The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Volume III: an in-depth guide
Unique among major rock bands, the Dead actively sanctioned the taping of live concerts. This policy nurtured a subculture of Deadheads who have traded thousands of tapes over the years. This is the second of a projected three volume series documenting every known live Grateful Dead recording in circulation. (The first volume, covering the years 1959-74, appeared in 1998.) Getz, a poet and lyricist, and Dwork, a rock music scholar, divide the book into three parts: a historical overview of the Grateful Dead taping phenomenon, a chronological listing of hundreds of shows from 1975 to 1985, and a guide to recommended versions of selected songs, videos, films, and band-related web sites. Each entry in the chronology includes the date and location of the show, the songs played, the existing tapes, show highlights, and a "Comments" section. Dozens of rare photographs, many in color, cap off the book. As with the first volume, the biggest flaw is the lack of an index. While primarily aimed at tape collectors, this series is a gold mine of information for any Grateful Dead fan. Recommended for larger popular music collections and where the Grateful Dead is popular.ALloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CACopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.