Last week three guys from Rhino took a bunch of guys from northern California out for dinner to talk about Grateful Dead music. David Lemieux, Jeffrey Norman, Gary Lambert, Steve Silberman, Blair Jackson and I were there, along with Peter McQuaid (former CEO of GDP), Hale Milgrim (longtime Deadhead and veteran music industry exec), and Jimmy Edwards, Gregg Goldman, and James Austin of Rhino.
It was a great conversation. These guys really want to do justice to this body of work, and they were warmly receptive to all the ideas we were batting around.
It’s way too soon to talk about specifics, and of course it remains to be seen how much of the talk will be translated into action and, uh, product. But I am optimistic. After decades of dealing with the profoundly dysfunctional GD organization, I am excited to be communicating with people who seem to have both a constructive and professional mindset and a deep respect for the unique treasure that’s been dropped into their midst.
There is no intentional withholding of music – it just took a long time to complete the business transaction (the details of which were not revealed at this dinner, of course) and the Rhinoids are not going to rush into things.
There is (as was hinted at in a recent email from jerrygarcia.com) a very cool release in the works. I can’t tell you what it is, but I can tell you it isn’t the 11/73 Winterland set. (I sure hope they get that out soon – I was there for two of those those!).
Stay tuned.
BTW, James Austin’s first GD show was in LA in 1969 (I can’t remember the exact date and venue), and he was at the Hollywood Palladium on 8/5 and 8/6/71. He counts the 8/6 Palladium show w/ that “Hard to Handle” as one of his all-time favorite live music moments ever.
look forward to hearing what they come up with