Hey BobFinn, Always good to find another Dylan freak on the board. I've seen him about forty times (starting in '89) and I agree his recent shows are better than he's been at least since I've been seeing him. He just seems so much more into it. As for the talking thing, a year or two ago he sporadically made really bad, punny jokes. If you listen to old bootlegs though, he used to talk a lot. His "Halloween Masque" concert, Halloween 1964 at Carnegie Hall had a ton of gems. He introduced It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) as "It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding, Ho Ho Ho." The audience laughed and he said, "Yes, it's a very funny song." Before Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, he said, "This next song was taken from a newspaper story and nothing has been changed, except the words." Later, he was tuning his guitar and hit a very bad note. He said, "Don't let that scare you... It's just Halloween... I've got my Bob Dylan mask on..." And yes, I spend way too much time listening to Bob Dylan...
honestly, what truly inspired me the most was not one of his songs, but his spoken word poem "Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie." THats when I knew he was a genius, a true American Icon. edit: if he needs a harmonica player, I can improvise "You're gonna make lonesome....."or " All Along the Watchtower" anybody know BOb's manager?
Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie is amazing. Pretty sure he was about 21 when he wrote it. Another tidbit, which most find ridiculous, but which I love: Dylan used to always wear a hooded sweatshirt backstage. Not confirmed, but on good authority, several years ago Dylan had it in his contract rider that, while he was backstage, if his hood was down only his closest friends could talk to him. If it was up, NO ONE could talk to him.
Back in the early sixties, Dylan talked a lot during his performances. In the old days around the Village in New York, at clubs like Cafe Wha and The Gaslight, he used to act like Charlie Chaplin on stage. They say his impersonations were impressive. His "bootlegs" also reveal how much Dylan talked during shows in his younger days. Songs like "Talkin John Birch Paranoid Blues" had an introduction by Dylan. Batman, have you read Anthony Saduto's book?
Have you guys watched "The Ballad of Ramblin Jack," a documentary about Jack Elliot? Interesting film, and Bob worked with Jack in his (Bob's) earliest days. Jack hates Bob now, but I forgive them both.
I've read every Dylan biography (every Beckett biography too), I'm embarassed to say. My favorite books on Dylan though are the two that focus on the Rolling Thunder Revue (which will comprise the live tracks on Bootleg Series, v. 5, coming out soon): Larry Sloman's On the Road with Bob Dylan and Sam Shepard's Rolling Thunder Revue Logbook.
Yeah, it's a good movie. Entertaining and sometimes moving. Ramblin Jack, like many old school folkies, was and is bitter about Dylan. Can't say I blame him. Dylan soaked up all kinds of influence off of each of them (Jack especially) and was very tight with a lot of them, but blew them off. He could be a real jerk, and he certainly was to his old folkie friends. And occasionally he could be very generous towards them, quite randomly (I'm almost sure Elliot was on the Rolling Thunder Revue). He's just apparently never been terribly comfortable or successful in personal relationships, with friends or women. I recommend the movie though, even if you don't care at all about Dylan or Ramblin Jack.
I finally got to see that last month on Sundance (movie channel). Fantastic!!! Ramblin' Jack is actually the one who taught Dylan how to play like Woody. By the time Dylan got to New York, Woody was in Hospital and unable to do much. Dylan would visit him and play his songs for him. Woody took a liking to Bob. Ramblin' Jack was a MAJOR part of Dylan's early success.
isnt the next bootleg series set to be released soon? i believe it is from a tour in the mid-seventies, i remember reading. I love "Don't Look Back", D. A. Pennebaker's Cinema Verite documentary on Bob's 65-66 Euro tour. my favorite albums: "BOb Dylan"-just a man, his guitar, and his harp "BLood on The Tracks"(his watershed album in my opinion) "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" Soundtrack(knockin on heavens door) "Nashville Skyline" and "John Wesley Harding"(heavy country influence) "desire"- Emmy Lou Harris and that violin i started with "freewheelin" and "another side" I love the recording of Dylan in ROyal Albert Hall in '66 when an audience member yells "JUDAS" at Dylan(he had just began playing with full electric instruments). Dylan responded "YOure Lying!!" then he turns to the band and if you can hear him, he says "PLay F*cking LOUD!" they break into Like a Rolling Stone, and he sneers "HOW DOES IT FEEL.....?" I CANT WAIT TILL MONDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The soon to be released "Bootleg Series" volume 5, will consist of performances from the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour in the 70's.
Rolling Thunder Revue's the best of his tours, IMO. The live tracks of Isis and Romance in Durango (which, by the way, are smokin') on Biograph are from that tour. So's the rarely seen live video of Tangled Up In Blue. I can't wait.
'I don't belieeeeeve you! You're a liiiiar!' There's a good one on the John Lennon box set, too. I genuinely think he's amazing, for all sorts of reasons. I've read lots of criticism/bio literature, I've watched Don't Look Back (he was *so cool-looking* in 1966!), I've listened to the Albert Hall stuff and the old stuff and the new stuff and all kinds of stuff. I've seen him live three times and I enjoyed it a lot and thought he and his band were fantastic, hooray for the neverending tour.... but. But but but. I don't get him, really. He touches me on an intellectual, objective level and not a personal one (with a very few song/performance exceptions). I'm perfectly willing to admit that this is probably a failing on my part rather than his! I like the Beatles (way) better, I like Bowie better, I like Neil Young better, I like Costello (a fellow convoluted lyricist with a wacky voice) better... ****, I like a whole lot of obviously lesser bands (Supergrass, Super Furry Animals) better than I like Dylan. What to do? It's obviously not for want of trying on my part... Maybe I'm missing the Dylan part of my brain. Something is happening, but I don't know what it is. Do I, Batman Jones?
I saw him in Montreal Canada at the forum I think(maybe Olympic stadium. I thout it was cool with all the lighters people had and were waving in the air. I fell asleep somewhere near the end. I was only six but I remember alot it was my first concert ever
Nice one. I tried to report your post to a moderator but there was no heresy option. What's up with THAT??? It sounds like you've given him more than a game try. I'm stumped. I've never heard of someone reacting intellectually but not emotionally to Dylan. I like all those other folks you mentioned too. How do you feel about Leonard Cohen?
Why does it pain you to include Bruce Springsteen? Both Dylan and Springsteen are two of my favorite songwriters of all time.
When I first got into Dylan when I was about 18, or 19 I was so overbearing about him. I caused too many parties to come to screeching halt when I insisted people listen (man!) to "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carol," or whatever Dylan song that was blowing me away at the moment. When I was a kid my mom liked Dylan (she saw the Rolling Thunder Revue when it came to the Astrodome), but my prepubescent ears couldn't stand him. When I "got" him later on it hit me hard. I figured if I could love him anyone could. Does that make any sense? I think a little of that missionary zeal still comes out when I talk about Dylan and that may have turned off my wife (Dimsie) a bit. But, who knows? Sometimes you can admire somebody and not be fully into them. I am like that with Bruce Springsteen. You can't deny the talent, or good intentions, but I don't really respond to him for some reason. Maybe it's his weird accent...an Okie from New Jersey? Sounds like a good song to me....
Bob Dylan Madison Square Garden 11/11 1.Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum 2.Yea! Heavy and a Bottleof Bread 3.Tombstone Blues 4.The End of the Innocence 5.Things Have Changed 6.Brown Sugar 7.Masters of War 8.It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) 9.Just Like A Woman 10.Drifter's Escape 11.Shelter From The Storm 12.Old Man 13.Honest With Me 14.The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll 15.High Water 16.Mutineer 17.Bye and Bye 18.Summer Days (encore) 19.Knockin' On Heaven's Door 20.All Along The Watchtower the three cover songs were interesting. "end of the innocence"(Hornsby and Henley), "brown sugar"(Stones), and "Old Man"(neil Young) BOB WAS AMAZING. it was completely nostalgic. Bob DYlan is so cool he does covers of his OWN songs. the harmonica solo at the end of "Just Like A Woman" literally brought me to tears. my favorites were its alright ma masters of war shelter from the storm just like a woman THANK YOU BOB DYLAN
Across...the fact that he even did three covers, let alone those three, makes it a very historic performance you got to see, you lucky guy you! Bravo!
