...but it appears to have died on its arse.

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/introduce-me-gently

I would rather employ Dr Mengele to become the school doctor than listen to the appalling shite that is The Grateful Dead. A nine disc boxed set of one gig ?!
Andy, don't go there despite what all the hippy types are invariably going to post after this - all trying to outdo each other with their "i'm more obscurer than thou" offerings.
Garcia. Stoned, gibbering, and hilariously Dead twat.

Don't say I didn't warn you mate.
I you hope through unscathed.

May I point you in the direction of The Deadpod which is a weekly podcast of either the 1st or 2nd set of a Dead concert. A wonderful and inexpensive way to experience the Dead. As I type I realise I am wearing a tie dye t-shirt.

(and he wil have some stern words about the ungracious comments raised thus far, ho yus!) it's actually quite easy. I really do understand the problem. Dive off the deep end into prolonged live work outs and you will sink, silently screaming. My suggestion is to do as I did. Ease yourself gently in with a selection of covers, Deadicated. Suzanne Vega, Los Lobos, Dwight Yoakam, Elvis Costello and the Indigo Girls parade an excellent selection of songs, amongst other august company. Then slide into American Beauty and seamlessly absorb Workingmans Dead. Thereafter it's easy, as you wil by then be attuned to the long strange trip and, via a live version or 2 of Dark star, you will be ready for anything. Good luck.

I went to see the Grateful Dead in Detroit in 1988. A friend of mine really liked them and got me a ticket. Having not heard their music before, I was somewhat surprised when all these unremarkable middle-aged geezers shuffled onto the stage and started fumbling around on their instruments. At first I thought they were just fooling around and that they'd play some proper songs soon. However, at the 2 hour mark I think it dawned on me that the unfocused, amateurish mess that I was hearing was all I would be getting that night. At the 3.5 hour mark I decided that I really didn't like this group very much and that I wanted to go home.

Thanks to everyone for the top tips and frank views.

It's fair to say my curiosity has been mightily tweaked by this.

To Spotify, I think, for further enlightment over the weekend.

Carry on as before, good people.

Much obliged

brilliant comic picture in the Financial Times a few weeks ago. It showed an office where a young executive type was interviewing a fat 60 year old balding man in a suit.

"And I see in your resume that you spent 72 to 98 touring with the Grateful Dead".*

* Dates might not be accurate.

Your curiosity has been piqued and because of that I bet, unless the music is super awful, that you will like it.

It's crap buying and listening to something that you have no real interest in. And inevitably you usually don't care much for it when you finally listen to it. Not unless it really takes you by surprise by being a lot better than expected.

I find jazz to be boring. I approach Kind Of Blue, Time Out etc with no real interest. People say they're good and I'm willing to give them a listen, but in truth I'm just don't care one way or the other. Electric Bath by The Don Ellis Orchestra on the other hand was different. I had read an interesting description that did pique my interest. And when I finally did put the CD into my player I enjoyed it. That spark of original interest or curiosity is so important to liking music. I recognised this a long time ago, and yet I still buy stuff that makes me shrug my shoulders with complete indifference. Such as Sign O' The Times by Prince which I bought for £3 yesterday. I am almost guaranteed to think it's so-so because I have no real authentic interest in it in the first place.

So buy The Grateful Dead. I'm sure you'll enjoy it, or at least get something out of it, because you have a curiosity about it. Which is the best way to approach new music. In fact, it should be the only way.

If you approach Iron Maiden, Tool, Nine Inch Nails, Girls Aloud, Chris Rea, Richard Thompson, Supertramp, ELO, Elvis etc with some mild curiosity then you're bound to either like them, or learn to like them by keeping at it until it yields positive results. If you approach them with true indifference then you probably won't like them.

there must be some good in them I reasoned - many (I say many - a few - I say a few - one) whose opinion I value loves them with a force overwhelming and all consuming.

And I was intrigued like you by their status and fixity in the firmament.

So I gave it a go like. A good go, mind. And just as Patrick C. describes above - nothing ever happens. Nothing happens at all. On which note you'd definitely be better off listening to Del Amitri.

But some things you can only find out for yourself. So, be brave, be ready for the long haul - but after one, two, three attempts - still no echoing vibration in the tuning fork of your soul, psyche or elsewhere - give up. There's no point being a damn fool about it.

And WC Fields is a fine a life coach as there is.

... I found myself thinking the same thing as you Andy. I felt I must give this band a go. They seemed important, iconic even and yet I knew nothing about them. So I read some reviews and dipped my toe in with 'American Beauty' and 'Live Dead'. I was expecting something heavy, vital and profound. In my mind I was thinking of a more cosmic version of 'Parachute' by The Pretty Things. But what immediately struck me was how unremarkable the whole thing sounded. I don't think underwhelmed even approaches it. 'American Beauty' has some decent tunes, but it all seems so lightweight and well, er, weedy. It comes and it goes and not much happens in between. And as for the psychedelic moniker, I just don't see it myself. Okay, so they were dropping acid with Kesey et al, but it never strikes me as great stoner music. Today, I never play The Grateful Dead. I still play 'Parachute'.

Firstly, to quote Alice Cooper "I love the Dead" so I'm speaking from a position of bias.

But, trying to remain objective, I'd always suggest American Beauty and Workingman's Dead as a good place to start.

If that appeals then, remembering that the Dead were always primarily a live band, take a listen to Europe 72.

You've now explored both ends of the Dead - the plangent acoustic stuff and a typical (-ish) live set.

If you've liked what you've heard thus far, there's good and bad news.

The bad news is they didn't do anything else like Americal Beauty/Workingman's dead.

The good news is there are dozens of officially released live albums and thousands of free bootlegs to start exploring.

Here's a little something to whet the appetite

Workingmans: http://open.spotify.com/album/1EfxjgYkZEUUjwy0ydyvhB
American: http://open.spotify.com/album/1oSeXy2F7GmSHQdRJ2AaVO
Europe 72: http://open.spotify.com/album/65ktF7lkujUnpca7cLRj6s

Must get a listen to these guys as soon as possible.

Once again this blog has proven itself a lodestone of well expressed opinion and debate.

Which is remarkable seeing as I don't really know what a lodestone is.

bootleg show.

I bought the 9CD version of 'The Closing Of Winterland', in spite of having it all on bootlegs AND owning the earlier official 3 CD version

*sigh*

I was impressed by their performance on the Festival Express film. If I was round at a friend's house and he/she said "let's listen to some Dead", I wouldn't be getting my coat. But then I wouldn't be offering high fives either. I think that's called indifference.

and a great place for a newcomer to the Dead. "Workingman's Dead" is a goodie and you could move onto "Live/Dead" later. These are 3 obvious but good places to begin and they're all on Spotify. There was an excellent, "Very Best Of..." a few years ago that focused on the more accessible tunes, too. Happy listening.

Only 14 days until my first The Dead gig :-)

Been downloading the first batch of live recordings from the current tour - sounding good; of course it's not the same without Jerry but The Dead are shaping up to be a fine band in their own right.

They're releasing direct soundboard downloads of each show within a few hours of the end of the show - that's 29 new shows for me to luxuriate in over the next few weeks (complete with bulk purchase discount!)

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and 'Promised Land' from Wednesday's Buffalo gig is playing - how much better can a Spring day get

Two other artefacts that may be worth your time, Andy.

1. The film "Grateful Dawg" about Garcia's late-life re-collaboration with Dave Grisman, mandolin player on "American Beauty". I don't think this Warfield soundcheck is from DVD but it gives a flavour

nicely nostalgic for me as I saw one of their Warfield shows.

Useful user summaries at Amazon UK for this but DVD is cheaper elsewhere.

2. Dennis McNally's book "A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead"

http://www.musicbox-online.com/dm-long.html

which sets their scene rather well

I followed a suggestion of Nick W's and sampled a little Butterfield. Very Good I thought. So I mooched further in the boondocks of Caucasian bluesy noodlers.

So - whilst waving my "by no means exhaustive research" disclaimer. My findings are as follows. Life has rather more to offer than Savoy Brown or Chicken Shack. And Ten Years After are the British Dead.

No question of being Anglo-averse as the workovers of old blues numbers by Fleetwood Mac Mk 1 or Cream and not to mention Free, Faces, Stones or Zep can - and often do - thrill.

Turning to GD's fellow Americans - why is it that Johnny Winters and the Allman Bros (the latter in particular) - who mine a similar seam - knock the aforementioned Dead into a hat marked cock?

And whilst putting Butterfield on my scone, I even discovered a Janis Jop track I liked (included below). Normally, her a-wailins and a-hollerins get me a-runnin'

Nothing, if not fair minded, after these investigations I went back to the Dead

And this time - this time

Nothing

http://open.spotify.com/user/sheevmaster/playlist/5WLyKaOfqc3oal2Yfe9Imf

have to agree with Retropath & Stimpy's recommendations, while not disagreeing with many of you suggesting the band are often vague and rambling, and yes, the songwriting is frequently indifferent, so not much pop sensibility there.

I would like to add a personal favourite album though, which I think even you, Sheevmaster, would enjoy as it's well constructed, taut, and melodious (in a way that wouldn't disgrace Dan and Joni lovers): Blues for Allah from 1975. Check it out Andy.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close up the wall with The Grateful Dead.

Then I'm off to download Susan Boyle sings the songs of Dylan.

Unless you're a downhome country rock fan ( and by country rock I don't mean The Eagles) avoid starting with Workingmen's Dead. The songs are great but the singing is so atrocious only a tie-dyed-in-the-wool Deadhead snob could possibly recommend it over the significantly more accomplished and alluring American Beauty.
Otherwise the much-ignored Mars Hotel is one of the band's best studio efforts. It includes a quintessential Jerry Garcia solo on the fade of Ship Of Fools which is so sublimely fluent in its clarinet-like phrasing that it boosts the argument which says that the Dead were not only a grown-up and freaked-out jugband but were the closest thing in rock ever to a genuinely anarchic Dixieland jazz combo - one in which no individual musician ever played the root chord or hit beat one if they could possibly avoid it. Resulting in music where, on a good night, the whole could be significantly greater than the sum of the parts.
Consequently the Grateful Dead were always at their best ( and their worst) when recorded live. Europe 72 is probably the tour-de-force collection, but for my money nothing beats the second Live Dead ( aka Skull and Roses or Skull Fuck). Alongside a clutch of their own classsics, they post red hot performances of well-chosen R&B and country covers - check full tilt versions of Merle Haggard's Mama Tried and Papa John Phillips' Me and My Uncle and an extended workout on the traditional Going Down The Road Feeling Bad. All feature tight three part harmonies which are all the more impressive given that they were performed in real time without overdubs.
Essentially though the Grateful Dead are one of those dryest of dry white wine bands. It takes a while and some work to acquire the taste but once you do its stays with you forever.

As the lucky lad who will be receiving these soon I will be posting my considered impressions later.

If you'll excuse the conceit that anyone other than myself would be remotely bothered.

Since Vulpes kind gesture I've hung off Spotify for the mo and have instead been trawling the live footage on You Tube (I enjoy watching musicians play almost as much as the listening). It's a massively variable array of performance levels but quite hypnotic. I have to say it's been positive.

Please could Stimpy post some reviews of The 2009 Dead? Would love to know what he thinks. Only saw them once (Halloween 1990, Wembley Arena) but would travel cross country if they ever returned to Europe.

My own long experience of the Dead echoes many of the comments above. Here’s a description of my own (unguided) steps to enlightenment plus my personal recommendations.
Started as a teenager with American Beauty which I bought on the back of a review (in Sounds I think) when it was first released – admittedly partly motivated by the wish to claim a band for myself that my friends weren’t familiar with. Although vaguely aware of them I didn’t really know what to expect But I loved it – being partial to a country rock sound anyway. There’s some great songs below the surface – Box of Rain, Candyman, Brokedown Palace - some may think it sounds a bit feeble at first listen but it’s beautifully played and sung.
After this I came across the Skull & Roses live double album. I hadn’t known of it – but it was specially priced I think, so I bought it and got my introduction to a broader spectrum of Dead music and particularly Jerry’s guitar work. Played it incessantly then – and converted my friends, and still love it and play it now. Bertha, Me & My Uncle, a driving version of Big Railroad Blues and Not Fade Away/Goin’ Down the Road (which was regarded in our circle as a bit of an anthem at the time).
First saw them at Wembley in 1972 – an unforgettable experience, probably the most affecting performance I’ve ever been to (although not considered a particularly remarkable gig for them). The sense I got was of a group of people playing music for their friends - the audience. No flash, no posing, no pretence – but not merely drugged out doodlers either. (Saw them again in 1974 at Alexandra Palace, but don’t remember that one as vividly).
Bought the Europe ‘72 Live Triple around that time – which I think reflects a great period of their playing especially Jack Straw, China Cat Sunflower, Brown Eyed Women, Ramble On Rose, Tennessee Jed, He’s Gone .
Also picked up Workingmen’s Dead – but never took to it as much as American Beauty. Of the earlier stuff, the cut of Dark Star on Live Dead is still my favourite version
I never really bothered with their subsequent studio albums – I’m more familiar with their other material through the bewildering wealth of live versions on official live albums and the internet, and there’s endless exploring available. In general I find the studio versions more stilted. Other songs I always particularly look out for on the live sets are Cassidy, Scarlet Begonias, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Stella Blue, Sugaree, Cold Rain & Snow, New Minglewood Blues and Wharf Rat. The versions vary but there are gems amongst them.
And maybe I’m deluded, but I’m actually frequently struck by how often – to me at any rate - the Dead’s music can be (dare I say it) funky, and it urges you to move.

Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir
Several dead keyboard players. Pigpen?
"Jerry was there"
A video featuring skeletons
"A deadhead sticker on a Cadillac"
Grateful When You're Dead by Kula Shaker

...but I can't recall ever hearing a single song by them, or even name one.

Weird. I feel unworthy.

I've started a collaborative introductory playlist on Spotify. Other Dead fans - feel free to add to it. The idea is to provide a fairly gentle introduction to their music for the uninitiated, so I've tried to stick to the more approachable stuff

http://open.spotify.com/user/michaeljohn/playlist/1AL0OPPfasAW45omMratVM

I knew you wouldn't put this track up, a stand out from "From the Mars Hotel", always curiously overlooked and underated by the critics. I love it, a rare Phil Lesh composition. So I have added it. Go and see what I mean, link as above but, new, improved!
;-)

Thanks again Vulpes.

Bloody Hell I hope I'm impressed after all this effort!

Comments to follow. Manage as best as you can till then, ladies and gentlemen.