More Dead Recommendations Please?

Winterland June 1977

Europe '72

Workingman's Dead

S/T (i.e. "Skull & Roses")

Aoxomoxoa

S/T

Wake of the Flood

You need some 1972, 1977, and 1989/90 live stuff. There is an embarrassment of official release riches to be had from these eras. If you want some specifics recommendations let me know and I'll give some thought to particular titles.

And if we are talking Vinyl.... I very highly recommend the Analogue Productions remastering of Reckoning (live acoustic Dead from 1980 Radio City Music Hall). Phenomenal performance, and an absolutely stellar recording / remaster. Among my 5 reference pieces of vinyl that I pull when I want to show the uninitiated how good vinyl can sound.

Workingman's Dead

Grateful Dead (live, skull and roses cover)

Europe '72

Wake Of the Flood

There is no "must have" Grateful Dead

American Beauty is listenable and that's really it

I'm sorry, but someone has to say it

Thanks folks and particularly Zipperheadbanjo.  It will be CD ripped to the HDX.

i'll get some of these. G

Be warned! Getting into the Dead is an EXPENSIVE business:

Blues for Allah

Without A Net

Road Trips 2 Vol 3

Workingman's Dead

Grateful Dead ("Skull & Roses")

The Grateful Dead Movie Sountrack

Europe '72 Vol 2

The Closing of Winterland (31/12/78)

Dozin' At The Nick (March 1990)

Bear's Choice

Live at the Cow Palace (31/12/76)

Steppin' Out With The Grateful Dead: England '72

Dave's Picks Vol 2

Will that do for now?

I would also heartily recommend (I don't think they're available officially but can be found to stream for free at the Internet Archive) the following:

Cornell May '77

Old Renaissance Faire August' 72

Des Moines June '74 (the full set of Road Trips 2 Vol 3)

RFK Stadium June '73

There is a huge range of GD material available and I agree with all the suggestions above but if i were you I would follow Kevin-W's advice and stream shows from Archive.org; also there is a lot of good stuff to stream or download on Wolfgang's Vault. 

If you hear anything you want to own on CD or vinyl then the Dead's own store at Dead.net would be the place to go. Also Deadheads are usually very willing to pass on anything you ask for.

If I was starting out now I would probably go with downloads from their store as the Dead are very committed to this and really care about sound quality. Hopefully they will soon open up the whole Vault on a subscription basis - that will use up what's left of my life expectancy!

Thanks all! - The downloads from their site is tempting but I can only seem to purchase CD's from the music store.

Am I looking in the wrong place?

Cheers

G

This site has all their concerts and you can look them up by date, based on when you saw them yourself, for example.   Sound quality varies, but if you were there, it won't matter.  

http://archive.org/details/GratefulDead

Wow...that's a minefield for a relative novice like me but thanks!. G

+1 Reckoning - Great live, acoustic set and tremendous recording/sound quality - even on the bog standard CD.

Tempted by this vinyl but it looks pricey.

OK, have gone for:

Reckoning

Skull & Roses

Europe '72

Workingman's Dead (which I had years ago on vinyl)

Thanks. G

If you don't like Grateful Dead, why bother posting -- or even reading -- in a Grateful Dead thread? 

Why don't you want me to join in the discussion?

Is it because I am Italian?

I really don't like Wagner, so wouldn't it be rather pointless for me to join a discussion on Wagner to say he didn't write any good operas and that only the Overture to Lohengrin is even listenable?

What complete and utter rot. 1972, 73, 74, 76  and 77, were among the Dead's very best years, both live and in the studio.

Have to agree.There is some great stuff from that period. I went to may Dead concerts in those years. Probably a dozen times between '73 and '80 give or take. They really knew how to make live music exciting.

72' is an all time favourite  but I also like Blues for Allah with its departure from the more "traditional" early sound.  Ultimately, It's all down to personal taste so let's all  listen to their stuff and just let it roll...

A great way to explore the dead is to subscribe to Dave's Picks from dead.net

Also the vinyl box set of their first 5 albums is absolutely fantastic.

+1 on the vinyl reissue of Reckoning. Very different sound than the '77 live shows people are discussing. Another great 77 live album is Hundred Year Haul.

You can also listen to MP3 quality live shows from archive.org all year long if you want ;-0

http://archive.org/details/GratefulDead

Hundred Year Hall is actually from the 1972 european tour... Great release... But not a '77

Having been buying their music since 1968 I would pick up Live Dead first. Then go back to Anthem of the Sun and Aoxomoxoa then forward to Working Mans Dead, American Beauty and the 2nd live double often referred to as the "Skulls and Roses" album.

Then pick the years. I prefer 1968 to 1972 (Europe '72 double for starters) but also the 70's. Anybody got the May 1977 box set?

The early 80's are ok but I think it is downhill from say 1990.

Anyway there is lots to look at.Check out the website.

No, but I want it.  I was at the three shows at the Auditorium in Chicago....

@Graeme - had to chuckle when I saw the title of your thread.  At the end of each three hour concert, the lighters came on, and the audience yelled "More Dead!  More Dead!" for 5-10 minutes...and then the 30-45 minute encore would commence.  We always got our money's worth at Dead shows. Actually, it wasn't the 3 1/2 hours we went for -- it was for those two or three 10-15 minute stretches when the band would lock in, come "on song", and absolutely tear the roof off. Such wonderful memories...

Here's an oddball recommendation for you: "Rocking the Cradle - Egypt 1978". As was so often the case, it takes them a while to get going, but once they do, it's a great show. Also, it's a very good, clear soundboard recording. Have fun!

ATB.

Hook