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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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  • supe80
    Joined:
    Box Art Work
    I hope someone hasn't asked this already. Does anyone know who did the artwork for the outside of the box?
  • johnny361
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    Joined:
    hi gang
    I spent the day with Cobo 1976. I really like these fall 76 shows with Dicks #20 being a personal favorite since it's release many years ago. This Cobo show is really growing on me with each listen. 30 Trips has been a monster to get through but I love the task! There are still shows I haven't spent time with.. but I will!
  • KYTrips
    Joined:
    1975
    So... this is another show that's a bit tough to grade. It's relatively short for a Dead show (I think it was just one long set), and I'm guessing that they were part of a bill that included other bands at this free show in Golden Gate Park. Also, it's one of only 4 shows that they played in 1975, so I'm guess they were a bit rusty, though you wouldn't think so from the performance itself. It starts off with a really sold Help > Slipknot that sounds a bit strange without the third jewel of Franklin's Tower, but that comes later in the show. Then there's a long break as the band attempt to summons a doctor from the crowd because a woman is apparently having a baby somewhere near/behind the stage. This alone makes the show memorable. They then move into a really, really good Music Never Stopped, followed by They Love Each Other. Beat It On Down the Line is above-average, in my opinion and it's followed by a good Franklin's Tower. Big River is straightforward, and the first disc ends with a routine It Must Have Been the Roses. The second disc starts off with an above-average Truckin' followed by a good jam and Drums. That heads into an excellent Stronger Than Dirt/Milkin' the Turkey which eventually leads into 10+ minute Not Fade Away which is light on lyrics and strong on jamming. The show ends with Going Down the Road Feeling Bad and a very energetic One More Saturday Night. The highlight of this show for me is the Music Never Stopped, but there really are no off numbers in the entire show. It's a consistently good show from start to finish. Overall Grade: B
  • unkle sam
    Joined:
    1990 1994
    Just returned from a long road trip and listened to these two shows in their entirety during this trip. 1994 was the first listen. Show starts off with a nice Help>Slip>Franklins that is nice, Jerry in good form and everyone contributing their parts, not the best, but not bad. Then Walkin blues, not my favorite and Bobby's slide work is ok at best, then Atlhea, a good tune done well by Jer. Me and My Uncle, Big River and Just like Tom Thumb's Blues, no real Jerry in MAMU, BR just ok and JLTTB's has Phil taking lead vocals, enough said. An ok So Many Roads and Jerry sounds tired, voice a bit shaky and "old Jerry" sounding. Promised Land is good, with Bobby in fine voice, which ends the first set. Second set starts off with Scarlet>Fire, scarlet is ok but the Fire is grate, with Jerry getting his voice to perform about as good as it can get for these days. Way to go Home is next and I always liked this song, Vince in fine form throughout with Jerry adding some fine lead lines. Then into Saint of Circumstances, no Lost Sailor which I miss and wish they would not have dropped from the list, it's the better of the two tunes. A nice Terrapin with Jerry hitting all the notes and lyrics into a short but very trippy drums into an excellent space with Jerry showing us all that he can still blow heads away. Everytime there is "The last time" after a drums>space you know it was a great drums>space, like you know this could be the last time you ever hear that wonderful sound again. A good but short Stella with Jerry sounding tired in both voice and playing into a good OMSN. The encore is Liberty, a great tune that Jerry flubs the lyric on, but comes back and repeats it right. Thought the sound was ok, but a little boomy All in all a good show but....C+. 1990, good first set with a great Jack-a roe black throated wind ramble on rose and bird song, Jerry in fine voice and playing with bruce on the piano making it all sound nice. The second set here is very good, Chinacat, rider and saint all done well, very deliberate and a bit on the slower side, which is nice. At Crazy fingers and this is where it starts to get real good, the ending jam in Crazy Fingers has a bit of the x factor and was very nice then into Playing>drums>space>playing reprise, just awesome all of it, I highly recommend it. The stella is very nice into throwing stones into a great NFA with crowd chant into a fine one more Saturday nite. All in all a good show from France. The sound was ok, but had a bit of an echo in spots, not sure if it was the audience singing along or an echo, but was a bit distracting in places, a bit boomy in parts also, but all in all, not bad....a solid B. I haven't had time to get to all of them, but these two I took along just to give them a good listen, was not disappointed. For the 90's, both shows were ok, but not the same band we all fell in love with in the 60's and 70's.
  • KYTrips
    Joined:
    1974
    I will go out on a limb here and officially declare the 1974 show as the first "miss" of this embarrassment of riches known as 30 Trips Around the Sun. First of all, there are a few sound-related issues that I had to overcome. The overall sound "quality" is very good, but I definitely thought that Jerry's guitar was too low in the mix (who does that... puts Jerry's guitar low in the mix?!!!?) and then there is the issue with the vocals for the first 2 songs of the second set ("Loose Lucy" and "Big River") which are missing. I mean... they're there, but they're apparently not being picked up by the mic intended to pick them up or they didn't make it to the recorder... Whatever's going on, they're not to be heard in these recordings, unless you lean into the speaker and hear them buried somewhere off in the distance. In any event, it annoys me, and I think it spoils what would have otherwise been a pretty decent "Loose Lucy" (one of my faves). In addition, this show contains a between sets "Seastones." Not my favorite in any case. So... this show was fighting an uphill battle for me. The show kinda begins with the boys being a bit sloppy. The "Uncle John's Band" opener is nice, but uneven. "Jack Straw", "Friend of the Devil" and "Black-Throated Wind" are all unremarkable. The standalone "Scarlet Begonias" is a notch up from the previous songs, but that tune was still really finding its legs in the Dead's repertoire in '74. The next 5 tunes are again, unremarkable. The first CD ends with a nice "To Lay Me Down." I have to admit, I'm partial to this song. I've always loved it and thought it was underrated as a Dead song. The first set ends with a 23+ minute Playing In the Band which is good, but again, nothing special for this era. Then we are faced with "Seastones" and the aural problems mentioned previously to start the second set. A good "Peggy O" and an unremarkable "Me and My Uncle" round out Disc 2. The meat of this show (and presumably, the reason it was included in 30 TATS) is in Disc 3. Things finally take off with a wonderful "Eyes of the World" and the rest of the show is pretty darn good. Highlights for me included the Truckin' > Drums > Caution Jam sequence, which is pretty hot. The "Drums" is particularly interesting in that in addition to Billy on drums, Phil is also participatory in the part of the show. "Ship of Fools" is really nice and smooth and the "Johnny B. Goode" to close the set is also pretty smokin'. "U.S. Blues" is a good encore and a nice way to round out the evening. I'll be brutally honest... I don't think this show would have ever merited release on it's own, so it was, in my opinion, thrown into this box set. I certainly hope it's not the best there is remaining in the vault from 1974. However, I'd be less than honest if I didn't acknowledge that the third disc of the show is pretty darn good. But it certainly was my least favorite show thus far in the box. Grade: C+
  • KYTrips
    Joined:
    1973
    It took me a little while longer to get to this review than I would have liked... Life's been busy with vacation and then I was in trial for a week (I'm an attorney... don't throw rocks), so my listening has been sporadic for the past few weeks. At any rate, let me start off by saying that this show is a total GEM!! Although I don't think it's the best of the box, so far, I do think it might be my favorite so far. It starts off again with a "Big Railroad Blues" which to me is a sign of good things to come (see my review from 1972). The next few songs (Jack Straw, Sugaree, Mexicali Blues) are all good, but nothing special. After all, it's just the first set. But then, this show morphs into a classic. "Here Comes Sunshine" is one of those songs that I absolutely love, and that I feel the band didn't play often enough. Accordingly, it was, in my opinion, a treat when it did show up in a setlist. Well... this one may be the best HCS EVER! It's so melodic and the playing so smooth, with a killer jam in the middle of it. It ebbs and flows nicely and you know from this point going forward that "tonight" is going to be "one of those nights." The other part about this show that is a bit different is that the first set is EPIC in length. It's actually longer than the second set, and the goodies start showing up much earlier than in a typical Dead show. I'm not going to go song-by-song, but the remaining highlights of the first set for me are: an appearance of "The Race Is On"; a very nice "Brown-Eyed Women"; "Tennessee Jed" and a late-first set China>Rider. The first set closes out (more than mid-way through Disc 2) with a hot "Around and Around."As good as the first set is, the second set is even better (although I still think the overall highlight of the show is still the "Here Comes Sunshine" in the first set). Due to timing issues, the second set actually starts on Disc 3, with the final three (3) songs on the set appearing at the end of Disc 2. I definitely recommend listening in the order in which the show was played. And let me tell you, Disc 3 is awesome!!! It is basically a non-stop, continuous 70+ minute jam which begins with an excellent "Truckin'" which then morphs into an unbelievable, three-part "The Other One" sandwich, which has "Big River" and "Eyes of the World" for the filling. It is hypnotic the way the boys weave in and out of "The Other One" throughout this portion of the show, never losing stride and hitting on all cylinders. Finally... the last portion of "The Other One" leads into a great "Wharf Rat", and they finally silence their instruments for a few fleeting moments. The show closes with three (3) stand-alones... "Me and My Uncle" (which seems strange to hear this late in a show), "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad" and "One More Saturday Night". They're all good, but it's almost impossible to top that which just went down in the first 70+ minutes of this set. I definitely see myself coming back to this show over and over in the future. Show grade: "A- to A", depending upon my mood. Again... I don't think it's the best show, so far, but I do think it's my favorite!
  • KYTrips
    Joined:
    Ahhh.... 1972
    If ever there was a more stellar year in GD history, I'm not sure what it would be (okay, okay... I realize this topic is up for debate, but I cast my lot with 1972). That being said, I had really high expectations for this show, as I do almost all '72 shows. This one didn't disappoint. However, I do think that this show will suffer a fate of being underplayed by many Heads, as it's so close in proximity to the DP 11 show from the Stanley Theater in Jersey City that took place 3 nights after this gem. I do think the Stanley Theater show is better, but this one is pretty great too. My only knock on this show... I think the sound is a bit spotty. There's one period in the show where the tape hiss is very audible and a bit distracting until you realize you're just gonna have to deal with it. The show opens with one of my personal faves... "Big Railroad Blues". You know a show is gonna be good when they open with this one. Everything in this show is filled with energy. Hell... I even liked "Mexicali Blues" which to me is usually a snoozer. "Loser" and "Black-Throated Wind" both deliver, while the band takes a bit of a breather in a subpar "Cumberland Blues" in my opinion. "Sugaree" is great (as per usual), and is followed by a consistent run of "El Paso", "Tennesse Jed" and BIODTL. In my opinion, this show REALLY gets rolling when they break into "Bird Song" later in the 1st Set. I've heard much better versions of "Big River", but the first set closes with an awesome "Brown-Eyed Women" and a MONSTER "Playing In the Band." Not bad... and that was just the 1st Set!!!The 2nd Set kills! The boys keep raising the pot (no pun intended) with each subsequent song, starting with "Greatest Story Ever Told" and continuing through "Bertha", "Promised Land", a beautiful "Fried of the Devil" and "Jack Straw". Things fall off a bit when they play "Tomorrow is Forever", a short-lived song in the Dead repertoire for good reason in my opinion. Then they ease back into things with MAMU before they head into "Dark Star" which is sandwiched around a nice little drum solo by Billy. Out of "Dark Star"?... Why yes, I do believe I will take a China Cat>Rider. And it's a good one. The show closes with the Bobby one-two.... "Sugar Magnolia" and "One More Saturday Night". All in all, a great show. Grade: A-
  • Cousins Of The…
    Joined:
    1971??
    I have not gone through the 2nd set of 1971...and yes, I listed 1985 twice, my mistake.
  • One Man
    Joined:
    1971?
    I don't see 1971 on your list. And is something listed twice?
  • Cousins Of The…
    Joined:
    1984!
    I'm usually partial to the 60's and 70s, however this show is tremendous! short but impeccable first set, from beginning to end; second set is quite adventurous, with a long UJB, a standalone Playin' reprise and a killer Morning Dew. My favorite 80's Trip so far. Revising my rankings... 1970 1967 1973 1975 1974 1972 1976 1968 1984 1969 1977 1983 1991 1979 1980 1981 1982 1978 1990 1993 1992 1966 1985 1986 1994 1985 1995 1987 1989 1988
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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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15 years 3 months
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4ever: noDantian: maybe Dogon: YES!!!
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9 years 10 months
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awwww come on, it's not so bad. Capitalism made the Grateful Dead, and you guys love yourselves some Dead right? I would be surprised if you're not reaping the benefits of capitalism all around you...
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> 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. That is absurd. Vinyl does not exist to thwart the copying of music. The only reason that vinyl is still being made is due to marketplace demand. I don't have any evidence for this next statement, but I bet there is some truth in the statement that record companies would rather not have to deal with vinyl manufacturing (vinyl requires different mastering than cds; you do not use the same mastered files for both mediums) - it's far more expensive to make a record than a cd. It's my guess that in the record companies eyes, records are just another revenue stream, which is why they still exist.
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9 years 6 months
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I respectfully disagree, I have thousands of records and have been collecting them since the 1970's. the demise of records was due to the cost of oil in the early 1970's and cassettes didn't have the same fideilty. The labels came up with CDs in an effort to resell the old material in yet another new format. In fact the original CDs sounded brittle because they used the LP master to make the CDs, it was only once people started releasing albums on CD that specific CD mixes were done. When CD burners first became available after the floppy disk era, there were special "Music only" blank CDs that cost an extra $1 per disk that went to the RIAA for copyright protection education. They lasted a couple years before EAC could rip a CD that didn't have software copyright protection loaded on the CDs that would kill your burner if you tried ripping them. Vinyl is fine, its a nice fetish, but saying it sounds better is subjective and unable to be proven objectively. Even the linked article in the original post states it is subjective to the listener. Most fetishes are subjective to the person with the fetish. About 7 years ago there was only 1 vinyl plant left in the US, outside of Nashville, it was only after it became totally backed up that new record plants came back on line. Vinyl is a fad that will help the labels get rid of CDs and provide an "audiophile" option vs the download option, but for quality of music distribution it's a poor replacement for those CDs anyone can make an exact copy of if they still have a CD burner. If records remained so popular, why did all the record stores disappear, it's a niche market and remains so today.
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17 years 5 months
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I think the portability of cds also helped to increase their appeal. You could not take a vinyl record in the car to play, or on a run through the woods. And while cassettes were the answer for awhile, they just didn't sound as good and how many of us lost a great album due to the cassette player eating it? I still love cds. I may download a bit, but I am still a big fan of those little round silver discs. Call me a dinosaur if you wish. Lol! Rock on
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15 years 2 months
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I'd like to claim to be the first to predict: No other Dead release has sold out or will sell out more times than this one. There are some more copies!!! Again!!!! The next time -- coming up shortly -- 30 Trips is sold out, it will be, I think, the 4th time. (No, vinyl never had and never will have anything close to the dynamic range of digital media. That's math. No, vinyl isn't really a music-industry thing anymore. It IS most definitely a niche thing. But not in the sense of a niche of consumers deluded into thinking that vinyl's sonically better [Although there are those. Poor fools, rebuying vinyl half-speed masters of their favorite 60s/70s music over and over again]. No, it's just that there are a huge, mammoth number of tiny, insignificant (to the industry; we who are into them find them significant of course) artists using vinyl the same way that GDM are using their release program: You release a project on vinyl -- and ONLY on vinyl -- in a limited edition. We don't need the vinyl because it sounds so great, but because there's no other way to get the music!)
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9 years 4 months
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Hard to believe we are 9 hours from the start of the end. this is said in jest, as we struggle with communication on this board. "Charge me, charge me; but please don't try to defraud me." any better sentiment or lines? We will get past this angst.
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"Mykah! I found another 14. No wait, 15 copies." "What? Where?" "Under that stained blanket in Receiving." "You told me yesterday you'd already looked 'everywhere'..." "Well, nobody wanted to touch that thing -- you've seen it. C'mon. It smells. Pretty sure that's the last of them now." "But you looked there just now for no reason? You'll probably find some more copies again after lunch." "Maybe."
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13 years
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Just take MY money & end this madness....then START SHIPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!
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9 years 4 months
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For me I have been firm with my purchase since the start. I must admit I have had both the urge to cancel as it is a large outlay and to buy a second copy. Struggles struggles. I am sure for me and many, once the charge hits there will be some relief. Sure hope so.
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9 years 4 months
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Hard to believe some of the wranglings going on here. Went offline for a few days and we went squirrelly again. I did love me some veggie burritos. I do not seem to remember being pissed off at the person selling it because they marked it up, made a profit, and paid to get to the next city. The organization allowed and encouraged the Shakedown as a needed ecosystem. As has been eloquently stated, the organization has risks involved on these boxes. Business is both tough and brutal. They are doing there best. I believe just like the Shakedown and the veggie burrito, selling it on the ebay shakedown is just an extension of that model with a different delivery chain. One reason I believe that is because I had a situation where I could not order from dead.net because I could not allow something from there to be delivered to me. I could however buy from a bookstore. That has changed but we never know how others operate. Maybe some can help me with this. Question: What did Jerry/Robert mean when they sang "Gone are the broken eyes we saw through in dreams, gone both dream and lie."
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11 years 6 months
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I don't believe that vinyl is the record company's way of getting rid of CDs. CDs are the first medium that doesn't deteriorate after multiple listens. http://www.research.philips.com/technologies/projects/cd/ Think about it - Vinyl is not portable, and while cassette tapes were portable, the sound quality sucked, and players often ate the tapes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My Sony [yellow] walkman had a nasty appetite. What never took off here, but did in places like Japan, are the mini-disc. You could actually plug a mini-disc player into the radio, and record what was being put out. Cool, right? We're talking convenience meeting quality. I know streaming is super convenient, but like the cassette tapes - the sound quality is not up to par. The only streaming service that puts out 16bit/44.1khz audio is Tidal. Spotify, Rdio, Pandora, Google Play, and iTunes all streaming MP3s at 320kbps (except iTunes which streams AAC files at 320kbps). While those are higher quality MP3s, they are still MP3s, which, by design is a lossy format. Now, unless you're Flavor Flav from the 80's and have a turntable necklace - you can't get that vinyl sound in a portable fashion. As for CDs, well, I have the hi-res fetish, so for me, I believe the 24bit/96khz audio files sound different than the albums on CD, especially if they were made before 2000. BUT - keep in mind, CDs are still better than any streaming or cassette tape. I would much rather have a CD then an MP3. For example, I'm now listening to 'Let It Rock: Jerry Garcia Collection Vol.2 w/Nicky Hopkins' - I had this on MP3, and while it sounded good - the CD version sounds more robust. The opposite side of the spectrum is if the recording is bad. Go listen to the "Long Island Sound Fall 1989" JGB shows, and the first show from Sept. 5th, 1989 sounds horrible. That is just the way (according to the liner notes) it sounded at the time until the got the sound in order. I have both the CD version and 24bit/176khz of that show, and while it sounds bad on the CD version - it sounds infinitely worse in hi-res. In conclusion, if the recording is shitty - it will sounds even shittier in hi-res. Hope this makes sense. CDs are good, but [TO ME] hi-res sounds better, and its portable.
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Have not seen it posted on deadnet. Do not know if any chap has mentioned it, but Pig turns 70 today. Yes, that Pig. The cornerstone of the band for the first few years. Where would the boys have gone without the nasty soul of Mr. Ron Mckernan. Please show some good love tonight friends. Sam T

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10 years 7 months
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This could be why some are being "found". I ordered a copy for a friend and then he asked me to cancel it, so I did. There's another set available. This might be part of it. I doubt their system is fully up to date with totals every day.
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That settles it, Its a Good Lovin' and Thunderbird night then (you can substitute a bottle of Ripple if your corner store doesn't have any TBird). If the party makes it till '12, encore with Midnight Hour and Lovelight. Happy Birthday Pig! Thanks SamT, the room is a bit less stinky then before, like someone lit a match and opened a window or something.
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9 years 3 months
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I had to call in to change credit cards and was told some people may receive this as early as the 18th because some will ship as early as the 14th. Can't wait to hear mine and how others receive this!
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10 years 8 months
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As a few others have stated: I don't understand the urge to judge and/or complain about some folks re-selling music (or anything) at prices higher than the initial sales price. I prefer to simply let people be or do their thing. If you don't like it, then simply ignore it. Nobody is forcing you to do or buy anything. I don't see the point in getting concerned or "worked up" over something so trivial as reselling a few CDs. There are much more important things in life to waste your time worrying about. Personally, I was never interested in making money in the resale of various things (e.g. concert tickets, music, beer, etc.), which is why I am not a good businessman (fortunately I'm a paleontologist, not required to by savvy in business). Plus, I was usually too high at Dead shows to even discuss money. However, it doesn't bother me to see other folks play the resale game. I have paid (and will continue to pay) more than the initial sales price for something that I want (e.g. Fillmore West 1969). I certainly don't have to buy it, and if I feel the price is too much I simply ignore it. I pay more than the initial sales price for something when/if my personal degree of demand is greater than the specific cost. Some folks on this board remind me of that "anti-capitalism" fool in the Grateful Dead Movie. Please don't stereotype Deadheads. Are they rules or a particular dress-code specific to Deadhead attire? Come on...this is a joke, right? One of the cool things about Dead shows was the diversity among Deadheads in attendance. "We are everywhere" and "it doesn't matter what you wear" ring true in this example. Again, I personally don't often wear a suit, but I don't care a bit who does. Shit, I don't care if someone wears skinny jeans, or a Brittney Spears t-shirt or whatever. Wear whatever you want, people, and enjoy doing so (or don't enjoy doing so; again, I don't care). I'm not a fan of the pro-communist jibberish on this site, but I love the freedom we all have to be able to state this pro-communist jibberish. Finally, regarding music: I prefer a physical product (e.g. CDs). I worship or crave these "objects," but only because I want to be able to possess the music in the event that my computer explodes or my cloud evaporates or my USB becomes lost or corrupt. This is simply my logic-based preference, but I don't understand why someone would complain about this preference as being "object-loving.". I also have digital downloads, so what the heck. I think it's great that some folks prefer the USB version of "30 Trips," and it's equally great that some folks prefer the box set. I honestly don't care a shit which format y'all prefer. This is my point of view, and it doesn't count for anything. I love this country, and I love people that wear suits (and people that don't), and people that own CDs (and people that don't), and people that love capitalism (and people that are Commie fools). I'm simply a lover of freedom and the right to not be bothered. Don't mess with Texas, damn it! Adios.
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9 years 4 months
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Miss ya. Sure wish I could have heard Pig as the PA's got more Robust. Say, Pig May 77. Thanks Sam for the heads up. I have been dragging today trying to get back at it, this gave me an energy burst.
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11 years 6 months
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Love that! The Notorious P.I.G. Lovelight in Hollywood FL - 1969, both nights! That one's for you! As for CD vs. USB. In all honesty, I'm just stoked about getting the music....period. As long as its not lossy, I'm fine with either or. As for my level of excitement for the USB (which has been delayed, d'oh!) its because I will get the opportunity to hear shows from all the eras in that quality. Only a limited number of shows are in 24bit. I have a ton of CD quality stuff, and am 100% appreciative that I have it in that quality. The thing I love about the Dead's music is that it transports me somewhere else so I.....wait a minute!! wait a minute!!!! Turn on your love light!!!!!!!" oh, what was that!??!? Whatever! I just love listening to this.....wait a minute!!! Happy Tuesday!
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13 years 5 months
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Ditto on Notorious P.I.G. Gansta Pig.
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10 years 4 months
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That is a bad-ass picture of him on the front page. If my name were PigFan, that's the picture I'd use (or maybe the one of him grabbing Janice's tit). And having re-re-disposed of the monster, exit our hero stage left.... I think this will go on for at least another week. Cancellations I'm thinking, and then just think what's going to happen when people's credit cards don't go through tomorrow. I'm not sure how long dead.net will try to get a hold of people before releasing their sets for purchase, but you have to figure there will be some. My favorite Pigpen moments (no particular order): 1) Turn on Your Lovelight from 5/24/72 (last performance) 2) Good Lovin' from Ladies and Gentlemen, Pigpen's call and response to himself: call: me and my old lady had a falling out, I'll take anything that's wet and wiggles. resp: how much you got? call: a dollar and a quater resp: a dollar and a quater?!? alright, see that girl down on the corner? call: that's a girl?@? Ha! Looks more like a Jersey cow! resp: well you only gots a dollar and a quarter, what you want? 3) Hard to Handle DP 35 4) Aligator FW '69 5) Empty Pages DP 35 6) Good Morning Little Schoolgirl Two From The Vault (sit down, stand up or shake a leg, cause the Grateful Dead are here) 7) Good Lovin Rockin the Rhine (Remember me when I'm gone, remember me when I'm gone, remember me when I'm gone) 8) I'm A King Be Ladies and Gentlemen 9) In The Midnight Hour Road Trips '68 Carousel 10) Lovelight DP 35 Nanno - I think you summed it up best, and I believe you encapsulated whatever this phantom Grateful Dead attitude is that people keep talking about, when you said "I prefer to simply let people be or do their thing." I think THAT's what the Dead stood for - not any of the other things people have said about selling or not selling.
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9 years 4 months
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Great Post. I know this will piss some off and I really do not want to but I have been biting my tongue on this for a while. The heart of the problem is who gets to define what is a real deadhead. There are some (again no offense meant) that believe if you did not get to see the dead at this time, you are not a real deadhead. Or, if you did not see x amount of shows, you are not a deadhead. I just do not buy into that stuff. I understand it is part of human nature. The "I want to be first" or "I want to be cool." Fine, I get it, I have it. I also have a desire to try to grow up some; being first or being cool is after all is said and done a youthful mindset. I am trying to mature, enter a higher plain of life. I do this for me (see the unselfishness?). I do it for me why? For my own peace of mind, to get rid of angst. I can never be one that saw a Fillmore show so why worry. "Midnight on a carousel ride, reaching for the gold ring down inside; never could reach it, just slips away but I Try"!!!
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15 years 3 months
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It would be a problem if a few were buying up all available product quickly then reselling at inflated prices but this doesn't seem to be the case here. 30 Trips has been (and still is as of this writing) available for purchase for months at the asking price from the website. For months. As far as speculation as to how the band members would feel about how the marketing and pricing of their product would fit into their "ethos" or "philosophy" I can provide a few clues. Rolling Stone did an article years ago about the start up of a new record company called Grateful Dead Records which included an interview with Garcia. The interviewer noted that Garcia was driving a Bentley and carrying a briefcase and wondered if this was counter to the Dead's hippie image. As I remember it Garcia said something to the effect that he had never cultivated any image and was making money providing quality product to the consumer at a fair price, which was the reason for the new record company. They wanted to ensure quality and profit. Also of interest is the movie Festival Express in which this argument is directly discussed. The bands were being confronted at each stop by activists who were upset by the fact that the musicians were hoping to make a profit from the tour. If I remember correctly the musicians response was basically "Of course we are!"
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14 years 1 month
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> Vinyl is a fad that will help the labels get rid of CDs and > provide an "audiophile" option vs the download option, but for > quality of music distribution it's a poor replacement for those > CDs anyone can make an exact copy of if they still have a CD > burner. I'd say that CDs are the fad. CDs have been around for 30ish years, whereas vinyl is nearing 100 years. MP3s is what killed CDs, or at least started the death. > If records remained so popular, why did all the record stores > disappear, it's a niche market and remains so today. Never said they were "so popular" but popular enough to keep generating revenue, in a time when music companies are reporting lower profits. I bet if enough 8-track people started getting popular, you'd see some record companies try to make money of that format. I live in a very record-friendly town. Sure, Portland used to have way more stores, but I can still hit three good stores -- on foot -- or 15+ others within driving distance. It doesn't feel like a niche market here, but YMMV.

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10 years 7 months
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I often wonder what people think non capitalism would look like! Let me offer thisGo to Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, or the like. You wanna see black markets? You want to see shortages? You want to see your butt taken at 3 AM out of your house because you flapped your mouth a little too loud? All of this and more is what you'll see up close and personal! Oh its exciting alright. Seems strange how people from countries like the ones mentioned, can't wait to come to the shores of America, but few run to those countries aint it? Having known people from Soviet Russia and the USSR, they gave me the real low down on what they escaped. Bottom line for me. Ill fight for your right to say what you want. Once you prove you're a frickin idiot, I will also offer you a one way ticket over there so you can enjoy it. Now if you and your buddies wish to get together and create a "commune" here, very cool, go for it. But at some point equity comes into the picture. I think you'll be surprised how fast too.
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15 years
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WTF - this said sold out last night. Do you think they only sold half of what they said and now each time it sells - they release 15 more??? wtf....maybe my second box as an investment needs cancelling...
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9 years 6 months
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Vinyls is a product of the 1950's it came about as part of the industry move from laquer based 78's which ran about 6 to 8 minutes per side in mid fi quality to LPs. One label, I think it was Columbia wanted the 45 RPM standard and a different label wanted 33 1/3 for Long Play records that held about 20 minutes per side in Hifi. In the 1970's oil got too expensive and the labels used recycled vinyl that had bits of old labels in the vinyl. there was also RCA's Dynagroove records which where slightly thicker than a paper plate. You are obviously a vinyl fan and don't care about the demise of the CD. but as a music distribution system the CD is the only one you can make an exact lossless copy and why they are being slowly phased out by the industry to downloadable licensed cloud model that depends on Itunes to recognize, so you can listen to it.
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16 years 9 months
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is the vinyl caution the same as the one on birth of the dead?
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15 years
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Yes - so 'not' an unreleased track as I understand it
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13 years 5 months
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No, not unreleased.. but I give them credit for a good idea. The 45 is a nice touch.
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14 years 1 month
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I was generalizing with the age of vinyl. I was including shellacs, etc., which is not vinyl. Good catch. I don't like the demise of the CD (hell, I'm a day away from dropping $700 on a bunch of them). I would love it if things stayed the way they are right now: compact discs, vinyl and digital downloads are all options on *most* of the current releases I may be interested in. That is freakin' awesome! But, nothing lasts, so the CD is the most likely option to fade away. It's a bummer, due to all of the reasons people have listed here (portable, audio quality, ability to make a perfect copy), but there will be something else in the future that has all of the qualities of CDs, plus more. There isn't a good reason why consumers should be stuck with a CD that only holds 80 minutes. Perhaps something about the format makes 80 minutes the maximum length (I know there are CDs that hold more, but they aren't the norm)? I only jumped into this discussion when it was stated that vinyl was a sham to help further the demise of CDs, which I do not believe to be a valid statement. They simply do not make enough vinyl copies of any release to really impact the number of CDs sold. None of this matters, as in a few years, all of our music will come electronically, and we can decide if we want to plug a flashdrive into our car stereo, or headphones, or send the files to our high-res 3D printers to make our own iVinyl record, because I am not alone in the joy I get from watching a needle drag a diamond through a groove, turning vibrations into organized sound. It's not about the warmer sounds, or analog waveforms, but the mechanical reproduction of sound that floats my boat. If I want to listen to Dark Star from April 8, I generally reach for my Glastonbury Faire record before I reach for the E72 boxset. Sure, it's edited, and doesn't sound as clean, but there's not as much magic in zeros and ones, to me, anyway.
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12 years 2 months
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Truly can't say how the Ghosts of these three Spirits passed would respond to the resale issue. While they were incorporated, I was fortunate to have a lengthy discussion with Allen and a brief discussion with Jerry and CB - I can honestly say the one thing they would not be bound by (and would in fact all chuckle at) is the type of debates I'm reading in posts. The old "buy the ticket, take the ride" adage applies - make your decision and experience the result - I hope you prosper either way, but Kali and Krishna are both bigger than our philosophies, so as a fellow f-up I wish you all the best in whatever path you manifest. Fire away.
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14 years 1 month
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And wasn't the b-side (Box of Rain) released on the bonus CD with Phil's book (along with Cardboard Cowboy, etc.)? Doesn't matter, as I'm pretty excited about this treat in the massive box. I'd like to see them go this route more often for RSD - there is nothing wrong with 7" and 10" releases. I would love to see a RSD reissue of Stealin'/Don't Ease.
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17 years 6 months
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While I've pretty much lived most of my life in a physical format world (LPs, CDs, cassettes, 8 tracks ect), and a lot of my enjoyment comes from the packaging and artwork, I understand the merits and instant gratification of the digital world. I'm curious though, and this may be a dumb question from my technologically limited mind, but is it possible for USB's to become infected with viruses and/or become easily deleted of content?
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13 years 5 months
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They have not released music on a flash drive before, but I bet they take some precautions. I cannot imagine they won't be write protected which makes it difficult to delete files and get a virus. but, yes.. flash drives can become infected just like hard drives. Be careful where you plug those things in and use protection.
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15 years
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Guys - for those of you with deep pockets and those without - there's something here for everyone - taking offers via pm or my email address gilmourstephen@hotmail.com For Sale: 1. ANY 10 shows you want from the new 30 trips box - $450US (including shipping from Oz) - get in first to get those hot 71-78 shows 2. May 1977 Box Set - now out of print - numbered and in VG condition - offers 3. The Vault box set - all 3 volumes of the vault in the black box with the spiderwebs - offers 4. A job lot of 68 LIVEPHISH cds and a couple of the usb shows in their own unique packaging as bonuses - offers 5. The COMPLETE 2013 Allman Brothers Band live tour box - numbered - out of print - includes 69CDs, a 2dvd of Clapton's Crossroads as a bonus (with GA and the ABB) and a brochure for 2013 Peachfest - offers 6. The book, the scroll and the gold single from the 30 trips box all up for sale (individually) maybe for the USB crowd - offers Hit me up....
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14 years 5 months
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...as I find the inevitable back and forth gets too repetitive for me. But that post by Nanno74 was one of the best posts I can remember reading here. Except of course, for the first person stories of actual GD-related experiences. Bravo!
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14 years 1 month
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I too had to change my card number between when I placed my initial order months ago and now. I received a follow-up email which quoted my old card number though. Are you confident in the process? I've never had to do that before.
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14 years 1 month
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I haven't made the multi repeat post accident in a while, but I'm using my phone instead of my computer at the moment, and fell for the ol' "did it post or not? How do I get back to the big page ?" Trick again. Luckily, I can hit the edit button and feel obligated to find a non-redundant, original, positive thing to say. Not a bad assignment, considering how seldom I post, relative to how often I read these forums. I know. I'll ask a question which I really would like an answer to: where can I easily find a list of grateful dead shows or studio outtakes on which jer played pedal steel? Even if for merely a song or two? I really would like to compile a play list of those, (Nrps is a separate category, though I love them as well) thanks, and leave it on.

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10 years 7 months
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I recall The Beatles release of their stereo box set on 9.9.09. They offered the set on a flash drive that looked like a little green apple. I've not read any issues with that device. Pretty sure Rhino would have benefitted from that release some 6 years ago for this new bolt.
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14 years 1 month
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I always liked him asking "what kinda bidness you in?" and replying to himself, "what kinda bidness you want?"
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11 years 4 months
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Not only can they be infected, but they can be corrupted too. If I were getting the USB, I would immediately make 2 back up copies just to be on the safe side.
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17 years 6 months
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I ask because there was some talk here recently that the USB version could possibly have the show sets running without fades and breaks as mastered for CD. That seems like a rational incentive for consideration on which format to choose to buy, but would certainly suck to hit a wrong button and accidently delete and/or render the $700 worth of music unlistenable.
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11 years 2 months
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Is the gold single on the USB?
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9 years 5 months
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Better to copy the USB version to another flash drive or HDD for listening. Optimally (if you know how to do it easily), when copying transcode the FLAC files to waveform audio (WAV) for maximum playback quality. FLAC is lossless, but the decoding process has an effect on the sound, to my observation. I am going to copy over to a second flash drive for playback (as WAV, not FLAC), and import the whole thing into my iTunes library (as Apple Lossless), and then it will automatically integrate into my regular back up routine. The main (for me, only) disadvantage of the USB version is that flash drives are not particularly good for long term storage, even if they aren't used. That is why I will maintain a copy in my iTunes library. I follow very good, routine, and automated back up procedures for all of my computer files.
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10 years 7 months
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BOLOPlease change the reel, dream bowl time thx, microdottiescotty
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12 years 4 months
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I believe a wise man once said: An eye for an eye, $699.98 for a box Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's box Let he who is without shipping problems cash the first box Brad Pitt: "WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!?!?!?"
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13 years
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9 days left to go until the SUPER DUPER BOX ships. So what time is Rhino going to take my money? I thought it would be gone by now.
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