Grateful Dead Preps ‘From The Mars Hotel’ 50th Anniversary Reissue Featuring Previously Unreleased Demos & Live Show

The Grateful Dead will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their 1974 studio album, From The Mars Hotel, by releasing a newly remastered reissue of the LP on June 21 via Rhino complete with unearthed material from the vault. A never-before-heard demo of “Wave That Flag,” the song that became “U.S. Blues,” has been shared to preview From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition).

From The Mars Hotel was the second album the band self-released on their own Grateful Dead Records label. The follow-up to 1973’s Wake Of The Flood features a number of songs that became staples for the Dead including “Scarlet Begonias,” “China Doll,” “U.S. Blues” and “Ship Of Fools.” The album arrived as the band was performing at huge venues with their massive Wall of Sound system comprised of over 600 speakers.

From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) collects remastered audio of the original album by Grammy-winning engineer David Glaser, demos of “China Doll” and “Wave That Flag” along with previously unreleased audio of the band’s May 12, 1974 concert at the University of Nevada-Reno. The first Wall of Sound show since March ’74 was held at a large football stadium with highlights including a stellar “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider,” uptempo “Truckin'” and outstanding “The Other One” that featured a “Mind Left Body Jam.”

The reissue is due out in 3CD, digital and vinyl formats. Pre-orders for From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) are underway at Dead.net.

Tomorrow, the ninth season of the Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast begins. The official Grateful Dead podcast will deep dive into From The Mars Hotel and tell the tale of the Wall of Sound.

Debuted live by the Grateful Dead in February 1973, “Wave That Flag” was penned by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter. The band played the song over a dozen times through June 1973 before reworking the tune into the beloved “U.S. Blues.” Stream the “Wave That Flag” demo below:

From The Mars Hotel (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) Tracklist

Disc 1

1. U.S. Blues
2. China Doll
3. Unbroken Chain
4. Loose Lucy
5. Scarlet Begonias
6. Pride Of Cucamonga
7. Money Money
8. Ship Of Fools
9. China Doll (Demo)
10. Wave That Flag (Demo)

Disc 2

-Live From The University Of Nevada-Reno, 5/12/74-

1. Sugaree
2. Mexicali Blues
3. Tennessee Jed
4. Jack Straw
5. Brown-Eyed Women
6. Beat It On Down The Line
7. China Cat Sunflower>
8. I Know You Rider
9. El Paso
10. U.S. Blues
11. Greatest Story Ever Told
12. It Must Have Been The Roses
13. Me And Bobby McGee

Disc 3

-Live From The University Of Nevada-Reno, 5/12/74-

1. Deal
2. Around And Around
3. Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
4. Truckin’>
5. The Other One>
6. Row Jimmy
7. Big River
8. Ship Of Fools
9. Sugar Magnolia