Alright, who’s got a tape collection?
I find this ironic because the remaining band members have turned their own tape vault over to Rhino Records, which has been issuing expensive limited-edition releases to the public. They don’t seem to get that most music consumers have moved on from shiny physical disks. And while they’re friendly about others sharing their own tapes, when those limited editions are gone, they’re gone. It is the opposite of the great tape vault in the sky that is archive.org.
Well, but isn’t the Deads core audience still boomers, who are probably much more likely to buy albums/CDs as opposed to streaming/downloading their music?
We can have both though. Why not!
Actually, I do, though I rarely listen to tapes anymore. Now and again, I’ll get my walkman and play a tape, but not too often. I still probably split my music listening time between listening to my college station on internet radio, listening to CDs in the car, or listening to mp3s on my phone.
Was specifically trying to ferret out folks who have tape collections of Grateful Dead shows.
But thinking of you searching for fresh AA batteries to jam some Fugazi old skool style is just as good. 
Have quite a bit on mp3.
SEASTONES FTW!
Oh… no, I don’t think I have anything by the Dead in any format… Maybe a song or two on an old mixed tape. Never was much of a fan…
I once had the pleasure of meeting a serious collector of Grateful Dead live tapes. I’m estimating like 80-100+ shows, with each setlist lovingly handwritten. Ah, the times before etree.
This is how I imagine @jlw used to be before he digitized his collection.
The hardcore fans were truly impressive and I always thought the Dead had the right attitude about it - these were often events that weren’t going to be repeated, so if the fans taped it and shared, why not.
Well, GD recordings on archive.org are typically poorer quality audience recordings, and are mostly only available as mp3 or FLAC, or live stream. To have the Dead use their professionally recorded reels, remaster them and put in a nice shiny box with liner notes and photos is not unreasonable. If you are a Deadhead then you can probably find someone who paid the big bucks for that 1972 Dick’s Picks 3cd set you want, and convince them to let you rip it. “Most music consumers” never really applied to the Dead fan base anyway.
I used to hate the Dead. Even now I will still look down my nose at them because they could be so noodley and masturbatory live. But listening for free on archive.org made me appreciate them, particularly their songwriting.
Nope, my entire collection came to me from my cousin who is a giant, giant deadhead and phish fan as MP3s. I do keep them on a gen1 iPod that needs me to charge it in the car because I have NOTHING and NO WAY to pull SCSI off it.
I love the dead, both for their music and more for how they existed in the business world.
I certainly have some respect for them, just not my bag, man. It’s hard to deny their talent and songwriting abilities, though.
This… I keep thinking of adding a section in my dissertation on them and comparing them with Crass, especially, as illustrating how artists and fans were thinking through the problem of mass produced music, and seeking out alternatives to how the industry actually operated. I just read a chapter in David Shumway’s book on rock stars, where he points out how the Dead were interested in some alternative modes of production within the music industry itself, especially with regards to how they treated their labor. They weren’t really anti-capitalist, but more kinder capitalism.
I can walk out of Drums and Space any time I want. When they get lost improvising it can be too long but its all part of the experience.
Run away with me.
Indeed, most people did.
Yup. However, I often found the wandering, tuning, improvising fuckery to be entertaining.
Most Deadheads I know will happily start giving rips of their expensive collections to anyone who shows some degree of interest…
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