Customer Reviews

Relix: The Book - Music for the Mind

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Large format,244 pages,not including the Forward by Jorma Kaukonen (guitarist-JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/HOT TUNA)),the Preface by Les Kippel (who originally started Relix),a Note by Lee Abraham (a writer for Relix),and an Introduction by Toni Brown (who oversaw Relix for many years). The format is large enough so that the many black and white,and color photographs,and graphics,have maximum impact. The book is divided in several parts-Part One: Dead Relix-And So It Begins,Part Two: Transitional Evolution,Part Three: Put The Dead Back In Relix!,Part Four: GRATEFUL DEAD-In The Dark,and Part Five: The Post-Jerry Garcia Years.

For "Deadheads" this was the bible for many years. Originally started (first issue in 1974,dedicated to that master taper-Richard Nixon)) as a way for people to trade tapes of the GRATEFUL DEAD in concert,it grew into a magazine mainly devoted to that band and the scene in general. The name of the magazine came about from the thinking that the tapes being traded were relics-hence the slight name change,from Dead Relix,to simply Relix. The magazine also contained news on other bands that followers of the GRATEFUL DEAD liked,most notably THE NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE,HOT TUNA,COMMANDER CODY AND HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN,and a few others. Toward the end of the book there is an article on PHISH,which showed that the magazine was not just a relic (no pun intended) from the past,and that this band,and others like them,were precursors for yet younger,newer bands appearing in the magazine.

This book simply has to be seen to really be appreciated. The graphics,the articles,the interviews,the letters to the editor,the cover reproductions,etc.,are a true time machine back to the days when music wasn't just a life-style choice,but clearly defined a generation of music listeners. There are many great articles/interviews,such as The Festival Express series of concerts overview,in Canada (by train),by Buddy Cage (steel player with NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE),and an interview with lyricist Robert Hunter on writing many of THE GRATEFUL DEAD's most famous songs ("Dark Star","Casey Jones","St.Stephen",and many others). It's interesting to see,over the years,who lands on the cover-some of them are surprising. There are so many long forgotten articles and reprints starting with that early era,that anyone who listens to the GRATEFUL DEAD,or wants a look into how the magazine evolved,or wants to know what all the fuss was about,needs this book. The wealth of information and entertainment is incredible. Not to toot my own horn,but I went to college in Palo Alto,California during the late 60's/early 70's,and heard virtually every band that mattered. I've been a "Deadhead" since 1967,(having first heard the band for free,outdoors) before Jerry Garcia had a beard,and reading these articles,and looking at the wonderful photos and graphics brought back a lot of good memories. It was amazing how people would look to Relix for information on what was happening with the GRATEFUL DEAD,and the scene in general. But even if you weren't there,this wonderful book will take you on a trip back to that era,and will give you an inside look into what was going on. As a reader/collector of material from this era,I have to say this book is near the top shelf,as far as giving an inside look into both the "Dead" and that special era. Find out for yourself-you won't be disappointed. I only wish that so many other articles/photos/graphics,from the magazine,didn't have to fall by the wayside. There is still so much more that would make for great reading. This is just a (albeit good) sample of what could be found in this magazine during this exciting era.

The Grateful Dead have had a tremendous impact on American culture and are finally beginning to get acknowledged for the positive changes they have had on society. Relix was there, reporting on the band and it's fans, they changed with the times to cover the improvisational rock (jamband?) movement that was born from Dead tour experience. Historical magazine, that can only be described with one word. Epic.

This book is a goldmaine. relix was based of poot and the Grateful dead. It shows a history of those years. loved the magazine and this book is not to be missed

As a longtime Deadhead (since the mid-70s), I buy many of the books that are published about the Dead. But this one is quite disappointing.

It's pretty embarrassing, actually; it's like looking back at your high school newspaper, but even worse. I didn't realize that Relix only started in 1975, so it really misses the major period of the Dead. And it's ugly, for the most part; and badly written. And embarrasing. I just get the feeling that much of what it contains should have stayed in piles of old magazines and foggy memories.

I actually read Relix for a couple of years in the 2000s, when it became a "real" magazine. It was well-made, well-written, and looked serious. This, even in the 90s, just looks hokey. Now that's cool when you're a teenage Deadhead, but I just don't think it works in a book.

There are some good interviews in the book, late 80s or so, but for the most part it's poorly written fanzine articles, with bad illustrations. A disappointment.