Layoffs at Grateful Dead Productions

By now, most tapped-in Deadheads have heard that GDP is shutting its doors and outsourcing its merch business, laying off most of their longtime employees. Here’s a report supposedly from an insider (while I can’t vouch for the veracity, it’s interesting enough to pass along):

…awful news from GDP today. All 4 of the band members came to a meeting of the employees…. and explained that the decision has been made to have an outside fulfillment house take over their mail order/shipping business, and that a major downsizing will start immediately. They also said they will soon be selling the building GDP is in. It sounds like everyone will eventually get laid off, but it will be done in waves. By the time the next Almanac comes out, the
merchandise will be handled by this new outside company. They will start looking for a smaller warehouse to move a limited operation to, maybe to
include a recording studio, maybe not; maybe to include the vault, maybe not. A lot of decisions have not been made. They’re shopping for a new
record deal, and that will define some things. But it pretty much sounds like they’re winding down the whole operation…. It was a sad day. Phil
gave the “When one door closes, another door opens” rap.

Bobby was close to tears….

Really, it’s just furthur fallout from Jerry’s death – it just took 7 years to get to this point.

I heard that when Phil walked out of the room, he said to someone, “Well, that was a lot easier than I expected.” Bobby headed straight into the studio and went into rehearsals with Ratdog.

This came through unattributed, so take as you will.