Dick Latvala

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dick Latvala (26 July 1943 - 6 August 1999) was a tape archivist for the Grateful Dead. He started the CD series Dick's Picks, an ongoing series that selects live music from Grateful Dead concerts. The first volume of Dick's Picks was released in 1993. The series was continued after Latvala's death, with later volumes being selected by David Lemieux. As of 2005, 36 volumes are available.

While living in Hawaii, Latvala got into tape trading, and after moving to the mainland in the late 1970s, he befriended the Grateful Dead's roadies. This led to odd jobs at the Dead's Front Street office, where his encyclopedic knowledge and excellent taste in tapes led to his 1985 appointment as official Grateful Dead archivist.

Dick Latvala died following a heart attack at age 56.

[edit] Controversy

On January 10, 1999, Latvala posted a message to the dead.net message board which caused a lot of controversy. The post read:

In regard to post #1309, by the Big Bopper, i have to say that "not only do I hate all Jews, I hate all Nazis, but I hate all spics niggers wopes cunts and most specialally Jew-fucks from the city of New York City, who think they have the answers to all questions related to the G.D. If you idiots think that you are somehow uniquer and special, then I say that you are full of shit. There are only human beings, and all those other dvisions such as race, gender, nationality, are only excuses to continue to divide us. So screw you rscist ass wipes. [1]

4 days later Latvala posted an apology. [2]