01	St. Stephen						04:29
	02	Dupree's Diamond Blues						03:35
	03	Rosemary						02:00
	04	Doin' That Rag						04:44
	05	Mountains of the Moon						04:04
	06	China Cat Sunflower						03:41
	07	What's Become of the Baby						08:15
	08	Cosmic Charlie						05:31

Aoxomoxoa
Date of Release Jun 20, 1969
Styles Psychedelic, Folk-Rock, Experimental Rock

The Grateful Dead's third studio effort was also the first that the band did without any Warner Bros. staff producers or engineers hampering their creative lifestyle and subsequent processes. As they had done with their previous release, Anthem of the Sun, the Dead were actively seeking new forays and pushing envelopes on several fronts simultaneously during Aoxomoxoa (1968) - which was created under the working title of "Earthquake Country." This was no doubt bolstered by the serendipitous technological revolution which essentially allowed the Dead to re-record the entire contents when given free reign at the appropriately named Pacific High Recording facility. As fate would have it, they gained virtually unlimited access to the newly acquired Ampex MM-1000 - the very first 16-track tape machines ever produced - which was absolutely state of the art in late 1968. The band was also experiencing new directions artistically. This was primarily the net result of the budding relationship between primary (by default) melodic contributor Jerry Garcia (guitar/vocals) and Robert Hunter (lyrics), who began his nearly 30-year association with the Grateful Dead in earnest during these sessions. When the LP hit the racks in the early summer of 1969, Deadheads were greeted by some of the freshest and most innovative sounds to develop from the thriving Bay Area music scene. The disc includes seminal psychedelic rockers such as "St. Stephen," "China Cat Sunflower," and "Cosmic Charlie," as well as hints of the acoustic direction their music would take on the Baroque-influenced "Mountains of the Moon" and "Rosemary." The folky "Dupree's Diamond Blues" - which itself was loosely based on the traditional "Betty & Dupree" - would likewise foreshadow the sound of their next two studio long-players, Workingman's Dead (1969) and American Beauty (1970). The too-trippy-for-its-own-good "What's Become of the Baby" is buried beneath layers of over-indulgence. This is unfortunate, as Hunter's surreal lyrics and Garcia's understated vocals languish beneath the soupy sonics. In 1972, Aoxomoxoa was overhauled, and the original mix - which includes several significant differences such as an a cappella vocal tag at the tail end of "Doin' That Rag" - has yet to be reissued in any form. When the title was reworked for inclusion in the Golden Road (1965-1973) (2001) box set, three previously unreleased and incomplete studio instrumental jams - respectively titled "Clementine Jam," "Nobody's Spoonful Jam," and "The Eleven Jam" - as well as a live rendering of "Cosmic Charlie" from a January 1969 performance were added as "bonus material(s)." - Lindsay Planer

1. St. Stephen (Garcia/Hunter/Lesh) - 4:25
2. Dupree's Diamond Blues (Garcia/Hunter) - 3:40
3. Rosemary (Garcia/Hunter) - 2:02
4. Doin' That Rag (Garcia/Hunter) - 5:15
5. Mountains of the Moon (Garcia/Hunter) - 4:15
6. China Cat Sunflower (Garcia/Hunter) - 4:15
7. What's Become of the Baby (Garcia/Hunter) - 8:30
8. Cosmic Charlie (Garcia/Hunter) - 5:45

Mickey Hart - Percussion, Drums
Jerry Garcia - Guitar, Vocals
The Grateful Dead - Arranger
Bob Weir - Guitar, Vocals
Tom Constanten - Keyboards
Joe Gastwirt - Pre-Mastering
Peter Grant
Dan Healy - Consultant
Bill Kreutzmann - Percussion, Drums
Phil Lesh - Bass, Vocals
Bob Matthews - Engineer, Remixing, Executive Engineer
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan - Keyboards, Vocals
David Nelson
Dave Collins - Pre-Mastering Assistant
Rick Griffin - Design
Betty Cantor - Engineer, Remixing
Pigpen - Organ, Conga, Vocals

1969 LP Warner Brothers WS-1790
1987 CD Warner Brothers 2-1790
1987 CS Warner Brothers M5-1790
1990 LP Warner Brothers 1790




St. Stephen
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: Originally recorded for the studio album Aoxomoxoa in 1968, the definitive version appears on the excellent 1970 album Live Dead. Opening up with a gentle, psychedelic guitar lick from the previous song ( "Dark Star"), it then explodes into a gospel/ bluegrass melody that was indeed close to the band's heart. Highlighting Jerry Garcia, Bob Wier, and Phil Lesh's harmony vocals. The imprecise nature of their voices is what gives the melody its appeal, not unlike the Band's songs of the period. The bridge is a slice of psychedelic balladry, with very strong English folk roots. However, the song then explodes back into the gospel pattern to carry the song to a rocking conclusion. The studio version is excellent, but the Live Dead take is certainly the one to check out. - Matthew Greenwald


Dupree's Diamond Blues
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: It could easily be said that "Duprees' Diamond Blues" is sort of the precursor to 1970's "Casey Jones." Sharing a very similar melody and overall feel to that hit, this "working" version certainly has its own charm. Filled with an almost comical sense of whimsy, the feeling of both euphoria and possibly impending disaster is evident in the lyrics. A slow-chugging, near- boogie feel is akin to a slow-moving train, and the overdubbed keyboards and guitars create a loose, rootsy sense of jug band psychedelia. - Matthew Greenwald


Rosemary
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: One of the briefest songs in the Grateful Dad catalog, as well as the Aoxomoxoa album, "Rosemary" is a lovely, gentle exercise in psychedelic folk music. Guided by a near-Elizabethan melody and Jerry Garcia's delicate acoustic guitar, there is a lilting, comforting quality to the piece. Lyrically, the words echo the music perfectly, and the feeling of bittersweet security is illustrated wonderfully. - Matthew Greenwald


Doin' That Rag
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: A loose, charming melody and arrangement that recalls the Grateful Dead's early jug band and roots, "Doin' That Rag" merges traditional and more modern, psychedelic forms in one song. The ever-changing melody and rhythm patterns showcase the band's daring sense of exploration on the Aoxomoxoa album. The lyrics are a little hard to decipher, but the overall sense of psychedelic whimsy is more than apparent. - Matthew Greenwald


Mountains of the Moon
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: One of the more ambitious on Aoxomoxoa, "Mountains on the Moon" is also one of the more experimental studio cuts by the band. Utilizing their arrangement skills, the abilities of the recording studio's eight track equipment, this soundcscape was undoubtedly created and written in the studio. A folk-based, almost Edwardian melody guides the song with a wonderful sense of grace. Lyrically, it is written in Robert Hinter's free-verse style, and the song's themes touch not only on space exploration, but ecology as well. - Matthew Greenwald


China Cat Sunflower
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: One of the most lasting songs in the Grateful Dead's catalog, "China Cat Sunflower" also retained a place on the band's concert repertoire until their mid-'90s demise. A free-verse exercise in surrealistic lyrics, this is backed up by a great, slightly out of control boogie, which combines blues, folk, and even country. It is difficult to classify a Dead song as " pop," but this song is as close as you can get, and the effervescent feel and gloss of the arrangement is quite effective. - Matthew Greenwald


What's Become of the Baby
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: One of the most unusual studio creations by the Grateful Dead, "What's Become of the Baby" can almost be seen as their own version of the Beatles' "Revolution #9." A chant-like vocal "recital" from Jerry Garcia is the only melodic instrument here, and it's folk-based, if anything. The vocals are treated to several echoing and distortion effects, making the lyrics nearly impossible to decipher. However, the overall sense of foreboding is eerie and quite effective, making this a very interesting listing. - Matthew Greenwald


Cosmic Charlie
Composed By Jerry Garcia/Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter/Robert Hunter/Phil Lesh

AMG REVIEW: After the spellbinding avant-garde strangeness of "What's Become of the Baby," "Cosmic Charlie" closes out the Aoxomoxoa album in grand, melodic style. Sounding more like a prayer or hymn than a simple song, the gospel grace of the melody is truly beguiling. Some fine blues guitar riffs from Jerry Garcia buttress this, as well as the entire band's unified performance. A colorful commentary/character study of an archetype hippie that the band surely came across at the height of San Francisco's psychedelic scene, it is told with great affection and wit. The fact that the character in the song has departed makes the song even more emotional and effecting. - Matthew Greenwald



The Grateful Dead
Formed 1965 in San Francisco, CA
Disbanded 1995
Group Members Mickey Hart Jerry Garcia Bob Weir Donna Jean Godchaux Keith Godchaux Bill Kreutzmann Phil Lesh Ron "Pigpen" McKernan Brent Mydland Vince Welnick

by Jason Ankeny

Rock's longest, strangest trip, the Grateful Dead were the psychedelic era's most beloved musical ambassadors as well as its most enduring survivors, spreading their message of peace, love, and mind-expansion across the globe throughout the better part of three decades. The object of adoration for popular music's most fervent and celebrated fan following - the Deadheads, their numbers and devotion legendary in their own right - they were the ultimate cult band, creating a self-styled universe all their own; for the better part of their career orbiting well outside of the mainstream, the Dead became superstars solely on their own terms, tie-dyed pied pipers whose epic, free-form live shows were rites of passage for an extended family of listeners who knew no cultural boundaries.

The roots of the Grateful Dead lie with singer/songwriter Jerry Garcia, a longtime bluegrass enthusiast who began playing the guitar at age 15. Upon relocating to Palo Alto, CA, in 1960, he soon befriended Robert Hunter, whose lyrics later graced many of Garcia's most famous melodies; in time, he also came into contact with aspiring electronic music composer Phil Lesh. By 1962, Garcia was playing banjo in a variety of local folk and bluegrass outfits, two years later forming Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions with guitarist Bob Weir and keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan; in 1965, the group was renamed the Warlocks, their lineup now additionally including Lesh on bass as well as Bill Kreutzmann on drums.

The Warlocks made their electric debut that July; Ken Kesey soon tapped them to become the house band at his notorious Acid Tests, a series of now-legendary public LSD parties and multimedia "happenings" mounted prior to the drug's criminalization. As 1965 drew to its close, the Warlocks rechristened themselves the Grateful Dead, the name taken from an Egyptian prayer discovered in a dictionary by Garcia; bankrolled by chemist/LSD manufacturer Owsley Stanley, the band members soon moved into a communal house situated at 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco, becoming a fixture on the local music scene and building a large fan base on the strength of their many free concerts. Signing to MGM, in 1966 the Dead also recorded their first demos; the sessions proved disastrous, and the label dropped the group a short time later.

As 1967 mutated into the Summer of Love, the Dead emerged as one of the top draws on the Bay Area music scene, honing an eclectic repertoire influenced by folk, country, and the blues while regularly appearing at top local venues including the Fillmore Auditorium, the Avalon Ballroom, and the Carousel. In March of 1967 the Dead issued their self-titled Warner Bros. debut LP, a disappointing effort which failed to recapture the cosmic sprawl of their live appearances; after performing at the Monterey Pop Festival, the group expanded to a six-piece with the addition of second drummer Mickey Hart. Their follow-up, 1968's Anthem of the Sun, fared better in documenting the free-form jam aesthetic of their concerts, but after completing 1969's Aoxomoxoa, their penchant for time-consuming studio experimentation left them over 100,000 dollars in debt to the label.

The Dead's response to the situation was to bow to the demands of fans and record their first live album, 1969's Live/Dead; highlighted by a rendition of Garcia's "Dark Star" clocking in at over 23 minutes, the LP succeeded where its studio predecessors failed in capturing the true essence of the group in all of their improvisational, psychedelicized glory. It was followed by a pair of classic 1970 studio efforts, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty; recorded in homage to the group's country and folk roots, the two albums remained the cornerstone of the Dead's live repertoire for years to follow, with its most popular songs - "Uncle John's Band," "Casey Jones," "Sugar Magnolia," and "Truckin'" among them - becoming major favorites on FM radio.

Despite increasing radio airplay and respectable album sales, the Dead remained first and foremost a live act, and as their popularity grew across the world they expanded their touring schedule, taking to the road for much of each year. As more and more of their psychedelic-era contemporaries ceased to exist, the group continued attracting greater numbers of fans to their shows, many of them following the Dead across the country; dubbed "Deadheads," these fans became notorious for their adherence to tie-dyed fashions and excessive drug use, their traveling circus ultimately becoming as much the focal point of concert dates as the music itself. Shows were also extensively bootlegged, and not surprisingly the Dead closed out their Warners contract with back-to-back concert LPs - a 1971 eponymous effort and 1972's Europe '72.

The latter release was the final Dead album to feature Pigpen McKernan, a heavy drinker who died of liver failure on March 8, 1973; his replacement was keyboardist Keith Godchaux, who brought with him wife Donna Jean to sing backing vocals. 1973's Wake of the Flood was the first release on the new Grateful Dead Records imprint; around the time of its follow-up, 1974's Grateful Dead From the Mars Hotel, the group took a hiatus from the road to allow its members the opportunity to pursue solo projects. After returning to the live arena with a 1976 tour, the Dead signed to Arista to release Terrapin Station, the first in a series of misguided studio efforts that culminated in 1980's Go to Heaven, widely considered the weakest record in the group's catalog - so weak, in fact, that they did not re-enter the studio for another seven years.

The early '80s was a time of considerable upheaval for the Dead - the Godchauxs had been dismissed from the lineup in 1979, with Keith dying in a car crash on July 23, 1980. (His replacement was keyboardist Brent Mydland.) After a pair of 1981 live LPs, Reckoning and Dead Set, the group released no new recordings until 1987, focusing instead on their touring schedule - despite the dearth of new releases, the Dead continued selling out live dates, now playing to audiences which spanned generations. As much a cottage industry as a band, they traveled not only with an enormous road crew but also dozens of friends and family members, many of them Dead staffers complete with health insurance and other benefits.

Still, the Dead were widely regarded as little more than an enduring cult phenomenon prior to the release of 1987's In the Dark; their first studio LP since Go to Heaven, it became the year's most unlikely hit when the single "Touch of Grey" became the first-ever Dead track to reach the Top Ten on the pop charts. Suddenly their videos were in regular rotation on MTV, and virtually overnight the ranks of the Deadheads grew exponentially, with countless new fans flocking to the group's shows. Not only did concert tickets become increasingly tough to come by for longtime followers, but there were also more serious repercussions - the influx of new fans shifted the crowd dynamic considerably, and once-mellow audiences became infamous not only for their excessive drug habits but also for their violent encounters with police.

Other troubles plagued the Dead as well: in July 1986, Garcia - a year removed from a drug treatment program - lapsed into near-fatal diabetic coma brought on by his continued substance abuse problems, regaining consciousness five days later. His health remained an issue in the years which followed, but the Dead spent more time on tour than ever, with a series of dates with Bob Dylan yielding the live album Dylan & the Dead. Their final studio effort, Built to Last, followed in 1989. Tragedy struck in October of that year when a fan died after breaking his neck outside of a show at the New Jersey Meadowlands; two months later, a 19-year-old fan on LSD also died while in police custody at the Los Angeles Forum.

As ever, the Dead themselves were also not immune to tragedy - on July 26, 1990, Mydland suffered a fatal drug overdose, the third keyboardist in group history to perish; he was replaced not only by ex-Tubes keyboardist Vince Welnick but also by satellite member Bruce Hornsby, a longtime fan who frequently toured with the group. In the autumn of 1992 Garcia was again hospitalized with diabetes and an enlarged heart, forcing the Dead to postpone their upcoming tour until the year's end; he eventually returned to action looking more fit than he had in years. Still, few were surprised when it was announced on August 9, 1995, that Garcia had been found dead in his room at a substance abuse treatment facility in Forest Knolls, CA; the 53 year old's death was attributed to a heart attack.

While Garcia's death spelled the end of the Dead as a continuing creative entity, the story was far from over. As the surviving members disbanded to plot their next move, the band's merchandising arm went into overdrive - in addition to Dick's Picks, a series of archival releases of classic live material, licensed products ranging from Dead T-shirts to sporting goods to toys flooded the market. Plans were also announced to build Terrapin Station, an interactive museum site. In 1996, Weir and Hart mounted the first Furthur Festival, a summer tour headlined by their respective bands RatDog and Mystery Box; in 1998, they also reunited with Lesh and Hornsby to tour as the Other Ones. In spirit if not in name, the Grateful Dead's trip continued on.





1967 The Grateful Dead [1967] Warner
1968 Anthem of the Sun Warner
1969 Aoxomoxoa Warner
1969 Live/Dead Warner
1970 American Beauty Warner
1970 Workingman's Dead Warner
1971 The Grateful Dead [1971] [live] Warner
1972 Europe '72 [live] Warner
1973 History of the Grateful Dead, Vol. 1 (Bear's... [live] Warner
1973 Wake of the Flood Grateful Dead
1974 The Grateful Dead From the Mars Hotel Grateful Dead
1975 Blues for Allah Grateful Dead
1976 Steal Your Face [live] Grateful Dead
1977 Terrapin Station Arista
1978 Shakedown Street Arista
1980 Go to Heaven Arista
1981 Dead Set [live] Arista
1981 Reckoning [live] Arista
1987 In the Dark Arista
1989 Built to Last Arista
1990 Without a Net [live] Arista
1991 Dead Ringers: Touch of Grey Arista
1991 Infrared Roses Grateful Dead
1995 The Grateful Dead Screen Saver KM Disney &
1997 Dick's Picks, Vol. 5 [live] Grateful Dead
1997 Dick's Picks, Vol. 8 [live] Grateful Dead
1997 Dick's Picks, Vol. 9 [live] Grateful Dead
1997 Fallout From the Phil Zone [live] Arista
1997 Terrapin Station, Capital Centre, Landover,... [live] Grateful Dead
1998 Dick's Picks, Vol. 11 [live] Grateful Dead
1999 Dick's Picks, Vol. 13 [live] Grateful Dead
1999 Dick's Picks, Vol. 14 [live] Grateful Dead
1999 Dick's Picks, Vol. 15 [live] Grateful Dead
1999 Grayfolded Original
2000 Dick's Picks, Vol. 10 [live] Grateful Dead
2000 Dick's Picks, Vol. 12 [live] Grateful Dead
2000 Dick's Picks, Vol. 17 [live] Grateful Dead
2000 Dick's Picks, Vol. 18 [live] Grateful Dead
2000 Dick's Picks, Vol. 19 [live] Grateful Dead
2000 Dick's Picks, Vol. 20 [live] Grateful Dead
2001 Grateful Dead Documentary Grateful Dead
2001 View From the Vault, Vol. 2 [live] Grateful Dead
2001 Workingman's Dead [DVD Audio] Rhino
2002 Dick's Picks, Vol. 24 [live] Grateful Dead
2002 Dick's Picks, Vol. 25 GDM
2002 Dick's Picks, Vol. 26 Grateful Dead
2002 Dick's Picks, Vol. 27 [live] Grateful Dead
2002 Go to Nassau [live] Arista
2002 Steppin' Out With the Grateful Dead: England... [live] GDM/Arista
2002 Steppin Out England '72 In-Store Play Sampler [live] Arista
2002 The Grateful Dead Go to Nassau Grateful
2002 View From the Vault, Vol. 3 Grateful Dead
2003 American Beauty [Bonus Tracks] Rhino
2003 Anthem of the Sun [Bonus Tracks] Rhino
2003 Aoxomoxoa [Bonus Tracks] Rhino
2003 Dick's Picks, Vol. 28 [live] Grateful Dead
2003 Europe 72 [Bonus Tracks] [live] Rhino/Warner
2003 Grateful Dead [1967] [Bonus Tracks] Rhino
2003 History of the Grateful Dead, Vol. 1 (Bear's... [live] Rhino/Warner
2003 The Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) [Bonus... [live] Rhino/Warner
2003 Workingman's Dead [Bonus Tracks] Rhino
Dead in a Deck (Built to Last) Arista
Live/Dead [Bonus Tracks] Rhino