Rolling Thunder:

Mickey Hart. Warner Brothers. Reviewed by Redmer Yska.

Mickey Hart was a drummer in the Grateful Dead. Together with Bill Krevtzman, the other drummer, he developed the unique style which became such a part of the Grateful Dead's sound and theirs was certainly one of the most dynamic percussive duos ever heard in Rock Music. Mickey worked with the band up until the legendary first "Live Dead" set and then dropped out of sight.

Three years later Mickey turns up with "Rolling Thunder", his solo record along the lines of the Crosby, Stills and Nash individual albums: together with a whole bunch a 'friends'. The big names always glitter but the formula has never been successful. These star-studded studio 'jams' are always cluttered and lacking in real inspiration — the bands were always better in their original forms. Here Hart's 'friends' are pretty much the same gang: the members of his old band along with some of Jefferson Airplane and Quicksilver Messenger Service.

"Rolling Thunder" is based around the simple and unmistakable rhythm behind "Playing in the Band" and while this is a good theme in itself, the music fails to sustain an equivalent unification or cohesiveness.

Showers of rain and other sound effects begin the mingle-mangle. We find Bob Weir singing 'Playing in the Band', his own song and here he is backed by the shrill "Tower of Power" horn section who are instrumental in burying the song along with most of the record. The longer songs are interspersed with short percussive pieces on tabla and other drums."Blind John" ends the side and its probably the best thing on the record. Perhaps, tellingly it works because it is simple, unadulterated Jefferson Airplane sans apocalyptic lib-bretto and Mickey Hart.

Side Two begins with 'Young Man' sung by Mickey whose voice bears a close resemblance to Sam the Sham while the music reminded me of the psychedelic schlock of Moby Grape circa 1967. "Deep, Wide and Frequent" is notable in that it features John Cippollina, the original flashing guitarist of Quicksilver, back in the days when they meant something.

"Pump Song" is one of the better songs from Bob Weir's solo album "Ace" and is included here, still with Wier's voice in a most appealing arrangement. A really mediocre horn voicing replaces the electric original backing to no advantage and in addition a mournful lead guitar which recalls NRPS's "Dirty Business" winds around the song but is somehow totally out of place here. Unforgiveable.

The remainder of the record features some of the electronic sound effects the Dead loved to play around with four or five years ago. Somehow, strangely you get the feeling Mickey Hart never really progressed past that stage. "Hangin' On", the last number is more Moby Grape muzak.

I do not know who produced and arranged this record but I suspect it was Hart himself. Here, the producer must take the blame because the record's faults are not the result of inferior musicianship; on the contrary all this music — Mart's drumming included, is very good. The flaws are caused largely by the [unclear: abyemal] arrangements which have failed to co-ordinate and shape the music.

Mickey Hart is no creep — his heritage is unique, but here he has done the wrong thing and taken advantage of it. I hope in the future we might sec The Grateful Dead featuring Mickey Hart and not Mickey Hart featuring the Grateful Dead.