 The latest model includes gritty guitarist-vocalist Warren Haynes, guitarist Jimmy Herring, sturdy drummer John Molo and keyboardist Rob Barraco. Phil Lesh is the former founder and bassist of the Grateful Dead. b. Philip Chapman, 15 March 1940, Berkeley, California, USA. A formally trained trumpeter from an academic and classically trained background, Phil Lesh began playing bass guitar on joining the Warlocks in 1965. An R&B act formed around disaffected folk musicians, the group later evolved into the Grateful Dead. Lesh quickly became an intrinsic part of the group as an improviser and composer, although this latter role has decreased over the years. He was also responsible for editing and remixing the original tapes of the band's Anthem Of The Sun and Aoxomoxoa when they were re-released during the 70s. In 1975, Lesh completed Seastones, an experimental collaboration with electronics wizard Ned Lagin. Described as 'cybernetic bio-music' by a contemporary newsletter, the set used a battery of technological gadgets and computers to create impressionistic patterns of sound. Jerry Garcia, Grace Slick and David Crosby appeared on the project, but their contributions were masked by layers of treated effects. Lesh and Lagin also made live appearances showcasing similar material, but the bassist pursued a more orthodox sideline with Too Loose To Truck, a bar-band specializing in cover versions. Despite these outside activities, Lesh's strongest work has been made within the core of the parent group and he remains a remarkably inventive, meandering bassist with occasional breathtaking bursts, none better highlighted than on 'Dark Star' from Live/Dead.
|
