This ad hoc band was assembled to perform incidental music for the film
Apocalypse Now. The group was formed when
Francis Ford Coppola attended a
Grateful Dead concert at the invitation of
Bill Ghrahm. During the
drums section of the
second set he heard what was needed for the film.
The Rhythm Devils are
Mickey Hart - percussion
Phil Lesh - bass
Bill Kreutzmann - drums
Airto Moreira - percussion
Flora Purim - percussion
Jim Loveless
Greg Errico
Michael Hinton
Jordan Amarantha
The subsequent 1979-80 sessions at the Dead's studios & Mickey's "Barn" in Novato were an interesting affarir, with each musician bringing in a personal selection of instruments and objects, resulting in a broad set of sonic palettes.
Instruments were arranged in sound groups, and the musicans moved among them as they watched the film being screened before them.
Track List for the Rhythm Devilsยด Sessions (album released on Rykodisc):
1. Compound 3 : 17
2. Trenches 3 : 52
3. Street Gang 2 : 14
4. The Beast 4 : 12
5. Steps 2 : 26
6. Tar 1 : 38
7. Lance 2 : 50
8. Cave 5 : 55
9. Hell's Bells 3 : 29
10. Kurtz 4 : 49
11. Napalm For Breakfast 3 : 25
all songs writen by: Hart / Hinton / Moreira
Producer - Mickey Hart
Associate producer - Gian-Carlo Coppola
Production assistance - Creek Hart