“Dead reunion at Kezar” Photo Credit: © PETER SIMON/petersimon.com
In October 1974, the Grateful Dead had established an undeniable following that cemented their status as cultural iconoclasts, bred from the beatnik movement’s rejection of conformity. A tribe of originalists with nearly a decade of gigs under their belts, the band performed what they believed was their final stint of concerts at San Francisco’s Winterland, dubbed the “farewell run.” What followed was a self-imposed hiatus, which would come to an end a year later with the surprise release of Blues for Allah.
Emerging on September 1, 1975, the original collection of music presented essential compositions, including the three-movement suite: “Help On The Way” / “Slipknot!” and “Franklin’s Tower,” a still cherished piece in the Dead’s catalog. Surfacing as a fan favorite, Blues for Allah houses the group’s concert anthem, the John Perry Barlow and Bobby Weir co-write, “The Music Never Stopped,” the eastern influenced title track, and striking instrumentals: “King Solomon’s Marbles,” “Sand Castles and Glass Camels,” and the light and fluttery “Sage & Spirit.”
Now, in recognition of Blues for Allah’s 50th anniversary, a deluxe edition of the Grateful Dead’s eighth studio album has been remastered and prepared for release on September 12, 2025. The revisited collection will be available as a 3CD set and on digital streaming platforms. It features a newly remastered version of the original album by Grammy Award-winning engineer David Glasser. He sourced from the original analog tapes, which underwent speed correction and tape restoration by Plangent Processes.
As a significant inclusion in the forthcoming release, the revisited set turns over 2 hours of previously unreleased recordings. Included is the band’s August 12, 1975, soundcheck at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall, which captures renditions of album features: “Sage & Spirit,” “Help On The Way,” “Slipknot!,” and “Franklin’s Tower.” As an added feature, performances from the group’s June 21, 1976, show at the Tower Theatre in Pennsylvania draw attention to five Blues for Allah tracks, and “Eyes of the World.”
A final feature of the collection turns over song selections from Bill Graham’s SNACK (Students Need Athletics, Culture, and Kicks) Benefit at Kezar Stadium on March 23, 1975, previously included on the 2004 Beyond Description box set’s Bonus Disc. It also housed one of only three known live performances of the “King Solomon’s Marbles.” Vinyl enthusiasts can purchase a 180-gram black picture disc and limited-edition “Midnight Fire” custom vinyl, exclusive to Dead.net.
The first single from the revisited set, “The Music Never Stopped,” is now available to stream. Grateful Dead Legacy Manager and Archivist David Lemieux commented, “This fanciful take of life on the road, the journey of Dead Heads, and the magic the Grateful Dead brought from town to town was a fan favorite every time it was played.”
Blues for Allah represented a studio reset for the band, who tried a different approach to making this set by rejecting the pre-writing process and allowing the songs to emerge in the moment. “The whole idea was to get back to that band thing, where the band makes the main contribution to the evolution of the material,” Garcia explained.
Working at Bobby Weir’s home studio, which had just enough space to house the ensemble and their equipment, the session evolved into an intimate exchange of ideas, characterized by an exploratory approach that pushed the boundaries of what they were capable of generating.
“Blues for Allah is the Dead’s unique vision, a deeply humane parable that framed their own artistic renewal in the most inclusive, expansive terms,” writes Nicholas G. Meriwether, Executive Director of the Grateful Dead Studies Association and author of the set’s liner notes. “Fifty years later, it remains one of their most musically successful and resolutely experimental albums.”
Listen to the 2025 remastered cut of “The Music Never Stopped” here.
BLUES FOR ALLAH (50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION)
3CD Track Listing
Disc One
2025 Remaster
“Help On The Way” / “Slipknot!”
“Franklin’s Tower”
“King Solomon’s Marbles”
Part I: “Stronger Than Dirt”
Part II: “Milkin’ The Turkey”
“The Music Never Stopped”
“Crazy Fingers”
“Sage & Spirit”
“Blues For Allah”
“Sand Castles & Glass Camels”
“Unusual Occurrences In The Desert”
Disc Two
Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA Soundcheck/Rehearsal (8/12/75)
“Help On The Way” >
“Slipknot!”
“Franklin’s Tower”
“Help On The Way” >
“Slipknot!”
“Franklin’s Tower”
“King Solomon’s Marbles”
“Crazy Fingers”
“Sage And Spirit”
Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, CA (3/23/75)
“Blues For Allah”
“Stronger Than Dirt (Or Milkin’ The Turkey)”
“Drums”
“Stronger Than Dirt (Or Milkin’ The Turkey)”
“Blues For Allah”
Disc Three
Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA (6/21/76 and 6/22/76)
“The Music Never Stopped”
“Help On The Way” >
“Slipknot!” >
“Franklin’s Tower”
“Crazy Fingers”
“Comes A Time”
“Eyes Of The World” >
“Dancing In The Street”
Content shared from relix.com.