I’m already on an interested list for a Grateful Dead LE! It’s one of my holy grail pins, so I’m right with you. In my opinion, the greatest American rock band of all time. I know people say that the music doesn’t lend itself to pinball, but I respectfully disagree. Not everything needs to be hard rock and metal.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/we-need-a-grateful-dead-pinball

Would it stink like Patchouli Oil?

Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley and the Wailers; amazing bands. Pinball bands? Ehh. But I'd be really curious if someone took a shot at it.

My parents would have loved this machine. So would a lot of people in a dive bar.

Another one that is likely to be a near zero seller in Australia!

But any new pinball machines are good in my book

I know a great art package is just a plus for a pinball machine and doesn’t effect game play and code, but the art possibilities for a Dead pin is off the charts.

I would say a couple dead fans would cough up the coin to get one…

I personally was not a big Grateful Dead fan growing up. For me, I want a David Bowie, dream theme game. (And not a reskin, we can do that ourselves.)

But I can sure see a great theme when I see it. I have grown to appreciate the band.

Casey Jones you better watch your speed!

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The theme really has to cross over the correct pinball demographic in order to sell, no matter how much coin the band's followers have. Sterns marketing research seems pretty good at this. There may be people who hate Rush or Iron Maiden, but the pinball world as a whole gave the thumbs up. Rush is a hit already. I don't see the Dead as being a hit with the pinball buying demographic, but you never know. For the Dead Heads out there, I hope I am wrong and you get a game and it is successful for whoever produces it.

A Bowie pin would also be amazing. I’ll admit Bowie has some more high energy songs than the Dead. Again, art package options would be off the charts. A Bowie pin would be one of the few pins my gf would beg for as well.

I think you underestimate the power and allure of the Dead. If you aren’t in the scene so to speak, I don’t think you realize how many Dead fans are out there. Just my two cents.

I hope not! It’s the worst.

Why does Australia hate good music!?!? Haha. Next thing you’re going to tell me is no one would buy a Phish pinball machine.

If any band could take down the light show of GNR for a pinball machine, it’s phish.

Be grateful this title is dead

Why? Just curious. You seem to have a strong opinion.

Unfortunetly lots of pinsiders are not Deadheads and really have no clue about the following. I grew up touring with the dead and have since then seen 100+ of other performers. Nothing has compared to seeing the dead live(especially front row with Jerry) and probably never will. The Grateful Dead is in a league of their own and if they made a pinball machine it would be an instant sell out and bring tons of new life into the hobby. Dead and Company are helping the younger generation see the light as well-good stuff.

Personally, I hate the G.D. So yeah, to me it's a wasted title. I could also be quite wrong about it being a bad title? I don't know the appeal for them if it would be much outside of the U.S. ?

On the other hand I was a huge supporter of the Stern KISS pinball and was told what a shitty band they were. Well, you cant find a PRO for sale anywhere.

I guess you may or may not be right. There is no way to really know. However, even if what you are saying is true, I think the same can be said for any band. For example, I could care less about Rush and I am sure a lot of Pinsiders feel the same but my guess is that pin will sell reasonably well.

Music themed pinball machines are extremely subjective. I am a music lover and most of the music pins appeal to me, the only one that hasn't is Iron Maiden. I could not force myself into liking that one. I also really want a Van Halen machine-pretty please Stern.

I would buy a Dead or Phish pin in a heart beat. Hell, I would buy one for each location... Lol. There is a shit ton of cash that flows through these parking lots of two of the world's highest grossing touring bands. The reach of the fan base is enormous.

Phish has even had a few pinball themed concert posters. Is it just a matter of time? We shall see.

A friend of mine just built a high tech virtual machine and one of the tables is the Grateful Dead, when I play it-there is some serious head nodding/shaking going on. The music definitely jives with pinball.

A debate for another day and another thread, but I suspect most of us down here in the pinball community grew up in the pub rock era.

Prog rock and endless guitar solos would have led to bloodshed in most establishments where music was played. And don’t start us on anything that might be deemed “hippie music”.

But it’s horses for courses. Plenty of my friends don’t want to play GNR, IMDN or LZ at my place because they are indifferent to the bands. My wife will only play the latter

As for Phish, isn’t that a card game?

Yep. Phish and GD pins won’t be for you. Shame.

The game would need to ooze LSD through the flipper buttons, absorbing into the skin.

The best dead is live dead! Will the dead live on in a pin idk but definitely by the campfire on a mountain.