Jerry Garcia’s infamous confrontation with Phil Lesh during a 1968 Carousel Ballroom performance became one of the most repeated stories in Grateful Dead history — and the tape from that night became part of Anthem of the Sun.
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Subscribe on YouTubeThe Shakedown Archives draws on the following primary documents, archival recordings, and biographical sources. Direct citations for specific claims appear inline in the text above where available.
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In late 1967, Warner Bros. warned the Grateful Dead they’d never be “truly important.” Their answer was Anthem of the Sun — the record that nearly bankrupted them and defined everything after. Warner Bros. executive Joe Smith wrote it plainly to their manager: the band had made themselves undesirable in nearly every studio in Los…
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