A new Grateful Dead documentary called “Long Strange Trip” got great reviews, and surprised even longtime Deadheads for its comprehensive look into America’s first jam band.
Amazon Prime will debuted the four-hour long documentary on June 2, 2017, a week after its limited release in theaters.
In theaters, the film was shown with an intermission. When Amazon acquired the documentary earlier this year, the company suggested “Long Strange Trip“ would be broken up into episodes.
How can I watch the Grateful Dead documentary?
Amazon Prime subscribers can watch “Long Strange Trip” for free as part of their subscription.
You can get an Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
Amazon released a two-disc soundtrack for “Long Strange Trip”. The 19 tracks include remastered cuts from shows across the globe, capturing some of the band’s most dynamic live performances.
You can buy some singles, or the full album in MP3 format and audio CD. Dead fans can also stream the soundtrack using a free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited.
Background on Long Strange Trip: The Untold Story of The Grateful Dead
The Dead is known best for its live shows, playing a stream-of-consciousness style of music that mixed rock, blues, folk, soul, R&B, jazz, country and gospel.
The film was directed by Amir Bar-Lev, known best for his documentary, “The Tillman Story”. Amazon Studios acquired the production rights earlier this year.
The 30-year odyssey of the Grateful Dead was the most unlikely success story in rock and roll history. Famously averse to publicity, seemingly incapable of recording radio-friendly hits, the Dead flouted music-industry convention. By giving their live music away to a global network of tape traders, The Grateful Dead became the highest-grossing concert act in America on word of mouth alone.
Bar-Lev unearths the untold history of the Dead and the freewheeling psychedelic subculture that sprouted up around it.
The New York Times gave “Long Strange Trip“ a decent review and followed up with a sit-down interview with Bar-Lev, a self-confessed Deadhead.
The film covers the teenage years of bandleader Jerry Garcia and gives insight into how he disdained being at the helm of a sprawling organization that kept the show on the road.
The Dead’s four surviving members – Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart – are credited as executive producers. They all sat down for candid interviews along with members of the road crew, family members and notable Deadheads.
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This article was published May 30, 2017, and has been updated.
Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
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