Memorabilia -> G -> Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead fans, often called Dead Heads, and music memorabilia collectors can pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for items like handbills and Grateful Dead posters. Anyone not familiar with the band or the unique style of images and posters used during the band’s run might be surprised at the value of some of the items, but it comes as little surprise to collectors. While not everyone might enjoy Grateful Dead music or memorabilia, almost everyone has heard of them. And fans are particularly loyal, even though the Grateful Dead was never a popular “mainstream” band and never quite achieved the fame of many of the same bands around during its heyday.
The Grateful Dead’s lead guitarist Jerry Garcia became a well-known name in music because of his talents and his outspokenness. The group formed in San Francisco in 1964 with their original name, The Warlocks, and continued on until Garcia’s death in 1995. Grateful dead posters from their early period, particularly concert posters from the 60s and 70s, are the most rare and valuable posters available from the band.
They drew their following because of their unique type of music, which combined several different styles, and their psychedelic leanings. Drug use in the 60s among those who went to see San Francisco bands was the rule, not the exception, and because some of the bands openly used drugs, it became a sort of culture among bands and fans, and a symbol for the counterculture of the time. The Grateful Dead embraced that psychedelic stoned attitude, and became popular among those who felt the same.
Grateful Dead posters are a visual delight for fans of the 60s counterculture and all things psychedelic. Often the concert posters are dominated by the large vintage lettering, and others often feature skeletons symbolizing, “The Dead,” as the band was often called by its fans. Some of the more valuable posters feature skeletons and roses, and one features a multi-colored skull wearing a top hat—a poster that can bring from $250 to $500 at an auction.
The band came out of the same area, and was part of the collective group of bands that became popular called the San Francisco Sound, with groups like the then Jefferson Airplane (later known as Jefferson Starship, and then just Starship) and Santana. One of their most widely known songs is probably “Touch of Gray.” Fans delighted in the way the band would play for the sheer love of it “jamming” like few other bands at the time did. Grateful Dead posters from those early concerts are harder to find because the focus was so much more on the music than memorabilia at the time, not many people worried about getting them or saving them.
If you want to find vintage Grateful Dead posters online, then auctions like eBay are an excellent source. Even posters with tiny tears around the edges and minor damage can be valuable, so don’t overlook those as collector pieces.
Originally posted 2008-11-12 14:00:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
The Three Stooges Memorabilia -> Entertainment-Memorabilia -> Movie-Memorabilia The Three Stooges, years after they made their last film together, are still wildly popular with both adults and children alike. Their films are available on DVD and appear on television, they’re referenced in pop culture, and even have music dedicated to them, like...... -
Maria Callas Memorabilia -> Opera Memorabilia Maria Callas may be the best known female opera singer of our time. While Pavarotti is an internationally recognized name, Callas was the soprano whom most people had heard of. She was an American-born singer of Greek descent who came to be called La Divina by...... -
Vintage Pin-Up Posters Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia -> Posters Vintage pin-up posters represent a popular movie and magazine phase of US history. The ultimate pin-up girl was Marilyn Monroe, without whom no collection of vintage pin-ups would be complete. She was the pin-up queen of the 1950s, a sex symbol, and was considered...... -
Collecting Rare Memorabilia Right now, collecting rare memorabilia is on the rise, and this particular practice gains even more attention when it comes to collecting rare memorabilia that once belonged to a great singer, actor or actress or some other famous individual that has recently or even not so recently passed away. Why...... - The Eagles Shirt Memorabilia -> Music Memorabilia -> Eagles Band and concert shirts are one of the most popular forms of music-related collectibles, so the Eagles shirt is a highly collectible way to celebrate a band with an almost 40-year history. The Eagles formed in 1971, and have influenced rock music and the......
Related Websites - New Approach To Last Minute T-Shirt Shopping Online T-Shirt and Hat Retailer Offers New Approach To Last Minute Shopping Trendyhats.com an online retailer of t-shirts and hats will offer two days of online "Lets Make A Deal Style shopping". The companies customer service representatives will consult with last minute shoppers looking for gifts that will get there......
-
Saxophone 101 In comparison to many other types of musical instruments, the saxophone is still relatively new to the world of music. The saxophone was originally created by a man named Adolphe Sax around the year 1840, and it was first mentioned in print in a magazine article in 1842 that was...... - Robert Trujillo: Bassist for Metallica Metallica was up to the task of performing at Ozzfest this year, for they commanded the attention of the massive stadium. Robert Trujillo was rocking for over two hours with drummer Lars Ulrich, singer/guitarist James Hetfield and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, all of whom brought forth a power that made......
-
Playing Bass Guitar in a Band People choose one instrument over another, like a bass guitar over a regular guitar, for a variety of different reasons. What makes someone choose a tuba over a flute or drums over a glockenspiel is mostly just the person's preference. People choose what they like to listen to, what they...... -
Live Arizona Rock Music Show In Gilbert I will be attending the Rock Along Productions "The Age of Rock" show on Saturday November 22nd at Crabby Dons in Gilbert, Arizona. This excellent show features two of my favorite local Arizona rock bands, Razer and Daughters of Fission. They are joined with Big Mouth Mason as well as......
- AC DC A Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- Beastie Boys B Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- Ozzy Osbourne O Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- Posters Country Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
- Posters R B, Soul Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
