Steal Your Face: The Grateful Dead's Iconic Album Remastered for 50th Anniversary
The Grateful Dead recently released a remastered version of their iconic album Steal Your Face to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1974 recordings that gave birth to the album. Fans can get their hands on this special edition in vinyl and streaming formats starting June 26. The remaster features audio from four nights at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom in October 1974, marking the band's final performances before a 20-month hiatus. The original album was released in June 1976 on Grateful Dead Records.
The remastering work was done by David Glasser, who used restored master tapes speed-corrected with Plangent Processes, and Chris Bellman cut the lacquers at Bernie Grundman Mastering. The first sneak peek from the remastered album, "Black-Throated Wind," was released on May 5. This song, a Bob Weir composition, was a live staple from 1972 to 1974 and made a comeback in 1990. It is considered one of Weir's finest compositions and is now captured in its definitive form on this remastered album.
The two-LP set comes in Grateful Red and Stealie Blue Pantone hues, with an exclusive Dead.net variant featuring black splatter on both discs. The center labels showcase the iconic Steal Your Face logo's facial features fading across all four sides, and each package includes an 11 x 11-inch sticker sheet. The album features classic tracks like "Promised Land," "Casey Jones," "U.S. Blues," "Sugaree," "Big River," and "El Paso," carefully selected from the 16-track tapes by Phil Lesh and Owsley "Bear" Stanley. Meanwhile, Jerry Garcia was occupied editing The Grateful Dead Movie from 1974 to 1977.
In conclusion, the remastered version of Steal Your Face by The Grateful Dead offers fans a chance to experience the band's iconic 1974 recordings in a new light. With meticulous remastering work and exclusive packaging, this release is a must-have for any Grateful Dead enthusiast looking to delve into the band's rich musical history.