The Story of The Grateful Dead

Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux explains the story of the Grateful Dead, an amazing Box Set of 14 LPs curated by Vinyl Me, Please.

- By Ray Chelstowski

The Grateful Dead organization is no stranger to releasing expansive, well-thought-out commemorative sets of music. This past March the organization brought forward a 15-CD box set that documented the band's June 1976 tour. It’s a real work of wonder that seemed impossible to top. Until now. In partnership with Vinyl Me Please, the Grateful Dead have brought to market arguably the most complete and utterly stunning collection that any band across any genre has contemplated. Containing eight previously released albums — four recorded in the studio and four recorded live — across 14 vinyl records, The Story of the Grateful Dead is a complete college curriculum on the band’s music, their story arc, and the influence that they have had on the world of art and creativity. Housed in a brilliant box, the collection includes American Beauty, Workingman’s Dead, Europe ’72, Live/Dead, Wake of the Flood, Reckoning, Terrapin Station and Without a Net. These remastered records each have tinted and solid color 180-gram discs that give each spin a sense of renewal with a sound that is clear, buttery and precise. Ride-alongs to the music include a podcast series, an AMA video series and a glossy book that brings forward the essays of famous fans and the reasons why these records matter most. There’s even a custom turntable platter matt with their famous “steal your face” logo. Nothing was left to chance.