The Basement Tapes – a new expanded compilation?

The new release of Dylan’s 1967 recording of the title track on the I’m Not There soundtrack album raises the prospect of an improved and expanded new Basement Tapes compilation.

You’ll remember that the rough and ready recordings were laid down by Dylan and The Band in Woodstock in 1967, with 24 of the 100+ recordings compiled on a double LP released in 1975. A total of 20 Dylan tracks have now been officially released; and there are many times that number on bootleg compilations, notably The Genuine Basement Tapes.

Warmy received on release, The Basement Tapes still splits aficionados: some number it among Dylan’s best work; others, somewhat less charitably, feel the tapes should have been left in the basement.

What do you think of The Basement Tapes? And what tracks would you include on an expanded Bootleg Series vol 8 – The Basement Tapes Revisited?

I’ll be proposing a 30+ track 2CD shortly, but will welcome your suggestions for inclusions, from all the recording sessions which took place in upstate New York in 1967.


Gerry Smith