Grateful Dead

Plenty took place this week in the Grateful Dead's recorded history, including some rehearsal material, plus a lot of live material 1969 to 1991, which we're pleased to bring to you today.

First up this week is some rehearsal material recorded at Weir's studio on April 29, 1975, during the recording sessions for Blues For Allah. The first one is simply labeled Swing Warm Ups, and the second is E-A-C, which, of course, is the genesis to a very familiar song. Also from those sessions, and recorded on 3/26/75, is this song titled Proto 18 Proper. There is some more of this Blues For Allah rehearsal material that we'll play for you throughout the year. There is no multi-track tape of these sessions, but the 7" 2-track reels sound very good.

The first live offering this week is this meaty Doin' That Rag from 4/25/69 from Chicago. The next two nights, of course, would make up Dick's Picks Vol. 26, and we thought you'd like to hear a little more of this excellent music. Most of this tour was recorded to 7" reel-to-reel tape running at 7.5 ips, while some it exists only on cassette masters.

Jumping up to the stellar Spring Tour of 1977, we have a few things to play for you this week. Starting it out, we have this Sugaree show opener from 4/23/77 in Springfield. Next up are a couple of selections from 4/25/77 in Passaic, NJ: Terrapin Station>Playing In The Band>Drums>Wharf Rat>Playing In The Band and this very nice stand-alone version of Estimated Prophet. Also from this tour, we have a couple of nice first-set items from the Palladium in New York on 4/29/77, New Minglewood Blues and Cassidy, two "little" songs that were particularly powerful in 1977. And finally, we have the show opener from 4/29/77, Help On The Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower. Please note that the start of the tape was not recorded properly, so we pick the music up at the point that the tape begins to sound good with a nice, full mix. Despite this little technical problem, the music is too good for you not to hear what does exist.

Jumping ahead a year to 4/24/78 in Normal, IL, are two dynamite first-set songs from this amazing show: The Music Never Stopped and It Must Have Been The Roses. We hope to have more of this show to play for you later in the year.

Jumping ahead to 1991 is this nice Playing In The Band>Uncle John's Band combination, quite common for the time, but always fun when it was played as exceptionally as this rendition. Features the dynamic 2-keyboard lineup of Vince and Bruce. There's a little technical problem at the end of this recording, but the master DATs are in great shape.

Finally, by popular demand, is this Shakedown Street>Bertha from 11/25/79 in Los Angeles. The Bertha is marred by a big old cut in the master reel, but it's such an exciting pairing of music, we thought you should hear it.

Check back next week when we'll have plenty of music from throughout the years, including material from 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1978 and 1981. And, as always, you are encouraged to write with questions, comments or requests.