Arista Records Releases Grateful Dead Retrospective

A five-CD, 42-track retrospective of the Grateful Dead's career titled "So Many Roads (1965-1995)" was released Tuesday (11/9) on Arista Records. The album will be made up entirely of previously unreleased material, according to the label.

Most of the box set is culled from live performances, including the band's last concert in 1995. Also included are the final original compositions recorded by the band, represented by in-studio performances and rehearsals.

The package will include previously unpublished photos as well as essays by journalists and Dead scholars, including Eric Pooley of Time, ''Night Beat'' author Mikal Gilmore, and David Gans, host of radio's ''Grateful Dead Hour.''

As part of the promotional push for the box set, a series of previously unreleased bonus tracks have been made available for download at the official Grateful Dead website.

In other Dead-related news, bassist Phil Lesh has opened his fall tour with Bob Dylan sans his usual guitar player, Steve Kimock. In Kimock's place is the young guitarist Derek Trucks. According to Trucks' official website, several previously scheduled Derek Trucks Band dates have been postponed to accommodate the Dylan/Lesh tour: Lynagh's Music Club in Lexington, Ky., Barrelhouse Brewing Company in Cincinnati, Magic Bag Theatre Cafe in Ferndale, Mich., Graffiti Showcase in Pittsburgh, Pa., and The Comfort Zone in Toronto. New dates for the shows haven't been announced.