The Grateful Dead symbolised the psychedelic '60s, with their links to Ken Kesey, the Merry Pranksters, and the LSD-drenched acid tests. The Dead got their reputation as the greatest live jam-band in history by headlining hundreds of free-form dance concerts in San Francisco at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditoriums and the Family Dog's Avalon Ballroom. In the 1970s, the Dead became the favourites of millions of college-age students, and toured constantly to keep build that audience-which before long took on its own name, the Dead Heads. Over the next 20 years, the Dead solidified their position as one of rock's most consistent top money-makers, creating instantly sold-out attendance records at notable venues like New York's Madison Square Garden and Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre - and Dead Heads travelled by the thousands in caravans to dozens and dozens more arenas, stadiums, and amphitheaters in every corner of America - as well as in Great Britain and Europe. The Grateful Dead continue to captivate fans around the world through the phenomenal artist-fan connectivity that has set them apart from the droves of bands that have come and gone over the years.
In a fast-moving topical format, Grateful Dead expert Paul Grushkin covers everything there is to know about this legendary band from famous tours to obscure releases.