It was in 1979 that Keith and Donna Godchaux decided to leave the Grateful Dead, and in the short time between then and Keith's death, they played live several times under various names. There was The Ghosts, which later changed their name to The Heart of Gold Band, but Keith & Donna also released a studio album of their own. Over the years, they released a number of vague releases (vague in the sense that they're a mix of material without structure), of which this The Heart of Gold Band is the second. This release (although released under a different name) is therefore a perfect continuation of The Ghosts - Playing in the Heart of Gold Band that was released in 1984 because it's all live material. Actually, they should have released tracks 6 through 9 from that album along with this one, but oh well. An entertaining, though far too short, album, by the way. It's all covers (two of which are by Bob Dylan), and the sultry Stir It Up has a really nice groove. Watching the River Flow is an odd choice for a Dylan cover (it's a song that never made it onto a regular album), but It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry is a bit more catchy. Strange Man is still very beautiful, and Lonesome Highway just flows by. The highlight for me is right at the beginning with Stir It Up.
To complicate matters even further, the 1998 Heart of Gold album also features two additional live tracks (Gommorah and Show Boat) that can't be found anywhere else. I hope to find the full 7/10/80 concert someday. That would be the only live performance ever performed with this lineup, and from which all the live tracks come. Donna Godchaux, at least, calls the concert at the Back Door, San Francisco, CA, the only live concert in the album's liner notes ("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.") but Solid Rock and Golden Road (both on The Ghosts - Playing in the Heart of Gold Band) seem to be from a live recording in Arcata in 1980... Something's not right, but I have no idea what. I'm more inclined to believe Donna's liner notes.
Tracklist:
- Stir It Up
- Watching the River Flow
- It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
- Strange Man
- Lonesome Highway
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