I'm joined by guest Phil Stacey as we discuss the final Grateful Dead studio album Built to Last.

Show notes:

• Recorded via Zoom

• Built to Last released on Halloween 1989

• Jay had just graduated from college, Phil was a junior

• Jay: Don't remember this album even coming out

• Phil: It's not memorable

• Felt like band was going through the motions

• Brent Mydland dominated the album with four songs

• He was suffering from depression; died a year later

• Maybe Garcia and Weir didn't have enough good material

• Fall '89 Dead shows are considered the band's last great run of concerts

• Tried the same recording technique as previous album but it didn't work

• Garcia said Mydland's songs were better

• Final song is really bad

• Phil: They had enough material to record another album

• You can find version of them online

• Garcia started getting into drugs again

• Concert performances suffered

• Band members started doing other projects

• A couple of decent songs on this album

• Mydland songs seemed like they'd fit in a different genre

• Phil: He was good in concert

• The Dead didn't need another hit album

• Jay: At the end of this journey, have more of an appreciation for the Dead

• Definitely some bad records

• Can appreciate the live performances to a point

• Jay: I respect the fanaticism of Deadheads; not for me, but that's okay

• No more guilty pleasures; you like what you like

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The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.