Neal Cassady and the Grateful Dead - July 23, 1967
Straight Theater - San Francisco, CA

Source Info:

track 1 - aud recording > ?? > CD > wav > flac
track 2 - aud recording > ?? > flexi-disc > ?? > cassette x? > wav > flac

Setlist:
d1t1 - Neal Cassady backed by the Dead// (longer version)
d1t2 - Neal Cassady backed by the Dead// (shorter version from flexi-disc via Sorochty's cassette)

The Dead jam in the background as Cassady raps. They eventually begin to play Lovelight before the recording cuts off.

Notes:

Track 1 is longer and contains three short sections that were edited out for the flexi-disc included in first printings of Hank Harrison's book.

Track 2 is shorter and traces back to an old transfer of a copy of the flexi-disc. The source for the file is Dave Sorochty's unknown gen cassette.

An html web page containing an annotated transcript of the flexi-disc is included in this torrent. The flexidisc transcript is in the left column, and the right column contains an attempt at a transcript by Sorochty of the three sections missing from the flexi-disc.

There have been two other versions of this recording included in previous shn/flac sets - both are incomplete:

The first is only about 2:12 in length, and traces back to the longer version. It contains a bit of the material not found on the flexi-disc and then cuts off right after: "They were, they were German you know. So I. He's sick, 2, 2-4, 4-4//" This was included in three of Alan Bershaw's acid test compilations - shn/flac set numbers 5406, 5411, and 5418. All contained the same exact shn file (same exact md5).

The second is only about 8:17 in length, and also cuts off. This copy traces back to the flexi-disc. It was filler in gd67-11-10.sbd.sacks.1612. It is side A of the flexi-disc followed by side B up to: "but no water polo...what are we gonna...? you all are surrounded...I've never found who was//"

Some information on the flexi-disc From an old internet auction of Harrison's book (despite what it says below, it was actually double sided):

Manufactured By– Eva-Tone Soundsheets– EV-97721AX1

Flexi-disc, 7", 33 ? RPM, Single Sided, Clear, Square

Included with the first edition of "The Dead Book. A Social History Of The Grateful Dead" by Hank Harrison (published in 1973 by Links Books, New York - London, ISBN: 0-8256-3001-0).

from the last page: 'This recording represents the voice of Neal Cassady at the grand opening of the Straight Theater in September 1967. Neal went to Mexico shortly after this recording was made, and he never returned. (...) This recording is an edited version of a longer performance. The Grateful Dead are in the background making Prankster music and the totality is reminiscent of the acid tests.'

Dave Sorochty August 17, 2013