Fifty years later, the Grateful Dead will revisit one of the most creatively prolific periods of their storied career with an anniversary reissue of 1974’s From The Mars Hotel. Out June 21st via Rhino—six days before the album’s original release on June 27th, 1974—From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) will include previously unreleased demos and a complete show from 1974.
The Grateful Dead were hitting their stride in 1974. Invigorated by an international trek in 1972 and supported by a devoted following stateside, the band entered a new era with the release of 1973’s Wake of the Flood. The album bridged the Americana influences that informed their previous two album—Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty, both released in 1970—with the experimental jazz influences that would inform their later work. Just eight months after Wake of the Flood, the Dead struck again with the release of From The Mars Hotel.
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The second album issued on the Grateful Dead Records label, From The Mars Hotel heard the Dead continue to chase their creative muses to new places. There’s the intricate instrumentation of Phil Lesh‘s “Unbroken Chain”, the sardonic wit of Robert Hunter‘s lyrics to “U.S. Blues”, the fragile beauty of “China Doll”, and much more. The eight-track LP birthed several songs that would become live staples through the rest of the band’s career including “U.S. Blues”, “Ship of Fools”, and “Scarlet Begonias”.
To celebrate the album’s enduring legacy, Rhino and the album’s producer/Grateful Dead legacy manager David Lemieux cracked open the vault for the expanded edition. The deluxe release includes demos of “China Doll” and “Wave That Flag”, which ultimately became “U.S. Blues” and is out today on streaming platforms. Also included in the reissue of From The Mars Hotel is a complete recording of the Dead’s May 12th, 1974 concert at the University of Nevada, Reno. Less than two months after its debut at the Cow Palace, The Wall of Sound was in full effect, with the band’s 75-ton homemade P.A. system standing up to the challenge of dispersing sound across Mackay Stadium in the midst of a wind storm. The show featured several songs that would end up on Mars Hotel and included other highlights like a roaring “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” and a cosmic “The Other One” that stretched well past 20 minutes.
In addition to a wide release on streaming platforms, the full deluxe edition will be available on a 3CD set. Rhino also has several vinyl variants planned for the remastered From The Mars Hotel, including limited edition neon pink vinyl, a Dead.net exclusive “Ugly Rumors” custom vinyl, and a picture disc created in partnership with pioneer of the pre-film zoetrope animation device Drew Tez. When viewed with a camera or a strobe, the zoetrope LP will appear to animate and is available for pre-order here.
Following today’s announcement, the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast will premiere its ninth season on Thursday, March 28th. The newest season of the official Grateful Dead podcast hosted by Rich Mahan and Jesse Jarnow will offer a track-by-track breakdown of Mars Hotel and deep dives into the Wall of Sound featuring new and archival interviews with those involved including P.A. mastermind and legendary LSD chemist Owsley “Bear” Stanley.
Check out the demo version of “U.S. Blues” precursor “Wave That Flag” below or on your preferred platform and pre-order the Grateful Dead From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) on a variety of formats here. See below for the full tracklist. Taper audio of the 5/12/74 show in Reno is also available.
Grateful Dead — “Wave That Flag” [Demo]
Grateful Dead — Mackay Stadium — University Of Reno, NV — 5/12/74 — Full Audio
[Audio: Jonathan Aizen]