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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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  • sfrank115
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    Sweeeeeet
    Pretty awesome radio show.
  • uv1
    Joined:
    Let there be songs to fill the air!
    Thanks for that link @frankparry. Can't say I'm impressed with the design of the 4-CD box, but I'll bet the 80-disc box will be awesome. And what a monster it'll have to be. Just look at 80 CD's in your collection and see how much space they take up! I'm betting there will be a cardboard slipcase for each show. Or maybe it'll be in the style of a book. It looks like that's what they went for with the 4-disc set. If that's the case, it may be hard for folks to sell off single shows as we've seen on this board and on eBay. Besides which, I think the idea of breaking up the box defeats the vision that Dave had: i.e. taking in the 30-year journey that was the life of the Grateful Dead. So if you're someone who loves the 70's Dead, this may be an opportunity to have some later era music in your collection. And if you're an 80's/90's lover, then this is the chance to go back a bit further. My story is this: I started listening to the Grateful Dead with the album "Without A Net," so Brent has always sounded great to me. I never did get to see Brent, though. I saw the Dead 4 times -- 3 in '91 and once in '93. I was at the 2 MSG shows before the 9/10/91 show in the box. Then I stopped listening for years. It wasn't until my son was born 3-1/2 years ago that I started listening again. Man, I was HOOKED! I tracked down every Road Trips and Bonus Disc over the next year, and then started in on the Dave's Picks and newer box sets as they came out. Despite my expanding collection, I was still pretty stuck in the late 80's and early 90's. But I slowly worked my way backwards. '77 and '74 offered ample rewards for my listening, but earlier than that was a little too much for me. Kinda raw at times. And Pigpen took some getting used to. So it took me a while to get into '72 and all that the European tour has going for it. Now I can dig it. On the other side of the Dead's career, I shied away from post '91 stuff. Without Hornsby, what magic did the band still have up their sleeves? Then I pulled out th '93 Cal Expo Road Trips this year. I've gotta tell you, it's good. Way better than I thought it should be. So when I first saw this box set, I thought, "Way too expensive," and "Too much stuff that I don't want." But the more I thought about it, the more excited I became to hear those shows from years I had shied away from - pre '72 and post '91. I think the box will be an amazing opportunity to experience the full scope of what the Grateful Dead's music was. Thanks for reading. Reach out your hand If your cup is empty If your cup is full May it be again
  • floridabobaloo
    Joined:
    Time being short
    I came up with a rather new twist. Listening to an entire show sometimes just isn't possible, so what I've done is to select one disc from a set and create a mix up. Yesterday I started with some 73 and jumped to 90 then back to 72, etc. kinda works with the 50th concept. I have SO much Dead now, I might be able to only enjoy 1 complete show in a day and that would take a while to go thru all of it. So this approach is in play. I'm also rotating in terms of sets too. First sets and then Second.It gives me a broad palate to draw from and lots of years to combine into one big groove for the day. I've read were some folks wouldn't try this, but it's working in the summer heat so far! Enjoy yourselves!
  • JimInMD
    Joined:
    Change
    There's some good insight into some of the music that influenced Jerry and some of the directions he wanted to explore or did not in the following March '78 JGB interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya2Vv1zcGmY It gives some background on the edgier, harder feel the music took on at that time. There's an interesting piece about new wave and punk that starts about 29 min in. Very interesting stuff.. if you had the same conversation say in '72 or '73, Its very likely names like Django Reinhardt, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis and the like might just pop up. At one point Garcia states, "I like Cheap Trick." A musical Omnivore he was.. 35 min in he speaks highly of the Who and Townsend but says its a drag to do the same show '4 years in a row. Change and reinvention is a part of the golden thread this tapestry is woven from. Anyway, more food for thought. The only thing constant in this world is change.
  • ToddWCorey70
    Joined:
    Keith
    Unfortunately, when I think of Keith's later playing, I invariably think of the Cornell Fire. His blocky repetitive chords are just a sin, and almost ruin this amazing song for me. Give me his early stuff any day, the man was fantastic!
  • frankparry
    Joined:
    Box Design
    I'm not sure if this has been posted before but the British magazine Uncut has a picture of the 4CD version of 30 Trips box and a description and link to Viola Lee Blues: http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/grateful-dead-exclusive-hear-an-unreleased-…
  • MrHeartbreak
    Joined:
    @Thin
    "But I think some of the reason he began to decline is the band's '78 swerve into louder, fuzzier, raunchier tones and electric rock 'n roll (vs the ragtime band). When Keith joined in 1971 it was a 1-drummer band and by '73 they were playing light, loose and ragtime/jazzy. But suddenly in '78 they were in full beast mode and a piano doesn't really fit into a raging 2-drummer band easily - must have been frustrating for him." Excellent post, Thin. I never articulated this correctly, and I think you are right. Since we were talking about the "non-factor" issue (and I'd never actually noticed anything BAD before, like the 12/31/78 bad chord), I decided to check out a couple songs from the famous 5/8/77 gig. After all, we all know that show, right? I dialed up Estimated Prophet in the car, and listened for what Keith was doing. Now, granted, I'm cruising down the road in 93-degree Florida heat, so the AC is cranked to the max, but let me just say: during the first 3 minutes or so that I road-tested that song, I did not hear Keith...at all. I could hear everybody else: Phil, Jerry, Bobby, Mickey & Billy. I skipped ahead to Morning Dew, and I heard a little bit of tinkling piano during the first few minutes...nothing bad, but nothing remarkable. Sounded low in the mix, too...very low. Maybe they really did turn his volume down overall? No idea. For contrast, I listened to a Yes show from the same basic era, '78. Rick Wakeman on keyboards. Now, it's not a fair comparison, I know: different band, different style. But I'll tell you what: those keyboards were prominent, I mean PROMINENT, in the mix. All over the place. So maybe it wasn't just drugs, passivity, or whatnot. Maybe he really was mixed intentionally low by the latter years of the Godchauxs' tenure.
  • estimated-eyes
    Joined:
    12/31/78
    I always liked this show, but Keith is a non-factor and he really blows it toward the end of Good Lovin'-- when the rest of the band stops at one point, Keith hits a big chord. That is one of the worst obvious errors I have heard in all my GD listening, way worse than any vocal flubs they regularly made. Re: Beware Mr. Baker and the Clapton comment, in the movie they talk about Ginger's style a lot and that he was really a jazz drummer thrust into a rock and roll band. Clapton's comment, I think he was more appalled by the comparison to Bonham, you can hear him say, "no, no, Zep..." and then he catches himself before being caught on camera bashing LZ. Ginger could swing, hit 'em hard and provide some world beats, too. I like Keith Moon a lot and find his drumming amazing in his prime. This documentary gave me a better appreciation of Ginger Baker's talents-- in spite of the fact that he is absolutely insane.
  • Thin
    Joined:
    Keith "going through Jerry's briefcase"???
    Rdevil - Can you clarify what is meant by "Keith going through Jerry's briefcase may have been his biggest sin"??? Do you mean he was actually busted rifling through his stuff/stealing Jerry's stash, or was that just a euphemism for "he was doing the same, err…, recreational stuff as Jerry and it had a very negative effect"? I do recall a story from one book where someone had stolen Jerry's stash from his briefcase and he started VERY indiscreetly confronting people "Who took my bindle!" Maybe these stories are related (though probably not - made me think of it though…) I'm mildly uncomfortable that this is getting into unsavory gossip, but I'm hitting "send" anyway...
  • Kayak Guy
    Joined:
    Keith vs Mickey
    What an interesting take that I never thought about before, it's Mickey's fault ;) It does stand the basic logic test of jazz based piano players were considered part of the rhythm section and the addition of a 2nd drummer would leave less space for Keith in the mix, where as syths, cheesey keyboards and organ would occupy a different spot in a 2 drummer line up. things to listen for in the future. Billy's new book has also given me lots to listen for and highly recommended for his point of view from the drummers seat on the mood/drug consumption of the periods. Jerry seems to be one of the few junkies that could still play well far longer than most of the people around him and even though it became a problem, they let it continue as the money became everyone's drug of choice at the end. meanwhile Weather Report suite from 9/12/73 SBD just shuffled on and Keith is sounding great, too bad theres a bunch of horns soloing where Jerry should be playing and it sounds like a flock of waterfowl having an orgy.
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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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I actually wish they would have charged me today. I can deal with the delay, frustrating as it is, but I'm not sure I can deal with credit card angst for another week. My wife is about to kill me already for repeatedly asking if there's enough room on the card for the box. Maybe at some point we'll get a peak inside the box now. I could care less about most of that stuff but am very concerned about how the discs will be housed. I'm hoping for DaP style cases; if they're packaged like the Road Trips discs I will be way more pissed than I am about the delay. Looking at the picture of the box, I'm wondering, shouldn't there be handles on the box?
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Rdevil - you're assuming that Rhino have thought that far ahead yet as to how discs are housed ;)
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My money at least that way I'll know I'm at least going to get one I really don't mind waiting, I've waited since June 23rd what's another month or 2. It's either have acceptance over things I CANNOT control or be ANGRY over things I CANNOT control, right now I have a family to help raise, bills to pay & I'm good health & better spirits. I would like a peak at what's inside though, especially how the CD's are housed. I don't feel that's asking to much, right. I am disappointed that whatever happened, happened, however what can I do about it, cancel my order & REALLY be upset when it FINALLY does ship or do nothing now & just wait for the shipping notice e-mail then I WILL say YES this was worth waiting for. Cancelling my order WILL NOT be an option I've waited all summer for this I can wait a while longer, I'm not going anywhere. Deadland, I know some of you are quite angry over what has transpired just think how you'll feel if you cancel & those who waited start posting "GOT MY 30 TRIPS today, #**** has arrived in MY TOWN...!!!!!" Guess what I'll be one of those posting, "#1234 arrived in Philly today!!!!! GRATE THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT!!!!! DO NOT CANCEL YOU WILL REGRET IT!!!!! DEADLAND BE HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The delay is surprising, given the earlier e-mail this week. But not shocking. For better and worse, the GD wing of Rhino travel to the beat of a drum different from anyone else's (even Rhino's; you don't get this kind of intrigue ~ product mystery and delays ~with their Monkees vault releases). Though the subscriptions & limited releases reflect that it's closer to a cottage industry than a cash-cow, it's still hard to believe this is an old-school, Ben Franklin-style subscription that actually funds the product. A) They knew this would sell out, and it basically has; and B) Rhino certainly has deep enough pockets to cover the front end with that promised return. So why IS it that they seem to still be designing these things even as they're advertising them? Steamer trunk was the same deal. For this one, they were taking prose submissions from heads pretty late in the game...but that's just what to fill book pages with. Could a small run of samples for the main treasure chest really not be produced in time for the announcement? But another question is, do we want these insane offerings to behave just like any other? I have to say, I LOVED the surprise of getting that giant box, still not knowing what exactly was within, and beholding that trunk for the first time. Different story on the FTW complete Chicago, as it's still not even known what all the MUSIC will be; a prickly pear, that (I safely ordered 7/05 only). But I don't mind the mystery of the physical 30 Trips product at all ~ they'll deliver something special, as they always do with these packages. The darker side to their mystery is that dead.net is habitually as tight-lipped as the Pentagon, which has gotten silly. Why are some of their secrets secrets? But this one's not on Dave. I know I've been pretty hard on him over the variety factor of his Picks (one of those subjects they're tight-lipped about), but I certainly wouldn't expect him to produce a seaside chat explaining a shipping delay. That's not his role, and given his excitement about this project, truly his baby, I've gotta guess there's no one more bummed about this tainting its glitter than Dave. Can't fault those who wish they'd been given the extra time to accrue their own dollars. Though it's really no difference to me, would just as soon the impending debit be subtracted. The delay really isn't either. My momentary response was, "lame," but honestly this doesn't even make the honorable mentions list of what keeps me up at night currently. Not dismissing anyone's frustration, but do take a deep breath -- that's always good for ya, and we'll have this music for all the rest of the moons to come.... It'll be worth the wait.
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I work in manufacturing, managing several sub-contractors that supply to our company. It does not happen often, but often enough, that an order arrives on our dock with some unforeseen defects. No matter how much guidance you provide the supplier and how much communication you have to set expectations, some lots of material arrive with issues. It is just a fact of life in the manufacturing world. My guess is that Rhino just received the latest shipment of some sub-component of the box set (CD sleeves, booklets, 45-record, packaging, etc) and discovered, much to their shock, that the order got jacked up somehow. What should they do -- complete our orders with the defective materials, or notify us that there is an issue and ship when they get the replacement materials? Dealing with this type of issue on a semi-regular basis, I personally have a hard time getting too upset about the box-set delay. The only way Rhino could have worked around this would have been to order all the materials well in advance so that they had some recovery time built into the schedule. But, who knows what constraints they were working under? They may not have got their budget early enough, the artists may have been late designing the printed materials, a supplier may have had a materials shortage, etc. This box-set is a one-shot deal, so everything had to come together perfectly to hit the schedule. In regular production, we rely on buffer stock to handle disruptions like this. Rhino really doesn't have that luxury seeing as this is a custom set of music on a one-time production run. In the end, a 3-4 week delay to ship a defect-free box-set is not worth bursting an artery over, at least not for me.
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Who said I was complaining? Trying to put it in perspective if you can figure that out..
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"In the end, a 3-4 week delay to ship a defect-free box-set is not worth bursting an artery over, at least not for me." "My momentary response was, "lame," but honestly this doesn't even make the honorable mentions list of what keeps me up at night currently." Thanks for keeping things in perspective. People should consider themselves very lucky if a 3-4 week delay on this set is considered a big problem in their lives.
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Due to the delay in shipping & the fact that we don't have a "new" shipping date, mid October is not a date, the countdown is officially over. TPTB, DEBIT MY CARD TODAY & AT LEAST END THAT MADNESS, TAKE MY MONEY, PLEASE!!!!!!! BE HAPPY DEADLAND, JOY WILL EVENTUALLY COME OUR WAY!!!!!!!!
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16 years 11 months
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With the initial cost and now this delay, all I can say is that this set had better be worth it. No flimsy, yellowing paper cd cases like the Europe '72 set.
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17 years 3 months
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I'm not bent out of shape over the delay. And I'm not mad, or upset, or any of that. However, the lack of response to direct questions about how the CDs are packaged (are they each in an individual case?) is, frankly, alarming. They are literally ignoring that question. I'm going to try Dr. Rhino, since Dave won't or can't reply. And I'm going to tell him if they can't answer that question before the charge deadling,** I will cancel. I was on the fence about this anyway, due to family priorities, etc, as mentioned in the past. If the discs are all housed in some kind of folder or sleeves in that box, with no good way to put them on a shelf where I can see them and use them easily, then i might as well wait for the download/Spotiify option. This may seem like a minor detail to some, but our mileage varies, no? I agree with Pelke, production delays happen, etc, no biggie to me. But, not being able to even answer such a basic question? That has nothing to do with production delays. ** EDIT ** I don't know what a deadling is, of course I meant to write "deadline" - but I must day, I kind of like the word. We're not Deadheads, we're Deadlings! Kind of like the Podlings in the Dark Crystal. Dark Staaaaaaaaaaaaar....
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Sure, I am looking forward to receiving Boxzilla just as much as the next person. But am I angry about the delay? I'll tell you what. I would have been REALLY ANGRY if I got the box and it was not just exactly perfect. We have been waiting 3 months now since the announcement. So another month will not kill me. Think back to the announcement of the E'72 box. That took more then 3 months to deliver. For me, a $700 expenditure is a lot of dough that I really cannot afford. But for that amount of money I do expect this box to meet my wildest expectations and to be perfect. So if some manufacturing problem means that I have to wait a few extra weeks, so be it. If this is my biggest problem today, I am pretty damn lucky. Chill out folks. This is not a life & death issue. Rock on
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Thanks for good perspective on manufacturing pitfalls Pelke. I get why some of us are incensed by this last minute delay. However, for me, regardless of the reason(s) for the delay, I am glad dead.net is taking the time necessary to get this right. "Just exactly perfect" is more important to me than blind adherence to a ship date. As an artist who is scrupulously on time, I am always amazed at how my importers, shippers, other contractors/trades, etc. can be much more creative are than I am, even on my best days, when it comes to jabbing sticks in the spokes of a tight schedule. Regarding the charging of credit cards on the 17th, doesn't it make sense that GDM needs to consummate our purchase before providing links to the shows and a pdf of the book on the 18th? Free though they are, these tokens of apology are being offered only to actual buyers. Just ordering 30 Trips doesn't mean you're going to follow through and buy it, as cancellation threats on this forum and the resultant "15 more found" notices would indicate. 30 Trips is going to be incredible. In the very near future we're going to be very grateful for the collection of music and memories that GDM is now perfecting for us.
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Butthole Surfers "Independent Worm Saloon" it will lighten up your mood and put the delay (what is it, one month?) in perspective. no bashing DaL. He's a righteous dude.
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Having had the wonderful opportunity to interview David about this set, let me assure you all that (a) he does not read online comments on his releases, and hasn't since shortly after Dick passed away; (b) he will be as disappointed as any of you about this delay; (c) this delay will have nothing to do with his role in the production process, which long finished; and (d) he isn't able to address customer service matters. I, frankly, can't believe some of the reactions I'm reading. This is about getting it exactly right - not some evil plot to make 3 weeks of interest off of your payment. Yes, it's too bad, and yes, it's not professional, but it's also not worth melting down about.
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9 years 8 months
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Please keep us updated and not in the dark as much as possible. Take the money already and be done with it.
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15 years 6 months
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it's not okay...it's okay there's a delay because someone's name was left off the box...but then to say oh we're going to charge you then ship it out a month later?? that's a scam...recently they said they were going to charge us yesterday then ship it in a week...now a week became a month...and then a month later...it sounds chaotic! okay get it right but what peeves me is charging us on the sept 17th and not ship until mid October why not wait longer to charge us like October 10th-15th? would be more reasonable...I can deal with paying a huge credit bill if I have the product in hand...the way it is now i'll have a huge bill with no product in hand for another month...it's hard to contemplate...understand i'll be going to the hospital everyday to give blood for $$$$ to help for this set
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Comparing our experience as dead.net customers to prison ass rape? One always imagines there's no way we can surpass previous nadirs... and one is always wrong.
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Sorry to repeat myself Tony, but that's one of the prerogatives of older age: Regarding the charging of credit cards on the 17th: Doesn't it make sense that GDM needs to consummate our purchase before providing links to the shows and a pdf of the book on the 18th? Free though they are, these tokens of apology are being offered only to actual buyers. Just ordering 30 Trips doesn't mean you're going to follow through and buy it, as cancellation threats on this forum and the resultant "15 more found" notices would indicate.
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9 years 7 months
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Hey Bliss, tell us more about this interview. And thanks for bringing these points to light. Dave doesn't work for Rhino...
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14 years 3 months
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...that people pay for concert tickets six months in advance without thinking about it, but think it's a scam to pay for this box a few weeks before it ships? Just curious.
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17 years 4 months
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Yesterday, before the announcement of the delay, there were 52 boxes left. Now they are down to 39. So I guess the folks who said they were going to cancel have not gone through with that drastic measure. IMHO, to cancel now because of having to wait one more month would be completely nutso. People! The band has been gone for 20 years. Will one more month of waiting kill you? As I said, let them get it perfectly correct with no mistakes. They have to invoice you early in order to then give you the link for the music and the book. Otherwise, you know damn well, some folks will take that link now and then cancel before being invoiced a month later. Sad but true. We are not all honest out there. Unfortunately. Rock on
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17 years 4 months
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article won't be published for another month or two, and it's a freelance thing, so I don't want to get too into it until i actually see it in print. we spoke by phone for an hour, mostly covering broad topics that most here would already know. the one thing that comes through about DL is that he's an utterly genuine individual who cares so so so much about what he does. he comes to his job purely from the DeadHead perspective, thinking, "how cool would it be to have this show released, or this type of box". a lot of the kind of thinking or decisions that people attribute to him (i.e. strategic business-mindedness in selecting a particular year for release, or determining the limits on #s), is just simply wrong.
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15 years 2 months
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We might have some proper and pleasing communication from them! Thank you sir for that illuminating post! I also wanted to learn much more about this box over the past few months, as initially promised in the announcement. After I decided not to buy this set I knew that decision would be sorely tested by each revalation about it's contents. If those revalations had come, I probably would have bought this. It seems that GDM can find 6500 people who will buy blind, so there is really no practical need for them to inform us! Year50 has been typified by minimal and misleading communications and huge prices. Sad.
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9 years 7 months
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I understanding not spilling the beans until the article is published. Where will this be published? I'm looking forward to reading it.
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17 years 4 months
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dustyrambler -- PM sent with details.
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14 years
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I echo the chorus. No big deal about the delay. But I also echo the sentiment: let us see the contents of the box. That they won't let us see what we're buying does make me a tad worried. If there are not individual CDs I can bring in the car--ugh. Will probably try to sell it afterward.
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16 years 7 months
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Hey Dead.net. I understand that there is a production delay. But to still charge my card...having promised me the day the the delay was announced that you were going to throw in extras and to find out the extra was a 128k mp3 download of the box set is kind of insulting. How about making the FLACs or 320mp3s available? If you don't treat us better I will cancel and so will others.
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17 years 1 month
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From Roger: [I will] "file fraud charges with my CC company. This is a business deal. Pure and simple. Just because it is Dead music means nothing in terms of a business deal. Deliver it in 30 days from charge or you can shove it." More bloviating, then this.... wait for it.... "Peace, Roger" <<<< A fucking precious nugget from j-DEADville
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9 years 5 months
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Do you think anyone will try to sell the link to the music and the pdf of the book on ebay? Wouldn't shock me. Not sure how they can do this without risking the whole box set being pirated. Just wondering if anyone knows how this link will work and on what formats. I'll hang up and listen. Thanks.
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17 years 5 months
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The biggest incentive for me to scrape together the money for this box is that it may be the only chance that shows from some of my favorite years get released ('84-'88), plus the crown jewels of the entire set 10/26/89 ($700 is a very high price to pay to get this, but that's how dedicated I've been to the cause). I've been wishing, begging and at times complaining for official releases from this time frame. This has gone a long way to put my mind at ease for waiting nearly 25 years since the vault was open for business back when 1FTV came out. The Dicks Picks and Road Trips series hit a few shows from around this era, while Dave's Picks still hasn't (four years of quarterly releases into it). The next Dave's Picks announcement will be made about the time this starts to ship (assuming no further delays) and I hope the show chosen for that will be one outside the years of the 14 of the first 15 picks. I like all eras of the Dead, but the choices of years picked have mostly been representative of a very small slice of the overall big picture. If there are between 700 and 800 releasable shows in the vault, at least a hundred of those should be from lesser/under/non-represented years. As my own personal scheduling has turned out, I have a couple of weeks off starting the last week of this month and first week of next month (my birthday is right in the middle of that time off). My vacation plan was to travel somewhere away from computers, wifi and cell phones to fully immerse myself in some officially released under/un-represented era Dead, and have been planning it since the first day this was announced. This pretty much puts the kibosh on that. Sure, this delay doesn't compare to life and death real world problems, but this music makes a nice place to temporarily escape real world problems. Hopefully this will be the only delay...and please please please Mr. Dave, pick something else outside of the status quo for your namesake. Also, a little more transparency regarding the contents and delays might be a good move.
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16 years 3 months
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I don’t think most folks are saying that Dave L. is nefarious. And to question some decisions after spending $700 is not unreasonable. The issue is respect and professionalism. Sure, delays happen. Most can live with it. But this has been more shrouded in secrecy than the Manhattan Project and simple questions have gone unanswered. Probably many feel their dedication is being leveraged. If you are going to charge $700, give few product details (they promised many updates and didn’t deliver), hit the credit cards and then announce a delay with a vague timeline, then the least Dave L. and Rhino could do is put together a video (they do them to sell products so to update people with a video after such an expense is not unreasonable to ask) or at the very least have the two of them craft an e-mail and not leave it to a cookie cutter customer service note. That professionalism and respect along with a few straight answers would have gone a long way. I would rather wait and have it done right, no doubt. I am not aggrieved they charged me before the announced a delay. I have to pay for it whether it ships today or in October. I think Dave cares about this brand and gives it huge effort. I worry much more, as I am sure most here do, about my health, my family, and my 401(k). But that does not mean Dave L. and Rhino should not be more forthcoming and step up and handle this with some answers and face everyone.
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17 years 5 months
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Wouldn't surprise me if someone does that.
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11 years 4 months
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I image the dl link will be for crappy 128kbps mp3s. Hey, its better than nothing i guess. Now, does this delay also delay the 4 disc set that is also supposed to come out. I wish they would supply us with the FLAC files from that as a "I'm sorry, we f#$ked up!" But then again, it would suck to get the box, and have issues with it and have to send it back. I see it from both ends, but at the same time.....I wanna hear my Dead (^-^)/ I'm listening to Dick's Picks Vol.8 as I write this...so, things aren't all that bad.
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9 years 5 months
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If you don't have the tolerance and patience to accept the time required then please promptly follow through on your idle threats. Cancel and go away. As another has pointed out, the band has been gone for over twenty years yet people cry like adolescent boys watching their MTV.Its good that the time is being used to get it right. This is special release and well worth the wait. In the mean time I'm sure others are also tired of your pathetic whining.
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14 years
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I think that it's perfectly reasonable to be angry, especially within one day of the announcement of a delay. I know that we are eventually going to get the box and that the credit card charges will be worked out, but I resent being told to not worry about it and that it isn't a big deal. It is a major fuck up. This is on the scale of the Fare Thee Well mail order ticket fiasco. I don't blame David Lemieux. He is the archivist and selects the product. It is Rhino, and Mark Pinkus that is to blame. This is a quality control, production, and shipping issue. It is not okay. Someone should be held accountable. I realize that we are lucky to have this many releases of archival material compared to other bands, BUT we PAY for it, dearly. Rhino is not cranking out CDs because they are hippie communal deadheads. They are businessmen and they're running their business poorly(at least on the Grateful Dead front). So, you people who don't like it when people get upset over this, come back in a few days. This is not your time.
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10 years 6 months
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I was told by CS that the link would be for downloadable files, not just an online stream, and they would be MP3's. Take that for what it's worth, the rep didn't sound very certain although she did check with someone else before she answered.
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16 years 7 months
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History Member for 14 weeks 2 days Wow. You act like Rhino is doing us a favor by selling us this box set at 700 plus bucks. Money is not an unlimited resource and they way this release is being rolled out is terrible. So we get a link to 128k mp3s? Insulting! FLAC files would have been nice. And for the first time I am considering cancelling my order. Hopefully someone from Rhino reads these comments and treats us a bit better.
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17 years 3 months
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bliss, great post - I look forward to your DL interview. I want to be clear, I also like Dave, and I understand he is not responsible for the post production stuff. And a simple delay doesn't get me chuffed (but I understand those who are chuffed) - mostly I just like saying the word "chuffed." But I'm pretty sure they know by now whether the shows will be individually packaged. From the beginning I assumed this would be the case, and I expected to see - as promised - an unveiling that would confirm (or, unlikely as it seemed) disprove that expectation. Given the Limited Edition situation, I hit the purchase button knowing I could cancel if the box wasn't what I wanted. Now, given the lack of response to questions about that, it appears there is a chance that they packaged this like the M*A*S*H box set (an epic packaging disaster if you've seen it). And if that is the case, I don't want to spend 700 dollars on it. I'm buying something, and I don't know yet if it is what I signed up for, and if they won't answer my question, that is a strong indication to me that they know I won't like their answer. I'm just not sure how else to take it. PS- "Cancel and go away" kind of brings to mind "America - love it or leave it!" Ah, the good old 80's.
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11 years 4 months
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I've figured it out, there's a delay in the box shipping, oh well the wheel keeps turning and you can't slow it down. No big deal whatever, accepted fate just go with it man! It will come one day and I have tons of tunes to listen to while they get this just right :)
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9 years 5 months
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I hope you don't cancel. I think you will enjoy the box.For years I have enjoyed peoples comments on releases and look forward to eventually reading postings on these shows. You are right in that this is no favor and we do deserve better. There are often unexpected problems in manufacturing processes. Regardless, I should not be so insensitive to people's warranted frustrations.
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11 years 4 months
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...We can get a download of the 4-CD THE DEFINITIVE LIVE STORY (1965-1995). We are already committed to buying theses songs on the box set. just a thought I rather it be great and not rushed than rushed and not great. these things happen First World problems
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14 years 7 months
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I knew it...It's a Hippie Communist conspiracy, and Mother Russia strikes again. Not since the Cold War has the stench of Gorbachev been so apparent. Quoth the Raven nevermore!!!
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16 years 7 months
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interesting that first the USB was delayed and then the box. Wonder if related.

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10 years 6 months
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The mob of enraged Dead Heads marched out of the city towards the Palace and.with them they carried the heads of customer service agents on spears with the prized one being that of the Box Cutter Guy.When at last they reached Versailles, the mob broke down the gates and stormed the Chateau. The Palace Guards threw down their MP3 players with the advance copy of the box on it and ran for their lives. The Angry Heads then found their way to the Queens marble staircase and started to ascend to the top floor. Pinkus heard the mob and just in time escaped via a hidden door inside his bed chamber to the inner sanctum to huddle with the King. How could they be so angry? What have we done to piss them off so? They asked each other in shear panic. The Angry Heads made their demands before the King and Queen but to no avail. Slowly they were made to march back to the city and upon their arrival, were stashed in a lower dungeon room and made to listen to Taylor Swift records and watch Justin Beiber videos and fed only animal crackers.
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