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    lilgoldie
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    What's Inside:
    • Five Complete Shows
    • 5/11/77 St. Paul Civic Center Arena, St. Paul, MN
    • 5/12/77 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
    • 5/13/77 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
    • 5/15/77 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis MO
    • 5/17/77 University Of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
    •14 Discs, 111 tracks
    •Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman, Plangent Processes playback system for maximum sonic accuracy
    •Artwork by Grammy Award-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike
    •Period Photos by James R Anderson
    •Historical Essay by Steve Silberman
    •Individual show liner notes

    MAGICAL, MYTHICAL MAY 1977!

    If you're a Dead Head, chances are you've spent many an hour expounding upon the distinction of May 8, 1977, Cornell University, Barton Hall. Well, at the risk of preaching to the choir, we'd like to reintroduce you to a series of shows that matches said greatness from that same gloriously fertile season. While Barton Hall is well known, the astounding tour that surrounded it has occasionally flown under the radar due to the uneven quality of tapes in circulation. May 1977 is set to change all of that with a boxed set that zeroes in on this high-water mark in the Grateful Dead's long strange trip.

    For a band resurrecting itself after a 20-month hiatus, there was a great frenzy of expectancy that surrounded the Spring of 1977. We anticipate a grand reoccurrence of this fervor with the release of May 1977, a 14-disc boxed set featuring five complete shows from consecutive stops on that magical tour. Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering, the "psychoacoustic phenomena" as Jerry once put it, of St. Paul Civic Center Arena, St. Paul, MN (5/11) Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL (5/12, 5/13), St. Louis Arena, St. Louis MO (5/15) and Coliseum at the University Of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (5/17) can now finally be appreciated. Each of these shows finds the Dead delivering punchier, more focused sets, tightening up the framework; each night turning out first-ever renditions ("Passenger,""Iko Iko,""Jack-A-Roe"), unloading potent new pairings ("Scarlet Begonias">"Fire On The Mountain", "Estimated Prophet">"Eyes Of The World"), classic covers ("Dancing In The Street") and soon-to-be staples ("Estimated Prophet," "Samson and Delilah"), and ultimately rising up to paradise.

    And now for the nitty-gritty...

    Due June 11, May 1977 is limited to 15,000 individually numbered copies. Presented in a psychedelic box that boasts an intricate die-cut design created by Grammy®-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike, the set also includes a book filled with stories about each show, as well as an in-depth essay by Dead historian Steve Silberman, who delves deep into the history behind the tour and the band’s return from its extended hiatus.

    Once these 15,000 boxes are gone, May 1977 and its shows will never be available again on CD. However, the 111 tracks will be made available on release date as FLAC and Apple lossless full-set-only downloads for $99.98.

    Like its predecessors Europe '72: The Complete Recordings and Spring 1990, we expect May 1977 to sell out. Your best bet is to pre-order it now, then sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out over the next few weeks right here and on Facebook.com/GratefulDead and Youtube.com/gratefuldead.

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  • #551
    darkstartheoth…
    Joined:
    Bacon Bacon Bacon
    What, no love for sausage? -:)
  • #552
    deadegad
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    . . . And the next release
    These various box set releases sound good to me but I am no audio expert. Tuesday is coming -- and I cannot wait to unwrap this one. Christmas, Hanukkah, your birthday in June!!!!!!!!! Gravy, Baby, Gravy, with Bacon!!!!! A good early 80s box would be welcomed by me. Maybe a 79 box, you know, early Brent. Spring 80 from in and around "Going to Nassau."
  • #553
    Coconut Phil
    Joined:
    The Big Picture
    Seems like a lot of negative vibes have crept back up on this upcoming release. We should all be grateful that these releases keep coming. No other band has an archive like the Dead. They had the foresight to tape and archive their shows. We as fans are treated to many releasees a year, nice quality CD's, made to sound the best they possibly can. I just don't see why so many attack Dave for his choices, or fuss over the sound quality. We will continue to receive these releases for many more years. I for one am grateful for anything released. Some I like better then others, but we all have our favorite periods and songs. Lighten up folks and just take it as it comes. Peace
  • #554
    Seth Hollander
    Joined:
    UnkleSam, here's a reason
    "why would the powers that be authorize a release if it is 43 years old and has been sitting on a roof or wherever for this long?" 1- How many times have commenters in these threads claimed they were not going to purchase an upcoming purchase because they already have high-qual copies of those shows? Almost every thread has one or more of us, the very-interested-in-new-releases community members, taking this stand. The internet has delivered unto GDM/Rhino both a blessing, the means to efficiently market to and interact with the customer-base, and a curse, the means for that same audience to get widely-available high-qual recordings of many of the Dead's shows. Newly discovered tapes means these recordings were never torrented, treed, or LiveMusicArchived. 2- Ever decide to not buy a new GDM release because you have high-quals already?.... It isn't very pleasing. Some of us have collected A LOT OF DEAD over the years, tape-trading in the 80's/90's and internet harvesting in the later years... People in that position tend to like new-to-them shows! They're fun! Personally, my perfect DaP year would be two new-to-me releases and two upgrades-of-shows-I-have releases. So far DiPs , Road Trips, and DaPs have provided me with many more new-to-mes than upgrades (and, as for 5/15/70, a brutal downgrade!), but I do enjoy first listening as much as when I was a young'un! Your experience may vary...
  • #555
    Star Dark
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    Unkle Sam
    Unkle Sam: “As far as a sound system, had it for years, some parts over 40 years and there ain't too much better out there, it ain't new, but it kicks butt, I won't discribe it lets just say ‘top of the line’.”Translation: My equipment is better than yours, so shut up. Unkle Sam: “I'm not tone deaf so I can hear and what I hear is sub par.” Translation: My opinion is not subjective. Those who disagree should see an audiologist. Unkle Sam: “Now the real argument is will you pay for better sounding releases? I doubt it.” Translation: Y’all just don’t care much about sound quality. Unkle Sam: “I really have no beef with Norman, he just does what seems to be the norm today, just get it done and collect the cash.” Translation: Norman is a greedy hack. Of course, I’m fine with that. Unkle Sam: “Why the beef with ebay sellers? For those of you who think that capitalism ain't all bad, it's a great way to make some cash from yourold worn out cd's and lp's. It's the system that makes these recordings valuable for resale, not the individual.” Translation: I’ll conveniently ignore the fact that – much like mail order ticket scalpers of days past – unsavory characters are sucking up limited releases before they can be purchased by actual music lovers, and flipping them for 100%-200% markups on eBay. Of course, this translation is NOT intended as a personal attack - just my own personal, highly subjective and agitated take on Mr. Sam's antagonistic tone. Why can't we all just enjoy the music?
  • #556
    simonrob
    Joined:
    Those were the days...
    I remember when almost every release was greeted with almost universal approval. Most notably, Jeffrey Norman was regularly singled out for praise, and quite rightly so I reckon. Lately things have changed which could be due to any number of things. It is possible that the best sounding shows have all been released. It is also possible that Rhino have reduced the budget for each release with the result that Mr. Norman no longer has the time to make them sound "just exactly perfect" It is also possible that some people have set their expectations just too high and when these expectations are not met they become overly critical. I have not had a real problem with any of the releases to date. I will be the first to admit that a few have been less than perfect, but none have been so much below par that I feel the need to complain. I would much rather have the chance to listen to these shows (which have, after all, been deemed fit for release) than be denied that opportunity. I doubt that a poor performance will ever be put up for release by Dave, but there will undoubtedly be a few where the performance is great but the sound quality falls a bit short. I would still be grateful for the chance to hear such shows and would settle for "that is just how it is" rather than blame the engineer for being incompetent - which in the case of Jeffry Norman is clearly not the case. I listen to my music on a pretty good system (including HDCD) which can be a double-edged sword - if the recording is good, it sounds great, if it is not so good, the problems are obvious to hear. Even bearing that in mind, I still haven't heard a GD release where I think "this is crap. They shouldn't have released this". Ultimately, the whole listening experience is very personal and subjective so most opinions have some degree of validity.
  • #557
    Chitown rider
    Joined:
    this double post needs to be fixed.
    sorry for the double post.
  • #558
    Chitown rider
    Joined:
    ..personal attack
    Unkle sam re-read your original post and tell us how that is not a personal attack on J. Norman, Rhino and "the powers that be" while you were at it why didn't you throw DL under the bus as well for his choices for the releases? Here is a little info for you. perhaps it will change your "opinion" •Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman, Plangent Processes playback system for maximum sonic accuracy. PROMachine speed instability in the motion picture and music recording industries is a well-known and often unavoidable phenomenon due to the mechanical nature of analog recording. Two artifacts commonly known as wow and flutter result from mechanical speed inconsistencies and can conspire to ruin a soundtrack. Traditionally, wow and flutter anomalies have been considered unsolvable audio problems without the availability of an alternate, unflawed source. The correction of wow and flutter is now possible thanks to a few unique technologies including Clarity™ Audio Restoration by Plangent Processes. Clarity is a combination of proprietary DSP (digital signal processing) software and hardware for the playback of 35mm magnetic sound film and audiotape that corrects the anomalies generated by both gross and subtle speed instability. Using the ultra high frequency bias signal recorded onto magnetic film or audiotape, the Clarity process “re-times” the audio as if it had been recorded on a machine running at a perfect, constant speed. The result is a soundtrack with stability similar to that of a high resolution digital recording. Additional audio restoration processes are also more effective once the track has been stabilized with Clarity. Restoration engineers can more effectively target sonic anomalies like hum and hiss, which become more stable due to the Clarity process. Plangent’s proprietary signal processing which eliminates wow, flutter and other speed aberrations present on even the finest analog tape recordings, revealing previously unheard clarity and increased image depth and focus. Record labels, film studios, producers, artists and archivists turn to Jamie Howarth, founder of Plangent Processes, and authorized provider Airshow to restore their back catalog of high-profile works. Satisfied Plangent clients include Grateful Dead Productions, Neil Young, Pete Seeger, Queen, Sony Pictures, Fox Video, and many others. as far as "who is this guy" Jeffery Norman If you would like to know more about him you can visit his website at www.mockingbirdmastering.com please spend a little time there and read all about him and what he does and who he has done it for. I think you will find a new appreciation for him, and probably glad that GD productions picked him to work on the music that all of us love. peace-
  • #559
    hbob1995
    Joined:
    DP6 Sound
    I also agree with Little Ben. While the time period of this release is not my favorite GD era, I think the sound is phenomenal! Considering these tapes are over 40 years old, and they were certainly not stored in any way that would have protected their integrity, I was amazed at the sound quality. Crisp & clear. I think Jeff Norman is a magician with the highest standards and is always trying to give us the best quality based on the tapes he is given to work with. Bravo I say!
  • #560
    unkle sam
    Joined:
    personal attack?
    not hardly, just a question, which it seems there is no answer to. How about answering the question? I was not out to attack anyone, just want to know what Mr. Norman's qualifications are, and to assume that I would attack anyone is just that, an assumption. you did't like the tone of my post or you didn't like what I had to say or you think Mr. norman's work is great, that's cool, but try and look at it from another point of view. why would the powers that be authorize a release if it is 43 years old and has been sitting on a roof or wherever for this long? Because we asked for it? Perhaps someone could explain what it is that norman does, ben, you seem to know, enlighten us would you?This is an OPINION, if you don't like it, that's cool, you have that right, but to assume that some don't know what an engineer does or that we should all just love what we hear because Mr. Norman did it is blind faith. I'm glad that some think that certain releases sound good, more power to you, I'm not impressed and will not blindly follow some down the path of " it's all good" I would love to hear what Norman had to do to make these tapes releasable, did he have to scrape dust and cobwebs off of the tapes? or pick them out of a dumpster? if so, why are they deemed worthy of release. If one doesn't think that money is involved in all of these decisions, then I have some high and dry land in the everglades up for sale.
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Submitted by lilgoldie on
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Dead Store Products

What's Inside:
• Five Complete Shows
• 5/11/77 St. Paul Civic Center Arena, St. Paul, MN
• 5/12/77 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
• 5/13/77 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
• 5/15/77 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis MO
• 5/17/77 University Of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
•14 Discs, 111 tracks
•Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman, Plangent Processes playback system for maximum sonic accuracy
•Artwork by Grammy Award-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike
•Period Photos by James R Anderson
•Historical Essay by Steve Silberman
•Individual show liner notes

MAGICAL, MYTHICAL MAY 1977!

If you're a Dead Head, chances are you've spent many an hour expounding upon the distinction of May 8, 1977, Cornell University, Barton Hall. Well, at the risk of preaching to the choir, we'd like to reintroduce you to a series of shows that matches said greatness from that same gloriously fertile season. While Barton Hall is well known, the astounding tour that surrounded it has occasionally flown under the radar due to the uneven quality of tapes in circulation. May 1977 is set to change all of that with a boxed set that zeroes in on this high-water mark in the Grateful Dead's long strange trip.

For a band resurrecting itself after a 20-month hiatus, there was a great frenzy of expectancy that surrounded the Spring of 1977. We anticipate a grand reoccurrence of this fervor with the release of May 1977, a 14-disc boxed set featuring five complete shows from consecutive stops on that magical tour. Mastered in HDCD by Jeffrey Norman at Mockingbird Mastering, the "psychoacoustic phenomena" as Jerry once put it, of St. Paul Civic Center Arena, St. Paul, MN (5/11) Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL (5/12, 5/13), St. Louis Arena, St. Louis MO (5/15) and Coliseum at the University Of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (5/17) can now finally be appreciated. Each of these shows finds the Dead delivering punchier, more focused sets, tightening up the framework; each night turning out first-ever renditions ("Passenger,""Iko Iko,""Jack-A-Roe"), unloading potent new pairings ("Scarlet Begonias">"Fire On The Mountain", "Estimated Prophet">"Eyes Of The World"), classic covers ("Dancing In The Street") and soon-to-be staples ("Estimated Prophet," "Samson and Delilah"), and ultimately rising up to paradise.

And now for the nitty-gritty...

Due June 11, May 1977 is limited to 15,000 individually numbered copies. Presented in a psychedelic box that boasts an intricate die-cut design created by Grammy®-winning graphic artist Masaki Koike, the set also includes a book filled with stories about each show, as well as an in-depth essay by Dead historian Steve Silberman, who delves deep into the history behind the tour and the band’s return from its extended hiatus.

Once these 15,000 boxes are gone, May 1977 and its shows will never be available again on CD. However, the 111 tracks will be made available on release date as FLAC and Apple lossless full-set-only downloads for $99.98.

Like its predecessors Europe '72: The Complete Recordings and Spring 1990, we expect May 1977 to sell out. Your best bet is to pre-order it now, then sit back, relax, and enjoy all the exclusive content we'll be rolling out over the next few weeks right here and on Facebook.com/GratefulDead and Youtube.com/gratefuldead.

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Submitted by darkstartheoth… on Sun, 07/07/2013 - 23:29

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First, I kind of hope that there isn't another box this year because, quite frankly, I'm running out of money. I spend hundreds a year on cds, t shirts and so on that are GD related. I can maybe afford a couple of more individual releases aside from the Dave's Picks (I have a subscription) but that's about it. Second, 1973 is one of my favorite years period but so much has been released from that era. It might be a better idea to release from a year that doesn't already have so many releases right now. If it's going to be another 1970's set (HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR), make it something like from Brent's first few months May through September in 1979.
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Submitted by donahue.luke on Sun, 07/07/2013 - 23:55

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12.6.73 was released? where?
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Submitted by donahue.luke on Sun, 07/07/2013 - 23:57

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12.6.73 was released? where?
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Submitted by Roland Bruynesteyn on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 01:50

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@DonahueNot released as such, but Greatest story, China cat/IKYR, DS(!) & Eyes were released as Bonus disc 2011.
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Submitted by danc on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 06:14

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I listened to this again over the weekend, and I am convinced that Dave's #2 and the of course the Europe '72 set are the best choices by Dave thus far. Really nothing close in my opinion (<< flammable...). I find the UCLA release and the recording flaccid overall, and '77 is great but I have strong satisfied preferences from '77 (released and otherwise, Cobo Nov 1st, anybody?) and I don't get nearly the same satisfaction from '77 as I do from '74, although I think the Fall has comparable gusto. '74 is a special place on the continuum (i.e. the sound system, great new material, long sets, freaky jams and Seastones) and regular releases from that year should be part of the plan I think. If that means every 2-3 years, uh OK, but my vote is every year, because we have a lot more GREAT MUSIC to hear and enjoy. If you listen to the movie set, Dick's #12, #31, Road Trips #2.3, and Dave's #2 back-to-back, I think we hear the best combination of ensemble playing, gonzo moments, sweet first sets, and excellent singing. And most of the '74 tapes have unbelievable tuneful bottom and presence. So please, more Winter, Spring and Summer '74, 10-16-74 or complete retirement sets, so many GREAT shows yet to enjoy in fine sound.
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Submitted by jpreston on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 10:36

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ok you can tell us now
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Submitted by segan63 on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 11:03

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There have been a lot of 70's shows, but this one's no slouch. I'm glad to see it released. I'm sure Dave's Picks 8 will be from the 80's...
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Submitted by Moses Quasar on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 12:24

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....DaP 7 , a '78 show..Its all over 30 Days folks, just consult your 30 days for future releases.. 78 is good,like every year of the Dead, its got its own sound, rawer, more hard jamming..Prediction for DaP 8, I'm down for some 80s..The 83 Lake Placid show would be good but I think Dave will go with the 12/30/89 show from the holiday run... you know how Dave loves 89-90!!! Take care folks!!!
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Submitted by Star Dark on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 13:58

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...do I win a prize? :o) First correct guess ever (for DP, anyhow). What a fantastic pick, Dave!
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Submitted by SPACEBROTHER on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 14:21

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Why Dave? Why????! As much as I love the Grateful Dead, have been a dedicated customer for nearly every release since "One From The Vault" and was really excited about the prospects for subscription surprises, especially after the first year when they were offered for the final year of the Road Trips series, with it's perfection of variety, the Dave's Picks series hasn't lived up to it's initial selling point. Why did they list all of those different years when this series was first announced, when there hasn't been any offerings outside of the '70s? This brother is losing the faith.
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Submitted by danc on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 14:28

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Normal 4/24/78 definitely deserves its status as a great show. It's tight, and a lot like a Fall '77 show, intensity level is just crazy. And a very Dick-like pick. THANKS DAVE.
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Submitted by Star Dark on Mon, 07/08/2013 - 15:19

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... I feel your pain, but take comfort in the fact that this particular '70s gig features quite a bit of mid-80's looseness/recklessness. ("Fun," as someone else put it.) At least it doesn't suffer from "too perfect" syndrome like some of that May '77 stuff. :o) I have a strong suspicion DL will dip into the 80's for DP8 - a spicy '84 is L O N G overdue.
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Submitted by Jack_Straw on Wed, 07/10/2013 - 06:14

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Still no reply from dead.net.....regarding defective May '77 box set product. **Shrugs Shoulders**
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Submitted by claney on Wed, 07/10/2013 - 10:53

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Hey Jack Straw - try again - I had a defective 5/15 case, and didn't get a reply initially (well, I got an auto-reply that said they were looking into it and would get back to me within seven days). They didn't, so I emailed again, then the other day I got a nice note from Dr. Rhino, and they are sending the replacement case, he says.
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Submitted by zepthompson on Fri, 07/12/2013 - 18:21

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the past several days - man, what an awesome job some real fine music - I will be spinning these again in the near future THANKS...
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Submitted by TheeAmazingAce333 on Sat, 07/13/2013 - 21:02

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so, upon studied listens to these 5 'completely new to me' showsthese are my choices to make a lil 3 (maybe 4, not sure yet) disc mini-boxset... the criteria was (since i'm totally UNbiased, having never heard any of these particular shows) superlative versions & 'best' version from thee entire box... btw, me & my head friends are all 5.9.77 people, yes 5.8 IS great, but 5.9 is where it's @ for us... note: no idea if this will fit on a cdr if your using a computer & just burning this as a playlist... my set-up is old school... no computer... 2 cd players like a true 'taper' should... my preference is to add (some of) the tunings @ the beginning of most tunes, which sounds more natural to me... personally, my dislike for the system most folks & record labels use to 'track' live cds is enormous (not that i&i use an mp3 player or listen to cds on shuffle) it's just weird hearing the tuning of a tune @ the end of the previous one... especially with these tunes, just sayin... have @ it people, ace. Disc#1 1. Music ~ 5.13 2. Half Step!> 3. El Paso ~ 5.17 4. Jack-A-Roe ~ 5.13 5. Big River!! ~ 5.11 6. TLEO ~ 5.17 7. Passenger! 8. Funiculi> 9. B. E. Women! ~ 5.15 10. Looks Like Rain!!! ~ 5.11 11. Sugaree!! ~ 5.11 final thoughts: 5.11 is killer & underrated... 5.12 is the worst show of the 5... period. 5.17 is great, but 5.9, 5.19, 5.21 & 5.22 are better. stay tuned for discs 2 & 3 to find out which Estimated & Samson were chosen! thanx for reading... stay irie... ace.
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Submitted by guit30 on Mon, 07/15/2013 - 06:08

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Ace, I find myself ageing with you on most everything, Loved the 11th, but just could not get into the 12th which made me skip to the 17th which was different and then back to the 13th which I think is my favorite,but I have not heard the St Louis show yet.Love the quality of the recording, I do love 77, one of my favorite years.
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Submitted by TheeAmazingAce333 on Mon, 07/15/2013 - 15:35

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okay, disc #2 has been completed...i'm diggin the flow of this one bigtime: 1. Scarlet> 2. Fire!! ~ 5.17 3. Estimated! ~ 5.15 4. Sunrise ~ 5.17 5. Drumz> 6. Samson! ~ 5.15 7. High Time ~ 5.17 8. Lazy Lightnin> 9. Supplication ~ 5.11 10. Comes A Time! ~ 5.12 notes: ~5.13 has grown on me... it is well-represented on disc#3... definitely a 'bobby show'... alot of my 2nd favourite versions of tunes played multiple times in the box... ~5.15 is great, just not my 'cup o tea' insofar as setlist, although the Estimated & Samson are the best versions of the box, for me... & yes i've left the Eyes off, i'm not a fan of that version... it's a tune i'm picky about... ~disc#3 soon & maybe a bonus disc?? ~agreed guit30 they do sound amazing, especially through headphones... ~thanx again for reading... continue to stay irie... ace.
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Submitted by TheeAmazingAce333 on Wed, 07/17/2013 - 14:03

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so, it appears all the fussing & fighting over Dave's latest Pick has suckedall the energy out of THIS release... look, the thought of an entire Dead show with repeated Stayin Alive teases nauseates me, personally... but people who know 4/24/78 intimately SWEAR by it... if the Scarlet>Fire is as epic as has been reported, bring it on... bickering about what should be released/Dave's taste is an act of futility... anyway, Disc #3: 1. Bertha ~ 5.12 2. Playin! ~ 5.17 3. Terrapin ~ 5.12 4. Space> 5. Wharf Rat! ~ 5.11 6. OTHER ONE!!! ~ 5.13 7. St. Stephen ~ 5.15 8. Saturday Night! ~ 5.13 9. Brokedown Palace ~ 5.11 comments: ~The Other One is dynamic, unique, awesome... it is 'The Dark Star of Other Ones' insofar as the overall mellow vibe... there is a passage of about 2 minutes where Garcia is just playing solo... not "a" solo, just Jer playing as quietly as you have ever heard... simply brilliant... & the fact that it's only one verse adds to the Dark Star-ness... THIS IS THEE HIDDEN GEM OF THE BOXSET!!! ~after repeated listens, the 5.12 Terrapin nudged the 5.17 version, for me... ~really wanted to include the 5.12 NFA but it just would not fit... ~guit30, lookin forward to more of your analysis as you, like myself, delve deeper into the box... ~thanx again for reading... irie vibes... ace.
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Submitted by Dead Ahead on Fri, 07/19/2013 - 18:43

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Ace – These shows are new to me, too, which sets us apart from the norm. What a joy it is to hear for the first time. Many of the posters here have become jaded from having too much access to too much of the music; unlike Dave L. who has that youthful exuberance even after all these years. Ace, and Dave, I enjoy your fresh perspective. Keep up the good work. And Ace, I look forward to being able to delve into this release to the degree you are now and will use your work as a reference. I have other releases on my to-do list as well, including the E72 box of which I have listened to only about half.
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Submitted by chilly1214 on Fri, 07/19/2013 - 20:12

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It's winter time here in South Australia and to have this 77 box plus the Dave's Picks and I've just realised I still haven't finished the spring 90 box yet. Keep the releases coming! I'd like to see 4-11-88 at some point. (My first). Great time to be a Deadhead!!
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Submitted by guit30 on Sat, 07/20/2013 - 01:53

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Ace, Well, that was a great idea, your best of set was a great idea,Well 77 and 72 were my 2 favorite years. I attended a show in Sept of 77, the Englishtown 100,000 people outside show in New Jersey. They were excellent. This box set is excellent, I have heard it all the way through and it is a great set of shows, sound quality is just awesome. I have a pretty nice stereo, it has an Oppo multi disc player on it so it can decode the hdcd which really enhances the sound. For me, the 2nd show in Chicago is killer, it is a 2 disc show, but at 80 minutes a disc it is still a good long show. I'm listening to a song and it just hits me, this is a 2 track, it sounds like it was mixed. Betty Cantor was a genius,Loved her recording talents on a reel to reel. So, the show on May 13 in my opinion, was just the best sound quality and some great performances too. In 77, "Ramble On Rose" comes on and with "Estimated Prophet" turning into a real strong song, Garcia starting to used The "Envelope Filter" on Estimated which sounds like a dirty autowah. I got a broken case on this show, but it did not bother me, the sound quality much more important. Donna's vocals are just awesome on this set, overall the vocals are great, Jerry's voice never sounded better. Check out Jerry's expression on the big inside picture. Kinda Priceless. Well Ace, this is my take on the middle show of this great box set.
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Submitted by claney on Sat, 07/20/2013 - 16:43

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Ace man, well done... really enjoyed your picks. I was (am) surprised they didn't release a three-disc compliation from these shows for the mainstream release. Maybe they're saving up for the big Veneta release they'll lay on us in August (fingers crossed) Interesting to read how varied are the opinions of these shows. 5/17 is generally accepted as the best of them, but then there is no consensus I can see. I gravitate toward the mellow buttery smoothness of 5/11, which really surprised me, and I love 5/12. 5/13 is a snoozer for me, though of course I'll give it another shot. Andj I need more time with 5/15 but what's not to like...
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Submitted by TheeAmazingAce333 on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 03:08

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DJ is truly the 'MVGDM' on quite a few nights in 1977, this has been myfeeling for quite sometime, so it's refreshing to hear your spot-on views guit30... she really is in thee finest form in her time with The Boys in 77... her 'duel' lead vocals on (to name a few) Passenger, NFA & ESPECIALLY Looks Like Rain (examples: 6.29.76 & 5.19.77 & now 5.11.77!) MAKE those tunes... feels like Bobby even backs-off a bit vocally & lets her shine... it was laughable to me to read all the negativity dumped on LL Rain as a 'skip-track'... the emotion evoked in those versions is the ESSENCE of what the GD is all about... it is a Classic, Essential Dead tune... anyway, back to my OVER-analyzing of ze Boxset: ~5.12 has grown on me as is indicative in my choice's... it's the distortion of the recording that gets to me (went to audio engineering school; trained ears & as the former archivist for Joe Gallant & Illuminati, recording live bands is something of a passion... anyone familiar with that bands interpretations of the Dead or even heard of them???) sorry, sidetracked... so my "period" about it being "worst in Box" in my Disc #1 post is retracted... ~here's my "Top 7 tunes of the Box" (staying with the theme of 7) considering # of versions, strength of them ALL as a whole & lack of a cluncker... enjoy: 7. Lazy Lightnin/Supp. ~ 2 versions, both different & quite good. 6. Ramble On Rose ~ 2 versions, 5.13 is KILLER & 5.11 is great as well. 5. Sunrise ~ see my diatribe above about Donna Jean. 4. Samson ~ 5 to chose from, 5.15 is THEE finest of the lot for me... 5.12 is smokin too, just the distortion gets me (Betty was awesome, but not perfect, which is a-okay) 5.13 is also smokin, with Garcia shredding as he sould. 3. Jack-A-Roe ~ we ALL love the shuffle vibe & all 3 versions are groovy. 2. Fire On The Mountain ~ all 3 versions are different, not drastically... ~just love the chill vibe of 5.11 & Jer's Mutron sound is really warm & tasty here... ~5.13 is unique in that Lesh starts 'driven the bus' before any transition jam is allowed to start... Garcia's long solo before verse 1 is sweet... 5.17 is a beast, the band sounds like they're havin a blast (no pun intended) AND confession: ~it is my favourite GD tune, so i'm biased in that respect... 1. ESTIMATED PROPHET ~ all 5 versions are fantastic, similar yet abit different... 5.15 & 5.17 are powerhouse versions... 5.11 is chill/mellow, with Garcia laying back a bit... 5.12 both Weir & Garcia playing & sound is rite on... okay, that's all for now, thank you all for your responses/opinions/kind words... Bonus Disc with some surprises soon... & guit30 i'm from Jerz (although i&i live in San Francicso now) so Englishtown having been your first show is VERY COOL! thanx for readig, hope it wasn't "All Too Much..." irie time... ~ace.
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Submitted by One Man on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 12:39

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I'm thinking about my own best-of playlist. LLR will not be on it. I love that some of us think that tune is what the GD were all about while others think the opposite. Agreeing to disagree is important. And I would not break up a segue by playing the 5/13 TOO without its successors. It won't be easy to boil it down, but I'll probably try.
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Submitted by TheeAmazingAce333 on Tue, 07/23/2013 - 01:00

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the May '77 Boxset did not include a Bonus Disc...this was/is a bummer... so, my feeling was that there was still some tunes to be included here... & a compare/contrast (sound quality-wise, specifically) by adding something from 5.8 AND 5.9 as i've got KILLER copies of both of these shows (like most of you all surely) anyway... Bonus Disc: 1. Help>Slipknot!> 2. Franklin's ~ 5.9 3. Estimated ~ 5.12 4. Loser ~ 5.11 5. Passenger ~ 5.17 6. Ramble On Rose! ~ 5.13 7. NFA ~ 5.12 8. Morning Dew ~ 5.8 notes: ~the Boxset sounds EPIC... waaaay better than our 5.8s & 5.9s... ~love the pace of the 5.12 NFA... it needed to be included... ~we all agree that the lack of a H/S/F & Morning Dew is a toooootal bummer, so they begged to be included from those amazing shows... and, outta nowhere, while cleanin my apartment yesterday, BOOM! BONUS DISC TOO: 1. Fire! ~ 5.13 2. Jack Straw ~ 5.17 3. Ramble On Rose ~ 5.11 4. Looks Like Rain ~ 5.17 5. Jack-A-Roe ~ 5.15 6. Bobby banter/Samson! ~ 5.13 7. Row Jimmie ~ 5.15 8. Terrapin ~ 5.17 9. Lazy Lightnin> 10. Supplication ~ 5.15 ~~~~~thanx for reading, hope you all discover some gems... irie, ace...
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Submitted by davidadavis@gm… on Thu, 07/25/2013 - 10:02

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Nice to see Sunshine Daydream is getting a September release
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Submitted by davidadavis@gm… on Thu, 07/25/2013 - 10:03

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Nice to see Sunshine Daydream is getting a September release
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Submitted by Eyes113073 on Thu, 07/25/2013 - 14:56

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If it's going to be an 89 show, I sure hope it's either 10/20/89 (listen to that Other One, w/ Phil chomping at the bit long before it is actually played!) or 7/15/89 (w/ the Close Encounters space!). Some other 1980s shows I would love to see chosen include: 7/10/81 (might not be in the vault) 4/15/82 (") 9/17/82 6/20/83 10/21/83
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Submitted by One Man on Thu, 07/25/2013 - 18:10

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This one is especially interesting, since Brent did not even have a microphone on stage. Bob & Jer handled all the vocals and it sounded surprisingly great. It is one of the only (of about 30) shows I attended that I care to hear now. I bet it is not in the vault. There are so many versions on archive.org that I don't know where to start. I transferred my crisp aud cassette to CD years ago and I listen to it regularly.
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Submitted by guit30 on Sat, 07/27/2013 - 01:30

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Hi One Man, Did you happen to tape it yourself? Have you listened to any more of May 77? I am listening to May 12 again and enjoying it more. I'm liking more stuff in it this time around. You can hear the drums better in this show better than others. Don't know why I did not like it first time around. Seriously great First Set. Take care One Man. Guit #30
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Submitted by guit30 on Sat, 07/27/2013 - 01:42

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I agree, This Box set sounds epic, what was the bonus disc you found from? Thanks for taking your time in making the 3 best of Discs!!!
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Submitted by One Man on Sat, 07/27/2013 - 05:45

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No, I did not tape 9/17/82 myself. I got it 2nd generation from a college friend. It's a good audience tape -- one of the best I had heard of any show at that point. But check out the archive.org Barry Glassberg aud tape of 3/14/81 that someone recently mentioned. That one demonstrates why audience tapes are sometimes better than soundboards. The excitement in the room comes shining through. Plus, the post-Drums Bertha is a scorcher, and it interrupts what would have been a painful Weir slide solo coming out of Miracle. I'm still chipping away at the May '77 box. Today, I'll probably get through 5/15. I can't say which is my fave yet. I really like all of them so far -- all of them better than Dave's #1, IMO.
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Submitted by mrmike5 on Sun, 07/28/2013 - 08:07

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I'm going through these today to figure out which discs to toss into the 6 disc changer in my car for a while, finally a bit burnt on DaP5&6 that have been out there for a bit. So far it seems likely that 15 & 17 are going to be the winners, I like the Dancing-> Estimated- Eyes string and also St. Stephen-> Iko-> NFA is pretty sharp to my tastes. And 051577 disc one's country jams also seem pretty tight for the most part. 051777 is an easy pick, for many of the same reasons, cool country warmups and groovy jamming. After listening to them, I can sympathize a bit w/ the folks who are not as into these because they're not maybe as "raucous" (sorry, I'm not gonna scroll back for quotes...) but they're still a beautifully packaged, great sounding set to my ears that I'm very pleased to have picked up.
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Submitted by ericscho on Mon, 07/29/2013 - 00:51

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Preordered the box and was very much looking forward to it, but now almost 2 months later, still nothing. Why sent a $140,- package with no tracking info ? Customer service seems clueless and just says please wait for delivery for another 2 weeks .... At this point I just want my money back.
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Submitted by ericscho on Mon, 07/29/2013 - 23:30

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Customer service came through and decided to send me a new copy. Very happy about that, hope this one actually arrives ;).
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Submitted by chuckj on Tue, 07/30/2013 - 13:52

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Thanks DL2 for all of the effort you and your buds put in on these projects. Much appreciated!
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Submitted by rusty string on Wed, 07/31/2013 - 02:40

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Sometimes I know (better: feel) that I'll love a certain part of a show before having ever heard it. This time it was the "Mississippi - Dancing" bit of May 12. To combine two "dance songs" of such different styles somehow grabbed me. IMHO, these 25 minutes are pure fun. There's so much to discover in "May '77". Isn't Jerry's solo at the end of "Stella Blue" pure magic? It can't get much better than this...
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Submitted by One Man on Wed, 07/31/2013 - 03:01

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Yeah, this box just keeps on giving. Each show contains magic, often in unexpected places. Some versions of songs that normally coast by are intense (Brown-Eyed Women, Ramble on Rose, Minglewood Blues, Ship of Fools) and others have an unexpected edge (Eyes of the World, Estimated Prophet, even Dancing in the Street). I love every show in this box. I don't think there's a weak one in the bunch. And although I disagree with pretty much everything Ace says, I'm glad others see it differently and find their own ways of appreciating it. Amazing. I'd ditch every other 1977 release before you could pry this one out of my hands.
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Submitted by Underthevolcano on Wed, 07/31/2013 - 04:21

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This, to me, is a must have release. Even better than the last 77 box release IMHO. I am working through my third listen to all of the shows and I can't find disappointment in any of them. This is a "Desert Island" box set. Hell, put it in space for those theoretical aliens to parse-a glimpse of human accomplishment next to the Mozart, Beethoven and Stravinsky( and Mile Davis). I'm glad I got my copy before it is too late.
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Submitted by mrmike5 on Thu, 08/01/2013 - 20:02

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great stuff, the lead into Fire from Scarlet on 0517 is masterful. I listened to Barton Hall too (what the hell, it's Jerry's birthday...) and the copy I have wasn't quite as happening, the details of the mutron disappeared or weren't there, maybe Jerry was playing around with it and refined his technique by the 17th? I dunno but the transition there blew me away and I hit it a couple of times, really brilliant stuff. It probably helped that it was sunny and warm out and all that but it's a great recording.
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Submitted by The Nightfishing on Fri, 08/02/2013 - 09:27

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If you're still on it, you'd best get off before it's too late. Even with Veneta on deck, these shows are not to be missed.
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Submitted by giantnerd on Sat, 08/03/2013 - 08:59

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Betty Cantor wrote a letter to Rolling Stone magazine correcting them in the issue with Bruce Springsteen on the cover. In effect she says "I never sold any reels to anyone, and also no one ever paid for the re-release of the recordings I made." This was in regards to the may '77 article David Fricke had written where he says she sold off 5/8/77.
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Submitted by One Man on Sat, 08/03/2013 - 10:55

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I also read Betty's letter to Rolling Stone magazine. It's odd that she says she has not been paid for any of her 2-track recordings. Wasn't she on the payroll when she was making them? Weren't they recorded for reference purposes and not for release? Don't they belong to the band, since presumably they paid for the tape and Betty's services? Does she expect some kind of residual? I don't know why she would. I'm not dissing Betty -- she made some great sounding tapes. And I agree she should not be mis-characterized as someone who "sold off" the tapes.
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Submitted by Coconut Phil on Sat, 08/03/2013 - 12:28

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I'm still really enjoying this box set, the sound is just amazing. Guess it has not sold out due to being available to download. I'm glad to have a copy on CD. I'm delighted that Bluray format has finally arrived for us. Peace
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Submitted by guit30 on Mon, 08/05/2013 - 02:18

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It seems like every show in this box set is a little bit different as the music grows. Still can't get over how good it sounds, lovin it. All from a 2 track reel to reel, awesome.
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Submitted by wissinomingdeadhead on Mon, 08/05/2013 - 17:02

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My faves from this box set in order;5/13 5/17 5/11 5/15 5/12
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Submitted by Underthevolcano on Wed, 08/07/2013 - 11:41

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I personally hope this box set sells out for several reasons: (1)to show physical product has a sufficient market, (2) digital can also be offered as well for those who prefer it and (3) future box sets can be offered to this market with a reasonable expectation of adequate financial return. I wish to avoid the debate about limited editions as I can see arguments on both sides of the issue. I have been very satisfied with the preparation which goes into these archival releases and I am happy to own them now and I think I will be even happier to have them in the future to listen to at a time,perhaps, when the well has run dry for any number of reasons.
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