Grateful Dead to release 50th anniversary expanded edition of ‘Blues for Allah’

Grateful Dead is set to revisit their 1975 album Blues for Allah with a 50th anniversary expanded edition.

The three-CD and digital set, dropping Sept. 12, will include a remastered version of the album, along with two hours of unreleased recordings.

The bonus material includes performances of the band’s soundcheck from their Aug. 12, 1975, concert at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, as well as from their June 21, 1976, show at the Tower Theatre in Pennsylvania, and Bill Graham’s SNACK (Students Need Athletics, Culture, and Kicks) Benefit at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium on March 23, 1975. The latter includes a rare performance of the Blues for Allah track “King Solomon’s Marbles.” 

As a preview of the newly remastered album, the first track released is “The Music Never Stopped,” which is now available via digital outlets.

In addition to the three-CD set, the remastered version of Blues for Allah will be released on 180-gram black vinyl, picture disc and limited edition “Midnight Fire” custom vinyl, and like the original album, all three will include a lyric sheet with both English and Arabic translations.

There will also be a Blu-ray featuring Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround, hi-resolution stereo and instrumental mixes of the album, available at Rhino.com.

Released Sept. 1, 1975, Blues for Allah was recorded by The Dead during an extended hiatus from touring. It marked the only time the band went into a recording session without pre-written material, developing almost all of the songs in the studio. The album peaked at #12 on the chart, making it their third straight top-20 album.

Blues for Allah (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) is available for preorder now.

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