The Ghosts / Heart of Gold Band
The Ghosts:
The Ghosts Playing in the Heart of Gold Band
Heart of Gold Band:
Heart of Gold Band (1986)
Double Dose
Heart of Gold Band (1998)
The Ghosts Playing in the Heart of Gold Band
Heart of Gold Band (1986)
Double Dose
Heart of Gold Band (1998)
| Tracks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Watching the River Flow | 5:36 | (B. Dylan) |
| 2. | Scarlet Begonias | 6:56 | (J. Garcia, R. Hunter) |
| 3. | Stir it Up | 6:50 | (B. Marley) |
| 4. | Gomorrah | 9:01 | (J. Garcia, R. Hunter) |
| 5. | Strange Man | 4:14 | (D. Lovecoats) |
| 6. | It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry | 6:09 | (B. Dylan) |
| 7. | Lonesome Highway | 6:32 | (B. & D. Bramlett, L. Russell) |
| 8. | Show Boat | 4:34 | (D. Godchaux, K. Godchaux) |
| 9. | Knockin' On Heaven's Door | 5:04 | (B. Dylan) |
| 10. | Solid Rock | 4:51 | (B. Dylan) |
| 11. | Golden Road | 4:30 | (G. Anton, Brian Godchaux) |
| 12. | Maybellene | 3:15 | (C. Berry) |
| 13. | Ride Out | 3:01 | (G. Anton, I. Rosenberg) |
| Personnel | ||
|---|---|---|
| Keith Godchaux | piano vocals organ | 1 - 9, 12 - 13 1 - 9 12 - 13 |
| Donna Godchaux | vocals | 1 - 13 |
| Greg Anton | drums piano '71 Harley Davidson Shovelhead | 1 - 13 12 - 13 13 |
| Steve Kimock | guitar | 1 - 11 |
| Dexter LaBlanc | bass | 1 - 9 |
| Greta Rose | backup vocals vocals | 1 - 9 10 - 13 |
| David Mackay | bass | 10 - 11 |
| Mark Adler | piano | 10 - 11 |
| Bill Middlejon | guitar | 12 - 13 |
| Don Gaynor | guitar | 12 |
| John Cipollina | guitar | 13 |
| Larry Klein | bass | 12 - 13 |
| Billy Travis | vocals | 12 - 13 |
| Irv Rosenberg | '49 Harley Davidson Panhead | 13 |
| Dave Cort | '850 Norton Commando | 13 |
1 - 9 Recorded Live at the Back Door, San Francisco, Ca 7/10/80
10 - 11 Recorded Live in Arcata, Ca 1980
12 - 13 Recorded 12/79; Remixed 2/89 by Tom Size
"The Heart of Gold Band began with Keith. After one concert he was gone and we were left with this one night stand. Who knows what might have been. Here is the raw beginning. For those who loved and remember Keith, this record is for you. God Bless You." Donna Godchaux Mackay
Produced by Greg Anton
Compilation Engineer: Brian Risner
Artwork by Dean Burns
Photography by Sister Charles Mayer R.S.M.
Design by Gecko Graphics
Historical Notes by Alan Trist
Coordination, Wardrobe: John Cipollina
Motorcycles recorded by Susan Rosenberg
Engineers: Dan Healy, Bob Matthews, Leroy Shayne, Joe Tarantino, Richard Van Doren, B.T.
Studios: Front Street, Tewkesbury, Tres Virgo, Prairie Sun, Harbor Sound, Fantasy Studios
Also starring:
Zion Rock, Muppy, Hal and Brian Godchaux, Jamie and Ivan Thatcher, Rolling Thunder, David Frieberg, Pete Sears, Robert Hunter, Smoking Moccasin, Mickey Hart, John Kahn, Donna MacKay, Dino Valenti, Chevy Marie, Marty Levine, Courtney Pollack, Nancy May, Laura, Dan and Carol, Peter Monk, Hope, Fu, Jerilyn, Hodge, Debbie Trist, Gary Kephart, N.F.B., Jeff Bogart, Howie, Don Cort, Kenny and Dee, Don Gaynor, Les Kippel, Michael Peri, Payton Massey, Avatar Studio, The Stoop Sisters, Peter McQuaid and Cameron Sears.
These live recordings come from a fluid period in the lives of several key Bay Area musicians in the early 80's. They bridge the death of Keith Godchaux who with Donna Godchaux first formed "The Ghosts" after playing with the Grateful Dead through most of the 70's, adding the flavor of their gospel and R&B roots to the Dead's music, touring, recording six albums and a solo album. Keith and Donna were also an integral part of the Jerry Garcia Band of the 70's. "The Ghosts" went on to become the "Heart of Gold Band" - a flash in time, sparkling, dynamic, where Keith and Donna expressed a magical musicality together. Donna remembers: "the interplay between Keith's playing and my singing on 'Strange Man' is extraordinarily sensitive, and it was the last song we played together."
The "Heart of Gold Band" included the core of what was later to become Zero - Greg Anton and Steve Kimock. In one version of the "Heart of Gold Band" David MacKay, who later created an entirely different musical endeavour with Donna, plays bass guitar. On one of the two studio tracks on this album, "Ride Out", includes a guest performance by John Cipollina, formerly of Quicksilver Messenger Service, who later toured and recorded with Zero. A studio version of "The Ghosts" backed up Robert Hunter on one of his troubadour tours, the occasion for the meeting of Hunter and Anton who in the 90's write songs together. All this eclectic mystery, which can perhaps be deciphered from the accompanying notes, made for exciting and formative music in the early 80's. It is therefore fitting to re-release these recordings now as, in the wake of the death of Jerry Garcia, a new fluidity amongst band personnel is engendered, proving once again the continuing vitality of the music which comes from the San Francisco Bay area. - August 1998
| Release History | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label | Cat No | Country | Format | Date | |
| Grateful Dead Productions | GDCD 4060 | US | CD | 1998 | |
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