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    "When we began discussing audio projects to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead back in 2012, we knew we wanted to do something completely unprecedented. We could think of nothing more exciting or ambitious than a career-spanning overview of the band's live legacy focused on what best tells the story: complete concerts. Our first criterion was the very best live music to represent any given year in the band’s history. We wanted to make sure that there were not only the tent-pole shows that fans have been demanding for decades but also ones that are slightly more under the radar, but equally excellent. For those who listen to the entire box straight through, chronologically, the narrative of the Grateful Dead's live legacy will be seen as second to none in the pantheon of music history." - David Lemieux

    We are more than pleased to announce the Grateful Dead's most ambitious release ever: 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN. Available as both an 80-disc boxed set and a custom lightning-bolt USB drive, the collection includes 30 unreleased live shows, one for each year the band was together from 1966 to 1995, along with one track from their earliest recording sessions in 1965. Packed with over 73 hours of music, both the boxed set and the USB drive will be individually numbered limited editions.

    The 80-disc boxed set is individually numbered and limited to 6,500 copies, a nod to the band’s formation in 1965. Along with the CDs, it also includes a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single which bookends the band’s career. The A-side is “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)” from the band’s earliest recording session in 1965 with the B-side of the last song the band ever performed together live, “Box Of Rain” recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995.

    The box also comes with a 288-page book that features an extensive, career-spanning essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. Also included is a scroll that offers a visual representation of how the band’s live repertoire has evolved through the years.

    The USB drive version* will be shaped like a gold lightning bolt with the Grateful Dead 50th anniversary logo engraved on the side. The drive includes all of the music from the collection in both FLAC (96/24) and MP3 formats and is an individually numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies. Digital version of the book also included on USB.

    Shows will NOT be sold individually on CD. This release is sure to sell out quickly so pre-order your copy today and stick around as we will be revealing a mighty fine selection of music, art, and much, much more right here.

    (Looking for a smaller 50th Anniversary commemorative keepsake? September 18th will see the release of a four-CD version of the collection titled 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN: THE DEFINITIVE LIVE STORY 1965-1995. More on that here.)

    ROLLINGSTONE.COM SONG PREMIERE AND EXCLUSIVE DAVID LEMIEUX INTERVIEW
    Head on over to Rollingstone.com for the very first listen of "Morning Dew" 9/18/87 Madison Square Garden, David Fricke's exclusive interview with archivist David Lemieux, and the reveal of 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN's '69 and '84 shows.

    *Helpful hints for using your USB:

    Running the 30 Trips Player / Reader program:
    On Windows – Navigate to the USB drive and double click the PCStart.exe file to run.
    On MacOS – Open the GD 30 Trips drive, and double click the MacStart to run.

    Viewing the digital book:
    You can either view it within the program that comes on the drive, or by opening the PDF directly.

    To view the PDF, open the PDF folder on the drive and the USB_bk_spreads_08-31 file within. Selecting the option within your PDF reading application to view as a “single page” might be preferable to viewing as a continuous document.

    Importing music into iTunes and other library programs:
    When you import the songs from the USB into your library, the information used to identify the track will likely leave them sorted incorrectly. Please use the song list found here to re-number the songs for each show so that they playback in the correct order.
    PDF
    Text

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  • rdevil
    Joined:
    Any thoughts on...
    Anyone have some thoughts on Legion of Mary Northwest Tour'74 (Garcia Live Volume 3)? I'm trying to decide how to spend my Amazon gift cards and streaming this right now. I think my mind is made up but would still like to hear other views before I pull the trigger. Sounds like Freedom Jazz Dance is almost worth it on it's own. edit: if I get this I probably need to buy Miles Smiles as well, right?
  • rdevil
    Joined:
    responses to recent posts
    Wave that Flag--there are a ton of great shows in the box but, to me, the word "essential" definitely points to '75 Lindley Meadows. A historic and unique show, this is certainly one of the most "essential" shows in the box, possibly the most essential. There's just not much out there from '75 and this show is truly fantastic.I was a little underwhelmed with the '88 show on first listen, but to each his own. I thoroughly enjoyed the '89 show even though i'd originally wished they'd picked a show from that year before they got too into the MIDI. Miles--YES! 4-15-70 is one that truly exceeded my expectations and really knocked me off my socks. The jam out of Drums blew me away as did the transition into Dire Wolf. Sorry, Jim, but as great as the Dancin' is here, i'm still firmly in the Disco Dancin' camp, maybe because there are more of those out there. Born Cross Eyed--glad to hear more love for Cobo, such a hot and unpredictable show (I try not to look at the set lists on first listen). Vguy--I scrolled back a bit and realized that I must have been on the highway digging the Cobo show Saturday at about the same time you were writing your post about it. I was all pumped up about the show, had an evening with extended family, and at the end of the night checked Dead.net and saw your post. Perfect.
  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    And to born cross-eyed....
    Cobo, Cobo, Cobo, Cobo, Cobo.....sorry. trying to get a chant going....
  • Vguy72
    Joined:
    Can't argue with that logic WTF (lol)....
    I can seriously see myself not hearing another song by anyone other that the members of The Grateful Dead, and sit back comfortably, knowing I really didn't miss out on anything....
  • wave-that-flag
    Joined:
    Thanks for the Trips Tips!
    Boblopes, Morning Sun & Dantian Greatly appreciate the advice on essential shows from TTATS. The shows I've got so far have all been consistently excellent. Looks like I'll be grabbing a few more.. Probably should have just bought the Bolt! Had no idea how awesome and essential TTATS would be.... Let the music play! Fired up for Dave's first two 2016 Picks as well. No other band touches these guys or even comes close.
  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Re: Miles and 4/15/1970
    Thanks Miles, I don't feel so guilty now. I just the finished 1970 show last night myself hiking through a beautiful snowstorm in the mountains. I really enjoyed this show as well, in addition to the Dancin' in the Streets I thought the Man's World was compelling. This is a treasure and with so few boards from 1970 to choose from, its an important offering. I was thinking as I descended from my hike as Garcia was wailing in the final jam in Dancin' how much I like the 1970 arrangement of this song. This topic came up a couple years ago in one of these threads (the 1970 vs. the 1977 arrangement) and the disco-influenced arrangement seemed to get the overall nod. There were several shout outs for the Cornell version in particular. I am still drawn to the earlier versions, this and the version at Harpur College a few weeks later are outstanding. Still.. a classic and I got a good, uninterrupted listen with good headphones on. I completely agree - great show. Some Box!
  • MilesM
    Joined:
    Re: Jim
    Hiking through a snowstorm listening to this show sounds awesome. Sounds like a plan for this weekend here in the northeast. I never really cared for dancin too much until I started hearing some of these early versions. The 77 versions and beyond just always sort of stayed in that same dance groove. Although I'm a huge fan of 77 I always felt sort of a letdown when dancin is played. But that's just me. This version from 1970 takes off in that groove and lands on a different planet. I love it. The show just keeps on pounding from there. I love when Bob and pig go back and forth in love light and they do it here for awhile.
  • Born Cross Eye…
    Joined:
    10/3/76 Cobo Arena
    When the full contents of 30TATS was revealed, I wasn't too sure about the 1976 entry because although I never had this show before, I read something, somewhere, sometime that the recordings that were in circulation weren't all that great, and I never bothered to stream it on the Archive or elsewhere. When I got the 30TATS box, I eventually pulled it out and read Dick Latvala's hand printed notes. 1st off, he comments that "... the quality is not very good (6), but the performance is quite exceptional." TRUE! One amazing show! It sounds like a dull, quite flat with some high end frequencies cut off, monophonic recording to me. But not all monophonic live recordings are dull. Bertha & Mama are just OK, but they're warm-ups in my opinion. But from Sugaree on, this show is on fire! Thanks to the powers-that-be for including this show in the box. I LOVE IT!
  • MilesM
    Joined:
    Re: Dave
    Ok Dave it took awhile but I was finally able to give the 1970 trip my full attention. The whole show is an instant classic. Sound quality is amazing. Bobby is completely at the top of his game in this show truly complimenting everything Jer is doing. Although there are no really long ecliptic jams the song selection and placement are superb. Dancin has to be the highlight and for me one of the best versions I've ever heard. Although I've only been a casual fan of 1970 this is definitely a year I need to start digging into and exploring more. The energy the band has here is amazing. That's what I always thought about the ladies and gentlemen release is what amazing energy.
  • boblopes
    Joined:
    @wave-that-flag - I second recommending Oxford 88 and Boston 94
    wave-that-flag - you can't go wrong with Oxford 88 and Boston 94 trips.
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17 years 9 months

"When we began discussing audio projects to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead back in 2012, we knew we wanted to do something completely unprecedented. We could think of nothing more exciting or ambitious than a career-spanning overview of the band's live legacy focused on what best tells the story: complete concerts. Our first criterion was the very best live music to represent any given year in the band’s history. We wanted to make sure that there were not only the tent-pole shows that fans have been demanding for decades but also ones that are slightly more under the radar, but equally excellent. For those who listen to the entire box straight through, chronologically, the narrative of the Grateful Dead's live legacy will be seen as second to none in the pantheon of music history." - David Lemieux

We are more than pleased to announce the Grateful Dead's most ambitious release ever: 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN. Available as both an 80-disc boxed set and a custom lightning-bolt USB drive, the collection includes 30 unreleased live shows, one for each year the band was together from 1966 to 1995, along with one track from their earliest recording sessions in 1965. Packed with over 73 hours of music, both the boxed set and the USB drive will be individually numbered limited editions.

The 80-disc boxed set is individually numbered and limited to 6,500 copies, a nod to the band’s formation in 1965. Along with the CDs, it also includes a gold-colored 7-inch vinyl single which bookends the band’s career. The A-side is “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)” from the band’s earliest recording session in 1965 with the B-side of the last song the band ever performed together live, “Box Of Rain” recorded during their final encore at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 9, 1995.

The box also comes with a 288-page book that features an extensive, career-spanning essay written by Nick Meriwether, who oversees the Dead archives at the University of California, Santa Cruz, along with special remembrances of the band submitted by fans. Also included is a scroll that offers a visual representation of how the band’s live repertoire has evolved through the years.

The USB drive version* will be shaped like a gold lightning bolt with the Grateful Dead 50th anniversary logo engraved on the side. The drive includes all of the music from the collection in both FLAC (96/24) and MP3 formats and is an individually numbered limited edition of 1,000 copies. Digital version of the book also included on USB.

Shows will NOT be sold individually on CD. This release is sure to sell out quickly so pre-order your copy today and stick around as we will be revealing a mighty fine selection of music, art, and much, much more right here.

(Looking for a smaller 50th Anniversary commemorative keepsake? September 18th will see the release of a four-CD version of the collection titled 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN: THE DEFINITIVE LIVE STORY 1965-1995. More on that here.)

ROLLINGSTONE.COM SONG PREMIERE AND EXCLUSIVE DAVID LEMIEUX INTERVIEW
Head on over to Rollingstone.com for the very first listen of "Morning Dew" 9/18/87 Madison Square Garden, David Fricke's exclusive interview with archivist David Lemieux, and the reveal of 30 TRIPS AROUND THE SUN's '69 and '84 shows.

*Helpful hints for using your USB:

Running the 30 Trips Player / Reader program:
On Windows – Navigate to the USB drive and double click the PCStart.exe file to run.
On MacOS – Open the GD 30 Trips drive, and double click the MacStart to run.

Viewing the digital book:
You can either view it within the program that comes on the drive, or by opening the PDF directly.

To view the PDF, open the PDF folder on the drive and the USB_bk_spreads_08-31 file within. Selecting the option within your PDF reading application to view as a “single page” might be preferable to viewing as a continuous document.

Importing music into iTunes and other library programs:
When you import the songs from the USB into your library, the information used to identify the track will likely leave them sorted incorrectly. Please use the song list found here to re-number the songs for each show so that they playback in the correct order.
PDF
Text

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OK - get em while you can...pm me. ANY ten shows of your choice from the box for $500US (including shipping from Australia) - sent the second I get the box...hope this helps some heads out - first come first served...
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there's another secondary market known as bit-torrent at which everything's available. why get riled up about any re-selling? everybody makes the choices they can live with. and if there's one thing in the debate that I find hard to take, it's imputing any sort of opinion to Jerry or the rest of the band. It's all speculative at this point, based on extrapolating comments from more than 20 years ago. this is where we are now - be grateful for the new product, or simply don't buy it and don't begrudge those that choose to.
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Certainly, some people (maybe not you) have made indictments of re-sellers on here (i.e. low class, etc). My post was reaction to those types of comments. If you choose not to resell, that's fine, but the point I'm making with respect to folks who have been critical of re-sellers is 1) don't think you're living out some idealistic crusade that aligns you with the Grateful Dead - that's a fantasy - and 2) you're being a bit hypocritical if you levy judgment against the middle class CD re-seller and not the Grateful Dead themselves. And if those same people own so much as one copy of an official release that was burned on a computer, then really, no need to pose on here as an agent of justice.
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So, I've had the same hi-fi system for the past 20 years, but I'm finally going to be buying a new one next month (wife will be taking my old one to her shop), and this is what I've pretty much decided on... Rotel RA-1570 Integrated Amp http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/rotel-ra-1570-review/ Marantz CD6005 CD Player http://www.whathifi.com/marantz/cd6005/review B&W 685 S2 Speakers http://www.whathifi.com/bw/685-s2/review Yes, I'm old school and will be playing actual CDs rather than so-called "HD" files ;)
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Thank You LoveJerry for saying it so succinctly.But please allow me to add my 2 cents too. I'm a long time DeadHead (60's) and a lower class bloke who struggles to make ends meet on a monthly basis. I buy & re-sell ANYTHING i can get my hands on. I'm also a music junkie with a massive collection but i still want almost every box set released by anybody & everybody. If that means buying doubles to resell later then i do it without thinking twice. I'm well aware of the 'going rates' and never try to gouge - just a little extra to help me along. I have no qualms about violating the Dead community's supposed 'moral code'. I've supported the band by buying tickets to hundreds of shows and almost every record & CD release. I've supported local communities with lodging, gas & eats etc. And if i yard sale and find a signed First Edition Alan Ginsberg for $5, then resell for $100, have i somehow offended the Beat community unspoken moral code? If i find a very cheap signed George Reeves/Superman collectible and resell for 1000% profit have i somehow offended the Nerd/Geek community? My point is: nothing is sacred, not even the Grateful Dead and it's product line. Even bibles are bought & sold for profit! The Grateful Dead are not immune to market forces, and the massive amount of resellers, and buyers, proves it. I sincerely hope that none of you who look down us ever find yourself in a situation where you need to make a choice between selling your goodies or paying the hospital bill, car payment, mortgage, tuition etc etc. May the Music be with you...
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Anyone can sell any CD that they own. The point of my earlier post was simply that dead.net will surely have the music available for sale as a download, and unless one strongly desires the physical CD from the box, there is absolutely no point in paying over retail. In other words, outside of the "collectible" object (for those persons interested in objects), the so-called secondary market (what I call scalpers) offer nothing of value. Here is a concrete example. I am thinking about the May 1977 set. on eBay, there are merchants selling the physical CDs for hundreds of dollars (double and triple the original price). Here at dead.net, the identical music is available as a download for $99, that is less than the original price of the CD box. If I decide I want it (not sure, I have Winterland 1977), for $99 plus $15 of blank CDs I will have the same music that the scalpers are offering for multiples of the original price. Obviously I will buy the download version. It is a matter of education. I am simply putting out the fact that unless one is fixed on having the pretty box, the music will be available in pristine form from dead.net in due course, and therefore no one should feel that they are going to miss anything of substance if they pass on the scalper box sets. Unless they want the pretty box. In that case, they are the scalper's customers. But it should be with an awareness that there will be a more fairly priced alternative. As a footnote, the Dead (Rhino, the producer, the engineers, etc.) have earned every penny that they make from this by creating, mixing, mastering and producing the music. The scalpers add nothing of value.
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....once those who didn't buy it SEE it...they'll want the box to rule them all...my preciousssssssss.....
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which is why I ordered the pretty box. There's just something about the official release, trappings and all, that adds a certain something. I imagine I'm not alone, else this box set would not be *almost* sold out before release. Also, Ziffle, your point was not merely one of "education" as to buyer options, so let's not pretend otherwise. At least be honest about what you said; when you make a statement calling resellers "vulgar" and implying they are not "moral" (your words), you have drawn a line. Own up to what you've said, and either defend it or retract it. Because if we can't stand by our statements, then how can we expect others to take our positions seriously?
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go on Ziffle......press buy.....
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dantian, I definitely believe that scalping the boxes is vulgar. Buy one for yourself, and give everyone else a chance to save up and purchase their own. Your criticism on the education point is also a mistake. I, for one, did not until recently learn that many of the sets and CDs are available to purchase as downloads. I am trying to introduce into the conversation the fact that when the CD boxes sell out, it is not the end of the story. This isn't like Fillmore 1969, dead.net has explicitly left the door open for downloads, and they surely will, as has been the case with the other recent sets. If you are into the objects, then more power to you, but leave room for guy or gal that needs a little more time to raise the cash. Not very nice for people to buy them up and hold up others for profit, unearned. Personally, I bought the USB set.
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If you can find it.....DJ Miles-Funky Sole Vol. 1Get Some :) ...something you need! Fills time before touchdown too.... :)
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Thanks for clarifying your position, you make some valid points.Honestly I don't think we disagree as I've participated in the used market by being a buyer. And certainly my beliefs aren't connected to the Dead as I've always sold any extra concert tickets at face value regardless of the band. I do hope that this set (and all others) gets released as digital down loads once the physical ones have sold out. (It does sound like that will happen) I get the need for limited runs on the physical side and that can create its own collectibles market but a digital option would be nice. I just feel people who miss out on a limited release should have a reasonable alternative to the 2nd hand marketplace. I don't see how that would hurt Rhino or The Dead if they don't sell the down loads until after the physical ones have sold out. Seems to me that would create the fairest market place for everyone.
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I think your anger is a bit misdirected. After all, it's the Grateful Dead/Rhino team that has made all these box sets 'Limited Editions' and thus created the flourishing resale market. Your enmity is getting old.
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To each their own. I want the physical box, maybe others prefer downloads, but that's not really the point, is it. Personally, I think the USB is a waste of money, but hey, I hope you enjoy it. But while you are chastising me for "being into objects" you might want to consider that the USB you ordered is also an object. I guess we're both into objects then, huh. And let's be real here for a minute: When faced with opposition to your original post, you stated that, "It is a matter of education. I am simply putting out the fact that unless one is fixed on having the pretty box, the music will be available in pristine form from dead.net in due course..." as if that was the main point of your earlier post. But "education" was not really the main point you were making, was it? The theme of your original post was the vulgar scalpers, wasn't it. Sure seemed that way. I'm glad that you have owned up to the "vulgar" comment, by the way. If that is what you believe, then that's fine. I may or may not agree with you, but I'll certainly defend your right to your opinion. Just take ownership of it. It was your obfuscation of your original point that I was objecting to. I find it annoying when people pretend they didn't say what they said.
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One Box Left !
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13 years 7 months
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I think Terrapin Limited was 2-track. The Warlocks box is multi-track and not on the previous lists, but sounds awful to me. On a side note, I don't think "a large percentage" of any release goes to re-sellers. It may be trending upward, but I'll bet it's still less than 1%. I don't think it's worth worrying about. Folks who miss the boat or can't afford it on release day typically pay a premium later. I've done it. Also, it's not difficult to find any show for free if you just can't live without it and can't afford to buy it with the fancy packaging.
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Going Going Gone! Fare Thee Well is having a Labor Day sale - $45 T's now $30. I was wondering if they'll be putting out a 50th anniversary three show box every year ala Winterland boxes to keep this celebration going for the next thirty years. If not a box, then maybe a show??? Thinking about it, they could do two - a 25th and a 50th minibox a year for the next 15 years. Start with 1966 and 1981 and you'd keep all camps happy, except for Doc, you'd have to do a 1971 show of the month club ;)
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16 years 8 months
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It may not be Grateful Dead shows but virtually every one but the desperately poor has something they liketo ccollect. Like FZ said don't kid yourselves you're all wearing uniforms so keep the stones to yourself
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I was glad to see that the physical box sold out and the USB stick was still available. It proves a point. People are not fooled by the move to HD files which is just the music industry trying to sell you something that they can make redundant/update at any time and which costs them very little if anything to produce. Physical product will be around for a long time and player will be available even if just to satisfy the second hand market for billions of CDs. To prove a point you can still buy new phonograph cylinders if you really want. I was in the local Hi Fi store and some Hi Fi nerd was trying to convince me I didn't need a physical format just a bunch of files on a PC. A physical product means I can be guaranteed playback in 10 years plus of course it has a second hand value. Don't be fooled by those who want you to buy transient fluff... they are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought. I'd buy the skull flash USB though...neat item. ..but not for hundreds of dollars and of course the last thing they want you to do is put take files off your CD's and put them on a USB.
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I don't remember the prices being that high during the event.. They must have jacked them up and then offered a sale
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16 years 8 months
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I feel the same way as you as to which I prefer to own. I don't know how old you are but literally no one under 30 or even 35 bothers with cds. We may not like it but it's a fact they do downloads and Sirius and streaming. The only physical some bother with is the resurgence in vinyl. Too be honest not sure how long that will last. And yeah due to the nature of my job I interact with hundreds of that demographic
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I would argue nobody 'owns' a file. That's why the industry was so keen on downloads. Streaming is in effect on demand radio. CDs are seen as a carrier for a file with no physical merit. Same with hard back books (v paper backs or even e book readers). There is no lack of demand for second hand vinyl CDs or books though particularly if rare. Vinyl in particular continues to rise in value reaching investment levels. I fear that its gradually becoming a hobby for the rich. Either way from a purely economic perspective a physical product has a resale value...and that in addition to the aesthetic appeal of a physical object wins hands down for me. I may need the money one day.
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Lets not kid ourselves. Great to see new product but this isn't the Dead Community giving us this stuff. I spoke to Dennis McNally when he was alive not long after the Dead sold to Rhino. His exact words were "The Grateful Dead are no more. They sold everything to 'the suits' "
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Last one it seems.
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It was 30 years ago this morning I completed my first ride on the Terrapin Trailways Bus. I got on board after the final Red Rocks show and disembarked outside of Santa Fe to hitch-hike home, "up to Taos". Norman and Sandy who own the bus are some of the finest Dead-Heads in the history of the band.
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Ziffle, my frequent reading of GDM comment threads has made it very hard to listen to Dead music. I suggest you stay away from these threads before they infect your enjoyment of the music. As for myself, I am not buying this box and I still haven't decided if I will get a Dave's2016 sub. Reselling at raised prices is the EXACT definition of scalping. The Denying or spinning that is a reflection of the sort of people who are frequent commenters here. That MacNally quote about the Dead selling to the suits applies here: lots of "suits" right here. As for the limited edition plan and reselling being lauded as "good business" and in no way a "slap in the face to Deadheads": the idea that a "large percentage" of a limited release will be scalped means that a large percentage of the small number of Deadheads that are granted the privilege of having the release will have to pay scalper prices. And the scalpers and GDM get fat. Dance and shake your bones kids, you ARE on your own! Sometimes when I listen to the Dead now I see Trump and Cheney dancing out of the corner of my eye and the music dies for me. "Good business"?!? In The Dark and the 87-95 period tours were "good business". That Wall Of Sound/Round Records period was bad business. Choose your listening accordingly. I hope GDM starts releasing it's limited editions through EBay. They have proved the bidding-up-market on these things is there. It would be good business! I guess I can stop now...
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David Lemieux and Jeffrey Norman are not suits. Please refrain from any bashing of the guys and gals who tirelessly put this shit out. If you wanna talk about Round Records taking over for Rhino and why, fine, but leave the true deadheads out of it. The balls on some of you guys.
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Your logic is specious and presentation juvenile. So you buy a print by Dylan and later sell it for a profit ...you're a scalper? Think you need some econ 101
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I think you mean to attribute that comment to Lavatla, not McNally? McNally is still alive. The Grateful Dead haven't "sold" anything to anybody. They've made some licensing agreements. It's widely reported in the media that the Rhino executive who was initially put in charge of GD releases, and is now the president of the company, is a longtime DeadHead. That's why we're getting releases of this size, nature and frequency - it's not some sort of corporate money-grab - It's individuals who are fans first and foremost who happen to also be in a decision-making position that have the balls to stand up in a boardroom saying "let's do this".
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I'm not too keen on that idea when it comes to all things Grateful Dead.. I can find other ways to make a buck.. But if that is what pays the bills then just realize it won't last forever and eventually prices will be raised by the company that does all the hard work because they see Average Joes cashing in.. Keep the prices where they are at People..
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15 years 3 months
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Understand it but won't use it. I suppose Jesus should have auctioned off the wine and fish. What a Commie Hippy he was! The people who got me in to The Dead were anti-Capitalust Hippies. They aren't on these boards. I generally don't talk to you people, but Ziffle's post was a light in the darkness of SS71 and MM posts. When he got jumped on I would not let him stand alone. The modern equivalent of the parking lot party is Live Music Archive and the torrent world. Long may they run!
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13 years 4 months
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No......You buy a print of Dylan because you want to hang it on your fucking wall.
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12 years 3 months
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So... I just want to clarify... Because I wear a suit to work every day, does that make me a "suit"? Or can I still be a "real Deadhead"? I wasn't aware until now that the two might be mutually exclusive.
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12 years 4 months
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To quote Robert Downey, Jr.'s character in Tropic Thunder... "What do you mean, 'you people'"?
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17 years 5 months
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The past month or so things have been very friendly here on this board but all of a sudden things are getting ugly. Guess it has to do with the fact that Boxzilla will soon hit the mail. Let me say right up front that I certainly cannot afford this box, but that did not stop me from purchasing it. I knew that if I did not, I would never be happy with that decision. Sometimes you just have to go for it. The box has now been on sale for a bit over three months. Every one who wanted to get one, certainly had the time to do so. That is 3 months to save up the dough If you did not / could not buy it for whatever reason, now is no the time to sling mud on those who did purchase it. Reselling of any item, be it music or not, has been going on forever and will continue to do so. That is the fact of the matter. It is not wrong. I have bought cds from secondary markets. The price may have been inflated, but I chose to buy. Nobody held a gun to my head. I have also sold cds on ebay. Again, I forced no one to buy them. If someone wanted it, good. If not, then it was up to me to lower the price or to just shelve it. Calling resellers by derogatory names is not right. If you don't want to deal with them, don't! Real simple. If I was going to buy a used car, and it was too expensive, whose at fault? Live & let live. But can't we remain civil about it? Rock on
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15 years 2 months
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It's really not clear to me. So I ask. Who's worse then? If all this capitalism and profiting and scalping and selling what's best when free ala archive is such a moral problem... Who's worse? The people buying the releases? The people re-selling some tiny fraction of them? Or is the people who are producing and selling them in the first place, limiting them, hyping them, making them into something "physical" (ugh!) in the first place? Or maybe that's all just splitting hairs to our armchair moralists? "Who's worse? -- You're all awful." Is that it? A guy to whom people once paid some attention (and some money!) said: "If you don't have a ticket, please don't come." But that would be a pretty awful thing to say too I guess, judging by the moral barometer I think I discern in some of these posts.
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17 years 6 months
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The last time I checked, Dennis McNally was still very much alive.
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11 years 6 months
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Why is it we like vinyl? I mean, its a pain in the ass in all honesty. You need to have the record, a good needle, good amplifier, and nice sized speakers (or good headphones). Then, the more you listen to the record, the more the grooves become stripped (which produces the crackling sound). SO, I ask again, why do we listen to vinyl? Because it has better acoustics than CDs. The dynamic sound range of a record will blow CD sound out of the water. If records sounds fantastic, and CDs sound really good, is there a middle ground? Yes - those HD files that everybody is second guessing. Yes, you can't resell the HD files on the secondary market, and if you don't have the right HD players like PONO of FIIO X1, X3, or X5, or maybe a DAC for your computer - then those files are worthless. BUT, for $100 plus a microSD card, you can easily get a FIIO X1 player from amazon, and drag and drop those HD files on it, and listen to all the shows in any car that has a AUX port or while you're riding a bike, kayaking, running, or riding the train to work. I know nyquist theorem states that our ear can't hear the hi-res sounds (http://www.wescottdesign.com/articles/Sampling/sampling.pdf) - but I challenge anyone on this site or forum to walk into a music store that sells the PONO player and allows you to hear its quality with Sennheisers 598HD headphones and tell me that doesn't sound different. I listen to Dead shows everyday, and I have both the 24bit and CD box set for Spring Too 1990. Having done blind testing, I guessed correctly which one was higher quality more than 75% of the time. Now, given, I am crazy - my wife can't always tell the difference - but I can. I am 36 years old, and want the best quality with the most convenience, and that is what the HD files are for me. I'm not thinking about selling the shows, or how much they will be worth on the secondary market. I mean, if history tells us anything, those box sets will be worth something in 10 years. I mean, has anyone tried to buy a PureJerry show or View from the Vault soundtracks? They are all out of print, and hard to find. People are selling the Winterland '77 shows on amazon for over $500 bones. The music is there for us to enjoy, and if the shows are mastered in 24bit/96khz then you have my attention. Not because of my age, but because I know I am getting the highest quality available. Also, just to note, most records now are made with the 24bit/192khz digital files. Anyone who bought the 'Wake Up to Find Out' album on RSD got hi-res files on the vinyl format. Here is some more information: http://www.quora.com/Why-are-vinyl-records-considered-to-have-better-au… Don't mean to get too preachy, and I know this may cause some blowback - but this is my opinion. Thanks for listening.
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15 years 3 months
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KYTrips, I don't know if the answers you seek are within this portal, but I (just my opinion) think this is a good place to look:http://www.wavygravy.net HBob: scalper is NOT a derogatory term. From the online OED site: North American informal Sell (a ticket) for a popular event at a price higher than the official one: tickets were scalped for forty times their face value. If you interpret it's use as derogatory, I think that must be your subconscious moral compass talking. Rrot: I think that the limited edition sales model is the root of most of what I find disturbing in the GDM world. I also think it is the engine that allows so many potentially great releases to happen. I wish GDM would find another business model, but I don't know if there is another that will achieve the positive results. The negative results are breaking my heart... And HBob, I agree that these threads are nicer without angry voices of dissent like myself. I generally refrain from expressing myself here and will retreat into my hole again when this kerfuffle winds down.
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15 years 3 months
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Are you the one that has a couple videos up, guitar instruction, like the dont ease me in and iko iko? I ask because your pic looks like the one in the video?
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11 years 4 months
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is often a wondrous, almost mystical experience for me. The music takes me on a journey, a wild carpet ride, and I lose myself in it. I dare say that if you are so caught up in your own politics that you see Trump and Cheney (or even Obama and Hilary) when you listen to the GD, you ain't doing it right.
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15 years 9 months
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Well here is one anti cap! I originally got on the bus because I thought then that the Dead reflected an anti authoritarian, communitarian zeitgeist. I remember the Diggers, I remember all kinds of communitarian experiments, attempts to create a new world in the shell of the old, I remember a couple of years later, another SF band singing we are forces of chaos and anarchy, everything they say we are, we are... I have watched with bemused amusement all the handwringing over the FTW circus, the ticket prices, the pathetic merchandising,but thats what capitalism does, it recuperates every alternative gesture and turns it into its opposite, it turns us into passive consumers,consumers of our own alienation, but still we hang on to the illusion that the Dead are different, that somehow we are part of some community. Some Bozo is laughing all the way to the bank! In the 60s you had the hog farm, now you have 700 dollar box sets and all the little Dead Heads gleefully trying to justify their petit commerce. Ive had enough, Im outta here. Fare thee well indeed.
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10 years 1 month
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I belong to the younger crowd that some have mentioned, and I will take the digital copies all day. It is just so much more convenient. I shoot those puppies in to the iTunes cloud and start a show at work. Headphones on as I walk out to the car, auto bluetooth connect and the show keeps playing in my car. Walk in house and turn on bluetooth radio, the music never stops. It is a seamless listening experience that you simply cannot even come close to with CDs, even if you sit right next to the player the entire time. The alternative is fumbling with discs, having to change them in an out, limited places I can listen, etc. Could I just rip them? I guess, but ripping and tagging 80 or 90 discs takes forever, and my Mac doesn't even have a CD drive. Even still then I just have a box taking up space and collecting dust. I understand wanting something tangible, but it is a tangible pain in the *** compared to popping in a usb drive and waiting a few hours for the upload to finish. One final note, I do believe there are collectors out there who would like to buy a limited edition GD usb at a discounted price.
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9 years 6 months
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I disagree, the dynamic range of an lp or Vinyls as you kiddies call it, is 45 DB, the dynamic range of a CD is over 90. The warmth you feel from analog is the sound of the turntable motor being picked up by the stylus. Don't believe me turn on the Turntable, put on a record and don't put the needle on, turn it up and you are hearing the latent mechanical sound that is underlying the signal from the record. Vinyl is a scam by the labels, who after fighting to ban CD burners in PCs, moved back to vinyl as a distribution method after losing money to people ripping CDs for their friends. About 10 years ago there was a Wall St Journal article on the demise of the labels and CDs, it was about how they wanted to move back to albums because "anyone with a computer can bootleg a CD, but no one has a record press in their basements". That was the day I started buying CDs the day they came out so I wouldn't be stuck with download files. I went through the lp to CD propaganda in the 1980's and CDs are superior to vinyl in dynamic range, if you happen to listen to identical mixes on the same system from an LP or a CD.
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9 years 10 months
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It's the best possible business model. Nothing can be changed to make it both profitable for the record company and the Dead, and to make the releases available in unlimited quantities at normal prices - has to be limited edition for the quantity of shows they're releasing. So they make their money, we get our Grateful Dead. Some people buy more than one copy and resell them on eBay - so what. Everything is legal and moral. Just enjoy the tunes, it's better than none at all. And really, a specific complaint I heard was 500 bucks for 10 shows. 50 bucks isn't that big a mark-up. The CD store near me sells Dick's Picks for 40 - 60 bucks. I mean really, what are we bickering about here. Bunch of malarkey. About the vinyl records - is that right, vinyl records have a wider dynamic range than digital CDs? Why is that the case? Can they not develop the digital platform to have an equal dynamic range?
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