Sold Date: January 15, 2023
Start Date: January 8, 2023
Final Price: $32.00 (USD)
Bid Count: 16
Seller Feedback: 981
Buyer Feedback: 0

You are bidding on an LP Vinyl issue of the Grateful Dead’s 1973 album, “Wake Of The Flood”.  (Grateful Dead Records GD 01). This LP is on the White “Grateful Dead Records” label and appears to be a 1973 issue. This release was first release on Grateful Dead Records.  “There were several counterfeit versions of this album circulating along with the official release, these can be identified by a white 0598 on the spine instead of orange for the legitimate copies”.  This item is the legitimate release with the orange “0598” on the spine.  (See Photos).
This album contains some of the Grateful Dead’s most popular songs from their live repertoire, such as “Mississippi Half Step,” “Row Jimmy,” “Stella Blue,” “Eyes Of The World,” and more.  We have literally heard every track on this album during their live shows.  (See Photos).
We purchased this item decades ago, played it (and enjoyed it!), and it has been sitting in our home (vertically) for the last few decades.   
The LP is in excellent condition, and the LP cover is in very nice shape, with very slight signs of wear around the corners. (see Photos).  There is a cut in the bottom right corner of the front cover, indicating a “Cut Out” record. On the rear cover, on the top right corner, there are owner’s initials, written in red.  We have shown these on the list pictures with this posting.   (See photos). Finally, we retained the Hype Sticker that came with the LP, and it will be included inside the cover to the winner of this auction.
Please remember that this album was well taken care of, but it was played as part of our record collection decades ago. We have tried to show the LP Cover flaws with pictures posted in this listing. This item has been stored at room temperature, in a smoke free home.  Please see photos of actual item being sold.    “Grateful Dead:  Wake Of The Flood” Grateful Dead Records (1973) After satisfying their nine-title/dozen-disc deal with Warner Brothers, the Dead began their own record labels: Grateful Dead Records (for group releases) and Round Records (for solo projects). Wake of the Flood was the first Dead disc issued entirely under the band's supervision -- which also included manufacturing and marketing. Additionally, the personnel had been altered as Ron "Pigpen" McKernan had passed away. The keyboard responsibilities were now in the capable hands of Keith Godchaux -- whose wife Donna Jean Godchaux also provided backing vocals. It had been nearly three years since American Beauty -- their previous and most successful studio album to date -- and, as always, the Dead had been honing the material in concert. A majority of the tracks had been incorporated into their live sets -- some for nearly six months -- prior to entering the recording studio. This gave the band a unique perspective on the material, much of which remained for the next 20-plus years as staples of their concert performances. However, the inspiration and magic of the Grateful Dead's music has always been a challenge to capture in the non-reciprocal confines of a studio. Therefore, while Wake of the Flood was certainly as good -- if not arguably better than -- most of their previous non-live efforts, it falls far short of the incendiary performances the band was giving during this era. There are a few tracks that do tap into some of the Dead's jazzier and exceedingly improvisational nature. "Eyes of the World" contains some brilliant ensemble playing -- although the time limitations inherent in the playback medium result in the track fading out just as the Dead start to really cook. Another highlight is Bob Weir's "Weather Report Suite," which foreshadows the epic proportions that the song would ultimately reach. In later years, the band dropped the opening instrumental "Prelude," as well as "Part One," choosing to pick it up for the extended "Let It Grow" section. The lilting Jerry Garcia ballad "Stella Blue" is another track that works well in this incarnation and remained in the Dead's rotating set list for the remainder of their touring careers”.
“I think that this is a fantastic album! The overall mood especially across the first half is a bit more somber than usual. However, I think that this actually works well for it. It has a number of songs that would remain in the set lists right up until the end such as: Mississippi Half-Step, Row Jimmy, Stella Blue, Eyes of the World and Let It Grow. A number of friends appear as additional performers: Vassar Clements on fiddle, Bill Atwood and Joe Ellis on trumpets, Martin Fierro and Frank Morin on saxophones, Pat O'Hara on trombone, Doug Sahm on 12 string guitar, Matthew Kelley on harmonica, Sarah Fulcher additional vocals and Benny Velarde on timbales.
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo opens the album on a very strong note with great interplay between the band members and Vassar Clements. Let Me Sing Your Blues Away is Keith Godchaux's only lead vocal on a Grateful Dead album and features a sax. This is the weak point for some but I actually like hearing it. It isn't as good as the rest but it isn't bad (at least to me) either. Row Jimmy and Stella Blue are gorgeous slower songs”.