More Details
Track listing for both CDs and
the bonus disc as well.
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Archives
Browse Vol 1, No 1 Archives
Shows
New Haven, CT - 10/25/79
Uniondale, NY - 10/31/79
Philadelphia, PA - 11/6/79
Landover,MD - 11/8/79
Buffalo, NY - 11/9/79
Ann Arbor, MI - 11/10/79
It’s time to put a little gas-gas-gas back into the ol’ Tour Bus and give it another spin, because Grateful Dead is very pleased to announce the debut of a new series of archival releases called Road Trips!
Here’s the deal: We all loved the Dicks Picks series. Over the course of 36 amazing releases between 1993 and 2005, GD archivists Dick Latvala (R.I.P.) and David Lemieux continually blew our little minds plucking one righteous show after another from the vaults, from classics like the February ’70 Fillmore East run (DP4) and Englishtown ’77 (DP 15), to overlooked masterpieces like 9/28/76 (DP 20) and 9/21/72 (DP 36), and shows not in general circulation among traders at the time, such as the February ’68 shows of DP 22 and the superb “Houseboat Tapes” from August 1971 that made up DP 35. Coupled with the many exceptional releases culled from multitrack tapes (the Fillmore West box, Steppin’ Out, The Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack, Nightfall of Diamonds, et al) and the popular Download Series, there’s been a lot of musical territory covered over the years… but not all of it, of course—not even close!
With Road Trips we’re going to try something a little different. We want to plug in a few more pieces of the Grateful Dead puzzle by putting the spotlight on different tours and series of shows that have been neglected through the years. Take Road Trips Volume 1, Number 1, for instance. This two-disc set (plus a special Bonus Disc - now sold out) was culled from the Dead’s blazing fall 1979 East Coast swing, when the band was just hitting its stride with new keyboardist Brent Mydland. You’ll find killer versions of “Dancing in the Street” > “Franklin’s Tower,” long exploratory jams on “Playing in the Band” and “Terrapin,” a rattle-your-brain “Shakedown,” and lots more, all pulled from the master tapes in the vault and expertly mastered in HDCD for maximum power and clarity by Jeffrey Norman. The sold out Bonus Disc offers another hour-and-a-quarter of highlights from the tour. (You can find the complete track listings for all three discs here.)
Every Road Trips release will come with a beautifully designed booklet containing an essay about how the music on the discs fits into the Dead’s long history, plus many rare and never-before-seen photographs. We think you’ll agree it’s a pretty cool package. But wait, there’s more (as they say)! When each “edition” of Road Trips is announced on this site, we will also give you a link to an affiliated site devoted to the series which will include such goodies as articles and reviews from the tour (See one reviewer after another mess up Grateful Dead song titles! See the band savaged by cretinous critics!); additional photos; and any other weird/cool stuff we come across. Together we can paint a really rich and vibrant audio-visual picture of different stops along the Grateful Dead highway!
And this is just the BEGINNING of what we promise will be a tidal wave of releases, which will include more rarities from the deepest corners of the vault, multitrack releases, box sets (the patient will be rewarded; nudge-nudge, wink-wink, say no more), DVDs, downloads and who-knows-what-else. So keep your Third Eye tuned into this space for more in the coming weeks and months!
--Blair Jackson
A Few AFAQ’s (Anticipated Frequently Asked Questions) About Road Trips
Sounds pretty interesting, but what took you guys so frickin’ long? We thought you’d forgotten us.
Naw, we never forgot you. It’s just taken a little longer than expected to get the ball rolling again and to figure out how to move forward in a way that will satisfy and hopefully also expand the fan base. As a certain sage known to all of us once wrote: “It takes time to pick a place to go…”
Is Dicks Picks over, done, kaput?
Yes, that series of releases ended with Volume 36. It will continue to be available, however. Road Trips will have a little more flexibility than Dicks Picks, in that we are not limited to full-show releases, or even 2-track tapes…or anything for that matter—we haven’t made any rules about what IT is. I guarantee we’ll surprise you from time to time.
But we want to hear full shows, too!
Don’t worry, there will definitely still be full-show releases. We’ll have more on that soon.
OK, I guess it might be pretty cool. I’ll check it out. In fact I’ve got a ton of ideas of shows and tours you guys should be releasing…
Well, let’s hear it. Of course we want your well-reasoned insights and input! The Dead have always looked to Dead Heads for inspiration and ideas, and you’re needed now more than ever!
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still waiting
Promised by phone bonus disc...still waiting. What is the deal? Certain things in this day and age are just expected. Really...would like a message that whoever was responsible for this last CD debacle is no longer responsible.
unbelievably bad service
The total absence of any kind of conciliatory emails from GD Store Customer Services or Rhino, the exhorbitant shipping costs, the unneccessary delays (what should have been a week's delivery now looks like being 2 months!). And from others' experience the distinct possibility that after waiting the 2 months my box set will be incomplete and/or faulty when it arrives (which will then presumably entail another 2 months' wait, plus whatever time it takes from GD Store to sort out the problem). Aaaagh... You couldn't design a worse service
So...
We can't have it both ways ...
Either this is free-flowing forum about all things GD related, INCLUDING not infrequent merchandising debacles and resultant customer grumbles.
OR
It's a forum at which all negativity must airbrushed.
My last three or so posts have been deleted. There was nothing obscene or personally vindictive in there. Hell, I was even trying to have some fun with it all. But they're gone.
If any of us are concerned about service - or lack thereof - are we allowed to raise the issue on this forum? At all?
Does this forum belong, in a metaphorical sense, to the GD family? Or is our involvement allowed on the basis that we don't let rip when ripped off?
Kenny - the one with empty mail box.
kenny again
I have no idea what's going on; they're not in the spam queue. I'm making some inquiries because it sure don't seem right to me either.
missing posts....
Having seen MaryE's inquiries, I checked the spam filters too, just in case a lost post magically appeared. Sorry Kennyw..... I don't have an answer either, but I don't think your posts were intentionally deleted by anyone.
I'm inclined
to blame a technical malfunction here, but it would be useful to identify the problem. If we find out more we'll report back.
Bad Trip
The compilation concept just plain suxs. Unless I get the whole show or at least most all of it count me done.WHO WAS THE ASSHAT THAT DREAMED THIS UP?
In today's digital world don't you think we are capable of creating our own compilations, or are we too stupid or stoned?
I suppose we all are supposed to buy all the compilations and reverse engineer them into full shows.
These Road Trips are headed for a Breakdown!
The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.
I'm over it ...
Listening to the amazing Dark Star on Steppin' Out on the way to work, over the Westgate Bridge. That'll dooby doo. :)
ENTIRE SHOW'S & DVD'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FELLOW LOVER'S OF THE BOYS, (& DONNA) a) WE MUST WRITE AS MANY E & SNAIL MAILS AS POSSIBLE TO EVERY POSSIBLE INLET AVAILABLE TO US. 1) FIRST, BEGGING FOR ENTIRE SHOWS, NOT BITS & PIECES. PLEASE. 2) I KNOW, ABSOLUTELY, THE BAND HAD VIDEO TAPED EACH & EVERY SHOW FROM ABOUT '84 - '85 ON 'TILL THE END. I WANT MEMORIES AND RAW EMOTION. THANKS. I WANT THE ENTIRE SHEA'S SHOW THE OTHER NIGHT WITH NOT FADE!!! IT IS SICK.
'79 ?
I guess 1979 is an under-represented year ... but after listening to Road Trips (I finally got mine), I can see why. It seems that the whole band tends to play back up to Brent. I guess if Road Trips is a compilation of the best 1979 had to offer, then I guess there is no reason for any more 1979 shows. Let it die.
Greg SC
Amazing!!!!!
I can't wait for these to start coming out. Ant release with the Dead will be purchased by me.
Joseph <><
still waiting for Roadtrips can anyone help
I was sort of hoping that when I came back from my travels I would have received Road Trips and the copy of Rockin the Rhein I ordered at the same time (left the last one in a hire car!)
Amazingly I have been given a partial refund on the postage for these items even though I have not received them! I am of course grateful for that, but if anyone out there can help persuade the mail order people to resend these items I would be even more grateful!
Order Number: 0011585
Order Date And Time: 11/03/2007
Judging by feedback on Eurotraders many others in Europe have also not received copies yet.....what the hell went wrong? Most US mail order operations (even the small ones) deliver in a week or so and charge at cost. What assurances can we get that this whole farce will not be repeated next time. I really think that those responsible for mail order owe us an apology, an explanation and a real assurance that the service will improve. Is that too much to ask?
PS Please feel free to insert appropriate profanities throughout the above, there are many there I assure you, but you just can't see them ; - )
thanks Marye
not much fun for you I know but its not just for me....lots of really disappointed people out here
I'm looking forward to enjoying ...
my Road Trips CDs for Christmas in ... 2008. Fingers crossed!
Shipping Issues
Someone from customer service got back to me about my order (places on Nov. 3rd).They informed me (on Dec. 8th) that a replacement would be sent promptly. So here I am up in Canada with 30cm of snow and my fingers crossed. If by some miracle I recieve my package by Christmas I will be truly grateful - but I'm not holding my breath.
How about 30 days or free...?
Seriously, how can I feel comfortable ordering from the store in the future?
Everything Is Right With The World
Hey what do you know it arrived this afternoon...!!!!
I like the packaging and the liner notes are great.
The discs sound excellent as well.
Nicely done.
Same old song
It´s the same situation with my order too.
Order Number: 0011622
Date: 11/3/2007
This is just damn ridiculous. Normally my orders from the USA arrive in two weeks (or faster), but this one is going to take... "a lifetime". It´s also possible that I don´t get my bonus disc with the regular package, so it will probably be winter 2011 when I get all my cds. Like the people who have posted earlier about this, I will have one loooooooong discussion with myself before I order from here, unless there is a reasonable explanation for this stupid farce.
...waiting...waiting...waiting...
Jerry Xmas!
Another holiday miracle! That's good news, srumble!
Don't know how many people are still scrolling down here at this point, but I do want to say that we've heard everything you've said, loud and clear, the good and the really mean, and we've filed it away in the few brain cells we have remaining. Look, we knew from the outset not everyone was going to dig either this approach or this specific set--that's ALWAYS been true with just about everything the Dead have put out. One person's "Dark Star" is another person's "Little Red Rooster," if you know what I mean.
Anyway, we hope you'll enjoy future offerings both in this series and outside the world of Road Trips. And if not...well, it's certainly not for lack of thought or trying, I assure you.
Happy Holidays!
...and a Blairy new year!
thanks for the updates and the feedback
For sure you will never please all the people all the time with these releases, but please encourage TPTB to make an extra big effort in 08 to make sure people at least get the chance to find out if they like 'em or not. Just go straight to download with basic artwork and make the CDs with all the fancy packaging premium collectors' items for those prepared to wait for 3 months!
downloads
further to my last, it just took me 2 minutes to find Road Trips plus Bonus Disk to download for free and losslessly from the web ! No I have not downloaded it and no I will not tell you where it is....
But it just goes to show....market forces Mr Rhino, market forces, you should have been there first!
It's the system...
It's the other way around, CB...this is the reason the system is so screwed up. This is why Dick's Picks stopped being successful its last two years...It's really that simple. If you want to know why that series is no longer happening, you need look no further than the massive proliferation of full-show SBDs on archive.org when that was rampant. Totally undercut the series. The "market" now expects and wants everything to be free...Maybe not you, CB, but many...And who can blame them?
thanks for the explanation Blair
In your above note about why there are no longer Dick's Picks. You guys do a great job , it amazing the amount of shit that is flung your way. The karmic consequences of those types of behavior will come back to haunt the givers of that energy. I am not talking about constructive criticism here. Keep up the good work on the site and the releases.
Happy holidays.
If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.
William Blake
interesting
thanks for sharing that with us Blair....happy to stand corrected and even happier to hear for the first time a bit of rational background to some of what's been happening this last year or two. Transparency counts for a lot :-)
So its a vicious circle then ...you say that downloading killed Dicks Picks, but IMHO frustration at the lack of official releases has stimulated the vineyard not so far from here and encouraged a lot of people to start trading again and replacing their worn out tapes.
I sort of imagined that if you could get the material out there as fast as possible through purchased downloads then you would mop up the market before the bootleggers got organised.
Radiohead tried offering their latest as a download where the buyer chooses the price, with the packaged CD issued later. Very daring, but I'm not sure how that has gone.
Surely the edge that Rhino has is a) they can make at least some of the stuff from the vault sound far better than almost anything traded (that's what interests me most) and b) all the video that's apparently still there.
nice talking!
Blair ...
Like, I suspect, many others I am happy to go with the flow as regards the specific releases and how they are put together.
What I am not prepared to cop is the ridiculous delivery situation. Shipping confirmed? BS!
It simply shouldn't be possible for something to be shipped to Australia - let alone Canada or the US - and for it to take upwards of two months. And counting. And counting the $15 I paid for the privilege.
Something's going on here, but we aren't being told what is, are we Mr Jackson? :)
The buck stops elsewhere...
Kenny, this isn't the answer you want to hear, but I really am just a lowly servant involved with the creative side of this venture--putting discs together and writing articles for the website. I know literally nothing about "fulfillment" (as they say in the biz), shipping and all that stuff, though through this space I've certainly become aware of all the problems some of you are experiencing--both mailing SNAFUs for some and what seems to be a rather unfair postage structure for others--and my heart goes out to you, honestly. I wish I had the power to pick up the phone and talk to someone and do right by you, but I'm really just not involved on that level. I feel all the worse for it because I DO know that everyone's intentions--from the top Rhino guys on down to the folks in the mailroom--is to do a great job and give all you Deadheads what you order at a reasonable price. The fact that it hasn't worked out that way for a sizable number of people, is completely mortifying to me and to others. I don't know what to say other than hopefully it will come together better next time 'round. I certainly understand and share your frustration...Having run a magazine--The Golden Road--for nine years, I experienced just about everything that could possibly go wrong with either printing or mailing, so I've seen it from both sides...
Understood Blair, but....
Good to hear some words of sympathy and empathy. But if the "fulfillment" folks are really trying to do a great job, why don't they at least admit they screwed up, offer an apology, and simply post replacement copies by air mail to all those, like me, in Europe, Australia and Canada who have waited in vain for nearly two months since our money was taken and we were told our CDs were on their way?
absolutely right Len
it doesn't make sense and its not the first time
- On the disappearance of the downloadable DPs (way back and eventually corrected, but the downloadable artwork issue has never been corrected)
- On the policy change on the MP3s
- On this mailing fiasco
The only communication we receive on this site is via nice folks who are not actually responsible: our mods, David G,Blair J and David L. who are being used by all sides as voluntary gobetweens.
The 'caring' people in charge are conspicuous in their continued refusal to communicate with us on this site (apart from the recent Christmas present of a downloadable Jack-a-Roe, which even if well meant, adds insult to injury for many)
We may be a bit hasty at times to criticise, but most people would (IMO) respond positively to some direct communication (viz Blair's recent post)
I have almost experience of the music business, I do not work in the commercial world, but if Rhino is really struggling to find the right format to market the Vault effectively, then pissing off the hard core fans and driving them back to trading and bootlegging seems a very strange way to solve the problem.
Anyway the world's drowning in Carbon Dioxide, thousands are dying in a pointless war provoked by our lying leaders and I can buy strawberries flown in from Ethiopia in my local supermarket........insane, myopic incompetence is where it's at it seems
Happy Midwinter festival everyone, may the new year bring peace, sanity, global harmony......... and my fucking Road Trips ;-)
Blair ...
My bad - I wasn't blaming you or the other folk who put the set together. I know it's not your faultses.
Personally, I'd rather have an explanation than more meaningless apologies. I'm not holding my breath.
And, yes, the listening party and the Jack-A-Roe download could be perceived as yet more insult to injury. If I was in that frame of mind. Which today I'm not.
Kiwi Ken - Early days BAM's long ago NZ subscriber.
Roadtrips breakthrough
After intervention from Marye, I am now being mailed replacements for the missing discs.
The Customer Service guy said I could pass on his contact details for others in the same situation. These are now up on Eurotraders.....PM me if you want the contacts.
Big thanks to Marye and Casson at Iventa
signed
Not-so-insulted-and-injured badger (I remembered my meds today too!)
pursuant to which
Casson really does seem to want to take care of biz, and I'm very pleased with this result. If you're still having Issues (sigh), PM me and I'll pass on the contacts also.
Badger, thanks much for this good news. And Blair, thanks for your insights.
EXCITED
I am definately excited by this series, We always get full show releases, sometimes it is splendid to get a "widescreen photo" from a certain tour/time period, We have Dicks Picks and tons of other great albums dedicated to complete shows, SO LET'S SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR THIS NEW CONCEPT!!! i love the sound of the fall '79 music, very unique.PS. put something out with "Days Between" on it (besides the So Many Roads box set), lots of people have not gotten to appreciate that great gem of a song!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Santa brought me a copy!!! The only thing I'd like to see is, when the higherups release this material, make it DVD'S if at all possible. Thanks!!!!
Road Trips
Another vote for whole show releases.The reason the bumper sticker read There's Nothing Like a Grateful Dead Concert was because the journey through set 1 to the Far Away So Close realm of set 2 psychedelic heavenly hosts is a holistic spiritual healing affair with no peer or equal.
As mentioned by others, releases of whole shows from a single tour or run of nights would be great. Even the compilation format that mimicked the whole show form used for the Dicks Pick from Iowa (2/4/78 or something like that) where they compiled the two first sets and then included both second sets would be acceptable because when you throw on a disc your taking a whole journey. Please listen to the multiple fan responses that echo this sentiment.
While I'm at it, I'd love to see a release of the 84 greek theater show with the Scarlet/Touch/Fire and solitary Dark Star of the early eighties (is it 7/13 or 7/14, can't remember).
Thanks for keeping the music coming.
Sincerely, Ty Clement
But WHY
if so many overseas purchasers haven't received their Road Trips (as I haven't - emailed on November 6th to say it was on the way), why haven't we all been contacted - indeed, why weren't we contacted about the postage refunds? Nice to have it, sure, but we should be told these things.
As far as I am concerned, what we have here is an utterly disorganised organisation! The dead.net store was way ahead of this. Why do we all have to keep getting in touch with whomsoever to get the non-delivery of lots of orders sorted? It's Rhino's problem, not ours, but they've made it ours. We've been treated as a cash cow.
Enough. I won't be ordering through dead.net again. And I'm looking at 6 feet solid of purchased GD CDs on the shelf above me. Spin records gets my money now, and I'll beg copies of any bonus discs that look interesting.
Number of shows since ...
a Winterland Dark Star ...
Whoops ...
I mean, number of days sice Road Trips supposedly "shipped":
49
Explanation
The most disappointing thing about the whole saga, for me, continues to be the complete absence of any sort of explanation.
In fact, I'm surprised a Rhino employee hasn't registered here anonymiously and spilled the beans.
Anyway, I've had enough and today asked for a complete refund.
Refund
Yeah - me too. I just got a message from customer service to say they can't ship me the replacement as the system won't accept my address in the Uk, which is in the TOTALLY standard format of
Number & Street name
Area
Town
Postcode
Country
and is the same address they emailed me on November 6th to tell me Road Trips had been despatched. My opinion is that these guys couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery so I've told them to cancel my order as well. USELESS. Spin records gets my custom from now on.
International postage
I fully agree with everything that's been said about the $15 overhead on a single CD set, but how do you like this whopper:
Back in June I ordered a sizeable batch of CDs and - just for the hell of it - added 6 stickers to the order. Whoops - $10 was slapped on top of each and every item, including the $3 stickers! Total shipping cost: $175. I hit the "Enter" key without thinking - my bad, of course.
Several e-mails to Customer service demanding a refund yielded only a short notice with the confident assurance, that shipping always reflected the actual cost (which was $38 in this case).
What can a lowly customer do? Not much, it seems. But if anyone would like to investigate further, the order # is 5185.
Bjorn Lindstrom, Denmark
poor Bjorn
it just goes to show
however bad you think things are, there is always someone somewhere worse off than you!
Log and check your PMs Bjorn, I have sent details of someone who may be able to help
End of the Road Trips
Well, that's it for me and the dead.net store. From the old one, I bought all 36 Dick's Picks, and damn near every other release. All arrived, and a good 20 of them to my current address. The new store - well, the support people, say that cannot get my address recognised on the system, this DESPITE mailing me on November 6th to say Road Trips was in the post!
Anyway, a threat of legal action means I have got it refunded, and I'm done with the store here. Clearly, overseas customers are a nuisance so I'll help them out by ordering in the UK in future. No email or anything to tell me the order had been cancelled and refunded, I had to log in to customer support to find this out.
I have to say the support and service in general has been appalling, and really quite rude - in fact, a model lesson in how to piss off your customer base.
So long, it's been nice to know you.
Oh , and I just got a blank message from customer support; very professional. Don't know if anyone who reads this board has any contacts in customer support, but maybe you could let them know that the level of dissatisfaction amongst UK customers is very high, firstly about the rip-off postage, where people got charged lots of $$$$$s to find the actual postage used was far less (that is in fact commercial fraud), then lots of people didn't get theirs (including me), and now we find they can't even handle a standard UK address such as
5 Something Street
Locality
Town
Post Code (= uk ZIP code)
England
which frankly, in this day and age, is pathetic.
Okay, folks...
I'll also send this to you in PMs individually, but:
If you're having Issues with the Store, and I expect that the ones who post here represent a fraction of those who do, we have an actual human with a strong commitment to making things right.
Her name is Casson Kauffman. She is a customer service representative at Iventa, the fulfillment company, and in my recent experience, since we just got acquainted, she really takes care of biz. Badger, I think, will bear this out. She's pretty horrified at some of the stuff I've been passing along and really wants to get it straightened out.
Her email: casson.kauffman@iventa.com
If something's not right, get in touch with her. And in the unlikely event that this does not solve the problem, get back to me. Thanks, and sorry for all the aggravation, in defense of which there's not a whole lot that can be said except that we're trying to fix it and avoid repeat performances.
I thought I was ripped off by my local mailman or something ...
A first complaint on December 10th, i.e. I sent a reply to the shipping notification I recieved on November 6th, didn't rise any action from the DeadStore-people. A second complaint the same way last Friday, was returned with the answer they can't find my adress in the system.
As a small town journalist I was going to make a PRE-CHRISTMAS "review" of the record in connection with a larger article on various live-cd series, bootlegs, early 1940's musical "bootleggers" and beyond ... but now the whole idea has been shelved ...
Micke Östlund
Växjö, Sweden