A sealed, unlabeled box sat undisturbed for decades on a shelf in the Grateful Dead’s San Rafael tape vault on Front Street, its contents an enduring mystery, even to those few with access to the vault. All David Lemieux knew about that box when he became the Dead’s archivist was that it contained tapes belonging to Bear—Owsley Stanley, the Dead’s first soundman and architect of the Wall of Sound. Even in the Dead Heads’ Holy of Holies, the taped-up box was tantalizing. But this was Bear’s personal property, and so he didn’t touch the box out of an abiding respect for the elder luminary of sound. Bear’s archive of Sonic Journal recordings had been kept safe for him for years within the Grateful Dead’s vault—over 1,300 reels of tape stored in heavy-duty cartons like old banana boxes. At any time, David could have popped the tops and explored them to his archivist heart's content. But they were off-limits without the nod from Bear. - Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell, Owsley Stanley Foundation
With a wink and a nod from Bear, we've peeled back those banana boxes to find some of the oldest and rarest of all recordings of the Dead including the double dose of shows that make up DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43. The two virtually complete performances from San Francisco 11/2/69, Live At Family Dog At The Great Highway, and from Dallas 12/26/69, McFarlin Auditorium, are complementary in their clarity and consistency thanks to Bear himself, and in their ability to foreshadow where the Dead were headed in the years to come. If the two killer 20-minute+ "Dark Stars" don't get ya, how about the Pigpen-centric sets featuring "Midnight Hour," "Next Time You See Me," "Big Boss Man," "Good Lovin'," and the once-lost-now-found complete rendition of "Dancing In The Streets," or the first full acoustic set ever performed? And we're certain you'll be fascinated to uncover the "Mystery Of Bear's Banana Boxes" as told by Starfinder Stanley, Hawk, and Pete Bell in the liners.
Limited to 25,000 numbered copies, DAVE’S PICKS VOLUME 43 was recorded by Owlsey "Bear" Stanley and has been mastered to HDCD specs by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering. Grab a copy while you can.
*2 per order. Very limited quantity available.
Lobos
I just pulled up the Los Lobos setlists Hendrix and those were two hot Lobos sets you all caught, too. NFA-Bertha to close night one and then a Mas y Mas jam with Trucks and company after a cover of Don't Keep Me Wonderin'! Plus an early Wicked Rain! And that is the opening act to be followed by scorching TTB sets. Lucky group.
It's a New Experiment!
Clearly we are all test participants in a new GD time warp LSD experiment.
Minutes ago, I received my DaP 43 shipping notice via email … and I picked up my copy 6 hours ago in my mailbox.
The next phase of this experiment will include (hopefully) receiving orders in our mailboxes even BEFORE we order them.
There is nothing routine about a GD recording or their online music ordering process.
Thanks Dave L and co…the music is great!
DaP43 in the mailbox, no shipping notice
Don’t panic people.
For the last 2-3 years I’ve generally received DaP’s on Monday/Tuesday after release day, but would get the tracking number email a week before release day. But then tracking would say ‘no info’ for several days, then the DaP would start moving, and then I would get it.
This one still showed up right after release day, but I didn’t have any tracking info. And although I wondered where it was, I also wasn’t tortured by watching the tracking and seeing lack of movement.
So hopefully everyone gets theirs soon.
Sounds good so far, and a nice gift to open on Jerry’s bday.
Thanks Dave/Rhino and crew, and Owsley!
————-
Per the description for this release:
Bear’s archive of Sonic Journal recordings had been kept safe for him for years within the Grateful Dead’s vault—over 1,300 reels of tape stored in heavy-duty cartons like old banana boxes
————
So, the Sonic Journals are in the Vault, and yes, it is possible for Rhino to release the GD recordings.
I wonder if they have, and preserved, HendrixFreak’s adopted reel(s).
(I don’t remember what show he adopted).
My only Jerry bday show was 8-1-94.
Thanks for the floor seats GDTS!
The Jam out of Space and into Watchtower was pretty cool and had grate lights.
shipping notice/postal time warp
I too have experienced the shipping notice/postal time warp. My DaP 43 arrived today. I have not yet received a shipping notice email. It was a nice surprise to come home and find it in my mailbox. I am ripping the CDs to my computer as I type this. I am looking forward to this listening to this one. I have short road trip tomorrow as I am heading out from the Burg' to Blossom to see Phish. So this will be playing on my drive to and from the venue.
Once again I have to salute Dave L. and the crew for this release and for the MSG Box set. We are really getting a nice variety of GD from different eras.
#11558
made its way here this morning. fastest delivery after an official release date in years. seems like they all went out at same time rather than in small batches sent over a week or more. a double dose of Dark Stars? Yes please! thanks to everybody who made this possible. we are so lucky.
speaking of lucky. wish I could have been there with the Red Rocks crew. pure myth time to see that level show in that crazy beautiful setting.
Collector's item...
I have just received a shipping notification email for #43. Such mails seem to be rare so I may print it, frame it and hang it on the wall. But then again...
UPS tracking shows that it was received in Fontana, CA on 7/26 and it departed the international carrier facility on 8/1. It has also shown up in Asendia's tracking system.
Everything seems to be going fairly quickly apart from sending the shipping confirmation email. Normally the shipping confirmation email arrives before the package reaches Fontana.
Edit: Less than 2 hours after receiving the shipping confirmation email I received a second, almost identical shipping confirmation email. The tracking numbers are identical but in the second mail the quantity shipped is shown as 0 so I'm not expecting to receive two copies.
Shipping mail #3
I have just received my third shipping confirmation mail. Still lagging behind DeadMike, but maybe I'll beat him to 10!
These Shows Are Great
It's as if Dave thought he heard someone question whether they were scraping the bottom of the Vault. "This should allay any concerns".
Hendrixfreak I can't even imagine seeing that '73 show on Jerry's Birthday (or the two before it for that matter). Was the sound kick-ass in those days? I've always wondered what the fan experience was pre-wall of sound. Sometimes you hear the band asking the crowd if it's loud enough. But I digress. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I read 8/1/73 was the last show with a Strat. Whether it was the Nash / Alligator Strat or the Veneta brown sunburst is anyone's guess.
Damn, Micke...
When I got my 5th shipping mail I thought I had caught up with you, but now I see that you are still ahead with 7. 😂
Mo Ostin, Longtime Warner Bros. Records Head, Dead at 95
Thank you Mo for your belief in Rock & Roll as an art form, and for giving voice to scores of ground breaking acts (ex - Jimi Hendrix), and for believing in the Grateful Dead, when the corporate accountants said to cut them loose.
It’s not often you give light to record executives, but Mo Ostin is worthy of the shout out.
RIP
I recieved #24,015 on Monday…
I recieved #24,015 on Monday without any shipping notification at all. I guess two days late isn't so bad, I'd love it one arrived on time though...
August 2, I have not as yet…
August 2, I have not as yet received Davis picks 43 any reason for the delay no shipping notice either
Funny story
So today I know Dave's 43 will finally land here in NYC why? because I have informed delivery with USPS I saw it 2 days ago for the first time, this morning out for delivery great. Stay with me here, just about 3 minutes ago I received a shipping notice from Dead.net telling me my order is on the way yet when I hit tracking it can't find it as if it had not been sent yet. On 7-20-22 the dead.net site was hacked or had a catastrophic crash, that is why if you look at the site you see all sorts of past items miraculously have reappeared! The resident computer geniuses obviously don't want to say this. What the hell would it take to tell everyone you have had some issues and to bear with us? Unless of course peoples data has been breached. What is it dead.net(actually warner entertainment) just to be clear? Customers deserve an explanation. That is the least you could do.
DP43 In da house....
No shipping notices, it arrived 3 days ago .... have been sampling bits and pieces with headphones .... I am absolutely blown away by the sound quality .... so very crisp and clear. This is a true gem and I can't thank Dave enough for making it happen.
The sound was excellent at every show I attended, KF
I don't know if they nicknamed the system they hauled around in 1973, but it might have been better than the Wall, at least for vocals. It's not as if they had a crappy system, then the Wall became the standard for one year. The '73 systems ... you can hear it on the tapes of the outdoor shows: loud, clear, easy on the ears.
I got both my copies of DP43 on Saturday and Monday I got an email that they were on their way. It's almost like the early tapes that circulated: there was always some glitch on the tape. Always.
Good news bad news
43 was procured from the PO last night, but I probably won’t get a chance for proper virginal listen until the WE : (
Hey, at least it’s here! Oh, no shipping notice received…
If anyone wants to check out....
....that Los Lobos set from 7.30.22, it's up on relisten.
Mas Y Mas indeed!!! 🔥
No shipping notice. No Dave's yet.
Came unannounced
Mine like many came today in NC without notice. Holy crap this sounds GRATE! Luckily I have the day off and can just "melt into a dream".
8944/25000
DaP43 arrived in Western CO yesterday afternoon with no notice.
Shipping notice for Lyceum 4-CD in yesterday's email, due Wed.
No complaints here.
Cheers
Edit: The trend is consistent anyway, just got my ship notice for 43 a minute ago. Got here a day ago.
WOW
Received shipping notice at 9am this morning and received 2 hour later. Now that is USPS at work.
Of course, means their tracking network needs a lot of work.
Worked my way thru the Fillmore West box over the last 2 weekends to get my ears ready.
Forgot how great that box is. Have not listened to the box since I added a sub woofer almost 3 years ago. Man does the sub woofer change the entire dynamics of the box. The 16 track with Bob and Betty, and the alchemy of Bear's mind regarding sound really stand out.
Hope these can reproduce the sound stage as well as the fillmore west, but have not researched these tapes yet. Have some other Bear thought later.
G
Time Travel Experiment
Yeah...Just got my shipping notice, but Dave's 43 arrived last Saturday.
DaP43: 18467 has arrived
Some of the sweetest psychedelic music ever played and recorded. A total trip even 53 years later. Thank you Dave Lemieux and crew and especially Andrew & Rebecca Kelly.
"How sweet it is!" - Jackie Gleason
I didn't get my shipping notice, yet. Ha! Ha! Ha!
I just checked my email - yes, it is "on the way."
Love, Peace, and Happiness to ALL!
As Talking Heads sez
"still waiting
I I I'm stiiill waiting"
Hey today is 2 years as "Proudfoot"
While I wait...
Some of 30 Trips
10 27 90 meh
10 whatever 91 mmmm....no
92 show zzzzzzzz
6 24 85 yeeeesssss. Nice n lively
Summer 85 box in 2023 Dave!!!
#1798 hit this mornin' at 8 am
Shipping notice arrived three hours later. Celebrated Jerry yesterday with a deep dose of the June76 box. A phoenix that, we hardly knew if/when/how they would come back after extended hiatus. Listening to second #43 disc now, zowie, been waiting a long long time for this sweet old stuff. Nice to know so many of us will be sharing this music over these next dog days of August. Thanks to all at OSF/dead.net/Rhino/WMG who made this happen. I should be able to stop asking about a 60s box for a few weeks.
Good stuff
Mine arrived yesterday. Listened to the first disc so far. Amazing how great this sounds for being such an old recording. Bear had his system down. Much respect to his foundation for taking the extra care to pass along the original engineers wishes. These Sonic Journals are truly special.
I love that these past couple of years Dave has been hitting such a wide variety of these pieces of history.
Maybe close out the year with 9/26/91 or a December 90 offering. It would be cool to show a little love for the Vince era with and or without Bruce after 43 of these releases.
Hold the Dark Stars!!....
....just got a notification. Out for delivery!!!
You know meg ryan in when harry met sally?
YES, indeed.
Thank you, Dave n pals.
grease aplenty!
Little Feat Box
Currently the 8-CD Waiting For Columbus Box is listed at the Rhino store as “not currently available”.
I didn’t think/realize that it was limited edition.
Or did the whole Rhino website get hacked so bad that nothing is working?
SpaceBro with the respect towards Bear....
....I couldn't have said it better myself as I sit on my porch waiting for my sonic journal. Like Homer dancing for his pink sprinkled donut.
I'm telling you people. That trip to Red Rocks changed my attitude and focus. Magical place.
Major edit.....RIP Vin Scully. The best baseball announcer ever. F**K
Excellent
Excellent, said while rubbing my hands together like Mr. Burns.
This whole release is good, but disc 3 is stellar. Dig that both Dark Stars have a bit of the Soulful Strut interlude. It starts about the 23 minute mark and ends just before the 26 minute mark in the Dark Star on the Family Dog 11-2-69 show. On the Dark Star from the 12-26-69 show it starts at just before the 16 minute mark and mostly ends at about 19 minutes. If you don't know what I mean, check utoob for the instrumental tune Soulful Strut by Young-Holt Unlimited from 1968, beautiful song, covered on several Dark Stars and I think a couple of Dancing in the Street as well, I think the version on the 1970 show from the 30 Trips Box has it. The "jam" after the Dark Star from Dicks Picks 2 from 10-31-1971 is the closest to a straight up cover of the original song. I don't hear Tighten Up by Archie Bell and the Drells, that has a different sound and lacks the gorgeous melody of Soulful Strut.
Really dig that New Speedway Boogie too. More please.
RIP Vin Scullly
A real legend. I used to listen to him on KFI from L A broadcast the Dodger games back in the early 60s, it would come in later at night in the Bay Area.
It's here!
Today DP 43 #20707 and #20708 arrived in my mailbox. I've ordered two copies the last couple of years to have extras to trade for releases I've missed. This is the first time I've gotten consecutive numbers.
Started spinning the first disc after they were downloaded. Very impressed. Pig was an amazing soul.
Grate news!!!....
....my Dave's has been out for delivery since yesterday afternoon! 🥳
(edit for sarcasm).
Dave's Picks 43 Track-list
(Tracks in the order they were performed)
11/2/69 FAMILY DOG AT THE GREAT HIGHWAY, SAN FRANCISCO
Cold Rain And Snow 6:19
In The Midnight Hour 8:23
Seasons Of My Heart 4:32
Mama Tried 2:55
Next Time You See Me 4:51
Good Lovin' 9:23
Big Boss Man 6:59
Casey Jones 4:39
Dancing In The Street 9:06
Dark Star > 30:32
St. Stephen > 9:43
The Eleven > 8:59
Death Don't Have No Mercy 11:47
12/26/69 MCFARLIN AUDITORIUM, SMU, DALLAS*
The Monkey And The Engineer 2:41
Little Sadie 3:57
Long Black Limousine 6:09
I've Been All Around This World 5:03
Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet 3:10
Black Peter 11:05
Uncle John's Band 6:32
Casey Jones 5:12
Hard To Handle 4:54
*
China Cat Sunflower> 5:55
I Know You Rider> 5:26
High Time 8:04
Me And My Uncle 4:14
Dark Star 24:52
New Speedway Boogie 5:36
Turn On Your Lovelight 14:54
* The Dallas "Cold Rain And Snow" is missing from Dave's 43 due to space limitations. Hopefully to be released on an upcoming Dave's Picks as filler.
STILL MISS YOU JERRY!
what a beautiful recording
and just lovely that we get it during the Days Between, thanks everyone involved with this very special release. 69 was indeed a very magical year.
8-3-69 check this one out too, David LaFlamme on Violin and Charles Lloyd on Sax, another gr8 Dark Star.
"Shall we go, you and I...."
let the flood gates open
PTB: thanks for reminding us, among a number of 60s shows, that one is a special stand out for the eventual 60s box. Love to see others thoughts on which shows should be short listed for a 60s box. Give the people what they want! We might treat the "primal" dead concept as almost anything up to and including 1969, when things began transition that summer, cowboy tunes in, Jerry's down with lap steel etc. #43 shows this transition well, cover does justice too, LiveDead girl dancing with skeletal cowboy, Gibson SG crossnecked with an acoustic.