A Long Strange Trip Through the Evolution of Fan Production, Fan

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A Long Strange Trip Through the Evolution of Fan Production, Fan Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 2017 A Long Strange Trip through the Evolution of Fan Production, Fan-Branding, and Historical Representation in the Grateful Dead Online Archive Anna Richardson Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in Communication Studies at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Richardson, Anna, "A Long Strange Trip through the Evolution of Fan Production, Fan-Branding, and Historical Representation in the Grateful Dead Online Archive" (2017). Masters Theses. 2694. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2694 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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A Long Strange Trip through the Evolution of Fan Production, Fan-Branding, and Historical Representation in the Grateful Dead Online Archive (TITLE) BY Anna Richardson THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Master of Arts in Communication Studies IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS 2017 YEAR I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THIS THESIS BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE GRADUATE DEGREE CITED ABOVE �/3/{7 s I �1 rr- l-=R'fESIS COMMITTEE CHAIR DATE DEPARTMENT/SCHOOL CHAIR DATE OR CHAIR'S DESIGNEE s:/J)12' THESIS COMMITTEE MEMBER DATE THESIS COMMITTEE MEMBER DATE S-/-S(/7 THESIS COMMITTEE MEMBER DATE THESIS COMMITTEE MEMBER DATE RUNNING HEAD: A LONG STRANGE TRIP A Long Strange Trip through the Evolution of Fan Production, Fan-Branding, and Historical Representation in the Grateful Dead Online Archive Anna Richardson Eastern Illinois University Department of Communication Studies 2017 A LONG STRANGE TRIP 1 Copyright 2017 by Anna Richardson A LONG STRANGE TRIP 2 Abstract This study explores how a digital music archivete lls the story and contributes to the public memory of cult bands. Utilizing the Grateful Dead Archive Online (GDAO) as the primary data source,the researcher obtained a population of 26,835 items and categorized themby the production method of fan or band, item type, era, and logo. Content analysis illustrated themes withinthe archive in relation to the fannish production andactivity within the fandom of the Grateful Dead. The span of this specific fandom spreads across fivedecades and sheds light onto the ways in which the fandom surrounding cult bands has evolved due to emergent technologies in the digital era. Specifically,the findings of this study demonstrate that the era totals within the archive do not correspond with the band's popularitydue to a significantincrease of items representing the 1980s witha total of 10,653 items and the 1990s with a total of 12,775 items. These high numbers result fromthe band's mainstreamimpact and a eulogizing functionfor Jerry Garciain 1995. The impact co-branding had on this iconic brand through the diversity in fan-branding and logo utilization furtherblurs the lines between producers and consumers in the Grateful Dead fan community. Findings also demonstratedthe implications of what history chooses to remember throughthe archivingpr ocess that can be attributed to what Williams(19 61) refersto as "retro culture" in the digital era. This study further illustrates the gaps within the archival history of the Grateful Dead due to the selection process involved in digital archiving. Finally,this studydemon strates the ways in which fandom is constantlyin flux between the public andprivate spheres and how the implementation of anofficia l online archive furtherblurs these distinctions. The archiving contained within the Grateful Dead Archive Online preserves history forfuture generations and A LONG STRANGE TRIP 3 provides a definitive account of the band and its surrounding fandom. The archive will be all that is leftonce the original band members and Deadheads are no longer with us. The legacy of this cultural phenomenon is formed and preserved by the archive and will be taken as the official history, despite any gaps that are left in the collection. This study contributesto the field ofcommunication by dissecting the radical public relations and branding strategies that were employed by the Grateful Dead and how the fan community personalized this brand and made it their own. Additionally, this study maps the evolution of fandom in eras of emergent technological advances and it interrogatesthe ways in which history is preserved and communicatedto future scholars and fans. Keywords: the Grateful Dead, Fandom, Deadheads, Collecting, Branding, Co-Branding, Digital Archives A LONG STRANGE TRIP 4 Acknowledgments Dr. Scott Walus: Thankyou foryour encouraging words, your patience, and your expertise. It has been a great experience being able to work side by side with an advisor who appreciates music culture as much as I do. This project would not have been possible without your constantmotivation and feedback. Dr. Matthew Gill and Dr. Stephen King: Thankyou for yourinterest in this project and your constructivefe edback in each phase of the process to help me get this thesis to where it needed to be. Mom and Dad: Thankyou foryour unwavering support and encouragement - even when I let stress get the best of me. Yourkind words and positivity have helped me more than you know. Connor: Thankyou for beinga friendwhen I needed one most andnever allowing me to doubt myself. You have been my rock the past two years and I couldn't have done it without you. This experience would not have been nearly as special without you by my side each step of the way. Kendall andKatlyn: Thank you foralways believing in me and constantly remindingme thatI could do it. Your constant love and support was vital throughoutthis process. A special thanksto thecommunity of Grateful Dead scholarsand fan s. Scholarship of this nature would not be possible withoutyour fervent dedication andenthusiasm forthe greatest cult band of all time. Keep on truckin'! A LONG STRANGE TRIP 5 Table of Contents Abstract........................................................... ....................................................................2 Acknowledgm.ents... ...........................................................................................................4 Table of Figures.................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter 1: Introduction....... ................................................................................................ 7 Rationale and Justification........................... ..................................................................15
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