterland
was a continuous 71/2 hour PBS broadcast, so that is great (4hrs of Dead
without the drums).  Audience videos vary greatly depending on location, the
setup used, and the taper.  Some folks move the camera around way too much,
or keep on zooming in on Brent during Jerry's solo.  Other folks (such as
Shake It Productions) have learned well and produce good shots, mainly
limited by where the were able to set up.

I have about 24 hours of various material most of which is very good. 
However, whenever I trade through the mail, the quality I recieve is usually 
terrible, over half of it unwatchable.  Traditional standards of quality
seem to go down the tubes when it comes to this new medium.  Generations
wreak havok with tape quality so many people are willing to put up with
trash.  I find it just gives me a headache to try and figure out if I
am watching Jerry or Donna with a beard.

Even with such hassles as bad quality and degeneation, videos are wonderful
and it is a shame that the dead don't approve.  Perhaps they might feel
self concious knowing that their every move as well as every note is being
recorded for posterity.  It might intensify Bobby's stage presence (a good
reason for banning videos).  Part of me has to respect the bands request
that people don't make videos at their shows.  I wouldn't do so myself.
But another part of me is glad that others do make the tapes.  I think that
the Dead should hire a video artist to record all of their shows.  Then they
could market the years 10-20 best shows.  I would rather buy their videos
at a reasonable price ($15+ a tape) than put up with guilt and bad
generations.

One way or another this darkness got to give...

-John