The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1959-1974 [Paperback]

Michael Getz (Author), John Dwork (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1998

The ultimate, must-own book to building a collection of tapes of the Grateful Dead in concert

The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1, offers Deadheads the most complete guide ever to the more than five hundred shows the Dead played between 1966 and 1974 that are available on tape (a few shows as far back as 1959 feature band members pre-Grateful Dead). Every entry includes:
* the date and location of the show
* a complete list of all the songs played and the tape length
* the source of the tape and a rating of its quality
* a comprehensive review of the show, often song-by-song, that captures the special moments of each concert

Also featured are rare and exclusive interviews with legendary early Dead soundman Oswley ("Bear") Stanley and Dick Latvala, the official archivist of the Grateful Dead. More than seventy-five never-before-published photos of the Dead make this among the most lavish and indispensable books on the Dead yet--a bible for Deadheads for years to come.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Michael Getz and John Dwork are serious deadheads. The two "passionately and relentlessly record and trade the Dead's music on tape." Who better then to compile a "database" of recorded Grateful Dead music? In this, the first volume, Getz and Dwork cover the years 1959 (the date of the first pre-Grateful Dead recordings) to 1974 (the year the band took an 18-month hiatus from touring). The listings are chronological and include the location of each show, the set list, source and length information, a quality rating, and a review of the recording.

Just in case this mass of detailed information about every known Grateful Dead recording made over an almost-20-year period does not satisfy your yen for the Dead, the book includes a centerfold of color photos of the band in concert. Additionally, the authors introduce the compendium with a philosophical assessment of the taping phenomenon, and interviews with the likes of soundman Owsley "Bear" Stanley and official Dead tape archivist Dick Latvala. A smattering of black-and-white photos and reproductions of original ticket stubs are sprinkled throughout. This book is almost sure to extend the long, strange trip of the Grateful Dead fan who opens it.

About the Author

Michael Getz is a poet and lyricist who lives in San Francisco, where he atted Dead concerts over many years. John Dwork is the publisher of Dupree's Diamond News, a magazine devoted to The Grateful Dead based in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he makes his home.

Product Details

• Paperback: 680 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 1st edition (May 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805053980
• ISBN-13: 978-0805053982
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #499,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most important Dead biography!, January 12, 2003

By 

Wileytown "wileytown" (Morristown, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1959-1974 (Paperback)

Will the Dead's music continue to be sought and traded a hundred years from now? Perhaps, but regardless of that possibility, this book and its two proceeding volumes will continue to stand as unique testaments to the art of the band. Currently marketed as resources for tape traders, these volumes will evolve into something much more vital as the members of the band and their fans fade into time.

Never has music been more thoroughly documented and described in the context of it composers. Unprecidented! Imagine a biography about John Coltrane that included descriptions of each performance of his career!

If future generations are curious about The Grateful Dead, they will be interested in the band's art, not the personal flaws or outside experiences of its individual members. I believe these volumes will outlive all the many conventional biographies about the band. They cover the things we should be allowed to know about The Grateful Dead. The rest is "better left unsung."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A necessity for any tape trader, June 18, 2000

By 

Jesse Richmond - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1959-1974 (Paperback)

I bought this book when I was just beginning to trade Grateful Dead tapes, and now I use it every time I set out to make a trade. This book gives me at least some idea about the show before I trade for it, allowing me to pick only shows I'm really interested in. In short, I highly recommend it to anyone who is at all interested in collecting Grateful Dead tapes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A necessity for all Grateful Dead tapers and the inquisitive, August 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume 1: An In-Depth Guide to the Music of the Grateful Dead on Tape, 1959-1974 (Paperback)

the taper's compendium fills the empty spaces left by deadbase. the compendium lists all the shows that are in the trading domain, and gives you a very good idea of provenance, quality, and what is available for any grateful dead show - if they don't list it, then it ain't available, honey! these guys are thorough! i have updated several shows in my collection based on what the book told me was available! and, it turned out that i have a rare shows or two as well!!! so, guys, when are volumes two and three coming out - i can't wait!!!