• https://www.dead.net/features/release-info/rocking-cradle-grateful-dead-egypt-1978
    Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt 1978



    ROAD TRIPS 1.4
    From Egypt With Love

    The two-CD Road Trips set,
    plus a third Bonus Disc,
    is drawn from the two
    shows of the series that are in the vault,
    October 21 and 22, 1978.

    ::More Information on RT 1.4




    More Egypt '78

    Egypt In The Archives

    Photos, Passes & the Poster

    The Egypt Shows

    September 14, 1978
    September 15, 1978
    September 16, 1978

    Videos

    Enjoy a short video montage from the
    Egypt '78 DVD.
    Watch Now

    Watch a Video of Bertha in Egypt,
    September 16th
    Watch Now

    Interview

    Listen in on an interview
    with Richard Loren on how Egypt
    happened.
    Listen Now

    At Long Last...
    Egypt '78
    Order Now

    2 Disc Set + 1 DVD

    :: View the boxed set in 3D!

    Good things come to those who wait! First, it took 30 years to produce this ultra-cool 2CD/DVD set from the Dead’s legendary September 1978 run at the Sound & Light Theater, outside Cairo, nestled in the dunes just a short mummy-walk from the Great Pyramid and the mysterious Sphinx. Then, Dead Heads had to endure the long, restless weeks between the announcement of the release and when they could actually order it. Well, ring them bells, because the wait is over! Dead.net is NOW accepting orders for this beautiful and historic package, Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt 1978, which includes two exceptional music CDs and a DVD with over 95 minutes of concert footage from the Egypt shows (plus an impressionistic “Vacation Tapes” mini-documentary that shows the band and Dead family at play).

    Much has been written about this storied adventure: About the band’s long-standing desire to play in “places of power,” as Phil put it years ago… The incredible logistical gymnastics necessary to get permission for this strangest of American rock bands to bring their peculiar alchemy to the cradle of the ancient world… The huge, scattered caravan of crazies that descended on Cairo from the U.S. and Europe, drawn to the desert by some irresistible force… The sheer magnitude of shipping in tons of sound equipment, setting up in 110-degree heat, maxing out the local power grid, trying to turn the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid into an echo chamber (alas, Osiris would have none of that!)… The wondrous interplay at each of the three concerts between Nubian drummers and singers and the Grateful Dead… The miraculous final show, during a total lunar eclipse… The synchronicity of that last show and the signing of a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel… Magical horse and camel rides under the desert moon…Trips up and down the Nile… High adventure at every turn!

    The three Egypt concerts—September 14, 15, 16, 1978—were captured on a 24-track tape recorder with an eye towards putting out a live album to help defray the (considerable) cost of the expedition. When the Dead got home, however, they discovered that the tapes of all of the first night and part of the second were not useable because of technical problems. Then the band got wrapped up in finishing their Shakedown Street album (begun before the Egypt venture), and soon the notion of putting out the Egypt album lost its momentum. But just as Howard Carter and all those other explorers in the ’20s and ’30s couldn’t stay away from the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the Dead weren’t about to let those Egypt multitracks stay buried by the sands of time. Next thing you know there’s a phone call to ace GD mixer Jeffrey Norman and he and vaultkeeper David Lemieux discover that despite the problems with the first night’s tapes, there’s still lots of great material available from nights two and three, including: a dynamite “Shakedown Street” (just the second live version ever), “Truckin’,” an exquisite “Stella Blue,” “Eyes of the World,” fresh takes on then-new songs such as “Stagger Lee” and “I Need A Miracle,” and the hypnotic Egyptian tune called “Ollin Arageed” that features Hamza El Din and other percussionists, who are then joined by the Dead for a jam into “Fire on the Mountain.” Wow!

    And the concert video, though rough around the edges in places, is quite a revelation as well. Not only does the DVD include many of the best tunes on the CDs—you’ll dig seeing Jerry do some pretty energetic thrashing here and there—it contains two songs not on disc—“Bertha” and “Good Lovin’.” The concert material has been mixed in both stereo and surround sound, with two listening options: DTS 5.1 and PCM Stereo. The beautifully designed booklet (with cover inspired by the late, great Alton Kelley’s Egypt 1978 tour poster) contains a revealing essay by longtime Ice Nine Publishing chief (and Egypt trip co-organizer) Alan Trist, and many rare photos. All that’s missing is sand, the smell of camels and some “hubbly-bubbly”!

    So don’t delay! Order Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt 1978 today by going Here.

    Track List

    Disc 1

    1. “Jack Straw”

    2. “Row Jimmy”

    3. “New, New Minglewood Blues”

    4. “Candyman”

    5. “Looks Like Rain”

    6. “Stagger Lee”

    7. “I Need A Miracle”

    8. “It’s All Over Now”

    9. “Deal”

     

    Disc 2

    1. “Ollin Arageed”

    2. “Fire On The Mountain”

    3. “Iko Iko”

    4. “Shakedown Street”

    5. “Drums”

    6. “Space”

    7. “Truckin’”

    8. “Stella Blue”

    9. “Around And Around”

     

    DVD

    Track Listing

    1.“Bertha”

    2. “Good Lovin’”

    3. “Row Jimmy”

    4. “New, Minglewood Blues”

    5. “Candyman”

    6. “Looks Like Rain”

    7. “Deal”

    8. “Ollin Arageed”

    9. “Fire On The Mountain”

    10. “Iko Iko”

    11. “I Need A Miracle”

    12. “It’s All Over Now”

    13. “Truckin’”

    Featurette: “The Vacation Tapes”

     

    Road Trips Vol. 1, No. 4 features Winterland ’78 “From Egypt With Love” shows!

    It must be the Curse of the Pharaoh’s Tomb or something, because once we’d put together Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt ’78, we couldn’t get Egypt out of our system. Suddenly it seemed only natural that the next Road Trips should be culled from the great five-night “From Egypt With Love” run the Dead played at Winterland a month after they returned from Cairo. Each night the band treated the hometown fans to an extensive slide show of their travels, and at two of the concerts, Hamza El Din joined the Dead for versions of “Ollin Arageed” that helped summon even more of the flavor of Egypt. Harmonica ace Lee Oskar (of War) showed up a couple of nights, and at the final show, John Cipollina added his distinctive guitar to the back half of the second set. The two-CD Road Trips set is drawn from the final two shows of the series, October 11 and 22, 1978. Get complete order information Here.

    12411
260 comments
sort by
Recent
Reset
Items displayed
  • Big-Gar
    16 years 2 months ago
    Egypt
    Looks like nice stuff. Hope the audio quality is OK, past listenings from tapes were pretty rough sonically and musically. I remember Garcia saying they played poorly at these shows and they had technical problems and a little too much of that "hubbly bubbly"! I'm in just for the pure fun of it. Enjoy. Peace
  • Oroboros
    16 years 2 months ago
    Yes, it was outdoors
    at, I believe, the Giza Theater of Sound and Light (by the Sphinx?). Louie Armstrong, Sinatra, etc. played there along with many others. Wind is always a factor as well as sound dispertion difficulties. But hey, it was the Dead in Egypt, afterall.
  • Default Avatar
    Greg SC
    16 years 2 months ago
    music preview
    It'd be nice to get a preview of the music, so I can check out the sound. I am assuming this is an outdoor show? I am not a big fan of outdoor acoustics, or lack thereof. Greg SC
user picture

Member for

17 years 7 months



ROAD TRIPS 1.4
From Egypt With Love

The two-CD Road Trips set,
plus a third Bonus Disc,
is drawn from the two
shows of the series that are in the vault,
October 21 and 22, 1978.

::More Information on RT 1.4




More Egypt '78

Egypt In The Archives

Photos, Passes & the Poster

The Egypt Shows

September 14, 1978
September 15, 1978
September 16, 1978

Videos

Enjoy a short video montage from the
Egypt '78 DVD.
Watch Now

Watch a Video of Bertha in Egypt,
September 16th
Watch Now

Interview

Listen in on an interview
with Richard Loren on how Egypt
happened.
Listen Now

At Long Last...
Egypt '78
Order Now

2 Disc Set + 1 DVD

:: View the boxed set in 3D!

Good things come to those who wait! First, it took 30 years to produce this ultra-cool 2CD/DVD set from the Dead’s legendary September 1978 run at the Sound & Light Theater, outside Cairo, nestled in the dunes just a short mummy-walk from the Great Pyramid and the mysterious Sphinx. Then, Dead Heads had to endure the long, restless weeks between the announcement of the release and when they could actually order it. Well, ring them bells, because the wait is over! Dead.net is NOW accepting orders for this beautiful and historic package, Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt 1978, which includes two exceptional music CDs and a DVD with over 95 minutes of concert footage from the Egypt shows (plus an impressionistic “Vacation Tapes” mini-documentary that shows the band and Dead family at play).

Much has been written about this storied adventure: About the band’s long-standing desire to play in “places of power,” as Phil put it years ago… The incredible logistical gymnastics necessary to get permission for this strangest of American rock bands to bring their peculiar alchemy to the cradle of the ancient world… The huge, scattered caravan of crazies that descended on Cairo from the U.S. and Europe, drawn to the desert by some irresistible force… The sheer magnitude of shipping in tons of sound equipment, setting up in 110-degree heat, maxing out the local power grid, trying to turn the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid into an echo chamber (alas, Osiris would have none of that!)… The wondrous interplay at each of the three concerts between Nubian drummers and singers and the Grateful Dead… The miraculous final show, during a total lunar eclipse… The synchronicity of that last show and the signing of a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel… Magical horse and camel rides under the desert moon…Trips up and down the Nile… High adventure at every turn!

The three Egypt concerts—September 14, 15, 16, 1978—were captured on a 24-track tape recorder with an eye towards putting out a live album to help defray the (considerable) cost of the expedition. When the Dead got home, however, they discovered that the tapes of all of the first night and part of the second were not useable because of technical problems. Then the band got wrapped up in finishing their Shakedown Street album (begun before the Egypt venture), and soon the notion of putting out the Egypt album lost its momentum. But just as Howard Carter and all those other explorers in the ’20s and ’30s couldn’t stay away from the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the Dead weren’t about to let those Egypt multitracks stay buried by the sands of time. Next thing you know there’s a phone call to ace GD mixer Jeffrey Norman and he and vaultkeeper David Lemieux discover that despite the problems with the first night’s tapes, there’s still lots of great material available from nights two and three, including: a dynamite “Shakedown Street” (just the second live version ever), “Truckin’,” an exquisite “Stella Blue,” “Eyes of the World,” fresh takes on then-new songs such as “Stagger Lee” and “I Need A Miracle,” and the hypnotic Egyptian tune called “Ollin Arageed” that features Hamza El Din and other percussionists, who are then joined by the Dead for a jam into “Fire on the Mountain.” Wow!

And the concert video, though rough around the edges in places, is quite a revelation as well. Not only does the DVD include many of the best tunes on the CDs—you’ll dig seeing Jerry do some pretty energetic thrashing here and there—it contains two songs not on disc—“Bertha” and “Good Lovin’.” The concert material has been mixed in both stereo and surround sound, with two listening options: DTS 5.1 and PCM Stereo. The beautifully designed booklet (with cover inspired by the late, great Alton Kelley’s Egypt 1978 tour poster) contains a revealing essay by longtime Ice Nine Publishing chief (and Egypt trip co-organizer) Alan Trist, and many rare photos. All that’s missing is sand, the smell of camels and some “hubbly-bubbly”!

So don’t delay! Order Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt 1978 today by going Here.

Track List

Disc 1

1. “Jack Straw”

2. “Row Jimmy”

3. “New, New Minglewood Blues”

4. “Candyman”

5. “Looks Like Rain”

6. “Stagger Lee”

7. “I Need A Miracle”

8. “It’s All Over Now”

9. “Deal”

 

Disc 2

1. “Ollin Arageed”

2. “Fire On The Mountain”

3. “Iko Iko”

4. “Shakedown Street”

5. “Drums”

6. “Space”

7. “Truckin’”

8. “Stella Blue”

9. “Around And Around”

 

DVD

Track Listing

1.“Bertha”

2. “Good Lovin’”

3. “Row Jimmy”

4. “New, Minglewood Blues”

5. “Candyman”

6. “Looks Like Rain”

7. “Deal”

8. “Ollin Arageed”

9. “Fire On The Mountain”

10. “Iko Iko”

11. “I Need A Miracle”

12. “It’s All Over Now”

13. “Truckin’”

Featurette: “The Vacation Tapes”

 

Road Trips Vol. 1, No. 4 features Winterland ’78 “From Egypt With Love” shows!

It must be the Curse of the Pharaoh’s Tomb or something, because once we’d put together Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt ’78, we couldn’t get Egypt out of our system. Suddenly it seemed only natural that the next Road Trips should be culled from the great five-night “From Egypt With Love” run the Dead played at Winterland a month after they returned from Cairo. Each night the band treated the hometown fans to an extensive slide show of their travels, and at two of the concerts, Hamza El Din joined the Dead for versions of “Ollin Arageed” that helped summon even more of the flavor of Egypt. Harmonica ace Lee Oskar (of War) showed up a couple of nights, and at the final show, John Cipollina added his distinctive guitar to the back half of the second set. The two-CD Road Trips set is drawn from the final two shows of the series, October 11 and 22, 1978. Get complete order information Here.

Display on homepage featured list
Off
summary

$34.98
Rocking The Cradle: Egypt '78

PREORDER

$54.96 $49.98
Egypt '78 + Road Trips 1.4

PREORDERPREORDER

$56.98 $49.98
Egypt '78 + Egypt T-Shirt

PREORDERPREORDER

$76.96 $64.98
Egypt '78 + Road Trips 1.4 + T-Shirt

PREORDERPREORDER

ROAD TRIPS 1.4
From Egypt With Love

The two-CD Road Trips set,
plus a third Bonus Disc,
will be drawn from the two
shows of the series that are in the vault,
October 21 and 22, 1978.

::More Information on RT 1.4




More Egypt '78

Egypt In The Archives

Photos, Passes & the Poster

The Egypt Shows

September 14, 1978
September 15, 1978
September 16, 1978

Video Clip

Enjoy a short video montage from the
Egypt '78 DVD.
Watch Now

At Long Last...
Egypt '78
Preorder Now

2 Disc Set + 1 DVD

:: View the boxed set in 3D!

Good things come to those who wait! First, it took 30 years to produce this ultra-cool 2CD/DVD set from the Dead’s legendary September 1978 run at the Sound & Light Theater, outside Cairo, nestled in the dunes just a short mummy-walk from the Great Pyramid and the mysterious Sphinx. Then, Dead Heads had to endure the long, restless weeks between the announcement of the release and when they could actually order it. Well, ring them bells, because the wait is over! Dead.net is NOW accepting preorders for this beautiful and historic package, Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt 1978, which includes two exceptional music CDs and a DVD with over 95 minutes of concert footage from the Egypt shows (plus an impressionistic “Vacation Tapes” mini-documentary that shows the band and Dead family at play).

Much has been written about this storied adventure: About the band’s long-standing desire to play in “places of power,” as Phil put it years ago… The incredible logistical gymnastics necessary to get permission for this strangest of American rock bands to bring their peculiar alchemy to the cradle of the ancient world… The huge, scattered caravan of crazies that descended on Cairo from the U.S. and Europe, drawn to the desert by some irresistible force… The sheer magnitude of shipping in tons of sound equipment, setting up in 110-degree heat, maxing out the local power grid, trying to turn the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid into an echo chamber (alas, Osiris would have none of that!)… The wondrous interplay at each of the three concerts between Nubian drummers and singers and the Grateful Dead… The miraculous final show, during a total lunar eclipse… The synchronicity of that last show and the signing of a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel… Magical horse and camel rides under the desert moon…Trips up and down the Nile… High adventure at every turn!

The three Egypt concerts—September 14, 15, 16, 1978—were captured on a 24-track tape recorder with an eye towards putting out a live album to help defray the (considerable) cost of the expedition. When the Dead got home, however, they discovered that the tapes of all of the first night and part of the second were not useable because of technical problems. Then the band got wrapped up in finishing their Shakedown Street album (begun before the Egypt venture), and soon the notion of putting out the Egypt album lost its momentum. But just as Howard Carter and all those other explorers in the ’20s and ’30s couldn’t stay away from the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the Dead weren’t about to let those Egypt multitracks stay buried by the sands of time. Next thing you know there’s a phone call to ace GD mixer Jeffrey Norman and he and vaultkeeper David Lemieux discover that despite the problems with the first night’s tapes, there’s still lots of great material available from nights two and three, including: a dynamite “Shakedown Street” (just the second live version ever), “Truckin’,” an exquisite “Stella Blue,” “Eyes of the World,” fresh takes on then-new songs such as “Stagger Lee” and “I Need A Miracle,” and the hypnotic Egyptian tune called “Ollin Arageed” that features Hamza El Din and other percussionists, who are then joined by the Dead for a jam into “Fire on the Mountain.” Wow!

And the concert video, though rough around the edges in places, is quite a revelation as well. Not only does the DVD include many of the best tunes on the CDs—you’ll dig seeing Jerry do some pretty energetic thrashing here and there—it contains two songs not on disc—“Bertha” and “Good Lovin’.” The concert material has been mixed in both stereo and surround sound, with two listening options: DTS 5.1 and PCM Stereo. The beautifully designed booklet (with cover inspired by the late, great Alton Kelley’s Egypt 1978 tour poster) contains a revealing essay by longtime Ice Nine Publishing chief (and Egypt trip co-organizer) Alan Trist, and many rare photos. All that’s missing is sand, the smell of camels and some “hubbly-bubbly”!

So don’t delay! Order Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt 1978 today by going Here.

Track List

Disc 1

1. “Jack Straw”

2. “Row Jimmy”

3. “New, New Minglewood Blues”

4. “Candyman”

5. “Looks Like Rain”

6. “Stagger Lee”

7. “I Need A Miracle”

8. “It’s All Over Now”

9. “Deal”

 

Disc 2

1. “Ollin Arageed”

2. “Fire On The Mountain”

3. “Iko Iko”

4. “Shakedown Street”

5. “Drums”

6. “Space”

7. “Truckin’”

8. “Stella Blue”

9. “Around And Around”

 

DVD

Track Listing

1.“Bertha”

2. “Good Lovin’”

3. “Row Jimmy”

4. “New, Minglewood Blues”

5. “Candyman”

6. “Looks Like Rain”

7. “Deal”

8. “Ollin Arageed”

9. “Fire On The Mountain”

10. “Iko Iko”

11. “I Need A Miracle”

12. “It’s All Over Now”

13. “Truckin’”

Featurette: “The Vacation Tapes”

 

Road Trips Vol. 1, No. 4, to feature Winterland ’78 “From Egypt With Love” shows!

It must be the Curse of the Pharaoh’s Tomb or something, because once we’d put together Rocking the Cradle: Grateful Dead, Egypt ’78, we couldn’t get Egypt out of our system. Suddenly it seemed only natural that the next Road Trips should be culled from the great five-night “From Egypt With Love” run the Dead played at Winterland a month after they returned from Cairo. Each night the band treated the hometown fans to an extensive slide show of their travels, and at two of the concerts, Hamza El Din joined the Dead for versions of “Ollin Arageed” that helped summon even more of the flavor of Egypt. Harmonica ace Lee Oskar (of War) showed up a couple of nights, and at the final show, John Cipollina added his distinctive guitar to the back half of the second set. The two-CD Road Trips set, plus a third Bonus Disc, will be drawn from the final two shows of the series, October 11 and 22, 1978. And... we want to extend a special offer to you RIGHT NOW: If you preorder both Rocking the Cradle and Road Trips, “From Egypt With Love,” together, you’ll receive six full CDs and one DVD for the special combined preorder price of $49.98! Get complete preorder information Here.

dead comment

user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 6 months
Permalink

It's funny to read all the posts from folks who can't wait for the release date. I'm happy to wait as long as it takes AS LONG AS THESE NEW RELEASES ARE FREE OF THE DEFECTS THAT PLAGUED RT 1.3 AND WINTERLAND 73. That said, my preorder was placed a month ago, and I'm anxious.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I wholeheartedly agree with blair, This sounds spectacular. I mean really above all expectations. They have been outdoing themselves on each release, but on this one they have jumped over the lunar eclipse! What a gift. We are all so fortunate to have people who put their heart and soul into these recordings. Thank you to all involved and thank you blair for the aknowelegdement. peace,pk
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Mine arrived just in time for me to copy the first two discs to my iPod, as I had a long trip on BART yesterday. And I've gotta say, yow. The sound is fabulous, the playing is, for the most part, inspired, on fire, incredible, etc. Kudos to all concerned.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I have all my dead heads on standby for a great listening party the moment I receive it. And the road goes on forever.... BobbaLee
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

Came home from work and was psyched to see that familiar bubble pack mailer waiting for me! The packaging is a little flimsy, but the cover is a too cool pop-up. And the sound is phenomenal. Very airy and very clear. This should have been released ages ago ...
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

a picture i never imagined...! but it is right there! what nefty neato cool packaging! i got mine today, and i have already canceled all plans and i'm getting ready to jam! yeah!! caroline
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Bobby"I don't care how may wives or camels you got" Love it!
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

many
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I got the package today, watched the home movie and concert video. Great, great sound. HDCD makes a huge difference. Way better sound quality than the Winterland 73 box set (though I still love all the Winterland 73 stuff). After having heard old tapes of some of these shows long ago, I had tempered expectatons of the sound quality, but I am blown away. Thanks for this great release, great value.
user picture

Member for

16 years 10 months
Permalink

didnt have the funds 'til yesterday so my order waited, but from all the comments i've read i'm darned near ecstatic.....well.....anxious anyway
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

As I have just watched the dvd of the Egypt '78, and slowly working my way thru the discs... All I can say is I am (still) in awe of what the combination of peace, love, and music can do; watching all the locals, along with the GD friends and family grooving to the music, just simply grooving to the music all together as one is truly a pleasure. Great Rhino quality as to be expected, and the added bonuses have made this purchase one for the books. Outstanding! The dead-ication in the liner notes was especially heart~warmin'. Very nice touch~ truly the grateful dead!
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Got mine yesterday. I've only had time to listen to Disc 2 Ollin-Fire, but that was enough to tell me the sound quality surpasses my expectations. Can't wait to listen and watch it all!!!!
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Ours arrived yesterday ~ we also jumped right in with Disc 2 Ollin-Fire ~ looking forward to listening and watching more later this evening ~ but right now it's time to "be a jerk and go to work" Long Days And Pleasant Nights
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Got my copy yesterday, been jamming ever since, have not got to the bonus CDs yet, I'm sure they will jam too. Please keep it coming. Coconut Phil, living Free.
user picture

Member for

17 years
Permalink

the biggest question - do I stay up all night? or do I savor in small bites - like real chocolate? decisions, decisions...
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 11 months
Permalink

I placed my order the first day the order page was available (8/20), before it had even hit the first page. I ordered the Egypt 78 + Road Trips 1.4 + T-shirt package. I've received nothing so far, no shipping notice, no email about the order at all. I just spent over 10 minutes on hold trying to get through on the phone. No one answered. Why does the awful customer service continue on this site? Road Trip screw-ups, messed-up discs in the Winterland set, digital downloads at the wrong speed, bad customer service responses ... when will the service improve? When we start to vote with our wallets? Still disappointed....
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I not-so-respectfully disagree with the sad person who disparaged Robert Nichols book, "Truckin' With The Grateful Dead To: Egypt." This is one of the most magickal books concerning the Grateful Dead ever written. It was one of the first books I read about the Dead, and it helped open those hard-to-find doors (harder to find for some, apparently) that opened my mind to a simply wonderful world. Robert wrote directly from his heart, and you are right there with as he tells the story. It's absolutely beautiful. What happened to Robert later in his life is heartbreakingly tragic. His name should have appeared in the "In Memory Of" section of the booklet right next to all those others. Christopher Lee Paino
user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

Just received the set today and just watched the dvd. Was thrilled to see the sound had a 5.1 DTS options and I was able to listen to the music in pure 7:1 component mode... needless to say it sounded great. Video picture quality itself was not so great but it was very cool to see stage setup, surroundings, audience all blending together. Music was fine (not off the charts) and it was great to see a very animated pig tailed and sphinx like Jerry. My TV and all glass around the house almost shattered on Donna jeans wails on Deal. Also watched the "vacation tapes" which were very cool. Great seeing them truckin' around egypt with young bill walton, kesey and uncle bobo in tow... A really nice DVD. I'm out of town for a few days and when back will dig into the CDs. would be nice to see some additional pre-nineties 5.1 surround video releases! Hope everyone enjoys the tunes
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 7 months
Permalink

I received my package yesterday. I ordered the whole package, shirt (which is killer), Road Trips and Rocking the Cradle and from what I've heard so far, I'm blown away. However. There is a major design flaw with the packaging. My disc 2 is actually stuck to the glue strip along the left hand side of the sleeve it's in. It looks like the glue strip didn't hold and the cd shifted over to the left. First indication that something wasn't right was that I could see a sliver of the cd poking out of its sleeve. Now I'm not sure what to do. I attempted to slowly peel the cd away from the glue strip but it's stuck pretty good and I'm afraid I'll end up doing more damage and making the thing completely unplayable. It looks like I'm without a disc 2 and really hoping dead.net/rhino will have a replacement disc available. Has anyone else experienced this issue?
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

I just received the Egypt set, but the DVD was missing. Also, though the discs were in acceptable shape, all three (including the bonus disc) had slight marks on them. It seems to me that the quality of GD merchandise has gone down in the past few years. I've received scratched discs, for example. Part of that is due to the cardboard packaging, which may be environmentally friendly (and cheap) but also leads to disc scratching because the discs actually touch the packaging, which collects dust (and whatever else may be around, including the attention of toddlers). Also, the cardboard packaging strikes me as missing the point. Don't we want our CDs to last a lifetime or more??? These are big issues to me. I long for the days when Grateful Dead merchandise was as well-made and durable as possible. That said, the music on this set strikes me as remarkably well recorded and mixed, a joy to listen to on headphones as well as on the stereo. The performances are excellent, as focused as most 1978 performances seem to be but more relaxed than the ones I've heard. I prefer this set to "The Closing of Winterland" and "Dick's Picks Vol. 18."
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

I also purchased the complete set. It's reassuring (albeit disappointing) to hear that I am not the only person to have had the glue problem previously described. My disc 2 was also stuck into the package by glue. I removed it and washed it, but was unable to get the glue residue completely removed. It is not fully unreadable by my disc drive, regardless of the type of program I use to import it. I've also noted a number of microscratches on this disc. Also, disc 2 of the From Egypt with Love CD has serious digital noise at the end of disc 1. This is not a normal audio tape wow and flutter, but is an intermittent digital stutter or flutter that seems to alternate from speaker to speaker. It is horrible to listen to. Unfortunately, this is exactly the same problem that I had with two of the discs from the Road Trips v. 1 No. 3 CD (including bonus disc) set. Both of those discs were replaced by Customer Service in a timely fashion, but unfortunately the the replacement discs had the exact same flaw. That set is essentially non-listenable because of this problem. I'm going to request replacement discs for the CD of Rockin' the Cradle and the problem disc from the From Egypt with Love CD. However, given the issues I've experienced with the last two orders and the apparently lack of quality control, I've decided that I'm not going to purchase any future CD releases from GDP/Rhino. The music is great and I'm willing to overlook a minor problem here and there, but this is getting ridiculous.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

My disc 2 of Rockin the Cradle also was stuck due to the glue problem and the sleeve did not hold. Fortunately, the disk itself was not as stuck as some other posts and it has played true. But clearly this is a systemic problem with the packaging. I watched much of the dvd last night. Really nice. Jerry is out of his mind which may be why the music is not tip top. But given I spent the 80's watching Jerry almost never move or smile at all, it's fun to see him having fun.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I receive mine yesterday and have started listening to it. Cool packaging, particularly the pop-up, and the sound is pretty decent overall. I like that ragtime piano at the intro to Deal! I put it into the car player, cranked up Jack Straw, and headed over to the local boxstore to pick up some stuff. On my way into the store, in between the automatic doors, I looked down and spotted this nondescript piece of cardboard on the floor, and recognized it instantly for what it was- a perfect 13 point SYF lightning bolt, about 6-8 inches long. I scooped it up and put it in my pocket. Examining it later, I saw that someone had painstakingly traced it and used an exacto blade to cut it out. For what purpose, I'm not sure, perhaps they were making a stencil of some kind, but the fact that Dead Heads are relatively few and far between in CNY is not lost on me and I found it somewhat significant if not amazing, especially since it is almost as if it were laid there for me to find. Who knows, maybe the rest of the story will reveal itself... in the strangest of places no doubt. At this point I'm taking this to be a sign that GD music has always been, and always will be, a part of my life, providing the soundtrack for what I hope to be, a long, strange trip. --------------------------------- I'm not Beethoven
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

I also placed my order sometime ago and have yet to have anything delivered. What is frustrating is I was in stores yesterday and saw the package for less then what I paid, and could have had it and been listening to it last night.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I have noticed on several songs that the sound drops out. It seems they went from a SBD to an AUD to fill in the gaps for tap flips. If this is the cas they did a horrible job. Or is this indicative of a problem with the CD?
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I just want to clarify that it is on the road trips. I first noticed it on the Sugaree with about 1:50 left. I heard it on other songs as well but I was working last night and did not have time to figure out all the rest of them
user picture

Member for

16 years 5 months
Permalink

I got my "shipped" email on monday...how long beofre it gets here??? ~*Standing on the moon with nothing left to do, a lovely view of Heaven but I'd rather be with you*~
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I too am curious by the 'drops' in sound. The "Stella Blue" on the Road Trips release makes sense, as it even notes the SBD>AUD fact in the liner notes, but some of the other ones just seem OFF... :-/
user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

Is there a .jpg file of the cover of the "Rock the Craddle" compilation? When I play CDs in iTunes, an album cover will show up. However, that didn't happen this time around. If anyone can point me in the direction of a cover .jpg it would be appreciated. Thanks.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

Thank you, PainoMan. I also thought the review was a bit harsh, certainly not kind by any measure, and held my tongue. While Mr. Nichols' writing style is rather simple, he does indeed tell the story from his heart, and it gives an interesting perspective behind the scenes. It almost sounds as if nobody in the organization knew there was going to be a lunar eclipse until Robert drew up the charts. And, granted, while Dark Star would be expected on that night, Jerry and Co. never really ever followed a script, did they? The Heaven's Gate connection is sad also, I never knew that fact. --------------------------------- I'm not Beethoven
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Without exception, every forum posted here about the GD releases since Dick's Picks was shelved has contained issues with the quality of the materials released. Even their recent "dowload only" attempt is filled with complaints. And it sounds like most of the issues are not getting resolved or are hit-or-miss at best. Why anyone would continue to spend money on these sloppy, mishandled releases is beyond me.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 2 months
Permalink

I don't want to complain - merely point out for others that there may be another mistake to be on the lookout for: missing booklets. I got all the discs in Rocking the Cradle collection - but the booklet was missing. Fortunately I didn't have the glued disc 2 issue (though the disc does have a number of minor scuffs and scratches on it - fortunately, so far it seems to play okay). I am all for Rhino pumping out this stuff ... but there seems to be a number of minor issues. Again, not complaining - I assume I will be able to get a booklet sent when I inform customer service. The main reason for my post is to just let others know that they should check for the booklet (I had to go to the webpage to make sure there was, indeed, supposed to be a booklet - so if you aren't looking for it, you may not realize you didn't get something you had paid for.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I too had the glue issue on mine. The cd seems ok though. Although it's a great concept, I think the packaging might have been too ambitious considering the flimsiness of the material (cardboard). I'm going to have to take extra precautions that my 2-year-old doesn't get near it. All that being said, the music is fantastic. I can't wait to watch the DVD tonight.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

I love the music, and am happy to see such a tidal wave of new material being offered up, it's almost as good as when a new Dick's Picks was being sold about every 3 months. However, most of the same problems here too. Disc two was stuck under some glue, not good for a CD. I'm noticing the same "drop outs" on the Road Trips (minus Stella Blue). And RT's 1.3 my disc one wouldn't work w/ iTunes. Granted, Cust Svc did replace the disc in a timely manner, but the replacement disc wouldn't work w/ iTunes either. All my discs, even bootlegs, work w/ iTunes. I am going to be a little more cautious about ordering going forward. Maybe wait until other people recieve and post first about what the issues are. I hate to say it. That's two orders in a row where I've had a complaint, I went years with zero complaints, so what gives.
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I pre ordered mine the First day you could pre order. Still no package. I thought by ordering a month in advance I would get it the day before or at least on the release date. No such luck. I'm pissed. I have never complained once about anything on this site. But this is just wrong. I will never Pre Order again.
user picture

Member for

16 years 5 months
Permalink

I'm having the same problem, KCJONZ. ~*Standing on the moon with nothing left to do, a lovely view of Heaven but I'd rather be with you*~
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

....for mine to arrive :o( Pre-ordered on the first day available.
user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

I'm enjoying listening to the Egypt compilation, but am very disappointed that they are selling music that, on the Road Trips compilation have two songs (so far) that are spliced from lower quality audio sources. Specifically, I am referring to the Road Trips CA discs that accompany the Egypt discs. On the first disc, Sugaree is spliced towards the end of the song and the other splice is on the soaring lead at the end Stella Blue through the beginning of Sugar Magnolia. They both have awful splices. This is incomprehensible to me that they could sell this shit to the public. I could do a better job with Nero on my PC than their sound engineer did with those tapes.... H2
user picture

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

When I was online at Best Buy yesterday, there was a woman standing behind me who received the CD/DVD already and I asked her if she received it via overnight shipping. She did not. I thought since it was released on Sept 30th that it was mailed on Sept 30th? My order has not arrived yet, but I shipped via snail mail.
user picture

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

I received an email last Thursday or Friday, informing me that the order shipped. It actually arrived on the 30th, so I assumed that they did that so that I would have it on the release date. I ordered the Egypt show, the Road Trips discs and a shirt, and they all came together. It was sent regular shipping (I think it was USPS, but I threw out the box). I'm listening to it now. I assume, on the audience splices, that the shows would have been incomplete without them, so my feeling is that it's better than no splice at all. At least you get to hear the entire song. Ending without it would have been like coitus interruptus. ;)
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

I pre-ordered a couple of weeks ago and got the delivery on the 29th! Don't know why I got mine before people that ordered on the first day (bummer). No glue issues or skipping (never had these problems with any of the Road Trips). The aud splices on the Road Trips are a little annoying but not horrible. I completely understand the ones with Stella (one of the best ever!!!!!!!!) and He's Gone, but almost wish they faded out with Sugaree. But to me, really not that big of a deal. We all know the vault isn't perfect and we just have to live with these little anomalies. Over all, I have been really enjoying all of it, especially the sound quality (mind blowing)! I expected that the Egypt shows would have some flubs, but great nonetheless! I vaguely remember a quote by Jerry that generally states "we blew the big ones: Woodstock, Monterey, Egypt." It's still nice to have a little history along with some very inspired moments (e.g. Shakedown jam! Truckin' jam!).Take Care All!!!
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

I'm still waiting, nothing has arrived yet.
user picture

Member for

16 years 9 months
Permalink

I received my order yesterday. It has the dreaded glue issue! CD 1 was stuck under the cardboard. Does anyone out there know what could be used to safely dissolve the glue from the CD? I don't want to try to play it as it is. Thanks.
user picture

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

Thanks to all for the heads-up on the glue issue. Mine had it too, but I very slooooowly and carefully removed the disc from the sleeve, glue seemed to stick only to the very edge which I was able to pull off. No ill effects so far as playing the disc goes...
user picture

Member for

17 years 5 months
Permalink

...strange sounds to open and Jerry fired up and inspired on this one. I listened to the opening 3 times and the whole song twice already. On the Sugaree, from Road Trips Disc 1: I need a second listen on this one to find the redeemer to offset the off-key vocals and tape splice. (The one on the Yale Bowl from the Summer '71 Road Trips Dark Star is far more easily justified; that set is a MUST HAVE BY THE WAY). In reference to a previous poster; yes, DO check out DP 18 (worth the price of admission alone on the Samson (*extended* Jerry solo) and Scar>Fire), yet we also get the double delight of Estimated>Eyes on Disc 2! Just one question...Why no 9-14 stuff anywhere on the Egypt package, 'distant vocals'? I listened on Archive.org everything seems to sound at least passable sonically to me. AT LEAST DO THE COMPLETE RUN IF THE COMPLETE SHOW ISN'T DOABLE FOR WHATEVER REASON. Probably an answerable question; yet, it just as probably will remain indefinite, as to the answer. Anyhow no glue/scratch issues here, keep the non-plastic items coming!

Member for

17 years 4 months
Permalink

... the discs to the cardboard? I remember reading an interview with Betty Matthews some time back, and she indicated that she actually stayed at the pressing plant to supervise the production of one of the albums. I don't think that quality control is a high priority these days. Of course YMMV.
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

16 years 1 month
Permalink

Pardon me for saying the unthinkable, but I think the quality of the performance is rarely inspiring. Of course, the event itself was historic. But the music, the vocals, the playing is disappointing. I understand the urge to release everything possible, but I think there needs to a more objective set of standards. Releasing all this material that has maybe 10 minutes of inspired playing is a bit deceptive. Just an opinion of someone who generally buys every new CD that comes out and has dozens and dozens that I find I only listen to a few times....
user picture
Default Avatar

Member for

17 years 3 months
Permalink

I got mine on the 29th. I like how my cd's were wrapped in the shirt. Looked pretty cool. I didn't have any glue issues or any issues. They take care of me better. hahah just kiddin. I listened to the cd's before watchin the dvd. It's a typical 78' performance, but after watching the dvd jerry looked like he was pullin off harder chords and notes. Bobby's voice I thought was in prime sound. With the 5.1 DTS sound, it sounds better than any cd player i heard. The DVD was awesome tho, cool pigtails jerry and jerry looked like he was really enjoying himself. Fire on the Mountain was nice without its scarlet before. Let's jump right in. on the cd's i liked the bonus cd with Terrapin Station. I can't believe people are mad about the slices in the songs. who cares its like for 2 seconds anyway. But the DVD was cool. they would show the crowd and they didn't look egyptian. heh. I know some egyptians and they are cool dudes. The Road Trips was cool too. The Sphinx was never the same after this. You could see in donna jeans' eyes that she was leaving soon. :) Keith had some sort of rag on his piano. My friend spotted that out instantly. ahah later