A little better planning on my part and this would have been yesterday’s selection on its 44th anniversary. Oh well!
Fallout from the Phil Zone is a total hodge-podge record but it’s got some really good cuts on it. The Dead were on tour with the New Riders at this point and New Speedway Boogie was still a new song (this being the 10th of 53 performances). It’s easy to see why this version might be one of Phil’s favorites as there’s a lot of breathing room and subtlety going on here, obviously the tone of this song is much different than the mayhem at Altamont that inspired its genesis.
For a song that was played so infrequently, including a 20 year gap from 1970 to 1991 this a rare treat, in my opinion. There are about 10 officially released versions of this tune, are there any other favorites out there? Let me know in the comments.
The instrumental breaks in this version are more drawn out than the album version, but high quality in their laid back, slinky nature. The drummers add some cool derivations toward the end. In general the vocals sound pretty good here too, notably the “one way or another” section. The way the song just peters out at the end is really cool, too. A great version all around.
Unusual instrumentation and timbre mark the beginning of this version, as Weir strums an acoustic guitar while Garcia keeps his volume low on an electric. Everyone else plays quietly too, giving the proceedings an eerily intimate feel. Nice. Jerry sings with maximum style and gets the message across pointedly. A little jam develops after the first couple of choruses and while this is not particularly structured, it is a welcome stopover. The next verse satisfies and the ride-out “One way or another” vocals are harmonized to high heaven. A couple more minutes of quiet but really excellent jamming follows, and the song wraps with a reprise of the ride-out vocals. This one sets itself apart from any other version I have heard in its subtle presentation and this is good.