High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Wake of the Flood is the sixth studio album by the Grateful Dead. It was recorded between August 4 and September 1, 1973 and originally released on October 15, 1973. It was the first release under the band`s own label, Grateful Dead Records, after fulfilling their contract with Warner Bros. Records. It was their first full-length studio album in nearly three years, since 1970`s American Beauty. It was also the first studio album without Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, who had recently died. His absence and new piano player Keith Godchaux`s tendency towards jazz (rather than McKernan`s tendency towards the blues) changed the band`s sound.