Rolling Thunder by Mickey Hart

Rolling Thunder

Available from Amazon
Usually ships in 24 hours

Rolling Thunder

Features

Audio CD (January 4, 2005)

Label: Grateful Dead / Wea

Reader Reviews
How would you like to hear an album that brings together the greatness of Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Zakir Hussein, Grace Slick, Paul Kantner and the Tower of Power? If you're not drooling at this point, you should since these are time tested musicians that have made great recordings. While the ingredients may be high quality, the end product is not. This album is schizophrenic; it doesn't know if it's a classic rock LP or a world music disc. This schizophrenic division is most likley a reflection of how Mickey Hart felt about music in 1972 when he was both the drummer for the Grateful Dead and a burgeoning Ethnomusicologist. While half of the songs sound like Classical Indian or Indonesian Gamelon, the other half sound like something off a Classic Rock FM station. To add to the disjointed theme, the Tower of Power's gaudy brass adds an R&B element that spoils most of the rock tunes. While the album could have been eclectic for its own sake, the rock songs just aren't very good. While all the music on "Rolling Thunder" is interesting and creative, the songs have little staying power or resonance. That written, we do get to hear the pump sound that is the mythical inspiration for "the Greatest Story Ever Told," here appropriately renamed as "Pump Song." This album should be considered a stepping stone that led to Mickey Hart's better work as both a band leader and producer. If you want to jam out, listen to Dick's Picks; if you want amazing rhythm, pop in "Planet Drum;" get this only if you're a Mickey Hart completist.

Back To Top