Dick's / Dave's picks


Anyone else into this series of Grateful Dead recordings?
If so, please list your fave (s) or collection.
128x128jafant
"Guys the reason most of May 77 hasn't been released is exactly because so many of those shows are already out there as great sounding soundboards. Official releases would be redundant."

Thats just not true. There are plenty of official release shows that were widely traded and with great sound. It has never stopped Dave and crew from releasing what they want. He has even stated "many of you probably already have upcoming release 'x' but...yadda yadda." To name a few famous ones that were widely traded before being releaced- 2-13-70, 8-27-72, 3-29-90, just to name a few... 

5-8-77 and the surrounding shows would sell like crazy. BUT they are NOT in the vault. Dave has said so himself. Last time it was mentioned, on a "Weir Here" episode I believe, he said " not yet." Eluding to the fact that they were working on it, but I really don't know. And during one of his "seaside chat" vids OR during one of his U-stream chats he used to do, Dave mentioned "we're working on it." I can't recall what exact show he was referring to there but its all in reference to trying to make a deal to get a bunch of shows back.

When Healy left/was fired from working with the band in 93, that was it. He has many many SBD masters that he recorded and belong to him...and he, as of now, is still hoarding them, as far as we know.. For bad blood reasons. [Read the thread on the Steve Hoffman forum for more on the split.]

Years ago, back in the bootleg CD days (meaning those 'official looking' unofficial pressed and packaged CD sets), there was a series of shows put out by bootleggers called "Left In The Vaults". those shows --all very good-- were rumored to be from Dan Healy. He has the masters for some very very good uncirculated shows, along with the masters for some of those famous shows. 

The "house boat tapes" is a great story of some very good early Dead tape masters being found. One or two of them have been released as Dick's and Dave's Picks and I believe a few more are to come. 

I originally brought this subject up hoping that someone would have some updated 'good news' for us about the 77 shows and/or others. Dave's Picks is starting to get juuuust a little hit and miss...

Personally I would LOVE to see and hear them all --known or unknown gems-- given the Deadnet treatment, mixing, liner note booklets, artwork and everything. I love that stuff (: 

It's not Dan Healy who has the reel masters ("Betty Boards") of the missing May '77 shows (and many others as well), but the anonymous buyer of 2 steamer trunks worth of reels auctioned off in 1985 from Betty Cantor-Jackson's storage locker.  Then there is a third trunk which included the Academy of Music '72 shows (released officially from DAT copies of the reels; those reels are also missing from the Vault), and even a 4th batch (!) recently "uncovered", some or all of which may be returning to the vault.
Either way the shows are out there and honestly I'll take a Charlie Miller master any day of the week over official releases. Listening to his remasters of 8/29-30/69 of Family Dog at the Great Highway and holy crap they sound amazing!

rhyno, jond & rbbert-


right on all accounts. We can all see that too many instances there were

several pivotal people behind the scenes making the recordings(Healy, Betty, Owsley...etc.).