Anthem to Beauty
Encyclopedia
Anthem to Beauty is a music documentary about the making of the Grateful Dead
albums Anthem of the Sun
and American Beauty
. It originally aired in a somewhat shortened version in 1997 as part of the television series Classic Albums
. It was released on VHS video tape in 1998 and on DVD in 1999, with a running time of 1 hour 15 minutes.
, Mickey Hart
, Bob Weir
, Robert Hunter
, and David Grisman
, among others, discuss the creation of 1968's experimental, psychedelic Anthem of the Sun and 1970's folk-rock classic American Beauty. They also listen to and analyze the original master recordings for the albums, and talk about being in (or working with) the Grateful Dead at that time. Recording engineer Stephen Barncard
rolls the original master tape and solos tracks, recalling the recording sessions and highlighting specific moments.
Keyboardist Tom Constanten discusses the artificiality of appearing on Hugh Hefner
's show Playboy After Dark
. David Grisman plays his full version of the mandolin part for Ripple, as he had intended.
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
albums Anthem of the Sun
Anthem of the Sun
Anthem of the Sun is the second studio album by the Grateful Dead, released in 1968. It is the first album to feature second drummer Mickey Hart, who joined the band in September 1967...
and American Beauty
American Beauty (album)
American Beauty is the fifth album by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded between August and September 1970 and originally released in November 1970 by Warner Bros. Records...
. It originally aired in a somewhat shortened version in 1997 as part of the television series Classic Albums
Classic Albums
Classic Albums is a documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music.-Format:...
. It was released on VHS video tape in 1998 and on DVD in 1999, with a running time of 1 hour 15 minutes.
Synopsis
The video combines footage from the early years of the Grateful Dead with 1997 interviews of former band members and associates. Phil LeshPhil Lesh
Phillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
, Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
, Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
, Robert Hunter
Robert Hunter (lyricist)
Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
, and David Grisman
David Grisman
David Grisman is an American bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. In the early 1990s, he started the Acoustic Disc record label in an effort to preserve and spread acoustic or instrumental music.-Biography:Grisman grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey...
, among others, discuss the creation of 1968's experimental, psychedelic Anthem of the Sun and 1970's folk-rock classic American Beauty. They also listen to and analyze the original master recordings for the albums, and talk about being in (or working with) the Grateful Dead at that time. Recording engineer Stephen Barncard
Stephen Barncard
Stephen Quinn Barncard is an American record producer and sound engineer. He is best known for his work producing rock albums of the 1970s, including the Grateful Dead's American Beauty and David Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name.-References:***...
rolls the original master tape and solos tracks, recalling the recording sessions and highlighting specific moments.
Keyboardist Tom Constanten discusses the artificiality of appearing on Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
's show Playboy After Dark
Playboy After Dark
Playboy After Dark is an American television show hosted by Hugh Hefner. It ran in syndication through Screen Gems from 1969 to 1970 and was taped at CBS Television City in Los Angeles....
. David Grisman plays his full version of the mandolin part for Ripple, as he had intended.
Track listing
The track listing for the DVD release is:- Introduction
- "Truckin'Truckin'"Truckin'" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album American Beauty. It was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure....
" (GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
, HunterRobert Hunter (lyricist)Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
, LeshPhil LeshPhillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
, WeirBob WeirBob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
) - "Candyman" (Garcia, Hunter)
- Celebration
- American Beauty Album Cover Creation
- 1965 — Beginnings
- Neal CassadyNeal CassadyNeal Leon Cassady was a major figure of the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the psychedelic movement of the 1960s. He served as the model for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road....
- A Record Contract on Their Own Terms
- "The Other One" (KreutzmannBill KreutzmannBill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
, Weir) - Tom ConstantenTom ConstantenTom Constanten is an American keyboardist, best known for playing with the Grateful Dead from 1968 to 1970.-Biography:...
- Anthem of the Sun Album Cover Creation
- "Born Cross-EyedBorn Cross-EyedBorn Cross-Eyed is an original composition by the San Francisco, CA Psychedelic rock group the Grateful Dead. It was written by rhythm guitarist Bob Weir during the band's sessions creating the album Anthem of the Sun, produced by David Hassinger, in 1968...
" (Weir) - David CrosbyDavid CrosbyDavid Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
- "Mountains of the Moon" (Garcia, Hunter)
- "St. Stephen" (Garcia, Hunter, Lesh)
- "China Cat SunflowerChina Cat Sunflower"China Cat Sunflower" is a song performed by the Grateful Dead which was first recorded for their third studio album Aoxomoxoa. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and the music composed by Jerry Garcia. The song is typically sung by Jerry Garcia. The first live recording of this song...
" (Garcia, Hunter) - "Attics of My Life" (Garcia, Hunter)
- "Friend of the DevilFriend of the Devil"Friend of the Devil" is a song recorded by the Grateful Dead. The music was written by Jerry Garcia and John Dawson and the lyrics are by Robert Hunter. It is the second track of the Dead's 1970 album American Beauty....
" (Garcia, Dawson, Hunter) - "Ripple" (Garcia, Hunter)
- "Sugar MagnoliaSugar Magnolia"Sugar Magnolia" is a song by the Grateful Dead. Written by Robert Hunter and Bob Weir, it is one of the most well-known songs by the band, alongside such hits as "Truckin'," "Casey Jones," "Uncle John's Band," and "Touch of Grey."...
" (Weir, Hunter) - "Box of RainBox of Rain"Box of Rain" is a song by the Grateful Dead, from their 1970 album American Beauty. The song was composed by bassist Phil Lesh and lyricist Robert Hunter, and sung by Lesh...
" (Lesh, Hunter) - "Brokedown Palace" (Garcia, Hunter)
- End credits
Credits
- Jeremy MarreJeremy MarreJeremy Marre is a television director, writer and producer who founded Harcourt Films and has worked extensively around the world. Many of his films are on musical subjects....
– director - Nick de Grunwald, Bous de Jong – executive producers
- Caroline Thomas – series associate producer
- Chips Chipperfield – series consultant
- Terry Shand, Geoff Kempin – executive producers for Castle Music Pictures
- Phil McDonald – editor
- Joel Wykeham – series production manager
- Mike Shoring – sound recordist
- Richard Gibb, Mike Elwell – camera
- David GansDavid Gans (musician)David Gans, in Los Angeles, California, is an American musician, songwriter, and music journalist. He is a guitarist, and is known for incisive, literate songwriting. He is also noted for his music loop work, often creating spontaneous compositions in performance...
– consultant