Highly anticipated channel will feature original radio shows hosted by members of the band, rare concert performances and insider interviews.
NEW YORK – August 29, 2007 – SIRIUS Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced the launch of the highly anticipated Grateful Dead Channel. Heard exclusively on SIRIUS, the channel will feature music spanning the Grateful Dead’s long and celebrated history. The channel will include rare and unreleased performances, original shows hosted by Grateful Dead founders Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, as well as rare archival interviews with Jerry Garcia.
The Grateful Dead Channel will make its debut on September 7 at 12 pm ET on SIRIUS channel 32 with an extremely rare concert broadcast of the band’s 1974 performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. This performance will be followed by a special show hosted by Bob Weir, the first by a member of the Grateful Dead on the new channel. The channel will also feature contributions from Grateful Dead expert David Gans, as well as Dead archivist David Lemieux, who will provide a unique look into the Dead’s lush past with daily insights.
"Since we announced the launch of the Grateful Dead Channel, it has become one of the most anticipated music channel launches in our history.” said Scott Greenstein, President, Entertainment and Sports, SIRIUS. “The loyalty and passion of Grateful Dead fans are the truest testament to the band’s legacy. Sirius is thrilled to bring exclusive content to this community and welcomes their continued participation as Sirius becomes part of the Grateful Dead family.”
“This is gonna be one fun channel,” said the Dead’s Bob Weir. “We, the guys in the band, get to be involved as much as we can and we'll make sure it's fun. We want the fans to be involved as well.”
The Grateful Dead formed in mid 1960’s San Francisco’s psychedelia and quickly became a staple in the local music scene. The historic summer of 1967, known as ‘The Summer of Love,’ is when the band first found world wide recognition as thousands of young people from around-the-world made their way to San Francisco’s Haight and Ashbury district to find a new social experience. The Dead, well-known for constantly touring, kept the experience alive for another three decades with a devoted community of fans, many of whom traveled the country with them.
The Grateful Dead Channel joins an exclusive line up of 24-hour, commercial-free music channels dedicated entirely to some of the world's greatest recording artists including Elvis Radio, the world's only official, all-Elvis Presley radio channel broadcasting live from Graceland; and Siriusly Sinatra, devoted to the music and legacy of Frank Sinatra. SIRIUS has previously dedicated channels exclusively to the music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, The Rolling Stones, David Gilmour and Pink Floyd, George Strait, and most recently, The Who. SIRIUS is also the exclusive radio home of Shade 45, the uncut hip-hop channel co-created with Eminem, "Little Steven" Van Zandt's Underground Garage, channel 25, and Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville, channel 31.
To learn more about SIRIUS, please visit www.sirius.com or www.sirius.com/gratefuldead.
Comments
I knew it launched at noon...
...but I had to turn on the channel this morning to hear what was playing. They had a crowd chatter montage looping with various live GD performances phasing in and out of the mix with a tinny quality as if the mic picked up a stray boombox here and there from the crowd. Then for good measure, an announcer voice comes on saying something like "Attention, ladies and gentlemen, the Grateful Dead Channel will begin in 3 hours." or something like that.
I heard bits and pieces of the GD channel preview on Jam On a couple weeks ago. Man, that was sweet. I've been looking forward to today for a while. So, at 11:55, I slipped out the back door here at work and hopped in my car and turned the GD channel back on. The crowd chatter was still there. I thought maybe the crowd chatter would build up and segue into Promised Land at the moment the channel launched, but in true Grateful Dead fashion the show started a little late.
Anyway, I've had Sirius for a while and this channel more than completes the package! Thank you Grateful Dead and thank you Sirius!
1974-07-21 sweet choice for the rollout !!!!
07/21/74 (Sun) Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA
Set 1: Promised Land, Tennessee Jed, Me & My Uncle, Sugaree, Jack Straw, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo > It Must Have Been The Roses, El Paso, Scarlet Begonias, Around and Around
Set 2: Phil & Ned*, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Big River, Row Jimmy, Playing In The Band > Wharf Rat > Truckin' > Nobody's Fault But Mine > Playing In The Band, Ship of Fools, Sugar Magnolia, E: U.S. Blues
Since Sirius kicked off with an audience recording of this show this might suggest that the soundboard is not in existence in the vault.
Comment: *Phi & Ned Between sets Commander Cody,
Hot Kick off
I actually think a soundboard exists, but they're going to be mixing in audiece recordings as well. Fine by me. Reminds me of my old taping days. That's all I used to listen too. Not that soundboards aren't welcome.
74-07-21
I snuck out for an early lunch to catch some of this show!
At the end of the show an announcer came on to say what show we'd been listening to and who the taper was and said that this aud was the only known recording of this show!
So, unless there is a tape buried somewhere in the vault, there is no sbd in existence... it's a shame, 'cause it's a great show... But it was kinda cool to hear the dj thank the taper by name... made it feel more like family!
After the show, Bobby came on to talk about the country tunes that they used to play with songs as examples... pretty cool.
I also like that thus far, the display tells what show the song is from... and so far I've only heard one album cut.
so far, SO GOOD!!!!
:^D
I've made this day into a party
So far lovin it. Cracked a couple of cold ones and let the tunes go. Great Scarlet by Phil playng. Not sure where it's from but nice.
Ken!
Heard Mr. Ken Nordine doing promo's, which are quaintly injected into the rolling groovy stream! What a set of pipes...
I got Sirius
Was great to hear Hollywood Bowl '74 (I think I was there)!
Tonight Mountain View '91 (I know I was there)
My first concert was 1967, Golden Gate Park.....for free!
And now with Sirius, it's free again!!
If you don't have it, get it.
That's all I can say. Besides the GD channel, football fans get total NFL coverage including radio feeds from BOTH teams for EVERY game. Regarding some of the earlier posts about rather having releases we can purchase instead of a deadicated channel, why not both? I'm in my truck 10-12-14 hrs a day, and there is always time for a CD, or some GD channel, or some Howard Stern, or some Ferrall at night. Choice is good. Enjoy!
Logo
Oh yeah, Hasn't someone thought to put the Sirius dog inside the Steal Your Face logo? Maybe I'll make one myself...
Yes - It is really that great.
I spent a good portion of yesterday listening to the official debut of the new station. I am very, very impressed. It is a great mix of live material (a great "Hey Bo Diddley" from The Strand Lyceum 5/23/72 that blew me away - from Steppin Out), some studio stuff, music from all the dead solo/ side projects, and other bands doing covers of dead songs. Lots of fans call in with requests with stories of their dead experiences. There are clips of interviews, David Lemieux has a top of the hour piece 3X a day called "Today In Grateful Dead History" calling out sick jams that occurred on this day. Great rare stuff. There is something like 3 full shows everyday. You really can't ask for anything more in a radio station. Oh yeah, and there are NO COMMERCIALs. I hope they keep it up.
If you do not have it yet, I would recommend getting it. It is really that great.