Introduction In their thirty years together, the Grateful Dead forever altered the way in which popular music is performed, recorded, heard, marketed, and shared. Founding members Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and Bob Weir took the name Grateful Dead in 1965, after incarnations as Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions and The Warlocks. Despite significant changes in the band’s lineup, including the addition of Mickey Hart and the death of Ron McKernan, the band played together until Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995. From the beginning, the Grateful Dead distinguished themselves by their preference for live performance, musical and business creativity, and an unprecedented dedication to their fans. Working musicians rather than rock stars, the Dead developed a distinctive sound while performing as latter-day American troubadours, bringing audio precision to their live performances and the spontaneity of live performances to their studio work. Side-stepping the established rules of the recording industry, the Dead took control of the production and distribution of their music. With a similar business savvy, they introduced strategic marketing innovations that strengthened the bond with their fans. This exhibition, the first extensive presentation of materials from the Grateful Dead Archive housed at the University of California, Santa Cruz, testifies to the enduring impact of the Grateful Dead and provides a glimpse into the social upheavals and awakenings of the late twentieth century—a transformative period that profoundly shaped our present cultural landscape.

Amalie R. Rothschild, Fillmore East Marquee, December 1969. Courtesy Amalie R. Rothschild

Beginnings The Grateful Dead began their musical journey in the San Francisco Bay Area at a pivotal time in American history, when the sensibilities of the Beat generation coincided with the spirit of the burgeoning hippie movement. Informally known as author Ken Kesey’s house band, the Dead played at the Acid Tests (1965-1966), the communal experimentations with LSD initiated by Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, and at the first Human Be-In (1967), billed as “a union of love and activism,” where Beat poets Allen Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti shared the stage with LSD guru Timothy Leary and the political provocateur Jerry Rubin. The Dead spent most of their time playing less high profile concerts throughout the Bay Area—outdoors and at intimate venues like the Matrix nightclub, the Avalon and Carousel Ballrooms, the Fillmore Auditorium, and Winterland Arena. When the Grateful Dead first played in New York City, in June 1967, they appeared at a small club, Café Au Go Go in Greenwich Village, and at two free outdoor concerts in Tompkins Square Park and Central Park, a mix of venues similar to those played in the Bay Area. Over the next few years, the Dead returned to Central Park, played at the 1968 student strike at Columbia University, and at nightclubs such as the Electric Circus and Ungano’s, the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, the gym at SUNY Stony Brook, and, most notably, the Fillmore East, located on Second Avenue at 6th Street.

Robert Nelson, Grateful Dead, 1967. From the original 16 mm film. 8 minutes Courtesy Grateful Dead Productions This video has no accompanying audio. Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, Skeleton and Roses, Avalon Ballroom, 1966. Courtesy Phil Cushway. The captivating posters of Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, along with those created by Rick Griffin, Norman Hartweg and Wes Wilson, could be seen throughout the Bay Area in the 1960s, posted on telephone poles, walls, and scaffolding, and for sale at shops in the Haight. Kelley and Mouse found inspiration for this concert poster in Edmund Sullivan’s illustrations for the 1859 edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The Grateful Dead, feeling an instant connection to the image, adopted the skeleton and roses as their logo. Norman Hartweg, Can You Pass the Acid Test? 1965. Courtesy of Phil Cushway Herb Greene, Grateful Dead, Corner of Haight & Ashbury, San Francisco, 1966. Silver gelatin print, 1989 Herb Greene, Grateful Dead, 710 Ashbury Street, San Francisco, 1966. Silver gelatin print, 1989 Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, Woman in Red Circle, with signed proofs, 1967. Courtesy Phil Cushway

Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, Valentine’s Day, Carousel Ballroom, 1968. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive. Bob Seidemann, photographer, Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, designers, The Grateful Dead, 1967. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Seidemann took the Dead far away from their usual haunts, to the alienated environs of tract housing in Daly City, just south of San Francisco, where a combination of the setting sun, mirrors, and red filters made them look, according to the photographer, like “mutant transplants from Jupiter, fresh out of their flying saucers.” The result was this very popular poster. Playing the Fillmore East Concert impresario Bill Graham opened the Fillmore East in New York City in 1968, three years after opening the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. Until 1971, when both Fillmores closed, Graham brought some of the most important performers of the 1960s—Jefferson Airplane; Jimi Hendrix; Janis Joplin; Santana; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; Cream; The Band; The Who; Led Zeppelin; The Allman Brothers Band; and the Grateful Dead— to larger audiences on both coasts. The Dead first played the Fillmore East in June 1968. It soon became a home away from home for them, with return visits in February, June, and September of 1969, January, February, May, June, July, September, and November of 1970, and at the end of April 1971, shortly before the Fillmore East closed in June. Philip Brookstein, Jerry Playing at the Fillmore East, Late Show, June 21, 1969.

Philip Brookstein, Jerry Playing at the Fillmore East, Late Show, June 21, 1969. Philip Brookstein, Jerry, Billy, Phil & Bobby Playing at the Fillmore East, Late Show, June 21, 1969. David Byrd, designer. Fillmore East Program, April 3, 1970. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Amalie R. Rothschild, Camping Out for Grateful Dead Tickets, May 1970. Silver gelatin print, 2010 Amalie R. Rothschild, Buying Tickets for the Grateful Dead, January 1970. Silver gelatin print, 2010 Amalie R. Rothschild, Grateful Dead at Fillmore East, January 2, 1970. Silver gelatin print, 2010 Courtesy Amalie R. Rothschild Rosie McGee, Bob Weir & Phil Lesh at Columbia University Student Strike, May 3, 1968. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive. At the end of April 1968 students at Columbia University occupied administrative buildings in protest of, among other things, the university’s role in developing weaponry for use in the Vietnam War. On April 30, police moved in and cleared the buildings, arresting 712 students. Students then called a strike, resulting in a shut down of the campus for the rest of the semester, with all entrances guarded by the police. Unable to pass up the chance for a little mischief, the Dead’s manager got in touch with the strike organizers by calling the Village

Voice, and arranged to have the band slipped onto campus in a bread delivery truck. They played on Ferris Booth terrace.

Artistry Influenced by major strands of American music—blues, country, bluegrass, folk, jazz, rock, and the avant-garde—the Grateful Dead’s unique sound evolved over years of live performances during which they pushed the bounds of musical expression. As life-long students of music, they learned from and were inspired by each other and everyone they played with, both as a band and on solo projects. Their writing collaborations, especially with Robert Hunter and John Barlow, resulted in lyrics that reflected the band’s individual and collective experiences, while also evoking American myths and legends. The Dead’s relaxed and informal stage presence belied a keen attention to the selection and customization of instruments, the calibration of concert sound systems, and the production of studio recordings. They wanted their audiences, whether standing in a large stadium or listening at home, to experience the music at an optimal level—clear, rich, and full of nuance. To this end, they not only spent large sums of money on state-of-the-art sound equipment—evidenced most dramatically in the building of the Wall of Sound in 1974—but also employed a sizeable road crew, many of whom worked with the Dead for decades. In the studio, the band strove to impart the excitement and spontaneity of live performances into their recordings, frequently mixing live and studio tracks. Concurrent with their own creative output, the Grateful Dead formed long-lasting relationships with talented visual artists—photographers, illustrators, graphic designers, animators, and filmmakers—whose work

matched and complemented the Dead’s sensibility and artistry. Meyer Sound Laboratories, Inc., USW-1 Subwoofer, ca. 1979-1995. Courtesy of Grateful Dead Productions. Gary Platek, designer, Marionettes, 1987. Likenesses of Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann and Brent Mydland as skeletons, created for the music video Touch of Grey, directed by Gary Gutierrez. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Grateful Dead Board Room Chair, ca. 1985-1995. Designed in the style of a medieval throne, this oak chair is one of group used in the boardroom at Grateful Dead Productions, formed by the band in 1973. Courtesy of Grateful Dead Productions American Flag, ca.1960s. Courtesy of Annabelle Garcia Herb Greene, Jerry in Front of American Flag Playing Banjo, 1967.Silver gelatin print, 1989. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Doug Irwin, guitar maker, Rosebud, 1989. Six-string electric guitar Collection of Grateful Dead Productions, Courtesy of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland, Ohio Rosebud was the last in a succession of custom-designed guitars created for Jerry Garcia. Ibanez Guitars, Ace, 1972. Six-string electric guitar Courtesy Bob Weir

Gon Bops of California, Congas, ca. 1975-1995. Courtesy Mickey Hart Avedis Zildjian Company, Gong 7, ca. 1975-1995. Courtesy Mickey Hart M. Hohner Inc, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s Harmonica, 1960s. Courtesy Howard Levine Notice of Exercise of Option, signed November 15, 1968. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive The Grateful Dead signed their first contract with Warner Bros. Records in September 1966. In 1968, upon the signing of this document, the terms of the 1966 contract were extended through 1969. The Dead were the first rock band signed to the Warner label. Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, Grateful Dead Album No. 1689, 1967. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Promotional poster for the Dead’s first album, Grateful Dead, released in March 1967. Monarch Record MFG. Co., Test Pressing for Wake of the Flood, Version #1, Mo #3, September 14, 1973. Artisan Sound Recorders, Test Pressing for the Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack, ca. 1974-1976. This soundtrack was not released until 2004. Warner Bros., Label Copy and Notice of Coupling for Europe, 72, dated Sept. 29, 1972. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive

Because test pressings are the first to come off the vinyl stamper, they sound closest to the master recording. Sound engineers evaluate test pressings, which are run off in small batches, before LPs are mass-produced. Grateful Dead Records, Promotional 45 of “Eyes of the World,” 1973. Grateful Dead Records, Promotional 45 of “U.S. Blues,” 1974. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Promotional singles, with the same song on both sides, were sent to distribution company executives, radio stations, and music reviewers in advance of a song’s release. Wall of Sound In the early 1970s the Grateful Dead became increasingly frustrated with the quality of the sound they were producing on stage. In March 1974, at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, they introduced the Wall of Sound, a radical experiment in acoustic technology that represented the collective work of Dan Healy, Bob Matthews, Owsley “Bear” Stanley and Ron Wickersham. The Wall consisted of 604 speakers, plus an array of tweeters and crossovers, stacked 40 feet high, and drawing close to 27,000 watts of power. It cost $350,000 to create, $100,000 a month to maintain and, hauled from venue to venue on four 18-wheeler trucks, required as many as 26 crewmen 14 hours to set up. By eliminating the front-of-house mixer and stage monitors, the Wall of Sound put the band directly in control of the PA system, ensuring that the band and the audience heard the same sound. Although nearly perfect in terms of the sound it produced—sharp and clear, with very little feedback or distortion—the logistics and costs of maintaining and transporting it proved untenable. The Wall of Sound was retired within the year.

List of Band Equipment, ca. 1973. Attributed to Bob Matthews, Six Drawings for the Wall of Sound, ca. 1973. Wall of Sound Proposed Expenses, ca. 1973. Mary Ann Mayer, Wall of Sound Diagram, 1974. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Draft of Rider to Contracts of Grateful Dead, ca. 1973 Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive This draft describes the band’s requirements for live appearances, including acoustics, lighting, stage dimensions, and refreshments. Sam Cutler was the Dead’s road manager between 1970 and 1974; Rock Scully their manager from 1966 to 1984. Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse, designers, American Beauty, 1970. Robert D. Thomas and Rick Griffin, designers, Steal Your Face, 1976. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive When told the name of the Dead’s album, Kelley immediately thought of the hybrid rose, American Beauty, and etched a rose into a mirror backward as the basis of the design. The lettering could be read as “American Beauty” or “American Reality.” LSD chemist and sound man Owsley “Bear” Stanley collaborated with artist Bob Thomas to create the cover of Steal Your Face, a logo that would, in addition to Kelley & Mouse’s skeleton and roses logo, forever say “Grateful Dead.” Rick Griffin provided the lettering. Grateful Dead Hour #28 LP, March 13, 1989, with cover letter and song and advertisers list.

Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Musician David Gans began The Grateful Dead Hour in 1985. Now in its twenty-fifth year, the show is carried nationwide by over 80 radio stations and can also be streamed online via the Web. Heads, LTD. (France), Grateful Dead, Blues Brothers, Winterland, New Year’s Eve, 1973, ca. 1974. Baktabak Records (London), Grateful Dead: Interview Picture Disc, Limited Edition, ca. 1982-1995. Arista Records, Dead in a Deck, Built to Last, 1989. This limited edition package contained a deck of cards, cassette of the record Built to Last, and photographs of the band. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Recording Industry Association of America Platinum Record Award for American Beauty, 1986. A platinum record award is given in acknowledgment of one million units of a recording, in all available formats, being shipped. The Dead also received platinum record awards for Workingman’s Dead, Skeletons from the Closet, In the Dark, Europe ’72, and What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been. After going platinum in 1986, American Beauty hit the multi-platinum level, in 2001, representing the shipping of 2 million units. The Dead also received multi-platinum awards for Europe ’72, In the Dark, and Skeletons from the Closet. In addition, they received 19 gold record awards in recognition of half a million units of each recording shipped. Right to Left Artist unknown, The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion/On the Road with the Grateful Dead Since 1965, 1994.

Dennis Larkins and Peter Barsotti, The Grateful Dead, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, October 22-31, 1980. Michael Priest, Grateful Dead, July 31st, Manor Downs, 1982. Dennis Larkins and D. Sawyer, Grateful Dead, The Downs of Santa Fe, Sunday, October 17, 1982. Robert Rauschenberg, A Benefit Performance for the Rainforest, Grateful Dead, Bruce Hornsby…September 24, 1988, Madison Square Garden. Artist unknown, Pacific Alliance Benefit Concert, Stop Nuclear Power, Friday the Thirteenth of January 1978, Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara, Calif. Randy Tuten and Bill Bostedt, Masquerade Ball, 1979. Gary Grimshaw, Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Tues Dec 14 & Wed Dec 15, Hill Auditorium, 1971. Artist unknown, Grateful Dead Go to Nassau, May 15 & 16, 1980, The First Live Grateful Dead Album from 1980 in More than 20 Years! 2002. Harry Rossit, Grateful Dead, Ornette Coleman & Prime Time, Mardi Gras, February 23, Oakland Coliseum, 1993. Timothy Truman, Grateful Dead Live at the Cow Palace, New Year’s Eve 1976.

Dennis Larkins and Peter Barsotti, Grateful Dead, Dead Set, 1981. Dennis Larkins and Peter Barsotti, The Grateful Dead, Warfield Theatre, Sept. 25-Oct. 14, 1980. Michael Priest, Grateful Dead, July 4, Manor Downs, Austin, Texas, 1981. Grateful Dead Hotline Components: Akai Tape Deck with Skutch T-112 Remote and Skutch T-80 Barge In Deluxe, 1983-1995. Hotline Cassette Tapes with Hotline Recordings by Eileen Law, 1983-1995. Fan-decorated Ticket Envelopes, 1980s-1990s. Hotline script, Greek Theater, UC Berkeley, May 13-15, 1983. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive The Grateful Dead Hotline, accessible through East and West Coast phone numbers, provided fans with concert information announced in regularly updated messages. Fans were instructed to send ticket orders in legal-size envelopes with self-addressed stamped envelopes for ticket return. Many fans submitted their orders in hand-decorated envelopes such as these shown here. Pick up a sound stick to hear Grateful Dead Hotline updates from 1992. Hotline Recording from May-July 1992. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive

Gary Gutierrez, stage backdrop, Uncle Sam, after 1977. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Touring Between 1965 and 1995 the Grateful Dead played nearly 2,400 concerts in hundreds of cities and towns throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. With a minimum of three national tours each year, the band averaged 80 performances annually. Beginning in 1972, tours extended overseas, first to Europe, and in 1978, to Egypt. By the time of their 1979 debut at Madison Square Garden, the Grateful Dead were playing more concerts but at fewer and larger venues. While this allowed an increasing number of fans to attend performances, issues such as crowd control and sound quality were constant concerns. These vast audiences also affected the band’s staging. In 1989, for example, the first video monitors were used to provide stadium audiences with sure sight of the band. By the 1990s, with a record 1.7 million tickets sold in 1993 alone, the Grateful Dead were the number one touring act in United States.

Business The Grateful Dead’s popularity grew with each decade of activity. While this success provided creative and financial freedom, it also underscored the need for business oversight and management. With growing numbers of fans, the band played to bigger audiences in ever-larger venues. Along with these changes came the challenges of monitoring concert and record revenues, ticket sales, backstage access, and staff and crew. These concerns led to the establishment of an umbrella company, Grateful Dead Productions, in 1973. Band members served as directors and worked with a staff and crew that grew

to 80 full-time employees at its peak. The Grateful Dead’s unusual approach to the operation of their business was predicated on a commitment to their music and devoted fans. Through trial and error and with a team of trusted associates, the band took control of the production and publication of their music, marketing of their records, booking of performances and travel, and fought the sale of counterfeit tickets and unauthorized merchandise. The Dead’s subsidiaries—Ice Nine Publishing, Grateful Dead Records, Round Records, Grateful Dead Merchandising, Grateful Dead Ticket Service, Grateful Dead Books, Out of Town Tours, and Fly by Night Travel—allowed the band to safeguard both their music and their image. Four segments from The Grateful Dead Movie, 1977, directed by Jerry Garcia and Leon Gast. From the original 35mm film. 31 minutes Courtesy of Grateful Dead Productions The Grateful Dead Movie was filmed during a series of concerts at the Winterland Arena in San Francisco in October 1974. Note: This film contains scenes that may not be appropriate for young viewers. April Tour Itinerary, 1971. Spring Tour Program: Dance the Dream Awake, 1988. Europe 1990 Tour Program, October 22, 1990. Europe 1990 Tour Ticket: Frankfurt Festhalle, October 22, 1990.

Antonio Reonegro, European 1990 Tour Backstage Pass, October 22, 1990. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Backstage Passes Throughout their years of performing, the Grateful Dead attempted to include, rather than exclude, friends, fans, and other enthusiasts at their concerts. Employees and invited guests were identified on lists – initially hand-written but later replaced by typed and then computer generated “will call” lists. These lists indicated who would receive full or limited access backstage. Sealed plastic “laminates” identified Grateful Dead crew, employees, family members, and their guests. Adhesive or stick-on passes permitted only limited access. Both were carefully designed to prevent counterfeiting and often reflected the artwork of the band’s current album or tour posters. Group of Laminated and Adhesive Backstage Passes, 1974-1993. Staff notice, Backstage List, October 9, 1982. Staff notice, Tickets for Frost Gigs. . ., October 1, 1993. Will Call List, December 13, 1993. Laminate Guest List, December 27-31, 1983. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Letter, Grateful Dead Will Be in Europe this Year. . ., 1972. European Tour Itinerary Booklet, 1972. Official Permanent List for European Tour, 1972.

Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Europe, 72 In 1972, the Grateful Dead made their first of four tours to Europe with an entourage of 49 band, crew, and staff members, in addition to family and friends. During the two-month tour the band played 22 concerts in 7 countries and traveled with fifteen tons of instruments and lighting gear. Letter, H.E. Dr. Ashraf Ghorbal, Ambassador, March 4, 1978. Cairo American College, The Eagle, Vol. 3, No. 11 (April 18, 1978). Backstage passes, Egypt 1978. Postcard, Grateful Dead/Egypt 1978. Program, Grateful Dead, September 14, 15, 16, 1978. Unknown origin, Pyramid Cutout, 1978. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Egypt After months of planning, the Grateful Dead traveled to Egypt in September 1978 to play three concerts at the foot of the Great Pyramid. With 174 crew, friends, and extended family, the band embarked on a musical and spiritual journey. The success of the trip was underscored during the third night’s performance with a dramatic eclipse of the moon. The trip also coincided with the signing of peace accords between Israel and Egypt on September 17, 1978 at Camp David.

Ticket sales The Grateful Dead established their own Grateful Dead Ticket Service (GDTS) in 1983. GDTS sold concert tickets directly to fans by mail order. Fans called the GDTS hotline – available through East and West Coast telephone numbers – and heard the voice of Grateful Dead fan liaison and archivist Eileen Law sharing updated information about ticket availability and instructing callers about order and payment procedures. During the first year GDTS sold nearly 25,000 tickets; by 1994, the number of tickets sold was more than 500,000. GDTS tickets were sold at set prices, without service fees, and in advance of those sold by ticket brokers. While this initially posed conflicts with brokers, who charged additional fees with ticket purchases, it was an important innovation that allowed the Grateful Dead to control prices and protect fans from purchasing counterfeits. Individual venues and ticket brokers continued to sell tickets to concerts too. Grateful Dead hotline scripts, San Francisco Civic Auditorium, December 27-30, 1983; Sold out. . ., December 27-31, 1983; Marin Veterans Memorial Theater, San Rafael, CA, March 28-April 1, 1984. Ticket price sheets, February 22-24, Oakland Coliseum Arena, Spring 1992; San Diego Sports Arena, Spring 1992. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Tickets Issued by Grateful Dead Ticket Service and Other Promoters, ca. 1985-1995. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive; and Private Collection. T-shirts, ca. 1969-1994. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive

Dozens of t-shirts, some licensed, and others unauthorized or bootlegged, were designed by or for the Grateful Dead and often incorporated artwork from album covers and posters. These surviving t-shirts reflect the degree of creativity the Grateful Dead incorporated into all aspects of their business. Lee, Denim Jacket with King Kong Embroidery, 1988. Hemp Heritage/Cannabis Cloth, Boxers, ca. 1985-1995. Origin unknown, Umbrella with Dancing Bears, ca. 1985-1995. Origin unknown, Steal Your Face Shaving Kit, ca. 1985-1995. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive “Swag” During the 1980s and 1990s, the band and crew were given an assortment of gifts and promotional materials, referred to as swag, by concert promoters. Among those preserved at the Grateful Dead Archive are a Chinese umbrella from a New Year’s Eve show, a shaving kit, and a denim jacket from performances at Madison Square Garden in 1988. Gary Lambert and Timothy Harris, Access All Areas: Backstage with the Grateful Dead. Novato, CA: Grateful Dead Books, 1998. New-York Historical Society Library Backstage passes were created by many noted artists and designers. This book illustrates those made and used by the Grateful Dead between 1977 and 1995. Grateful Dead hotline scripts, San Francisco Civic Auditorium, December 27-30, 1983; Sold out. . ., December

27-31, 1983; Marin Veterans Memorial Theater, San Rafael, CA, March 28-April 1, 1984 Ticket price sheets, February 22-24, Oakland Coliseum Arena. . ., Spring 1992; San Diego Sports Arena, Spring 1992. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Brian Gold, Grateful Dead Jigsaw Puzzle, 2001. Grateful Dead Neckwear, Tie, 1996. Grateful Dead Merchandising, Inc., Steal Your Face Baseball Cap, 1992. Grateful Dead Merchandising, Inc., Steal Your Face Boxer Shorts, ca. 1985-1995. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Universal, Baseball Cap, ca. 1990 Creston Brewing Co., Creston, CA, Deadhead Draft Beer, 1995. Unknown origin, Skeleton and Rose Pins and Necklaces, 1990. Unknown origin, Yarmulke, 1980-1995. Unknown origin, Barf Bag, ca. 1985-1995. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Submissions and Bootlegs An endless assortment of Grateful Dead merchandise was sold without the band’s endorsement. In addition, the band received

submissions for possible merchandise licensees from fans and manufacturers alike. The Dead attempted to keep as many of these submissions and bootlegs as possible, and enough were received so that today their precise origins remain unknown. Merchandising Grateful Dead t-shirts were sold from the time of the band’s earliest performances. With each passing decade, however, increasing amounts of unauthorized or bootleg merchandise was also sold by and for Grateful Dead devotees outside of concert halls and in venue parking lots. In 1987, the band consolidated their sales efforts under the subsidiary, Grateful Dead Merchandising. Through the band’s newsletter and catalogue, the Grateful Dead Almanac, and, later, its website, dead.net, licensed Grateful Dead merchandise – neckties, stickers, jewelry, books, games, t-shirts, beer, bumper stickers and more – was made available to fans. By 1995, Grateful Dead Merchandise generated approximately $50 million dollars in sales. The Grateful Dead also determined to work with fans and other producers of unauthorized merchandise. In several instances, Grateful Dead Merchandising turned to fans to create goods such as t-shirts and posters. This approach strengthened the relationship between the Grateful Dead and their fans, and in return, fans regularly submitted merchandise to the band for authorized sales or possible licenses. Calendar, Grateful Dead 1986, Grateful Dead Productions, 1985. Mailing, Grateful Dead Merchandising, Inc., December 1989. Artwork John Kinnard.

Group of Grateful Dead Stickers, Grateful Dead Merchandising, Inc., ca. 1990-1994. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Antonio Reonegro, Design for T-shirt for Madison Square Garden, 1991. Courtesy Antonio Reonegro New York graphic designer Antonio Reonegro created illustrations for Grateful Dead t-shirts and backstage passes from 1989 to 1995. Creative Custom Products, Inc., Leather Vest, ca. 1985-1995. Unknown origin, Doormat, ca. 1985-1995. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Grateful Dead Comix, No. 1, No. 3, and No. 4, Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink Press, 1991-1992. Rock and Roll Comics, The Grateful Dead: Part 2 The Seventies. San Diego, CA: Revolutionary Comics, 1992. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Grateful Dead Comix was inspired by Jerry Garcia’s avid interest in comic books. Published by Kitchen Sink Press from 1991 to 1993, the limited series animated such Grateful Dead songs as “Casey Jones,” “Mexicali Blues,” “St. Stephen,” and “Truckin’.” Conversely, as the cover note indicates, Rock and Roll Comics, The Grateful Dead: Part 2 The Seventies, was “unauthorized and proud of it.”

Jamie Riley, Dead Heads – Alpine Valley Music Theater, East Troy, WI, 1987. Warner Bros. Records, Inc., Grateful Dead/Skull and Roses, 1971. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive

Community

The Grateful Dead’s unprecedented relationship with their fans created a strong and long-lasting community, a bond that other bands continue to emulate today through social networking websites. This dialogue was inaugurated in 1971 when the Grateful Dead announced on the back cover of its LP Grateful Dead/Skull and Roses: “Dead Freaks Unite! Who are you? Where are you? How are you? Send us your name and address and we’ll keep you informed.” Thus began the band’s informally formal relationship with their fans, from then on known as Dead Heads. The Dead assembled a mailing list, overseen by the band’s fan liaison, that began with 350 names in 1971 and grew to nearly 500,000 by 1995. The Grateful Dead kept Dead Heads informed about appearances, tours, record releases, and merchandise through regular newsletters, The Grateful Dead Almanac, and beginning in 1995, the band’s official website, dead.net. In addition, Dead Heads received sample records in advance of their release—all free of charge. In return, Dead Heads expressed their appreciation and dedication not just through concert attendance and the purchase of records and merchandise, but with heartfelt letters, hand-decorated envelopes, and artwork. Although initially characterized as counterculture hippies, by 1995 Dead Heads included three generations of fans from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, among them prominent politicians, athletes, and celebrities. Fan-decorated Ticket Envelopes, ca. 1980s-1990s. Fan artwork, Marker Illustrations, ca. 1965-1980. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive

Fan Art The Grateful Dead respected and appreciated artistic ability, whether from album artists, poster designers, or fans. The degree of graphic proficiency exhibited in over 12,000 surviving fan-decorated ticket envelopes, varies widely, yet the band saved them all. In addition to letters and envelopes, the band received hand-made jigsaw puzzles, comic strips, a crèche with pictures of band members in key roles, dolls created in the likenesses of band members, jewelry, t-shirts, and more. Most fans sent these creations as gifts or, more accurately, as forms of communication. Some fans, though, intended their works as prototypes for potential band merchandise. Although most were never put into production, other works by fans such as Miki Saito or Mike Everett became Grateful Dead t-shirts, posters, or card decks. Tapers and Taping Long before the age of shared music downloaded from the Web free of charge, the Grateful Dead introduced the concept of free taping. Officially sanctioned by the band in 1984, the encouragement of communal sharing was one of the Grateful Dead’s most progressive innovations. Fans were permitted to tape any of the Dead’s concerts — and even did so in reserved “Tapers Sections,” audience space located behind the band’s soundboard that required special “Tapers Tickets.” Audiotapes could be shared with as many people as desired provided the recordings were never sold. Surprisingly, tapers’ tapes did not undercut the band’s record sales but instead boosted them. Loyal tapers became the band’s unofficial audio archivists. The most proficient kept detailed logs of the songs performed at each appearance. From these lists evolved websites such as DeadBase, which chronicled show playlists, and Dick’s Picks, CDs of performances recorded by fan-turned-archivist Dick Latvala, one of the band’s most beloved tapers.

Audio Tapers Sign, 1984-1995. Dead Head Information: Taping Section, December 30-31, 1985. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Tapers tickets, 1993. Private Collection Photograph, Jay Blakesberg, D-5 Tapers Section May 6, 1980: Penn State, State College, PA. © Jay Blakesberg Audio Tapers Sign, ca. 1984-1995. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Dick Latvala Notebook, January 7, 1978-February 17, 1979. Recordings, Dick Latvala, “The Field House, University of Cincinnati, April 3, 1970”; “Winterland, October 18, 1974,” artwork by Jerry Moore. Recording, Dick Latvala, “Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN, February 3, 1979.” Survey Cards, Message from the Vox Populi, 1990s. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Dick Latvala Papers Dick Latvala began his affiliation with the Grateful Dead as an ardent fan and taper. Latvala’s extensive record keeping of concert playlists, knowledge of music, and quality recordings, eventually earned him a position as the band’s music archivist. Twenty–nine volumes of Dick’s Picks were released between 1993 and 2003 with recordings of shows from as far back as 1968. Band Outreach to Fans The Grateful Dead’s unique relationship with their fans was cultivated through their music, but was maintained through

mailings, sample records, cards, and Grateful Dead Ticket Service hotline updates about the band, its members, and tours and performances. The band also reached out to fans by circulating information about where to eat, find campsites, sleep, or obtain emergency services, all vital to those who had traveled long distances. In October 1980 the Dead even polled fans to find out what they thought of a video simulcast, the first for the band, of a series of concerts played at Radio City Music Hall. By the 1980s, fan outreach became increasingly complex. Concert audiences were so large that additional security was needed to deal with fans who, although a minority, had no interest in the peaceful and supportive collective consciousness that had characterized Dead audiences in the past. The environmental impact of large concerts also became an enormous concern. The Grateful Dead addressed these challenges through Dead Head mailings and flyers. In addition, the band talked to fans, from the stage, about these disturbing changes. After two audience deaths in 1989, for example, the Grateful Dead reluctantly notified fans that overnight camping and vending would no longer be permitted at many venue parking lots. Grateful Dead Almanac, No. 1 (Fall 1993). Grateful Dead Almanac, No. 3 (Summer 1994). Round Records, Robert Hunter, “Tiger Rose;” Sampler for Dead Heads, 1975. Rick Griffin, Holiday Postcard: Peace on Earth, December 1986.

Dead Heads Newsletter, No. 1 (Winter 1972). Dead Heads Newsletter, No. 3 (August 2, 1972). We would like to provide camping facilities. . . , Summer 1983. List, Dead Head Information for East Coast, April 13-30, 1984. Dead Head Information Sheet with Message from Mickey Hart, September 1990. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Fan Surveys, Dear Friends, We’d Like to Survey Your Ideas. . ., October 1980. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive What rock band surveys their fans? The Grateful Dead. Most fans preferred seeing the band live, although many liked seeing Jerry’s hand up close, courtesy of a camera zoom on the telecast. Whether fans liked or disliked the simulcast, when given the option of joining the Dead’s mailing list, the majority asked to be included. Steal Your Heart, Grateful Dead Character Dolls with Proposal, 1989. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Dead Heads frequently submitted ideas for potential Grateful Dead merchandise to the band. These character dolls, made in the likenesses of Jerry Garcia, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, Bob Weir, and Mickey Hart, were sent to the Grateful Dead with an accounting of their manufacture costs. Although production of the dolls was felt to be too expensive, the band kept them along with many other types of fan art.

Fan Outreach to Band Fans stayed connected with the Dead through concert attendance, but also by sending them letters, postcards, and artwork. Much of this was kept and is now at the Grateful Dead Archive. Fan letters frequently read like diary entries, and it is clear that a majority of these fans felt a direct, intimate bond with the band. Fans also formed close bonds among themselves. A communal spirit was palpable at concerts, which often resembled celebratory parties where thousands of friends happily reunited. The idea of community extended to lively gatherings in venue parking lots, where fans met up with one another and purchased or exchanged food and crafts. Dead Heads added to this sense of community with their own publications, and local and national radio and television broadcasts. The Grateful Dead and their music, performances, business, and overall influence have been the subject of numerous popular and academic studies, conferences, books, journals, and articles, many written by and for fans. The acclaimed Grateful Dead fan magazine, The Golden Road, for example, was published from 1984 to 1993. For tapers, the newsletter, Dead Relix, was launched in 1974, followed by the performance and playlist guide DeadBase in 1987. Dozens of books, including Grateful Dead: The Music Never Stopped (1977), Skeleton Key: A Dictionary for Deadheads (1994), or Made with Love: Stories, Recipes and Crafts from Grateful Dead Fans (1996) offered encyclopedic details about the band or celebrated the rituals of its devotees. Fan Postcard, Dear Dead Heads. . . , ca. 1985-1995. Fan Letters, 1973-1987. Deadhead Info/San Francisco Civic Auditorium, 1983.

Deadhead Info. . . Sold Out: Greek Theater. . ., May 21-23, 1982. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive Miki Saito, Season’s Greetings Card, 1998-1999. Mike Everett, Deck of Cards, 1997. Cube Puzzle with Box, 2003. Crèche, ca. 1975-1995. Box with Puzzle Pieces, ca. 1975-1995. Easter Egg, ca. 1975-1995. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive; and Private Collection Elizabeth Peace Zipern, Made with Love: Stories, Recipes and Crafts from Grateful Dead Fans. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1996. New-York Historical Society Library The communal spirit of Dead Heads extended to the large informal gatherings of fans that congregated before, during, and after concerts in venue parking lots. Like medieval villages or county fairs, parking lots became active trading posts for fans and vendors who bartered or sold crafts, food, drugs, concert tapes, tickets, and a plethora of authorized and unauthorized Grateful Dead merchandize. By the 1970s, groups of traveling Dead Heads were following the band around the United States, and the parking lot trade became one way for fans to subsidize touring.

Miki Saito, Poster Depicting Band in Boat with Key, 1995. Miki Saito, Letter with Immigration Cartoon, 1994. Special Collections, UC Santa Cruz. Grateful Dead Archive; and Private Collection