Grateful Dead

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I was thinking that he should at least bulk up a bit, maybe chew tobacco and spit periodically during future videos. Replace the cap with a bandana. Parrot on shoulder. Get those gals from the Burritos' Palace of Sin album to flank him. Couple midgets wrestling around while he talks--or at least some single moms with low self-esteem duking it out. Pulling each other's hair. Instead of by the beach, it should be shot in a bar that Bukowski would be afraid to enter. Blacken a couple of Dave's teeth. An old rifle. Instead of coffee, it should be a Pabst tallboy. Couple old Oui and Easy Rider magazines visible. Yeah, Dave--use your imagination next time. This is YOUR series--have fun with it!

The time is due for the Dead Vault to release a completely unheard show. Something way back in the vault which no tape/cd collectors have ever heard! One of those shows that did not have a setlist in Deadbase. For example: 05/22/66 Rancho Olompali, Novato 07/14/66 Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco 03/13/67 Whiskey A Go-Go, Los Angeles 06/15/68 Fillmore East, NYC 08/17/70 Fillmore West, San Francisco 8/28-29/70 Thee Club, Los Angeles What???!!! None of them in the vault? Oh well at least I can still dream!!

PLEASE bring back DIGI PACKS for the protection of the CDs. Thanks again.

I agree with Vegas Krissy 100%

I have just a couple of thoughts about this announcement and comments already made. I think the Road Trips series headed in the DP direction after the first year, i.e. complete shows and filler. Generally, I don't think this is going to be much of a change format-wise, just a new name. That is fine, whatever. I do not like the limited release aspect of this. 12,000 copies is clearly not enough to satisfy the crowd. They sold over 7,200 sets (original trunk run plus music only edition) of E72 box at $450! A lot of people who don't want to (or cannot financially) plunk down for the entire year series will miss out as a result of the limited edition nature of this release. I think that is an unfortunate decision. Those are my gripes. I look forward to seeing what else will comprise the series. I will second a call for Gainesville 1980. There is a great audience of that show on the archive that sounds amazing and has the right balance of audience in the background, makes me feel like I am in the pit dancing. Would love a high-quality upgrade of it.

I don't like to think conditionally, but if there were two series - one '65 to '80 and the other '81 to '95 - would you choose to be the curator for the first or the second?

I hope this new series provides more of the neglected early 1980s. There are some spectacular tours/shows that really could use some releases...how about Spring '81 (3/6/81) or Spring '83...even a 1987 show? Overall I am certainly happy that the vault releases will be continuing.

The dates in the graphic on the homepage have now changed, spanning from April 23, 1969 through March 29, 1993 with a preponderance of dates in the 80's.

One would have thought, after the limited release fiasco of Europe '72, that the folks at Corporate Dead would've learned a thing or two about the perils of exclusivity, but apparently not. You guys are truly clueless. Twelve thousand is barely half again as many as could buy the box sets, so I don't know why in the world you think this new decision is any better or different than the last on any significant level. Just release the damn music and quit playing your ill-conceived games with everyone.

I didn t often take my pen to write you , but for international orders your shipping rate is not realistic and not well calculated.One simple example if I subscribe to the DP and want after to add a RT you charge me double price instead of just a little more for the two . Concrete example : for the first DP you charge me 12,5$ and if I want to order a RT just before shipping the first DP you charge me again 12$ The total amount will be 24,5$ for the two? Don t you really think that there isn t something strange ???

You know, I was wondering why there was no Comments section linked or included on the subscription page but I figured something would show up eventually so I kept checking back. I'm not really sure I should have kept looking. There was no way I could afford the Europe '72 deluxe steam engine collection but the 2011 Road Trips subscription was a lot of fun! I tried really hard not to read anything ahead of time about the releases before I actually got the CDs in my hands so I could just kick back and enjoy the music as it played -- let's do this again! Except for a couple of notable glitches Here (Comes Sunshine) and there I've really enjoyed each one so I picked up a subscription to Dave's Picks and threw down a couple of bucks for express shipping. I'm really not too concerned about the show list for the subscription. I already know what band was playing and who is rendering what remains of their recordings that have survived them so I know what to expect. Going to shakedown street with dead.net, Rhino, and David or winding my neck in and tentatively treading the trestle at a siding before ordering a subscription to well over a half-century of music that I like makes no sense to me at all. No, not every show is a perfect gem but I can count on my middle finger (it's pointing at you, Bob Dylan and City of Oakland) the number of shows that weren't worth the trip and that I wouldn't want to hear again even on a CD with a Skip button. ... singing, "Thank you! For a real good time!"

I found 2 cents in my jeans pocket, so here they are. As far as limited release- My opinion will always be to let as many people hear the music as possible. I don't know how many of these releases are sold, although 12 thousand probably represents a significant portion of this. That said, if 5 years from now a fan wants to hear the first Dave's Picks, I wish they would have the opportunity to do so. The packaging for the Pure Jerry releases is my favorite. Actually the hard cases of Dick's Picks are my real favorites, but perhaps these aren't feasible anymore. Hopefully someone is keeping track of the collage of dates that appear before the Dave's Picks logo arrives. These seem to change frequently, and what exactly are all these dates? Secrets of the Pyramids. I love the 76-77 one-two punch of the last Road Trips and the first Dave's Picks. But then again, I love every release- Cuz they are all excellent and are beautifully produced- Thank You!! And this ain't no background music - Turn the fucker UP!

My crystal ball predicts many versions of Playin In The Band in our future.

I'm from Italy, I have all cd's that have been published by GD but I won't order the Dave's Picks; I've become very tired of limited editions, so that you must run to buy them... I'm still waiting for the '72 box.....

Here we go again. A few observations on ltd editions/bonus disc. I find it interesting that people think they know better than people who have been in the business for a quarter of a century how to do releases in the most cost effective and profitable way. While I have no doubt the Dead as an entity want to do best for their fans (which is why they picked an outstanding company like Rhino in the 1st place) they don't want to be involved in the minutiae which is also why they picked someone to do it. Calling a run of 12000 ltd is stretching it a bit. I doubt if they left it open ended they would sell much more. They have an idea how many will sell, but understandably they want a better idea and want most of it set up early. Which is why the "ltd. ed." and the bonus copy. For those of us who like physical releases, you really should keep it down, making and storing releases costs money so they could go to an all download format which would prevent a lot of us from getting any releases.As for the guy who wants jewell cases, you gotta be kidding me. In closing it seems to me there is a small but vocal minority who think the Band and Rhino are here for them and not for the people who own and/or made the music. You must be living in a park thinking you're 1 of the 99%. No handouts to business and keep our (collective) hand out of others pockets

Everyone's entitled to their own opinions but it's clear that this "Limited Edition" stuff does hurt those who can't afford to buy right away. You don't need to work in marketing to figure this out. The people making these decisions have not been doing so for 25 years. The Dead/Rhino partnership has only been around the last few years and Rhino now has new people making these decisions. Imagine if the two record set of Live Dead had only been a Limited Edition, we'd all have been talking about what a bad decision it was. As someone else pointed out, people are hoping on the bus all the time. Why slight current and future fans? Imagine that your Limited Edition disc gets a scratch but you'll never be able to replace it down the road because it will no longer exist.

The dead releases on rhino are not regular releases. They are for a limited number of people who want them. They are not releases that sell in the 100,000 or 1,000.000 units but closer to 10,000. We as fans are lucky to have the opportunity to obtain these shows. I remeber in the 80's most dead heads dreaming that some day the release of shows would happen. They are being released at a reasonable price and many people seem to be unhappy. You get the sense that some people would be happy if nothing is released because they can't pick the show , the price and everything else. This reminds me of the people on that festival express dvd who thought the music should be free or they should get a cut. I'm not rich but am lucky enough to afford what the band releases. Please keep the releases comming on cd and hopefully more than four a year

I wonder how many people who have no problems with the Limited Edition deal are reselling these for a profit. The idea that anyone would have a problem with buying releases is a bit of a joke especially since no one is asking for something for nothing. I personally have supported every release and I'm quite happy with most of the releases. As far as the '80's comment, I can top that, I've been wanting vault releases since the '70's.

I`ve already subscribed to the Dave's Picks series. I know that I will not be interested in some of these four releases, for I'm mainly into 1966-1978 Dead recordings. I smell some eighties coming, I know. The reason for subscribing anyway is all this Limited Edition shit; I would really hate to miss a volume from the golden age. I missed the 1973 Bonus Disc already because of not subscribing to the 2011 Road Trips (and I was really hoping for that "Dark Star" to be released one day! Anyway, I downloaded somewhere, but it is not the same, I wanted to add that CD to my collection -by the way, what on Earth were the producers thinking when they decided to cut off "Stella Blue"?-)I don't agree with these methods of making everything a limited edition. I understand it in the case of a gargantual release, so gigantic, so multiple as the Europe '72 box set. But will it be the regular procedure with every new release from now on? I don't give a hoot 'bout a numbered edition, I just want a nice CD(digipaked, if possible) with beautiful music, a nice booklet, liner notes, and equal opportunities for all Dead fans to buy it. I don't understand this limited edition in particular, it should be released in regular quantities, just as the good old Dick's Picks were. PS: I hope something from 1975 to be released in these series.

I have decided, after much consideration, not to subscribe to the Dave's Picks series. I already know that I have a good version of 5/25/77. I may well have one or two of the others too. I don't think that the bonus disc is going to be worth the cost of the whole subscription. I have bought the Europe '72 individuals that I lacked in my library and there are a couple more of those yet to get. I sincerely hope that "Limited Edition" does not mean "Exclusive Edition." "Exclusive" is a word that has no place in the GD sensibility. I expect to be able to purchase these a la carte. It would be a travesty if we were to be left out because we didn't pony up for the whole lot. Please say that we will get them individually if we order in a reasonably timely manner. One more thing: I feel for anyone who has suffered bad customer service, delays, defective merchandise, etc from GDM/Rhino. But I have had no problems whatsoever. Timely delivery of quality product has been my experience. Thanks - and I look forward to future satisfactory transactions.

What are the dates that flash before the Dave's Picks logo? 4 picks next year, and atleast a dozen shows have popped up. I don't think 1/22/78 is in the Vault, which suggests these are like a mirage in the desert. Or maybe these are eventual picks-or teaser picks. I have no idea- and that's exactly the point- I think.

Dark Star I suspect you may be right about some people selling the ltd stuff on ebay. That said I have bought every legit release by The Grateful Dead from the 1 st lp to present when 1st offered (and amazing as it might seem the lps are still in collectable shape). The last 2 words are important to pay attention to. I think the biggest difference between the bonus disc/ltd ed. supporters and their opponents is who is a "collector" and who is simply interested in picking the music they want at their leisure. There is nothing in that statement that judges either perspective, but helps put the controvercy in perspective (sorry). To be honest I have bought pleanty of releases that weren't ltd and that doesn't detract from my enjoyment. But being a collector (vinyl, stamps,Mad Mag) I like owning ltd editions and it's not like the music isn't available to anyone who really tries

Digi Packs ~ PLEASE ! PLEASE bring back DIGI PACKS for the protection of the CDs. Thanks again.

Infinitely better than the card DigiSleeves, notorious from the RT series and especially Europe '72. As I recall, the last time we saw DigiPaks were for Cow Palace and the Vault box way back in 2007.

can't wait for em. i had a lengthy rant about something trival about this new series, then i checked my facts. almost looked like bozo! haha.

Likes: Dick's Picks, Road Trips, DigipacksDislikes: Egypt (glue), E72 (tough to get out)

here's how i see it. 1. all releases are limited edition to some extent. rhino has a print run of a certain number, and once that's gone, it's pretty much gone (see DP36 for example). 2. those that miss out on ltd edition releases are able to obtain the music elsewhere with literally less than 5 mouse clicks. the notion that the music is "gone forever" if you don't buy now is false. 3. if you don't have $100 to buy a subscription, you probably shouldn't be buying the releases on an individual basis either. you should be prioritizing your limited funds on something more important than buying music that's otherwise available free online. 4. if you don't want a subscription because you're unsure of the quality of the choices, fair enough - that's legit. I doubt that you'll miss out on much, as these companies are ultimately in the business of making money. if demand dictates, i wouldn't be surprised to see next year's print run increased accordingly. And, as said, the music's free online elsewhere. 5. I see nothing ethically wrong with downloading a free copy of a limited edition release that's since sold out. 6. Given that the music's free elsewhere, the only profit-making on ebay is typically from other collectors who (a) have the funds to pay stupid prices and (b) choose to do so at their own free will. I fail to see anything wrong with a company who chooses to advertise a limited edition product for a niche release in order to stoke demand sufficient to keep releasing music for that very same niche. I personally like the subscription idea because the money is long forgotten after it's paid and a quarterly treat arrives in my mailbox. Yeah, some are better than others, but it's always an interesting listen.

In my mailbox yesterday: Bridge School 25th anniversary DVD -- all-cardboard packaging, no innersleeves Gary Clark, Jr: Bright Lights EP -- jewel case Shelby Lynn: Revelation Road -- see Bridge School Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon Experience Edition -- all-cardboard packaging with cardboard outersleeve, no innersleeves. Do I prefer jewel cases? No! Just more plastic waste, and they break way too easily. Digipacks? Better, but still plastic waste -- a not-great hybrid product. Cardboard with innersleeves, please...if I can handle the wear rings and split seams on my old vinyl LP covers, if I can cope with broken jewel cases, then I can live with the occasional rip or ding on the cardboard cases. Just give us the innersleeve to reduce scratching on the CDs, please. When CDs first appeared in those horrible longboxes and packaged in jewel cases, I couldn't figure out why they just didn't come in scaled-down vinyl LP covers. Now that they do, I'd like to see the universal return of the innersleeve. Then I'll be happy. The plastic-intensive packaging stuff (don't even get me started on DVDs), time for that to go away. Please.

"5. I see nothing ethically wrong with downloading a free copy of a limited edition release that's since sold out." A lot of people would agree with that statement IMO, and that's one reason I think making the D(a)Ps "Limited Editions" is a bad choice. There is nothing stopping a re-release of DP36 if there is enough demand for it, but once D(a)P1 has sold 12,000 then it is gone at least in the form of "legitimate" physical product. By the time D(a)P1 is released the music on it will be almost 35 years old. There's no reason to think that people (including new fans) won't be interested in buying that show when the music on it is 40 or 45 years old, except that they won't be able to buy it because of an artificial limit set on the number of copies.

The last Road Trips V4N5 is basically a limited edition. It states: available while quantities last. I wonder if the Road Trips will start disappearing like the Dicks Picks. Not saying I agree with limited editions but I have no control over that. I agree with the inner sleeve idea. I have the Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock and both discs have inner sleeves with cardboard outer sleeves. Works great.

I'm not totally keen on how this limited edition thing is handled either but only because of how it affects people here and not potential consumers 10 years from now. Our society has it so ingrained in us that we should be able to have every thing we want at any time we want it and with the conditions that we set. That's not realistic. Sometimes we have to prioritize our wants vs. needs and be content with what we have. I've been collecting jazz for years and when Alfred Lion and Francis Wolfe founded Blue Note records many titles saw very low pressing and deletion from the catalog almost immediately. It wasn't thier fault that I was not born yet and would not be hipped to these recordings until my teens. It's unrealistic and egocentric to think that they as businessmen and jazz lovers themselves, should have to perpetually keep titles in print and warehoused for future generations, like myself, that "might"  get turned on. A demographic that is impossible to pin down, target and access the viability of said business approach for. In the 90's I talked to Michael Cuscana and Tom Everett from Blue Note. I was told that a title must sell 500 copies per year in order for them to keep it in print. Remember if you have unsold inventory you still have to pay to store it. Many companies  including Blue Note, a division of EMI, do not own the warehouse space they store inventory in. This cuts into profit which cuts into new projects. I've seen tiles come and go. I held one Herbie Hancock title in my hands and put it back because I needed to eat that week. It cost $10.  When I went back for it a few days later, it was gone. It went out of print and it was about 4 years until it became available again. Some haven't.  I made the choice to put the Herbie disc back and it wasn't Blue Notes fault. I eventually got it and other OOP titles through patience and a few times paying more than the retail price for it. Lots of other listeners were in the same boat. At the same time my understanding is that if one made a reasonable effort to purchase an item and it is OOP it can be copied legally. Remember, reasonably, and that might be a few dollars more but not a 200% price increase. But again, a future fan can still get the music and are not entitled to things that came and went, the same way as I'm not entitled to a factory mint 67 Mustang at 1967 showroom prices just cause I want it. But music, they can still get the sounds for a few clicks. Not a bad deal. I also feel that the eBay profiteers need people who are willing to pay these insane prices. If people would stop paying them, they would have no incentive to price gouge. I also feel that the numbers Rhino are producing are in line with the numbers that will actually sell, the problem again is that the profiteers are snatching up 2 or 3 copies that casual fans would have purchased. Again, you tried to buy it; you made that reasonable effort and  it was sold out, I would surely look for a legal or otherwise way to download the music before buying it on eBay. We all have to look at our own financial situation to determine how or on what we will spend our resources on. To pay for the Europe Box I emptied all my change into a jar, everyday, and once a week put a few bucks into. I do the same thing for Mosaic records box sets and actually try to anticipate new projects rather than starting to save AFTER they make an announcement. We don't eat out much, never at fast food, and I limit other things I spend money on to fund my music. By no means am I living high, actually I try to live beneath my means, and yes money is tight. There is some music I want right now but I'm holding off on because of my budget. It might work to my advantage or it might not. I'll have to see.  Rhino has dropped the ball lately with some issues, but as some have already stated not everyone is going to be happy with the new series. As far as the Dicks picks series, they will all be re-released. As per recent correspondence with Real Gone records, the next batch from 31-33 will be out in January. I would recommend waiting before spending $120 on DP 32 on eBay and get the reissue. Patience vs. instant gratification will save you some cash. Anyway, I'm on board for Dave's new series. Bring em' on!

I have only just noticed, ten minutes ago, that more Europe '72 single shows have been listed foe sale on the GD store page. I went to order a couple (Hamburg and Bremen) and was informed that they are not in stock. Does this mean they are sold out already or just that they are not yet available? As GDM/Rhino have not been shy about taking money for product not ready for shipping, the former is more likely. But that means they sold way faster than the first bunch. What's the deal?

Hey sffct, this doesn't exactly answer your question (about sales of E72), but I just noticed that the RIAA has certified the Europe '72: Complete Recordings as "Gold." Holy @#!$%&#!! That means sales of 500,000 copies. Surely this can't be? I'm guessing that they count each show as an individual record? I first saw this in this rather nice Wikipedia GD discography (note the chart positions and gold status of some of the live releases): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grateful_Dead_discography Also went to the RIAA site to confirm, and sure enough, gold. Holy Schnikes!

I think they got gold for 500,000 CDs, not box sets or even individual shows.. so with 73 CDs per set, that works out to be at least 6,850 box sets sold.

Does anyone here remember when Terrapin Station (Limited 3CD Collector's Edition) came out in Sept of 1997? 14 years later and you can still get buy this from dead.net but for $39.50. How can something labeled as such still be available? All I'm saying is all this Lim Ed marketing in 2011 is getting to be ridiculous. Others down the road should be able to purchase the shows from Dave's Picks or any archival release series if they wish without havin to do so at ridiculous prices (i.e. Fillmore West Complete).Also, has anyone heard anymore about a possible new DeadBase? http://www.dead.net/forum/deadbase-needs-your-help

Anyone should be able to buy anything and everything at any time or it's not fair!!! [foot stomp] Wahhhh! [adorable baby tears]

Gold/Platinum status is based on individual discs, vinyl or CD, not on individual "titles." So OxDead is correct -- as soon as they sold out the limited box edition, the Dead had a gold record. There's some kind of logic there, but it's never seemed quite right to me.

If it isn't a Limited Edition, I don't want it! (Stomps feet)! After all, the music has no merit unless I can get it and no one else can! Mommy, am I special now? Mommy!

DAVE'S PICKS !!! ... Wow, I am really happy that the vault releases are going to continue unabated. This is good news. ... Love the video! ... Thank you, David. You and Jeffrey Norman (THE master mixer and masterer par excellence !! ... I can always tell when the music was NOT mastered by Jeffrey.) and Blair Jackson have done a GREAT job with the Road Trips sets, and I can only imagine that it will get even better with the new "Dave's Picks" sets. ... When I went back to school, and was a poor student in the late nineties, I lost track of the many Dick's Picks. I bought the first six or seven - and many in between - but I never got them all. I'd still like to get them all on CD one day. But once I started working again, I always bought ALL of the "Road Trips" sets directly from the Dead - every one of them - not just to get the BONUS DISCS (which are all awesome!) but to make sure that my money goes directly to the DEAD through fewer middle men. As a die-hard Dead Head, I want to fully support the band I love in every way - and even though it may have been less costly to buy the sets from amazon.com or Best Buy or Newbury Comics, when it came to ANY Grateful Dead releases - even the other ones on Arista, WB, Rhino, and Grateful Dead Productions - I ALWAYS bought them directly from Dead.net. Always! ... Thanks for keeping up the good work keeping this music that we all love alive. ... Any chance we will ever hear any of the music from Watkins Glen - or from the Timothy Leary party at Millbrook on the fourth of July in 1967? Even just a taste? ... "That Would Be Something..." ... Okay, looking forward to the new series. HAPPY TRAILS !! - George Koumantzelis / The Aeolian Kid - http://aeolianmusicworks.homestead.com/AeolianErgonautics.html

Cub sez: I just locked-in my music-budget purchase for 2011. I am a Grateful Dead taper / audiophile who shuns downloads from any source when the "Real McCoy" is available to me. The "MP3, 4, earbud, burn cd's on a laptop @ 100x speed" heads will never hear the advantage of PCM (google it) so they can wait for the Dave's disc to be released and upload'd to the internet. FYI - when you burn a HDCD on a laptop it DOES NOT PRESERVE the HDCD bit rate. That is lost. I like the Grateful Dead shows I make for the car and friends as clean and high a bit-rate as the original HDCD disc I receive from Dave's Picks. Mostly because they make the orange HDCD indicator light-up on my Denon PCM CDR-W1500 when I play them back. Yes, this machine from 2005 will preserve the HDCD format. Try that on a laptop ! Thank you, for many re-occurring good times !!!!!!!!!!

I feel your pain, curley42.

Not sure who reads this, but this is for David Lemieux. Thanks for the video. I tried vault@dead.net, but did not have any luck. Probably my error. If you get this a suggestion for your Picks series: December 8 and 9th, 1990 Compton Terrace Amphitheater, especially the December 9th show. These shows had both Hornsby and Welnick at the keyboards. They had had enough prior shows together to be really tuned up. A small unique time slot in Grateful Dead History that I personally would like to see you do your soundboard magic on. I will buy it. QED.

All I can say, is a very sincere Thank You!

Using EAC will preserve HDCD encoding provided you do not adjust any settings http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/en/ you can seach the EAC Forums for details It works for me

I know there has been some griping about the limited-edition format of the new DaP series, but based on recent recording-industry news, that might be the only way we will be able to purchase CDs in the near future:http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=46980_0_2_0_C The sales of CDs have dropped to the point that some labels soon won't bother with them, or will print only a certain number upon the initial release. What Rhino is doing with the DaP series might be right in line with industry standards. I'm loving that we get loads of GD music, no matter what the format!