NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31

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Internet Message Format | 1992-12-27 | 27.3 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!haven.umd.edu!darwin.sura.net!gatech!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!bs810 From: bs810@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (E. Nay) Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead Subject: Frequently Asked Questions, pt. 1 of 2 Date: 28 Dec 1992 04:23:02 GMT Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA) Lines: 596 Message-ID: <1hlvf6INNq16@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> Reply-To: bs810@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (E. Nay) NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu Grateful Dead Frequently Asked Questions, pt.1 [Last update: December 27, 1992] ***Please note that this FAQ is split into two sections This article includes answers to: 1) What are the Official Grateful Dead Hotline numbers? 2) How do I order tickets by mail? 3) How did the Grateful Dead get their name? 4) How did Jerry lose his finger ? 5) Where did the Dancing Bears come from? 6) What is a Tape Tree and how does it work? 7) Who makes the Net-Head T-shirts and how do I get one? 8) What is Dead-Flames? 9) What is the Well? 10) What is Dead Base and how do I get one? 11) What is that weird thing that Mickey plays during Space? 12) Which are some classic shows for tape collectors? If you're looking for the answer to, say, question 10, and want to skip everything else, you can search ahead for the regular expression "^10)". If you have suggestions or corrections for any of these answers, please send them to bs810@cleveland.freenet.edu 1) What are the Official Grateful Dead Hotline numbers? ---------------------------------------------------- West Coast: 415-457-6388 Mail Order: 415-457-TIKS East Coast: 201-SHIPS00 415-457-8457 201-744-7700 Ticket Problems: 415-457-8034 M-F 11am - 5pm PST Merchandise Info: 415-898-4453 To order merchandise: 800-CAL-DEAD 2) How do I order tickets by mail? ------------------------------- The Grateful Dead Ticket Service (GDTS) is set up for ordering Grateful Dead tickets direct by mail, bypassing the monopolized TicketMaster. Here's how it works: Basically the Dead have a Spring, Summer, and Fall tour run, as well as New Year's and assorted other concerts (though these are usually in California). Approximately two months before each tour, GDTS will announce on the hotline [see #1] the shows and their mail order dates. Each tour may be broken up into several different mail order dates for different shows. This fragmentation is done so GDTS can process the thousands of requests over a period of time. Typically, the hotline message will be four days before the actual mail order date, meaning you have four days to get your order (and money!) together. For Spring Tour 1993, part I was announced on December 23, and the mail order date was December 28, 1992; Part II was announced December 23, with its mail order date January 11, 1993. GDTS mail orders are processed on a first come, first served basis by the date your order was POSTMARKED. However, if there are more postmarked orders for the first mail order date than tickets, GDTS will collect all those ticket orders and employ a random selection process for filling orders. The key here is to get your mail order postmarked on the first day of mail order for the show you want. For example, if the mail order date is December 28, go to your post office and have a postal employee hand postmark your order on that day. Remember: it's illegal for the post office to postmark any date other than the current day. The instructions for mail order are described below. I cannot stress enough to EXACTLY follow the instructions: if your order is wrong in any way, you WON'T get your tickets, unless someone at GDTS is feeling charitable that day. **Example: Joe Deadhead wants to order two tickets to all shows for the Knickerbocker in Albany, New York. The spring dates are for March 27, 28, and 29. Items needed: 0) Inside #10 envelope addressed to you. This is the envelope that your tickets will be mailed back to you in. Do not put any information on the outside of this envelope other than your name and the address your tickets are to be mailed to, and the necessary postage. 0) Outside #10 envelope, addressed to GDTS. Inside the #10 envelope: 1) 3x5 Index card 2) Money order for tickets [and registered mail fee] 3) #10 return envelope for tickets Please include your name, return address, the dates and # of tickets for each on the OUTSIDE of your order. The address to send your order to is: Grateful Dead Ticket Sales - Name of Concert P.O. Box C-S 8190 (x is usually a 5 or a 9; here it is a 9) San Rafael, CA 94912 this address occasionally changes, always confirm it before ordering, by calling the mail order hotline (415) 457-8457. Example #10 outer envelope: --------------------------- Joe Deadhead (Postage Stamp) 12345 Terrapin Way Big River, TN 01812 Grateful Dead Ticket Sales - Albany [2-3/27, 2-3/28, 2-3/29] P.O. Box C-S 8190 San Rafael, CA 94912 1) Index Card: A 3x5 index card-NOT PAPER!-, any other size will not fit in our files and may get lost. On this 3x5 card, write in the upper left hand corner: Your FULL NAME Your Address Your Area Code and Phone Number Work number (optional) In the middle of the card, put how many for which date. Put your ticket request by preference: -if you want tapers tickets make sure to write TAPER next to you request -Specify GENERAL ADMISSION or RESERVED SEATING if this option is available, or; -ANYTHING AVAILABLE- as your last preference is the best way to ensure that you get something instead of nothing. Example 3x5 Index card: ----------------------- Joe Deadhead 12345 Terrapin Way Big River, TN 01812 H - (325) 458-0989 W - (325) 466-0954 Albany 3/27 - 2 tickets @ 27.50 = $ 55.00 Albany 3/28 - 2 tickets @ 27.50 = $ 55.00 Albany 3/29 - 2 tickets @ 27.50 = $ 55.00 (TAPER/GA/RES/ANYTHING AVAILABLE) registered mail = $ 6.25 -------- $171.25 enclosed Note that if you don't want to be so verbose that it is OK to just specify the tickets and preferences and not the math part. 2) Payment. Total up all your tickets. GDTS recommends you have your tickets sent back via registered mail. GDTS will take care of the registered mail: all you need to do is include the registered mail cost of $6.25 in your money order. GDTS will ONLY accept either a US POST OFFICE or AMERICAN EXPRESS money order. NO OTHER MONEY ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED!! Make payable to: GRATEFUL DEAD TICKET SALES-CONCERT NAME for the exact amount. Make sure your name and address are on the money order. Keep your receipt!! If your order is not filled, your payment will be returned to you. No personal checks or cash EVER!! Note that the total amount on the postal money order MUST BE EXACT! Since the ticket office may receive more requests than there are tickets, correct requests will be processed first, and you may miss out. Numerous rejections have occurred due to errors like incorrect dollar amount, no stamps, etc. Example: -------- Joe wants two tickets to each Albany show, and each Albany ticket is $27.50. The registered mail fee is $6.25. Payment = ( 6 tickets * $27.50 ) + ( 6.25 Registered Mail fee ) = 165.00 + 6.25 = 171.25 Make out money order to GRATEFUL DEAD TICKET SALES - ALBANY for $171.25, with Joe's name and address. Joe keeps the receipt. **** CANADIAN MAIL ORDER ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS **** If you are ordering from Canada, here are some helpful instructions: Ticket prices are the same, of course, only in US dollars. There is only one option for canadian orders: canadian postal money orders in u.s. currency. THERE IS NO OTHER ACCEPTED FORM OF PAYMENT (i.e., no american express money orders as is ok in the u.s.). Have your mail hand-stamped by the canadian postal workers. Instead of putting stamps on your return envelope (SASE), enclose with your SASE an international postal coupon. I've been told that GDTS will accept one of these as equivalent to one u.s. first class postage stamp. Be sure to add the equivalent additional amount in coupons if you are ordering more than 8 tickets. Since your mail is passing through two postal and border systems IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REGISTER YOUR MAIL. The price is the same as for american orders ($6.25); just add this amount to your canadian money order. Finally, your order will take a little longer than an american order because of the border and postal issues, but it does work! [Thanks to joseph muller - JMULLER@SSCvax.CIS.McMaster.CA] 3) #10 Return Envelope: Include a #10 sized self-addressed, stamped envelope for your tickets. This envelope can be folded in 3 to fit in the outside envelope. Please do NOT decorate your return envelope with Grateful Dead art or mention of tickets: it only invites theft (e.g. - Tickets Enclosed). GDTS loves and displays the artistic and colorful incoming order envelopes!!! Return Postage: $.29 for 1-8 tix $.52 for 9-16 tix Do not add extra postage. Remember: the registered mail fee does NOT include postage, so you must put a stamp on your return envelope. Example #10 return envelope: ---------------------------- [Note: No address for GDTS. (Postage Stamp) They have a stamper.] Joe Deadhead 12345 Terrapin Way Big River, TN 01812 Other Rules: One order per envelope and one order per person. Each person must fill out their own order. Duplicate orders of any kind will cause disqualification of all involved orders. For example, if 3 concerts are announced in the same venue, you may order the max. number of tickets to all 3 concerts in one envelope, unless GDTS states otherwise. Mixed orders or orders for more than one city in one envelope will not be accepted. All orders will be filled on a "first come, first served" basis by date postmark, NOT by when GDTS receives them. NO METERED MAIL, EXPRESS MAIL, OR FEDERAL EXPRESS ACCEPTED!! Make sure your envelopes are stamped. Postal employees may by habit meter your mail if you don't watch them. Express Mail and Federal Express are never accepted and are a waste of your money. If GDTS decides to do a random selection mail order, they will announce it on the hotline before hand. If GDTS receives more mail postmarked the first day than they have tickets for, then the mail order automatically changes to random selection. The mail order hotline (415) 457-8457 will give the correct information and address to mail for tickets. Do not use any other address or your request will not be filled!! If the hotline instructions are different from the above, then always follow the hotline instructions or your order may be rejected. Please write to GDTS with any suggestions, problems, praise or complaints at: Grateful Dead Ticket Sales P.O. Box 9812 San Rafael, CA 94912 DON'T SEND TICKET REQUESTS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS, THEY WILL BE RETURNED! [P.S. Notification from GDTS, be it tix or a rejection notice, almost always comes before tix actually go on-sale at a local outlet. If ya find yourself still waiting to hear and the on-sale date is fast approaching, say 4-5 days away, don't panic, just give 'em a ring at the ticket problem # listed above in question 1. They're usu. very helpful if it comes to that.] 3) How did they get the name? -------------------------- One story is that they were rummaging through a dictionary at Phil's parents house and came across the entry for Grateful Dead. However, there is another story that says Jerry suggested the name after reading this quote: We now return our souls to the creator, as we stand on the edge of eternal darkness. Let our chant fill the void in order that others may know. In the land of the night the ship of the sun is drawn by the grateful dead. -- Egyptian Book of the Dead 4) How did Jerry lose his finger ? ------------------------------------------------------- His brother accidentally chopped it off with an axe when they were children. 5) Where did the Dancing Bears come from? -------------------------------------- The bears were used on blotter acid produced by Owsley. Owsley's nickname was Bear, the logo is a (registered?) trademark, and it appears in the Bear's Choice cover art. 6) What is a Tape Tree and how does it work? ----------------------------------------- Somebody offers a tape(seed). Someone volunteers to be the administrator of the tree, and thus "run" it. If the administrator is not going to be the "root", it's a good idea to know who will be ahead of time, or find someone who is willing to be. After consultation with the seed, the administrator posts a message to the net soliciting applications to be on the tree. The first person(root) (maybe the offerer, maybe the administrator, maybe not) who actually gets the seed tape makes up to 5 copies and sends them out to 5 people (branches), each of those people make up to 5 copies and send them out to either other branches, or to leaves (who make no copies), etc., until everybody who signed up gets a copy. The person structuring the tree ("administrator") may or may not be the person who provides the original tape ("seed") or the person who makes the initial 5 copies ("root"). To get on, you send mail to the administrator following a posting. When on, you make up to 5 tapes for people below you (if you're a "branch"), or none (if you're a "leaf"). You send the person above you either other tapes in trade, or blanks if you can't trade. IMHO, if trading, each person pays postage one way. If sending blanks, you pay postage both ways. For most current or recent shows, the seed usually provides a DAT tape, and therefore it's a good idea for the root to have DAT capabilities as well, thus enabling most people to get high quality, low-generation analogs. There is no payment for this service, ever. Don't do business with anyone who wants payment for taping. Most heads are only too happy to make copies for anyone who asks. Q: I don't have two decks (or a dual deck). Can I still be on the tape tree without making copies for other people? A: If you cannot make copies for others you are considered a "leaf" on the tree, and will be assigned to a "branch" of the tree, that is, someone who can make copies. Q: Does it matter if I have a dubbing cassette deck instead of two separate decks for making copies? A: Many dubbing decks are cheap and do not do a good job on quality when making a copy of a tape, partly because the consumer companies don't think people will notice the difference...NOT. Deadheads are audiophiles. The reason you are on a tree is: 1) You REALLY want the shows and, 2) You want the best possible quality tape you can get for a free recording. There ARE dubbing decks out there that do a good job, but cost more and are usually worth it (both Sony and Denon make good high-end dubbing decks). If you have a dubbing deck, NEVER, repeat, NEVER use the high speed dub when you are making a copy for someone. Why? You will reduce the quality of the tape, for the person you are making it for and any copies they will make. Always make the best quality tapes you can with the equipment you have on hand. When a tree is started the administrator will want to know what equipment you have (brand, type, number of heads, etc...). This information is needed so that when the administrator sets up the tree everyone gets the best possible recording they can get, no matter what type of equipment you may have. Q: What should I set my recording levels at? A: Recording levels are really a function of the deck and the type of tape being used. For instance, you can probably set the peaks at +5 dB for metal tapes, but at +3 dB for high bias tapes. The key here is to KNOW YOUR DECK. The suggestion is to try different tapes and choose the one that works best with your deck. My preference for recording tapes (depending on the source) are the new Maxell XLIIS tapes. Q: If you miss the request cuttoff date for the tree, is there any way to get on the tree? A: In general, no. You can try sending mail to somebody who's making fewer than 5 copies, and ask if he'll make you one. Often, the tree administrator will indicate people who've offered to make more copies than they've been assigned. You'll probably have better luck doing this if you offer to trade. Q: When everybody trades tapes on the net, what is the customary way everybody does this? A: Generally, by trade. You offer a tape to somebody and ask for a list of what you can get in return, and choose something. If you are going to be doing a lot of trading, you should get on the tapehead mailing list (send mail to tape-heads-request@fuggles.acc.virginia.edu and ask to be added to that list). Also common on the net is a posting requesting a tape of a particular show, and offering to trade from your collection of ### hours of tapes, or offering blanks if you cant make tapes. 7) Who makes the Net-Head T-shirts and how do I get one? ----------------------------------------------------- Maya hasn't done them more often than once a year (and I don't blame her), so don't expect another offer until next fall, if at all. Nethead shirts are a labor of love for Maya, not an obligation. 8) What is Dead-Flames? -------------------- A mailing list that is the equivalent of rec.music.gdead. Everything read in dead-flames is also read in rec.music.gdead and vice-versa (except for those things posted to rec.music.gdead with a restricted distribution that prevents them from reaching the node that dead-flames originates from). Dead-flames is digestified, each mail message may contain many postings. Each message is about 600-700 lines long (about 24K characters). Even if you don't receive dead-flames, you can post to both dead-flames and rec.music.gdead using email. Dead-flames is handy for those who do not get usenet.news, for those who do get usenet.news but have a slow feed, or even for those who have reading, but not posting, privleges for usenet.news. The following is the standard info that's always tacked on to each dead-flames digest: ** FOR YOUR REFERENCE ** The service addresses, to which questions about the list itself and requests to be added to or deleted from it should be directed, are as follows: Internet: Dead-Flames-Request@Virginia.EDU Dead-Flames-Request@uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU BITNET: DF-Req@Virginia UUCP: ...!uunet!virginia!dead-flames-request You can send mail to the entire list (and rec.music.gdead) via one of these addresses: Internet: Dead-Flames@Virginia.EDU Dead-Flames@uvaarpa.Virginia.EDU BITNET: D-Flames@Virginia UUCP: ...!uunet!virginia!dead-flames 9) What is the Well? ----------------- The Well is the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, a public access computer network based in Sausalito, California. David Gans hosts several Grateful Dead related conferences on the Well. 10) What is DeadBase and how do I get one? -------------------------------------- DeadBase is a deadhead-originated manual which contains extensive set lists, statistics, venue info, facts and opinion on twenty-seven years of Grateful Dead magic; it is an invaluable resource for any Deadhead. DeadBase '91 includes the year's setlist for both GarciaBase and WeirBase. DeadBase VI is out. It is available in either Hard Cover or Soft Cover, is complete through the end of 1991, and includes a Garciabase and Weir- base. Note all prices are in US dollars. (Note: I have not been able to verify any of these with the Deadbase people myself, but believe they are correct. -EN) Pages Book Rate Priority DB '88 128 10.00 12.00 DB '89 192 12.00 14.00 DB '90 224 12.00 14.00 DB '91 224 12.00 14.00 DB '88/89/90/91 (set of 4 annual editions) 38.00 42.00 DB V 502 26.00 29.00 DB VI 564 27.00 30.00(assume this is for the SoftCover, see below for additional pricing on VI.) Make check payable to DeadBase. send to: DeadBase Orders P.O. Box 499 Hanover, NH 03755 Also, Ken Hays @ Terrapin Tapes has the Deadbases. The advantage to this is that you may order them by phone and pay with plastic(Visa/MC). There is no surcharge for ordering through Ken. The phone number for Terrapin Tapes is 800-677-8650. (Priority-UPS) DB 88 12.00 89 or 90 14.00 88/89&90 32.00 V 29.00 VI (soft) 30.00 (hardcover) 42.00 [note: Terrapin Tapes uses Priority only (UPS). Also, at the risk of sounding like an advertisement, Ken tells me that they'll beat anybody's price on Maxells/TDK's by at least 5%. If ya find out different, lemme know.:)] 11) What is that weird thing that Mickey plays during Space? -------------------------------------------------------- It is called "The Beam", a long aluminum I-beam with twelve piano strings streched along its length; the vibration of the strings is sensed by a very large magnetic pickup. The sound is amplified through Myers speakers and sub-woofers, whose loudness can be varied with a foot-pedal allowing a controlled degree of acoustic feedback. The best example of the Beam is on the Rythm Devil's "The Apocalypse Now Sessions". The Beam is used heavily, but most notably on the track, "Napalm for Breakfast". Pittsburgh 06/26/88, Shoreline 06/16/90, and Buffalo 06/06/92 are good examples of the Beam in concert. 12) Which are some classic shows for tape collectors? ------------------------------------------------- How about (these are just suggestions): 03/25/66 - Trouper's Hall 11/19/66 - Fillmore Aud. 11/29/66 - The Matrix 02/14/68 - Carousel Ballroom 08/24/68 - Shrine Aud. 10/30/68 - Mickey & The Hartbeats 03/01/69 - Fillmore West 12/12/69 - Thelma Theatre 02/11/70 - Fillmore East 02/13/70 - Fillmore East 02/14/70 - Fillmore East 05/02/70 - Harpur College 05/06/70 - M.I.T. 09/20/70 - Fillmore East 02/18/71 - Portchester 04/08/71 - Boston Music Hall 04/28/71 - Fillmore East 04/29/71 - Fillmore East 07/02/71 - Fillmore West 12/10/71 - Fox Theatre 12/14/71 - Ann Arbor 07/26/72 - Portland 08/21/72 - BCT 08/27/72 - Veneta 02/09/73 - Maples Pavilion 05/26/73 - Kezar Stadium 06/10/73 - RFK 11/10/73 - Winterland 12/02/73 - Boston 02/24/74 - Winterland 05/19/74 - Portland, OR 06/18/74 - Louisville 06/26/74 - Providence 06/28/74 - Boston 10/19/74 - Winterland 10/20/74 - Winterland 06/03/76 - Portland 10/09/76 - Oakland 02/26/77 - San Bernardino 03/18/77 - Winterland 04/27/77 - Passaic, NJ 05/08/77 - Cornell 05/09/77 - Buffalo 06/09/77 - Winterland 10/02/77 - Portland, OR 12/29/77 - Winterland 01/22/78 - Eugene, OR 07/08/78 - Red Rocks 10/21/78 - Winterland 11/24/78 - Passaic, NJ 12/31/78 - Winterland 10/27/79 - Cape Cod 11/01/79 - Nassau 12/01/79 - Pittsburgh 12/26/79 - Oakland 05/11/80 - Portland, ME 09/02/80 - Rocheste 05/06/81 - Nassau 05/16/81 - Cornell 09/26/81 - Buffalo 10/16/81 - Milk Weg 12/31/81 - Oakland Auditorium 04/06/82 - Philly 04/18/82 - Hartford 04/19/82 - Baltimore 04/16/83 - Brendan Byrne 04/17/83 - Brendan Byrne 06/18/83 - Saratoga 09/06/83 - Red Rocks 09/11/83 - Santa Fe 10/11/83 - MSG 07/13/84 - Greek Theatre 07/22/84 - Ventura 10/12/84 - Augusta 10/20/84 - Syracuse 11/02/84 - BCT 06/14/85 - Greek Theatre 06/24/85 - Cincinnati 09/07/85 - Red Rocks 09/15/85 - Chula Vista 11/01/85 - Richmond 03/20/86 - Hampton 12/27/86 - Oakland 04/04/87 - Worcester 06/20/87 - Greek 06/26/87 - Alpine Valley 07/06/87 - Pittsburgh 07/08/87 - Roanoke 09/18/87 - MSG 12/31/87 - Oakland 03/17/88 - HJ Kaiser 03/27/88 - Hampton 06/30/88 - Rochester 07/02/88 - Oxford Plains 09/03/88 - Cap Centre 04/02/89 - Pittsburgh 06/21/89 - Shoreline 07/12/89 - RFK 07/17/89 - Alpine Valley 10/09/89 - Hampton 10/16/89 - Brendan Byrne 03/29/90 - Nassau 07/12/90 - RFK 09/16/90 - MSG 09/19/90 - MSG 09/20/90 - MSG 10/27/90 - Paris 12/12/90 - Denver 12/31/90 - Oakland 03/21/91 - Cap Centre 05/12/91 - Shoreline 06/14/91 - RFK 06/17/91 - Giants Stadium 08/16/91 - Shoreline 09/10/91 - MSG 09/26/91 - Boston 10/31/91 - Oakland 12/28/91 - Oakland 03/09/92 - Cap Centre 03/20/92 - Hamilton 05/31/92 - Las Vegas 06/20/92 - RFK [Always feel free to email me any additions - EN] End of Part 1 of 2, rec.music.gdead FAQ -- It left a smoking crater of my mind I'd like to blown away