Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition 2CD
“For the Grateful Dead's second live album, released two years after its predecessor LIVE/DEAD, the band delivered an equally magnificent, but entirely different, Grateful Dead sound. Whereas LIVE/DEAD was a perfect sonic encapsulation of the band at the peak of their Primal Dead era, SKULL & ROSES captures the quintessential quintet, the original five piece band, playing some of their hardest hitting rock 'n' roll (‘Johnny B. Goode,’ ‘Not Fade Away’), showing off their authentic Bakersfield bona fides (‘Me & My Uncle,’ ‘Mama Tried,’ ‘Me & Bobby McGee’), and some originals that would be important parts of the Dead's live repertoire for the next 24 years (‘Bertha,’ ‘Playing In The Band,’ ‘Wharf Rat’). Of course, the Dead were never defined by one specific ‘sound’ and amongst the aforementioned genres and styles the band brought to this album, they also delved deeply into their psychedelic, primal playbook with an entire side dedicated to their 1968 masterpiece ‘The Other One.’ This is one of the most deeply rich and satisfying tracks preserved on an official Grateful Dead album, up there with LIVE/DEAD's ‘Dark Star’ and EUROPE '72's ‘Morning Dew.’ SKULL & ROSES sounds as fresh today as the first time I heard it in 1985, and as fresh as it was upon its spectacularly well-received release in 1971.” - David Lemieux
Not only did SKULL & ROSES serve up supremely fine tunes, it was also the one that scored the Grateful Dead their very first Gold record, introduced the world to the iconic skeleton babe Bertha, and asked the questions - Who are you? Where are you? How are you? - giving birth to the first official generation of Dead Heads.
DEAD FREAKS, old and new, get ready to reunite on June 25th with the release of GRATEFUL DEAD (SKULL & ROSES): EXPANDED EDITION. In celebration of the 50th anniversary, the 2CD set will feature the album’s original 11 tracks, newly remastered from the stereo analog master tapes by Grammy® Award winning engineer David Glasser using Plangent Process Speed Correction. We're topping it off with more than an hour of previously unreleased live recordings taken from the much-requested July 2, 1971 performance at the Fillmore West, the band’s final performance at the historic San Francisco venue. Standouts include the 17-minute Pigpen spectacular “Good Lovin’,” an achingly beautiful take on Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home,” and a spell-binding version of “The Other One” that rivals the one captured on the original Side 2.
Looking for something more byte-sized? The GRATEFUL DEAD (SKULL & ROSES): EXPANDED EDITION and the original edition will also be available for HD digital download in FLAC and ALAC, exclusively at Dead.net, on release day. You can pre-order it now.
maybe no wake till 2023
i already have a purty good version of 7/2/71, and the (very) slightly expanded skull&roses from the golden road set, but i guess i gotta get this, reasonable price
ALL RIGHT!
Thank you very much for this expanded version, I'll buy the CD edition - 2 discs at a reasonable price.
I guess this will make Doc happy!
It sure makes me happy too! I wasn't expecting this, being as its a live album rather than a studio job. Its a shame that July 2, '71 is not complete but because of that it would never come out as a stand alone release. I'm not now gonna hold my breath waiting for an announcement of a box. I think that will come later in the year. This will do just fine for now. Nice and sweet.
thank you PTB!
do I NEEEED this? Prolly not.
Am I going to get it anyway? YES.
DONE!!!
:)))
Skull Folk
Announced on the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead playing at Winterland. Cool as cool is.
Beach Boys
Wasn't there a Beach Boys collaboration at the FE closing show? Any word on that craziness seeing the official light of day?
1971 Fillmore 50th
I was really hoping they would have re issued the April 1971 Fillmore concerts. (4 CD set) Its the 50th Anniv. :-(
Alright-y then....
As someone said, "Do I need this?" A: Probably not.
What the hell kinda logic is that? Do you NEED any GD releases? No. Do you buy them? Hell yes!
Agreed that Disc 2 here complements the original. No word I could detect on whether the original gets a remix or a remaster -- I'd guess the latter. Don't tamper with history.
BUT... Dave did say this would be a "helluva year" outside Dave's Picks and that THREE other things are coming out.
That would be a) a box, b) Wake of the Flood 50th, and c) [fill in your fantasy].
AND.... Dave said we'd back to his goofy seaside videos "soon." At this point, I'd say they've got to let the preorders for this Skull & Roses release run their course. Then, DP 38 ('73 show I attended, oh boy). Then.......... May-June they drop the bombs for the second half of the year.
This is good clean fun! Well, at least it's good fun...
Oh boy, More vinyl!
cds and vinyl ordered. Went for the blk & Wht propeller lps (they were limited!)
Vinyl or CD??
Back in 1971 you could play the discs like this:
Side I
1. BERTHA (5:41)
2. MAMA TRIED (2:41)
3. BIG RAILROAD BLUES (3:33)
4. PLAYING IN THE BAND (4:39)
Side III
6. ME & MY UNCLE (3:03)
7. BIG BOSS MAN (5:11)
8. ME & BOBBY McGEE (5:41)
9. JOHNNY B. GOODE (3:46)
Side II
5. THE OTHER ONE (18:03)
Side IV
1. WHARF RAT (8:29)
2. NOT FADE AWAY/GOIN’ DOWN THE ROAD FEELING BAD (9:10)
When it was first released on CD, why this order wasn't chosen??
Should it be re-ordered for the 50th?
There's no need to be messing with a remote control when you're at the Fillmore East on an April evening in 1971.
Skull & Roses
Count me in, there are one or two others besides Doc who want this! Dave says that 2021 will be the year of archival releases as well as live releases. Three releases besides the four Dave's Picks announcements, I will need to make some more room on the GD shelf. It's been great to have the past two 1971 shows added to the collection, plus the extra with the up-and-coming SF release.
Hey Hendrixfreak
Hey Hendrixfreak, or is it Hendrixfan? Hendrixfdude? Hendrixman?
So, this is fine. Late June release, wow! So when will they be releasing that box set?? Not before the end of June. They won't have two releases going out at the same time. Holy crap, can you imagine?
Per Dave, at least three other cool things coming out this year. It will be a massive year. Well, let's get it going. It is April next week. Besides the next box, that leaves two more other cool things. Could be some new mugs??
Next seaside chat will be April 30, when they announce Dave's 38.
@Deadvikes
You are correct: next item is a mug, third really cool thing is a pair of Wing Tips. Cannot wait!
Hopefully music releases
I'm hoping no one is being taken for a Mug.
50 Freaking years?
Ok so my 50 year old record (that's what we called em) is going to be unearthed from my basement bunker. I still love the record. I was playing it one night on my Dad's 1968 Motorola Console - he said "those drums are like Krupka!". I was in the early batch of United Dead Freaks and loved those mailers. I remember one mailer talking about music that would be stored on a pyramid and how a laser will read the music. Nahhh- that was impossible. Now I can't decide on vinyl, disc or download. Sheez!
One of Those Weird Coincidences
Just last week I re-purchased Skull & Roses on vinyl. I first bought this one Way Back When, early '70s, yet somehow it disappeared from my collection. Many things, in those days, would simply disappear from my possessions, either via friendly “borrowing,” teleportation, or the second law of thermodynamics, I’m not sure.
Same thing happened to my copy Aoxomoxoa, which was a drag, because I had the original mix, which to my mind was waaaay stonier than the remix, and for a long time you couldn’t get the ’68 mix unless you wanted to pay collector’s prices. (Man, that choir on “Mountains”? Let’s just say I would never listen to that while driving.) But I digress.
Just last week I was browsing in a local record store and they had a very clean original pressing of SnR for “only” $20, probably because the cover was pretty worn. Which I kinda like better anyway. It's just weird for a 50-year-old record to have a clean cover, makes me wonder who the hell bought it and then, what, covered it in bubblewrap and stuck it in the refrigerator? No, better that the cover be worn, yet the vinyl be clean. So I grabbed it, and took a trip down memory lane. This is one of those records that I played over and over in my misspent youth, and thus every note is burned indelibly into my neural circuits. No joke, I can probably sing every guitar solo on this one. Still, it’s great to actually listen to it again after some years of Not.
Because it really is great hearing this stripped down version of the band. I have a special fondness for the various “one drummer” line-ups, mainly because I think BK is one the most under-rated drummers, ever. And this one is nice because you can really hear Bob’s superb guitar playing, which is too often buried. And of course Jerry was just on fire in those days.
So it’s great to hear that SnR is getting the deluxe reissue treatment. But not that deluxe! One additional disc, with 5 of the 10 additional tracks being tunes that are also on disc 1. It might turn out to be interesting to do comparisons, though, since the bonus material will presumably be more “raw” than the original release, which included stuff like overdubbed piano. Still, I kinda wonder why they didn’t go whole hog and release the full show.
Anyway. Do I need it? Nah. Will I buy it? Yep.
Ok...I'm gonna say this once...
I wanted to get two stickers...means a lot to me...when I got my original with the LP I put it on an old leather satchel I had picked up in a Goodwill store the previous year...after sticking it on i cut a clear piece of adhesive to fit over and protect the sticker...I had that satchel until at least the mid 80's....BUT...I went to pre-order two stickers for $16 and S&H was $12...WTF??? $12 on a $16 order and I won't probably get it until September??? Sorry for me but I won't be getting them...the only things i purchase through dead.net nowadays is my DaP's Subscription...otherwise I go through my Prime membership where S & H are free AND I get stuff quickly...we now continue with our normal broadcasting...
What nappyrags said....
....I'm holding out for Amazon to list this.
BTW. $69.00 for a cowhide wallet? I need a new wallet, but.......really??
deadvikes, it is ...
Mister Hendrix-dooood, to YOU!!
Hey, this S&R gatefold LP was the first place I'd always go to see if there might be something smoke-able after all the times we'd use it as a rolling tray.
And, like others, I've spun the S&R CD a few times recently. Love that bust 'em up bar band feel.
DP 38 in late April, expanded S&R in June, spread across numerous road trips to the backcountry, and THEN????
Oyster Catchers
Maybe there’s a recipe for Oyster Catcher Cassiotore.
Is it just me?...
Or is Dave’s S&R LP cover way too clean inside ; )
Mine was used often for “other” activities that have left it worn...in fact, used it so much I had to eventually switch to Steal Your Face lol. Funny story there...until a few years ago my LPs were at my folks. During a visit once I broke them out for nostalgia and low and behold...”what a we have here” lol, not much but enough...
Full Norman
Don’t except the half norman.
Now if the soundboard of 3/21/71 is in the vault then the current circulating copy could get the full Nelson.
50th Anniversary of S&R
First off, this is the only non-complete show I've ever listened to repeatedly throughout my life. It was the album that got me ON the bus! One thought...While I would have loved to have heard the original full sequence of "NFA>GDTRFB>NFA Reprise>Lovelight" (which is taken from 4/5/71 btw), I realize the sequence couldn't really be released in it's entirety due to the over-dubbing of studio vocals on the S&R album. That said, I've personally mastertered the soundboard myself and 4/5/71 is EPIC! Yes the "Lovelight" suffers from a reel flip but who cares?!? Most of it is there and it's an incredible version - Pig Pen even talks to the crowd and tries to get two strangers together as a couple during the middle of the jam! When I mastered it, I just put a 3 second gap between the reel flip to keep the jam alive! The vocals really sound very good too! It's my sincere hope that the Powers That Be one day release 4/5/71 in it's entirety - The NFA>GDTRFB>NFA (reprise)>Lovelight is 30 min+ and one of the Deads greatest jams of all-time!!! For now, as in the past, at least most get to hear the beginning of this epic jam on S&R.
Dead Ahead
I had started listening to the Dead in the Spring of 90. Borrowed just about every Warner cassette I could from friends. Right after Brent passed WZLX Boston did a special “Dead Ahead” broadcast in tribute and opened the broadcast with Wharf Rat from Skull & Roses. I was completely blown away by what I was hearing as I hadn’t heard it before. The opening drum part by Billy K., Jerry’s soulful singing and the sort of stumbling, bending, intertwining music engulfed me. That night the bus came by and I got on, that’s when it all began. Looking forward to getting this one!
It seems odd no one has commented on....
the fact that the "50th" series was announced for studio releases only. Thus, now that S&R is touted as a "50th," they have skipped Live/Dead and may well (probably should) skip Euro '72 (there's already been several versions, one with bonus tracks, another = Euro '72 II, one with entire tour, yet another with individual shows).
Dave did say they will move the "50th" up for (undisclosed) albums. Obviously, I'm hoping that WotF is this year. Maybe next year is Mars Hotel and BfA. Then, frankly, LPs I could care less about. BfA was the last one I ever bought.
Must admit, I never saw this S&R release coming. So they can always surprise us by doing what they didn't say they were going to do. Sounds like a couple relationships I've been in... [rimshot!]
When one's expectations are reduced to zero............
Good evening, fellow rockers.
In my mind, quietly celebrating the 50th anniversary of a very fine Dead show. When I got flooded with e-mails about the new release, I was in the middle of an autopsy. Synchronicity, karma, call it what you will..........
Loved skullf*ck in 71, love it still. One of the few Dead albums I return to with regularity. Still my favorite versions of Wharf Rat and The Other One. Never tire of it............
I think folks will like 7/2/71. I've been a fan and advocate for the show for quite some time. Although supposedly the Dead themselves weren't thrilled with their performance, the show does have much to recommend it. It's gut-bucket, hard rocking, no bells-and-whistle Bakersfield Dead. What's on this release is very fine, especially the Good Lovin' and The Other One. What didn't make it onto the release is very good, and some---Next Time You See Me, China/Rider, the thumping Hard To Handle--- is excellent. As with Dead shows themselves, we can only take what we're given.
I'm appreciative of any 71s that are officially released. TPTB have been good with 71 releases lately. There were two solid releases last year, and now this. I'm grateful.
That being said, I think they can still do better.............
Rock on!
Doc
..................one really appreciates everything one does have.........
7/2/71's Sugar Magnolia is mighty fine, as well
paraphrase a classic from the '70s:
"I think that any Dead is good Dead
so I'll take what I can get
yes, I'll take what I can get"
The S & R candle looks cool....
....but shipping late June? I'm afraid it will melt on its way to my mailbox.
New GD 1971 2-CD Re-Master
I don't mind being surprised by getting a live album re-master in what was touted as a studio re-master series. I'm sure they skipped Live/Dead because the entire Fillmore West Feb./Mar. run has already been released; I'm sure they'll skip Europe '72 for the same reason. I'm sure there are other usable 1969 tapes, or 1972 tapes for that matter, but there will be more in the future and why release a partial show when you can release a complete show later? It's too bad the whole 7-2-71 is not in the vault, makes it a good candidate for use in a release like this though. Like a lot of people, I have the whole show in excellent quality (from the FM or pre-FM or whatever, who knows what's true when you're dealing with publicly circulated stuff) but this sounds better, even through my computer speakers. I was just a little bit disappointed when I saw that the track listings of the two discs were very nearly the same.
S&R + 7/2/71
Hi All, its been a while since I commented. S&R is a great live recording and it made its way to me during my first years on the bus. I particularly enjoyed the Drums>The Other One as my tape of 4/28/71 that I had back then cut after about a minute or so of the Other One. So S&R gave me the chance to hear the full Other One back in the day. Of course I have since heard the rest of the jam which goes into Wharf Rat. Seriously that 4/28 show is tremendous when one thinks about it.
I am very happy to get the partial 7/2/71 show - another tape i had way back when. Although I would prefer the whole show, since only a part of it is in the vault, well I can deal with that. We are getting most of the 2nd set so that is a welcome addition to my own personal GD vault.
Now Dave L. eluded to 3 more releases in his video so it looks like more gems are to be unearthed this year. Great times!
I'd Love to Pre-Order...BUT.....
I'd Love to Pre-Order this CD ,But Every time I order from Dead.net, They screw up my order, I ordered Dave's Pick's #37 and never received it , After 4 weeks I just cancelled, So I Dare Not try and order this one, I guess I'll just have to wait 'till June 25 and order from Amazon...PEACE...TOM Tom.
Hooray for DL
You da man
How did you get your gig?
They never interviewed me...
Live Remasters
It would have been alright by me if they had issued a 50th anniversary of Bears Choice-with additional music from the same run. I guess that with two studio albums in the can, they already had a surfeit of 1970 albums to celebrate. But never could an original album have benefitted more from additional material than Bears Choice.
Pre-order
TOM_TOM
No need to wait until June. In the UK, at least, the disc can be pre-ordered on Amazon now. Despite having the Golden Road version and having the July 2nd concert on the yellow box set I have still ordered this disc, although not from dead.net, expecting it to sound better than the versions I have. I wait with bated breath for the other 3 announcements.
I’ve not been listening to much recently although the Neil Young ‘Way down in the rust bucket’ is very good. I’ve mainly been re-reading the science fiction stories by Iain M Banks about The Culture.
Bear’s Choice
DAVE ROCK
DL did mention the album towards the end of his bird filled seaside chat, perhaps they’ll do something in 2023 for the 50th anniversary of its release. Let’s hope we last that long.
Does anyone know whether the Oystercatchers that were calling were American or Black? Next time we need a close up.
pass
marketing ploy? The other one and the wharf rat off of this lp is what got me on the bus, beautiful. That being said, I will pass on this one, cheap enough, but a partial show released with it doesn't do it for me. Interesting way to release partial shows, with a remastered old release, but it hasn't worked on me yet, and probably won't in the future.
Here's opening they restore…
Here's opening they restore the anomaly at the start of Bertha found on the original. Small point, but it is part of the whole experience for me.
This is the album that got me started...
...all those years ago. Yes, it was an LP back then. In the dorm room across the hall from me. Must have been Bertha that started it all off, but too long ago to remember for sure.
Don't have the 7/2 show either, so I'm all in.
Keep those early years coming, and I'll keep jumping on them.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
Good week for the Rockin' the Rhein bonus disc (excerpts from The Academy of Music run). Love the Dark Star on this one. The whole disc is fantastic.
Of course I bought Skull and Roses. I would have paid 25 bucks just to hear Jeffrey Norman's 7/2 footage.
bought SnR LP back in July 82 after first show
that sound...that glorious sound...
Oystercatchers Divebombing Dave
Colin Gould: I'm going with the Black Oystercatchers as Dave is around Vancouver I think, and the west coast is almost all the Black. It was tough to freeze the frame right there but I didn't see any white on the bottom sides. Voices are listed in the Sibley guide as identical. Could be a rarer vagrant this time of year as migration has started but most likely the Black. Sibley's maps show the American on the Alaskan coast and the entire east coast, gulf coast, and all the way to the far southern California coast. Thanks for asking a birding question! My favorite hobby. I hope to be seeing species like that in person as soon as I feel it's safe to travel. Had a major west coast birding road trip planned for retirement, then Covid hit and I got the retirement but not the trip. Will be selecting good GD audience tapes for the trip as my highway ride still has a cassette deck but no CD. Oh well, lots to choose from. Stay safe and play Dead! Cheers, Doug
My first Dead album too.
I had heard all of the previous LPs - this was the first I bought. This is the version of Bertha that I compare all others too. This is the album that made me realise that Bob Weir was a unique a musician as Jerry or Phil (his rhythm parts are loud and clear on this). I played Bobby McGhee and Big Railroad i and NFA/GDTRFB in my university band. Very special for me. Listened again last night on VInyl (probably bought in the 80s to replace wornout original). Had forgotten how good The Other One is :) Questions -- someone has mentioned vocal were overdubbed (which i know was done on E72) - is this right ??
The Birds
I most definitely look forward to this . I bought it when was first released. Soon after I remember my grandmother singing along to Johnny B. Goode , “Go!, go!”. We were an eccentric family.
The birds dive bombing Dave made me think it was right out of the Hitchcock movie “The Birds”. Partly filmed at Bodega Bay. Was waiting for Tippi Hedren to walk up.
Speculating about the next…
Speculating about the next 50th anniversary - surprised no one has mentioned Ace yet -- must surely be due a remastering etc. And probably the best studio album the Dead never made.
No way to preorder
Why does it say preorder now but then doesn't have a way to add to cart? I would love to preorder the 2 CD set along with one of the limited t-shirts before they sale out so I don't have to make 2 different orders. Shouldn't be listed if there's no way to actually order it before it's released.
Oystercatchers
1STSHOW70878
Thanks for the response. We couldn’t see any white either so you’re probably right. Except for the last year (!) we spend most of our time birding. We’d hoped to get to Algeria and Russia in 2020 but at the moment we’d be happy to be able to move from our home just to see a few waders (shorebirds in US). It’s interesting to walk around the local area but there aren’t enough birds so we’ve been looking at the local butterflies and listening for bats. Let’s hope we can move around safely soon.
ANDYMAN1970
It does seem odd that the cd version is showing up as Sold Out. Given that here is no suggestion it is limited and it can be ordered on Amazon I don’t see how it can be unavailable. You can enter an email address and they’ll let you know when it is back in stock. You may need to order the T-shirt and get the cd elsewhere