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There's an article in the recent edition of Copper Magazine that talks about Owsley Stanley and The Greatful Dead's sound system known as the wall of sound. https://www.psaudio.com/article/bear-the-owsley-stanley-story-part-four/ "The stage system stood forty feet high and seventy feet wide and sported 88 15 inch JBL speakers, 174 12-inch JBL speakers, 288 5-inch JBL speakers, (dude, remember how popular JBLs were?) and 54 Electro-Voice tweeters. The sound was powered by 26,000 watts generated by 55 McIntosh MC2300 amps. Giddyup."
That was pretty far out man. Speaker columns for every bass string and all. Stanley evidently laid the ground work for today's touring companies. Though I never cared for the Dead and their extended into next week jams. Hearing that would have been amazing for the day. Speaking of hearing too, I doubt protective elements for loud music hadn't been developed yet during that period. I'd been to shows that probably contributed to my tinnitus of today. Shows where you are pounded by the sound system. Those guys must of taken a beating with that get up. Whew! Great article. Sex & drugs & rock n roll is very good indeed. For a while. Not conducive to longevity though.
"Speaker columns for every bass string" Yeah that sounds like it was a blast. Never went to a Dead show but did do too many loud concerts back in the day. Got tinnitus, too. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll are very good indeed. Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Great stuff.
Glad you made the connection Barry. Ian Dury. A rude, crude, social abomination at times Limey. But delightfully fun to interpret his lyrics skewering everything he took in his life. Wreckless Eric. There's another one. As Ian said of him. "E's a good lad".