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.
BYU football mascot
I forgot about Sabre Tooth!!! I actually found an article on the team mascots, virtually all are quasi-animals except the Devil in New Jersey, and now Buoy (see: Count Chocula) in Seattle. Only one team does not have a mascot? Which team doesn’t?
On the weekend sports, they showed the mascot from BYU prior to the BYU/Utah State game on Thursday - the arm strength this individual showed was incredible as they successfully climbed two columns of folding tables stacked on each other by jumping up on all fours like an actual cat, then launching a back somersault off the table, all in this cougar mascot get up. Holy chit!
Mascots
Seem more suited to college than professional sports.
Just took a look at Buoy. Whoever decided upon that mascot should lose their job. All the effort that went into the design of those awesome jerseys was just wasted.
Psychedelics and alcohol. Back in the day I would drink prodigious amounts of alcohol while on them. Way more than usual.
Hockey on the telly
On the other hand...there may be some circumstances when drinking on top of downers could be an advantage. If not a necessity.
Sports madness
DaveRock - Hockey is an acquired taste, I guess! I promise, once you have the bug, you’re hooked. Playing it helps.
While we are on the sports file, I have to wonder what is it about football (soccer here in NA) that drives fans insane?? My wife and I were watching this drama a few weeks ago called “Anne” on the Hillsborough disaster from 1989 (terrible), where 96 fans died due to a mad rush at the stadium, and then we read what happened in Indonesia on Friday. Then France had problems with fighting in the stands, teargas, etc. Tons of stories of “hooliganism”, and serious violence over football matches. Years ago, one of my brother’s friends went to visit Glasgow, where his parents were born and raised, and he thought he’d catch a match for one of the better clubs. He had no idea he had the “wrong jersey” on as he is headed to the game, as he got chased by a crowd for the longest time, and witnessed guys getting beaten up, etc. I love sports - passionately - but I’ve never ever understood the madness that can surround football/soccer? Rhetorical question, I know, maybe more an “I cannot believe it” when you read the death toll over these tragedies. WTF.
When you put it like that
I must admit, I do have more than a few bugs myself.
Regarding violence at football matches, I do remember people in the 1970s who used to go to matches specifically to cause trouble. They weren't sports fans at all. I don't know how typical they were, but there did seem to a sort of subculture around football at that time which attracted idiots like that. Having said that, I used to go and see Manchester United from about 1968-1974, and I never had any trouble. Trouble everywhere else - but not there, surprisingly.
That Hillsborough tragedy was of a different order. From what I can remember that developed more due to mismanagement by the police and the football authorities based at the club rather than to the actual fans. Terrible.
DaveRock
You’re right, it appears Hillsborough was colossal mismanagement by the police, and we may find something similar played out in Indonesia.
Watch that “Anne” show if you can (Maxine Peake is outstanding as the title character), it is sobering what she went through to get the police to admit to any kind of culpability.
As for troublemakers, I think you may be right, because there isn’t a recipe for real nasty pricks that somehow doesn’t have alcohol abuse as an ingredient.
On a happier note, new music in today include Keith Jarrett’s newest (and possibly last), Julia Hulsmann Quartet (a German jazz pianist), and the Robben Ford/Bill Evans (sax) album. This on top of the Wilco box set that came yesterday, plus about six or seven other assorted CDs in the incoming tray, to be played. I gotta get to this stuff, so much on the go, but what a great dilemma to have - too much music. Wow.
Mascots
Big fan of the Terrapin. Go figure.
The next Dave's Picks? I think the 60's slot has been filled with two new shows from that decade. We had a 77 and a 74. That leaves the 80's and 90's. My guess is he dips his big toe into the 90's, specifically 1991. Just a random guess.
Dave's Pick #44 prediction
I'm guessing 9/19 & 20/70. Fillmore East, a double knockout release!
Thatmike
Cheers -I'll watch out for that film. I like watching/reading things about earlier decades that I lived through, but didn't necessarily understand at the time.
Looking at "Shindig!" magazine - which comes out here about once every two months - I noticed a review of a new book on The Dead. Called " After All Is Said and Done: Taping The Grateful Dead 1965-1995" written by someone called Mark A. Rodriguez. Who he is, I know not, but the book is given the maximum 5 stars.
DaveRock
Dave - That new Dead book you found out about on their taping history looks amazing, and would certainly find an audience among the crew here. A little short on funds myself at the moment, and never traded in tapes, but it looks great, so i will file that under “further review”.
Cheers!
RIP Loretta Lynn
Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but she was an original. Donna certainly liked her.
You ain't woman enough to take my man.
An American original..
Coal Miner's Daughter
Excellent biopic. Loretta Lynn chose Sissy Spacek to play her in this 1980 movie and Sissy sang all the hit songs herself, won an Academy award for best actress. Levon Helm played Lynn's father and himself had one Bill Monroe song on the sound track album which went gold and won CMA Album of the Year.... and yes weirdness on the site, could not get to Dave's Picks 43 through the usual route.
Loretta Lynn
RIP a true American original, she truly did have the music in her. Appalachian music is about as Americana as you can get. That and the Grateful Dead.
TTB w/ HT @ The Beacon, last night
Last night's show at the Beacon with TTB is already up on the archive, surprise guests: Jack and Jorma. Tribute to Janis: Turtle Blues, outstanding. Hot Tuna's opening set of about 45 minutes is posted separately.
A '90's Dave's....
....it's high time. There are some really good ones out there.
Trivia
I was reading up on Loretta Lynn’s passing, and came across something kind of cool to me - it’s well known Loretta and her hubby moved from Kentucky to Washington state in the late 1950s to hopefully spark her singing career. The lady had talent, but needed opportunity and exposure.
In 1959, she was singing in a “converted chicken coup” (hey, a gig is a gig) in Vancouver, British Columbia, when the owner of a nascent Canadian record company called Zero Records (the future mayor of Vancouver was an early investor) saw her perform; he was so impressed by Ms Lynn, he brought his partner by the following day to hear her. Duly impressed, Ms Lynn was signed to Zero Records, and went on to record "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl." The rest, as they say, is history. Apparently, an historic plaque has been placed in the location of the “chicken coup”.
Next time I’m out that way visiting my eldest, I’ll have to scope this historic site out.
Also, on this day in 1962, two hallmarks of culture that still endure to this day got their start, in England: The first James Bond movie (Dr No) was released, as was the very first Beatles record, the single “Love Me Do”.
Once in a while, you get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right
Trivia and History
That's why I come here. The music is just a cover. Thanks Mike.
Guessing 91
9/26 or 6/22, or 10/31???
But I’d certainly take 9/26/81 Wissinom
Mr Ones
Mr Ones - I looked on Google Maps just to see if it was anywhere near where my kid lives (it’s not), but I’ll give him the address to scope it out. It appears it is a housing tract now, with a small parkette, but I read a few articles that state the place existed as a Hootnanny dance hall place. (See 2541 E Kent Ave N, Vancouver, BC). I will post a pic if I can get it.
Music trivia is so cool.
Ace in the Hole
Good to see they're reissuing Ace. Kind of a bummer there don't seem to be any tracks tracks from the original sessions. Also somewhat disappointing is that the bonus disc of live material is the snoozy Wolf Brozzz rather than GD. Ah well.
I agree with those who've guessed that the next Dave's is probably going to be a later '90s show, given that we've had '60s and '70s so far in this year's DaP series, and given that the big box was early '80s, and we had a 1990 show for DaP 40. But who knows? And even if it's a so-so '94 show or something like that, the 2022 DaPs have been so good so far I'm not going to complain. (Promise.)
Crow Told Me
Snoozy! Ha!
I don't think we will be breaking into 94 any time soon, but you never know what Dave has up his sleeve.
I still believe two shows on four CDs from 91. I also have a feeling Dave might give us an 88 show or shows again. Last 88, not including TTATS, was RT. 4.2..... We should hear something next week.
Greek 88
For what it's worth.. My favorite 88's might just be the Greeks, not that I have listened to every show that year or anything. They were recorded nicely too, a bonus.
I still think '91, but a '68 or two would be mind blowing. Again, for what it's worth the Deer Creek shows last year sound really good. Not everything 90's turns to stone(d).
JimInMD & That Mike
Check your PM's when you get a minute. Thanks!!
DaP44
I’m hoping 91.
Need some Bruce.
And to throw another joker into the deck,
Bruce sits in on 3-23-95 and it’s a pretty good show.
So how about a 95 DaP?
And to tie the joker in the deck with 007, Homer Simpson has a dream/vision where he’s a casino card dealer and he deals 007 a joker and then the ‘rules of poker’ card, or something like that.
Loretta Lynn
Loretta's 2004 album, Van Lear Rose produced by Jack White, is worth a listen...
Enjoy!
XM radio is currently playing Shoreline 5.10.91....
....I was there. Release this!!
Alternate universe
Did I go into the dead.net void, where I had to change my username, and password? Now I'm back, and I did not like what I saw. What's up? P. S. - The whole site changed. With a scroll board, and everything.
Deadnet cannot locate my orders
I tried to order the ACE repress. They said my password and user name are incorrect. I requested numerous times to reset password but no reset emails came. I had to re-register with the same mail . Now my "old" orders do not exist even when I use the check order( which is on the right side of the shopping login page) with the order number and email. So yes we went into the deadnet void. Sure hope their are no issues with the last Dave's as I cannot track my order
Was browsing the store when....
....I see they have a Cosmic Mushroom Foraging tool for sale. LMFAO!!
Is that really a thing? I'm dying.
Yes, It's A Thing
And a pretty big thing in places like Telluride.
They have a fest for that.
Foodies, restaurants, heads all combing the forests.
Some quite valuable besides the blue ones we love.
Good late summer rains have made it a good year.
Fun in the woods!
Cheers
Oh, and if you're really into it you may have a trained dog or pet pig to find them for you. The nose knows.
Edit: Went into the "store" from here and could not get back to this side of things. Navigation issues with the redo.
Oro - Dragonfly
Hi Oro, which Dragonfly do you reccommend for $50? Cheapest I see in a quick search is $119.
Speaking of "besides the blue ones we love"....
....check out the latest video by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Iron Lung. Wow!! And the song kicks ass too!
But Will It Sell
Agreed Vguy it is ridiculous and no way it sells as well as the hatchet.
But will it outsell the garden trowel? Or the apron?
And don't feel dumb.
I had to look up what LMFAO is. Then I felt dumb.
Cheers
Sorry Nitecat
Old geezer time: stuff that we think was just a year ago is like ten years ago, and stuff that we thought was a while ago was just last year lol.
So I guess prices have gone up, sorry for bad intel.
As far as which one check out their comparison page.
I can’t personally say which is best as I’ve only heard the original a long time ago.
There are many of these USB DACs out there now, but the Audioquest ones always get good reviews.
Set Your Phasers To Stun, Gentlemen
1St Show - You are right, you leave one page here, you are in an alternate dimension, no way to easily get back. Dangerous stuff for a landing party on Dead.net
I remember years ago, my best friends older brother was at Ole Miss on a tennis scholarship, and he said the fungus grew crazy around the dorms. He said the guys would round up bags of them. Special Grateful Dead branded mushroom tools not needed.
We briefly interrupt this fine conversation
Did the comment section on…
Did the comment section on new releases disappear? I just received my 3CD MSG show and… after taking a long, but much needed four month break from listening to the Dead, and anticipating a release comparable to ‘Go to Nassau’…let’s just say, I’m ready for another four month break…??? Anyone else very underwhelmed?