One of the themes I want to explore long-term is the idea of the two drummers.

Historically, I have never been one to hear the Grateful Dead and say, wow, what a rhythm section.  My idea of a good drummer is Charlie Watts, or John Bonham.  Only recently have I gotten into polyrhythms such as in African (Malian) music.  It will take a while for me to appreciate the idea of two drummers going at it at the same time.

Somewhere I read that the Dead may have suffered a bit in terms of rhythmic clarity from having two drummers, but that this gave the band a signature element of its sound.  If my vague understanding of the timeline is correct, I think there was a period when Bill Kruetzmann was alone in the 1971-73 time frame, when Mickey Hart left for a while after an issue that had allegedly arisen with his father (the oblique subject of the tune He’s Gone).

The performance of Big Railroad Blues at MSG’s Felt Forum 71-12-05 simply rocks, with standouts being a solo Kreutzmann pounding the skins in a ferocious backbeat and dueling boogie guitars.

The track is worth mentioning because my reaction to the four-on-the-floor propulsion really struck me as its being at great odds with much of what I’ve heard thus far.  I will need to train my ears to listen for the impact (pun intended) of two drummers outside of the Hart Hiatus era before I can hope to appreciate the charms specific to the arrangement.