User:Deadrelix

Les Kippel went to his first Grateful Dead concert in 1971 and was hooked. He obsessed over a way to bring the music home with him, and The First Free Underground Grateful Dead Tape Exchange was born after he took a tape machine to his very next show. Relix Magazine evolved from an effort to unite tapers of Grateful Dead shows on a broader scale.

Toni Brown went to see the Grateful Dead in June, 1969. By 1980, she took on the task of editing Relix Magazine, Kippel's publication that focused on the Dead Head scene and "intelligent music alternatives." As owner, Publisher and Editorial Director, Brown effectively helped the improvisational jamband scene flourish. Phish, Blues Traveler, String Cheese Incident, moe., Widespread Panic, Dark Star Orchestra, Joan Osborne, and dozens of other successful artists were initially exposed to an international audience through Relix.

RELIX RECORDS Relix Records was started by Kippel and Brown in 1980, at the urging of Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter. One of the earliest Independent labels, it was a natural offshoot of the magazine-a way to get non-commercial music to a wider listening audience. Relix Records became the home of such artists as Hot Tuna, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Flying Burrito Brothers, Robert Hunter, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Johnny Winter, Grateful Dead offshoot projects, Max Creek, Merl Saunders and many others.

TONI BROWN - PERFORMER (www.tonibrownband.com) Toni Brown began her musical career in 1995, and has been recording and touring since. She has played on some of the most prestigious stages in the nation, and toured in Japan, France and the Caribbean. She plays with a variety of musicians, and has appeared and recorded with many of the artists she worked with during her twenty-plus years with Relix. Releases include Blue Morning (Relix), Dare to Dream (Relix) and the beautiful acoustic Rabbit Hole Soul (Jam 'Til Dawn Music). She is currently touring and working on her next CD.

Relix Magazine was sold in 2000 to new owners and Les semi - retired to Florida. Toni is still active with her music career and has been writing a few books about the history of the Grateful Dead and San Francisoc music.