The music business is sitting up and taking notice of a little festival called "Bonnaroo".
About time....
"Jam bands aren't as sexy as the media need it's artists to be. They're musicians not performers, They don't want to be told to lose weight or cut their hair. They won't want to be molded into the next Britney Spears." No shit...
Read this article at Denver Post.com

posted by Alan | # | Comments

Hamza El-din, who played with the Dead at the Egypt shows in '78 is still going strong at 74. Check out this interesting article on his life and current musical output
posted by Alan | # | Comments

Donna Jean Godchaux has a new band THE HEART OF GOLD BAND. That's the name she and Keith used for their band in the '80s.

The new Heart of Gold Band features Brian Godchaux (Keith's brother) on vocals, violin, and mandolin; Zion Rock Godchaux (Keith and Donna's son) on vocals, drums, percussion, guitars, and saxophone; David MacKay (Donna's husband) on basses and Wurlitzer [electric piano]; Kinsman MacKay (Donna and David's son) on vocals and guitar; and of course, Donna Jean herself on vocals.
The new CD is titled AT THE TABLE, and it will be available soon from
GDM. See http://www.heartofgoldband.com/ for more information.

posted by Peter | # | Comments

The Eagles Pub that is, in my home town of Denbigh, N Wales. Jan 14 saw the first night of a much needed regular session of live music in the town. Of course, I thought it only right to do the decent thing and knock out a couple of GD tunes. You can hear real audio snippets of Deal and Deep Elem Blues.
posted by Alan | # | Comments (2)

Work has begun on restoring the GD links directory. The challenge at present is to recreate the templates in the style of the new site so it all blends together nicely. I just need to find a spare few hours of uninterrupted time! Easier said than done...
In the meantime you can add your links to the database.
posted by Alan | # | Comments

The website states- "Each show was recorded and mastered by the band's sound engineer using a soundboard 'matrix' recording technique. These high quality live recordings are burned to CDs ($25 per show for 3 CDs!) and packed and shipped directly to order within 4 weeks after each show."
- Ain't modern technology brilliant ?

posted by Alan | # | Comments (1)

If you need cheering up....

Beat those January Blues with this amazing comedy website (er, it is a comedy website isn't it ?). GD reviews @ "Wilson and Alroy's Record Reviews". The webpage displays the comforting subtitle "We listen to the lousy records so you won't have to". Make up your own minds....
posted by Alan | # | Comments

Next month's Fortean Times is to include an article entitled 'Long Strange Trips - ESP experiments with the Grateful Dead'. mr Sutton is doing a great job in trying to get GD references into the mag as much as possible!

Also articles on 'Psychedelica Victoriana - white rabbits & magic mushrooms' and 'Huxley Mescalinised - the doors of perception at 50'. Should be a pretty trippy edition!
posted by Peter | # | Comments (1)

Following Ratdog's 2002 tour of Europe and 2003 UK dates, you may be alarmed to hear that any UK 2004 gigs may not go ahead for financial reasons.

We can influence this!

Please add your thoughts to the Ratdog forum on the deadboard. Feel free to share your ideas as to how the whole thing could be less of a financial risk for the band.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOLKS!
Alan
posted by Alan | # | Comments (2)