Grateful Dead - Road Trips Vol. 2, No. 1 (September 1990) (2 CD + Bonus) Release Jan 12 2009

You'll recall the unusual historical circumstances surrounding this famous series of shows: In July, Brent Mydland had died tragically after a glorious 11-year stint as the Dead's keyboardist. With both the band and Dead Heads in shock, a few planned summer shows were cancelled, and it looked as though the group's long-scheduled tour of Europe might be in jeopardy, as well. But then, two things happened: friend and fellow traveler Bruce Hornsby, already well-versed in the band's music, volunteered to venture into the breach temporarily once his summer tour was over; next, the group settled on former Tubes keys man Vince Welnick to step into Brent's big shoes on a permanent basis. Fortunately, he was a quick study! By early September, Vince had played his first shows with the Dead (in Cleveland and Philadelphia), and then the band moved on to Madison Square Garden -- always one of the most magical places the group played-- for a series of six shows spanning September 14-20, before jetting off for the big European tour.

Bruce joined the band beginning with the second concert in that series, and immediately the chemistry of this new septet was apparent. Bruce was a bold and assertive player who really pushed the band--and particularly Garcia--in some fascinating new directions, and the combination of his grand piano and Vince's electronic keyboard textures made for a big and dynamic sound. There were smiles all around as the new unit found its footing and with surprising confidence ushered in a new era of Grateful Dead music before roaring New York crowds!

Back in 1997, our late, great vaultmaster Dick Latvala pegged the September 16, 1990 Garden show to be Dick's Picks Vol. 9, but many fans of the run have long believed that the hottest shows from MSG that year were actually the two concluding concerts, September 19 and 20. So, for this Road Trips we offer some two-and-a-half hours of high energy rock 'n' roll and intense jamming from the second sets of 9/19-20 (as well as the moving "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" encore from 9/18). Included are spacey and beautifully developed journeys through "Dark Star" and "Playing in the Band"; a rare second set "Let It Grow" that rolls into a fantastic improvisation that really shows off the chops of the "new" band; a rousing "Uncle John's Band"; rockin' tunes like "Truckin'" and "Turn on Your Lovelight," and more. The spirit and life on these tracks is amazing! You can find the entire track listing below. As always, the discs have been expertly mastered to HDCD by our own Jeffrey Norman, and the package includes a 16-page booklet with lots o' groovy pix and an essay about the shows by Dan Levy.

This time out, the exclusive limited edition Bonus Disc was compiled entirely from the 9/18/90 MSG show, another sizzler. Highlights include "Foolish Heart," "Eyes of the World," the rare-in-every-era "To Lay Me Down," and an especially rollicking take on "Picasso Moon."



Track List
Disc One - 9/20/90 and 9/19/90


Truckin'>
China Cat Sunflower>
I Know You Rider
Playing In The Band>
Ship of Fools>
Playing In The Band>
Uncle John's Band>
Let It Grow>
Jam>

Disc Two - 9/20/90

…Jam>
Dark Star>
Playing In The Band>
Dark Star>
Throwing Stones>
Touch Of Grey
Turn On Your Lovelight
Knockin' On Heaven's Door (encore 9/18/90)

Bonus Disc - 9/18/90

Mississippi Half Step
Picasso Moon
To Lay Me Down
Eyes of The World>
Estimated Prophet>
Foolish Heart>
Jam

Preorder spincds

Happy Birthday Jerry Garcia: Reviews of Grateful Dead, “Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings” and “Road Trips, Vol. 1, No. 3, Summer ‘71”

Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead would have been the grand old age of 66 today. He died 13 years ago and nearly died in 1986 due to a diabetic coma.

Jerry is best known for his guitar playing, earning him #13 on the Rolling Stones Greatest list. Apart from the Grateful Dead he also released solo albums, and co-founded New Riders of the Purple Sage

Rest in peace Jerry;

Here's a great review of the Dead's latest live offerings

A Deadhead in the Whitehouse ? Barack Obama Tells Rolling Stone Magazine He Loves the Grateful Dead

I dont think many of us need convincing but there is another reason to vote for Barack Obama, he's a fan of the Grateful Dead

Obama is featured on the cover of the latest Rolling Stone magazine and during the shoot he picked the Dead songs the crew were playing

"Those guys did a concert for me during the primary - they got back together again, and not only do I enjoy the music, but I just like them as people."

In the magazine Wenner Obama is asked if he ever thought there would be a deadhead in the Whitehouse

"I'm not sure I fully qualify as a Deadhead - I don't wear tie-dye and I've never followed them around anywhere, but I enjoy the songs'

Grateful Dead - Rocking The Cradle (Egypt 1978) (4 Disc) Release Sptember 30 2008

After what has already been a great year for vintage Grateful Dead releases (Winterland Box, The 'Road Trips' series...) you would have been forgiven for thinking that might be it.

Well, how about this.... "The Grateful Dead rises from its storied past on a three-disc set that recaptures three historic shows at the foot of the Great Pyramid in Giza"

Released on September 30th. and containing three hours of music on two CDs, plus a DVD with 'Fire on the Mountain', 'Deal', 'Bertha' and 10 other songs from the final show (shot during a lunar eclipse) and previously unreleased "Vacation Tapes" of the band before the trip. Only three of the 18 CD tracks have been released earlier.

The initial release will contain an exclusive eight-song bonus disc with more unreleased performances, including 'Eyes of the World'.

Pre-order spincds

Phil Lesh and Friends - Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA 7/06/2006 (3 CD): Release 30 June 2008

The Phil Lesh & Friends, of course keeps the music of the Grateful Dead alive, plus that of Traffic, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and many more. The 'band' has many diferent members including those from Phish, Little Feat, and the Zen Tricksters.

Lesh calls it "Dixieland-style rock":they has had more a southern rock feel that the Grateful Dad perhaps, but stays true to the long jams and the original music

Phil Lesh and Friends - Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA 7/06/2006 (3 CD) will be released 30 JUne 2008 (see Spin Cd's to Pre-Order)

30 Jun 2008

Description
Disc One
SET 1
1. Jam
2. Doin' That Rag
3. Deep Elem Blues
4. Jam
5. Brown Eyed Woman**
6. Next Time You See Me**
7. The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)

Disc Two
SET 2
1. All Along The Watchtower
2. St. Stephen
3. Help on the Way
4. Slipknot! > Nobody Girl
5. China Doll
6. Nobody Girl

Disc Three
1. I Know You Rider
2. Slipknot!
3. Franklin's Tower
4. Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad
5. Box of Rain

Image: Grateful Dead Records

The Grateful Dead Road Trips Volume One, Number 3 Due For Release 30 June 2008

Dick’s Pick’s are a series of 36 live recordings of the Grateful Dead, named after tape vault archivist, Dick Latvala and released in the 1990’s.



This series is no longer available but has been replaced by a series aptly named “Road Trips”. This series aims to differ from Dick’s Pick’s in two respects. Firstly, it collates highlights from a specific period in the life of the band, rather than presenting complete shows. Secondly, the quality is far superior to Dick’s Pick’s, which were based on limited two-track recordings.

The first Edition of Road Trips was released in 2007, Road Trips, Vol 1, No. 1, Fall ’79. It documented the addition of keyboardist and vocalist Brent Myland to the band, a catalyst to more energised playing.



The second, Road Trip, Volume 1 no. 2 (October 1977) was released in March 2008.

This volume captures the band peaking due to the Grateful Dead Movie and the release of Terrapin Station



Road Trips Volume One, Number 3 is now due to be released 30 June 2008.
Disc One is taken from the famous show at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, July 31, 1971. Disc Two is from the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago about three weeks later. Also included with initial orders is 1 third bonus disc with "...still more rarities from that ’71 tour, including the 8/4/71 show at Terminal Island correctional facility in Southern California.

Disc 1: 7/31/71 Yale Bowl, New Haven CT
1. Big Railroad Blues
2. Hard To Handle
3. Me and Bobby McGee
4. Dark Star>
5. Bird Song
6. Not Fade Away>
7. Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad
8. Not Fade Away
9. Uncle John's Band>
10. Johnny B. Goode

Disc 2: 8/23/71 Auditorium Theater, Chicago IL
1. China Cat Sunflower>
2. I Know You Rider
3. Truckin'
4. Sugaree
5. Cryptical Envelopment>
6. The Other One>
7. Me and My Uncle>
8. The Other One>
9. Cryptical Envelopment>
10. Wharf Rat
11. Sugar Magnolia

Bonus Disc:
1. Bertha (8/6/71 Hollywood Palladium)
2. Mr. Charlie (8/6/71 Hollywood Palladium)
3. Cumberland Blues (8/6/71 Hollywood Palladium)
4. Brokedown Palace (8/6/71 Hollywood Palladium)
5. Hard To Handle (8/6/71 Hollywood Palladium)
6. Sing Me Back Home (7/31/71 Yale Bowl)
7. Big Boss Man (7/31/71 Yale Bowl)
8. Not Fade Away> (8/4/71 Terminal Island)
9. Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad (8/4/71 Terminal Island)
10. Turn On Your Lovelight (8/4/71 Terminal Island)

Images: Courtesy Grateful Dead

Oh Dear ! Converse Release New "Grateful Dead" Shoe

Oh Dear............

It seems Converse's The Fall 2008 Footwear Collection will include a "Grateful Dead Shoe"

"To celebrate the brand's iconic presence throughout the last ten decades and undeniable influence on pop culture on pop culture"

One would assume, however, that this is being done with the band's blessing. The Dead were surprisingly corporate themselves, in terms of merchandising : bags, mugs, frisbees, stickers, the "Terrapin" lamp, the Grateful Dead Swiss Army Knife, the Jerry Garcia Tea Gift Box Set, the Tie-Dye Socks...................................

Massive Haul of Grateful Dead Memorabilia Donated to UC Santa Cruz:

Wow, Grateful Dead Heaven is set to happen with 30 years worth of correspondence, business records, merchandise and memorabilia being donated to University of California Santa Cruz.

Items include including stage backdrops, a large "Blues for Allah" stained-glass artwork, life-size skeletons of the band members for the 1987 "Touch of Grey" video.

Much of this is donated by Eileen Law, who started working for the band in 1972, in charge of the fan club, Dead Heads and continued for 34 years.

They sent in letters, postcards, Christmas cards, gifts and handmade artwork. And Law, who worked for the band for the next 34 years, saved everything.

"I was just the person that never shredded," says Law . "It started off in my little closet and it kept growing and growing, and now it fills up a warehouse."

The collection contains many historic documents, including band's first recording contract, with Warner Bros. minutes from band's weekly meetings.

Image: Courtesy Warner Bros

New Grateful Dead Road Trips Volume 1 Number 2 Release March 2008

Dick’s Pick’s are a series of 36 live recordings of the Grateful Dead, named after tape vault archivist, Dick Latvala and released in the 1990’s. This series is no longer available but has been replaced by a series aptly named “Road Trips”

The first Edition of Road Trips was released in 2007, Road Trips, Vol 1, No. 1, Fall ’79. This series aims to differ from Dick’s Pick’s in two respects. Firstly, it collates highlights from a specific period in the life of the band, rather than presenting complete shows. Secondly, the quality is far superior to Dick’s Pick’s, which were based on limited two-track recordings.

The first edition documented the addition of keyboardist and vocalist Brent Myland to the band, a catalyst to more energised playing.

The second, Road Trip, Volume 1 no. 2 (October 1977) is due for release in March 2008

This volume captures the band peaking due to the Grateful Dead Movie and the release of Terrapin Station

DISC 1:
1. Let It Grow (10:17)
2. Sugaree (17:41)
3. The Music Never Stopped (8:59
4. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo (11:53)
5. El Paso (4:52)
6. Help On the Way (5:48)
7. Slipknot! (4:02)
8. Franklin's Tower (14:59)
DISC 2:
1. Playing In the Band (17:12)
2. Drums (3:09)
3. The Other One (8:24)
4. Good Lovin' (5:53)
5. Terrapin Station (11;29)
6. Black Peter (13:17)
7. Around and Around (9:08)
8. Brokedown Palace (5:51)
9. Playing In the Band reprise (5:23)

Available in March 2008 (http://www.dead.net/)

Early orders get a free bonus disc

Grateful Dead Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings May 2008

Who has released the most live albums ever, no it's not Dave Matthews Band, it's one of the best live acts of all time, The Grateful Dead, the band who graduated from Acid Tests, to live at Fillmore to a cult following of Deadheads accross the United States.

From 1993 to 2005 an incredible 35 live albums were released under the Heading Dick's Picks, created by tape archivist Dick Latvala. These are available in CD form or downloadable onto your computer (making possible a radio station in the US completely dedicated to the band)

In May 2008 a 9-cd set will be released called Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings.

This captures the Dead in their hometown of San Francisco at one of the most fertile points in their career, they had perfected the art of the jam, could play country, and could tip you off the edge of the world into space with the notorious "Dark Star". These albums are of excellent remastered quality, check dead.net for more details on ordering.

Image: Courtesy Warner Bros