Like most Anglo readers of the Dylan Daily, I’m delighted that BBC Radio bought both series of the magnificent Theme Time Radio Hour – so delighted that I’ve listened to all 60-odd broadcasts so far.
And I appreciate BBC policy in using TTRH to persuade new listeners to sample its 6 Music digital station – it certainly worked with me – before reaching out to a much bigger audience on Radio 2.
But I’m less impressed by the way BBC have relentlessly shifted the stations/slots on which they broadcast Uncle Bob’s lovely series.
This week’s schedules, for example:
Thurs 29 May
2300 Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan (Series 1 - Devil) – BBC Radio 2
Fri 30 May
2100 Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan (Series 2 – Dreams) – BBC 6 Music
Sun 1 June
2400 Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan (Series 2 - ??) – BBC 6 Music
Bewildered? So am I. Keep missing broadcasts? Me too.
And I’ll be disappointed if the Sunday midnight graveyard slot is the permanent new home on 6 Music: thanks to DJ Zim, Friday night had become music night, all over again.
Gerry Smith
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
BOBMANIA #20-23: Lots of Bob bashes – Donegal, California, NH, India
Lots of Bob bashes to mark Dylan’s 67th birthday:
* Thanks to Teresa Conboy:
“Thought you would like to read the review:
http://www.easyreadernews.com/story.php?StoryID=20033509
* Thanks to Patrick in DC:
“Dave Cox has done it again: 2 hours of amazing Dylan cuts played on New Hampshire radio in celebration of Bob's bday.
“Fans can stream it here:
http://www.wunh.org/index.php?menutype=Schedule/Listen&page=listen.php&day=6¤thour=10&hours=2
* Thanks to Gerry McLaughlin:
“Stuck Inside of Moville - Ireland's only DylanFest - is on again this year - bigger and better.
“Details are here:
www.CraicOn.com/Moville
and some of the bands can be heard here
www.MySpace.com/DylanFest2008
* And thanks to Bob Munro, in Christchurch, NZ:
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=aYf32E06zUU
Gerry Smith
* Thanks to Teresa Conboy:
“Thought you would like to read the review:
http://www.easyreadernews.com/story.php?StoryID=20033509
* Thanks to Patrick in DC:
“Dave Cox has done it again: 2 hours of amazing Dylan cuts played on New Hampshire radio in celebration of Bob's bday.
“Fans can stream it here:
http://www.wunh.org/index.php?menutype=Schedule/Listen&page=listen.php&day=6¤thour=10&hours=2
* Thanks to Gerry McLaughlin:
“Stuck Inside of Moville - Ireland's only DylanFest - is on again this year - bigger and better.
“Details are here:
www.CraicOn.com/Moville
and some of the bands can be heard here
www.MySpace.com/DylanFest2008
* And thanks to Bob Munro, in Christchurch, NZ:
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=aYf32E06zUU
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Iceland show: “scorching”
Thanks to José M. Tirado:
“I saw Dylan here last night, the fifth time in 34 years, and this may have been the best show ever.
“While his voice was scratchy at times, on songs like “Netti Moore”, “Spirit on the Water” and especially, “When the Deal Goes Down”, there was a poignancy in his delivery usually not seen.
“I was right upfront, on the security railing and got a chance to see all his cues with the band (who were tighter than the Band was in 1974) and the smiling asides and mugging Dylan occasionally did. He entered the stage with what appeared to be a slight limp and spent some time adjusting the back of his pants – I suspected he had a back brace of some kind.
“Still he was energetic, sincere and the rocking numbers (”"Rollin and Tumblin”, “The Levee´s Gonna Break” and “Highway 61 Revisited”) were raucous and well-received. It was touching to see him after all these years (I last saw him with Tom Petty in Japan around 1986-87) but I´d say all in all this band are beyond dynamite and if he keeps working with them we will be seeing years of great music ahead.
“And scorching live shows!
“I saw Dylan here last night, the fifth time in 34 years, and this may have been the best show ever.
“While his voice was scratchy at times, on songs like “Netti Moore”, “Spirit on the Water” and especially, “When the Deal Goes Down”, there was a poignancy in his delivery usually not seen.
“I was right upfront, on the security railing and got a chance to see all his cues with the band (who were tighter than the Band was in 1974) and the smiling asides and mugging Dylan occasionally did. He entered the stage with what appeared to be a slight limp and spent some time adjusting the back of his pants – I suspected he had a back brace of some kind.
“Still he was energetic, sincere and the rocking numbers (”"Rollin and Tumblin”, “The Levee´s Gonna Break” and “Highway 61 Revisited”) were raucous and well-received. It was touching to see him after all these years (I last saw him with Tom Petty in Japan around 1986-87) but I´d say all in all this band are beyond dynamite and if he keeps working with them we will be seeing years of great music ahead.
“And scorching live shows!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Euro 08 tour starts in Iceland
No reviews received by Dylan Daily so far, but the setlist on Bill Pagel’s boblinks.com site suggests predictions made here last week were more or less correct.
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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Europe 2008 – NET preview
Dylan starts the Europe 2008 leg of his Never Ending Tour (NET) next Monday, in Iceland. He plays 15 countries – eastern, northern and southern Europe, but not the Bobfan heartland in NW Europe, Germany, Benelux, N France or England - finishing in Portugal on 11 July.
It marks the twentieth anniversary of the tour, which started in Concord, California in June 1988.
The short warm-up tour now finishing in NE US/Maritime Provinces gives an idea of what to expect:
· same band as in recent years, with Dylan on keyboards, not guitar
· similar rotating setlist of 17 songs (from about 50), played over about 90 minutes, and almost equally split between promoting the last three albums and revisiting classic repertoire
· multi-generational audience, with teens/twenties as numerous as ageing greybeards.
Sounds wonderful to me – just wish I was going. If you’re lucky enough to see a gig, please remember to send The Dylan Daily a brief review/setlist.
Gerry Smith
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Europe 2008 – NET preview
Dylan starts the Europe 2008 leg of his Never Ending Tour (NET) next Monday, in Iceland. He plays 15 countries – eastern, northern and southern Europe, but not the Bobfan heartland in NW Europe, Germany, Benelux, N France or England - finishing in Portugal on 11 July.
It marks the twentieth anniversary of the tour, which started in Concord, California in June 1988.
The short warm-up tour now finishing in NE US/Maritime Provinces gives an idea of what to expect:
· same band as in recent years, with Dylan on keyboards, not guitar
· similar rotating setlist of 17 songs (from about 50), played over about 90 minutes, and almost equally split between promoting the last three albums and revisiting classic repertoire
· multi-generational audience, with teens/twenties as numerous as ageing greybeards.
Sounds wonderful to me – just wish I was going. If you’re lucky enough to see a gig, please remember to send The Dylan Daily a brief review/setlist.
Gerry Smith
Monday, May 26, 2008
Dylan & The Dead: energising, engaging
We celebrated Zimday, 24 May, by travelling to see tribute band Back Pages in a Norfolk pub. Enjoyable gig, Mr Bamford, thanks again. To help pass a tedious five hour return drive through the agro-industrial badlands, we played some of the official live releases.
As always, Hard Rain blew my socks off. Never fails. Punk before punk.
Before The Flood was a thoroughly engaging shout-athon. No change there, then.
But the albums which draw most flak were just as enjoyable. Real Live, with its quaint stadium rock aesthetic, inspired a gutsy community sing-along in the BMW as it cruised effortlessly back through the North Norfolk night, disturbing the sleep only of the 2008 sugar beet crop.
The highlight, though, was Dylan & The Dead. The critical consensus chalked it as a failure. Wrong call: as driving music, Dylan & The Dead is a blast.
The shuffling Dead-beats energise the vocal performances. The hypnotic version of Queen Jane Approximately has to be one of the highlights of all Dylan’s live recordings. The rest is pretty engaging, too, with the ill-advised Joey the only weakness. If only Dylan & The Dead were twice as long.
Rave on that 67–year old. Welcome, once again, to Europe.
Gerry Smith
As always, Hard Rain blew my socks off. Never fails. Punk before punk.
Before The Flood was a thoroughly engaging shout-athon. No change there, then.
But the albums which draw most flak were just as enjoyable. Real Live, with its quaint stadium rock aesthetic, inspired a gutsy community sing-along in the BMW as it cruised effortlessly back through the North Norfolk night, disturbing the sleep only of the 2008 sugar beet crop.
The highlight, though, was Dylan & The Dead. The critical consensus chalked it as a failure. Wrong call: as driving music, Dylan & The Dead is a blast.
The shuffling Dead-beats energise the vocal performances. The hypnotic version of Queen Jane Approximately has to be one of the highlights of all Dylan’s live recordings. The rest is pretty engaging, too, with the ill-advised Joey the only weakness. If only Dylan & The Dead were twice as long.
Rave on that 67–year old. Welcome, once again, to Europe.
Gerry Smith
Friday, May 23, 2008
A Darker Shade Of Pale: A Backdrop To Bob Dylan - writer Wilfrid Mellers dies
I was saddened to read this week of the death of composer/writer/academic Wilfrid Mellers, latterly Professor Of Music at York University.
The best known of his 20-odd books are celebrations of Bach and Beethoven, but A Darker Shade Of Pale: A Backdrop To Bob Dylan (Faber, 1984, 255pp, long out of print) is the Mellers book with which I’m most familiar.
It’s arranged in two parts. The first is a masterly outline of the range of American musics which inspired Zim; the second is a thoughtful dissection of the first twenty years of Dylan albums. I’ve bought most Dylan books over the years; I missed Mellers’ A Darker Shade Of Pale: big mistake.
Uniquely among the music academics I’ve encountered, Mellers was passionately interested all musics, not just the European art variety. He wrote accessibly - for those beyond, as well as within, the conservatoire. And he contextualised his musician subjects by explaining the times and societies from which they sprang.
May he rest in peace.
Gerry Smith
The best known of his 20-odd books are celebrations of Bach and Beethoven, but A Darker Shade Of Pale: A Backdrop To Bob Dylan (Faber, 1984, 255pp, long out of print) is the Mellers book with which I’m most familiar.
It’s arranged in two parts. The first is a masterly outline of the range of American musics which inspired Zim; the second is a thoughtful dissection of the first twenty years of Dylan albums. I’ve bought most Dylan books over the years; I missed Mellers’ A Darker Shade Of Pale: big mistake.
Uniquely among the music academics I’ve encountered, Mellers was passionately interested all musics, not just the European art variety. He wrote accessibly - for those beyond, as well as within, the conservatoire. And he contextualised his musician subjects by explaining the times and societies from which they sprang.
May he rest in peace.
Gerry Smith
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Europe 2008 – NET preview
Dylan starts the Europe 2008 leg of his Never Ending Tour (NET) next Monday, in Iceland. He plays 15 countries – eastern, northern and southern Europe, but not the Bobfan heartland in NW Europe, Germany, Benelux, N France or England - finishing in Portugal on 11 July.
It marks the twentieth anniversary of the tour, which started in Concord, California in June 1988.
The short warm-up tour now finishing in NE US/Maritime Provinces gives an idea of what to expect:
· same band as in recent years, with Dylan on keyboards, not guitar
· similar rotating setlist of 17 songs (from about 50), played over about 90 minutes, and almost equally split between promoting the last three albums and revisiting classic repertoire
· multi-generational audience, with teens/twenties as numerous as ageing greybeards.
Sounds wonderful to me – just wish I was going. If you’re lucky enough to see a gig, please remember to send The Dylan Daily a brief review/setlist.
Gerry Smith
It marks the twentieth anniversary of the tour, which started in Concord, California in June 1988.
The short warm-up tour now finishing in NE US/Maritime Provinces gives an idea of what to expect:
· same band as in recent years, with Dylan on keyboards, not guitar
· similar rotating setlist of 17 songs (from about 50), played over about 90 minutes, and almost equally split between promoting the last three albums and revisiting classic repertoire
· multi-generational audience, with teens/twenties as numerous as ageing greybeards.
Sounds wonderful to me – just wish I was going. If you’re lucky enough to see a gig, please remember to send The Dylan Daily a brief review/setlist.
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Don't Look Back Deluxe Edition: Dylan product @ bargain prices #1
Thanks to Liam Mogan:
“Following the release of the Don't Look Back Deluxe Tour Edition last year I scoured my local outlets looking for one at a reasonable price. They were pretty scarce up here in Yorkshire, with the only one I could find priced at £39.99.
“I was sure the price would fall and it would be available more widely. As you probably know, I was wrong.
“However, today I got my reward for being patient. A newly opened cd/dvd store called Spin has appeared in my home town in the last few weeks. They were offering special prices on dvd boxsets and Don't Look Back Tour Ed was there for £8.00!
“Not only that it, was also a BOGOF offer and I got The Concert for Bangledesh Special Edition box - free! By my reckoning, I have saved about £50.00.
“You can't beat a bargain!”
“Following the release of the Don't Look Back Deluxe Tour Edition last year I scoured my local outlets looking for one at a reasonable price. They were pretty scarce up here in Yorkshire, with the only one I could find priced at £39.99.
“I was sure the price would fall and it would be available more widely. As you probably know, I was wrong.
“However, today I got my reward for being patient. A newly opened cd/dvd store called Spin has appeared in my home town in the last few weeks. They were offering special prices on dvd boxsets and Don't Look Back Tour Ed was there for £8.00!
“Not only that it, was also a BOGOF offer and I got The Concert for Bangledesh Special Edition box - free! By my reckoning, I have saved about £50.00.
“You can't beat a bargain!”
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Alias Bob Dylan/Under The Red Sky
Thanks to Martin Cowan:
Not sure if you have mentioned this new Dylan book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alias-Bob-Dylan-Rex-Collections/dp/190528750X
Came across it in my local Waterstone's and it's noteworthy because it includes some fine recent photos of Dylan on stage. Well worth a look.
Also, the latest issue of The Word magazine has a feature on a number of producers talking about their work on seminal albums (including Nick Lowe on "Armed Forces"), and Don Was shares some interesting insights into his work with Dylan on "Under The Red Sky".
Not sure if you have mentioned this new Dylan book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alias-Bob-Dylan-Rex-Collections/dp/190528750X
Came across it in my local Waterstone's and it's noteworthy because it includes some fine recent photos of Dylan on stage. Well worth a look.
Also, the latest issue of The Word magazine has a feature on a number of producers talking about their work on seminal albums (including Nick Lowe on "Armed Forces"), and Don Was shares some interesting insights into his work with Dylan on "Under The Red Sky".
Monday, May 19, 2008
Dylan’s art exhibition in London: a looming culture clash?
When the Drawn Blank Series of Dylan paintings had its debut in Chemnitz, Germany, The Dylan Daily raved about the exhibition and the accompanying coffee table hardback catalogue (see below).
As predicted, the exhibition is now set to open in a rather more important art centre, London, next month.
The Drawn Blank Series opens in The Halcyon Gallery, Mayfair, on 14 June. For readers unfamiliar with the city, Mayfair is London HQ for Brit old money and the global super-rich. It’s a village dedicated to exclusive designer fashion outlets, private art galleries, auction houses, toff drinking/gambling dens and the like. Joe Public makes only fleeting appearances on its streets.
The Halcyon Gallery is in business to sell art to collectors who’d think nothing of investing £100,000 on a picture. It doesn’t operate a public service to promote Dylan to Dylanistas. So I’ll be observing the looming culture clash with interest.
Keep watching The Dylan Daily for news and reviews of this very important exhibition – barring a surprise UK tour, this is the biggest event of 2008.
www.halcyongallery.com
Gerry Smith
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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Hurry - Drawn Blank exhibition in Chemnitz closes soon
If you’re planning to catch The Drawn Blank Series, the outstanding exhibition of Dylan artwork at Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, you’d better hurry, because the show closes on 3 February.
It’s a fine collection. Dylan’s artwork – interiors, urban landscapes, men, women - grabs your attention and demands careful scrutiny. The paintings, in the Expressionist style, would be arresting even if they didn’t carry Dylan’s signature. As you’d expect from its artist, the work is observant, witty and worldly-wise. The surprise is that it’s also technically accomplished – it never fails to evoke an emotional response.
Dylan fans worldwide are indebted to curator Ingrid Mossinger. It’s remarkable that the curator of a city art gallery in a regional centre like Chemnitz should have persuaded Dylan to complete such a substantial body of art, and then made it accessible to a global audience via the striking catalogue, Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series.
Danke schon Chemnitz! Danke schon Frau Mossinger!
The exhibition catalogue is a sumptuous stand-alone coffee table hardback book of 170 striking watercolour/gouache paintings that Dylan recently worked up from drawings originally sketched between 1989 and 1992.
It’s an unusual, beautiful, colourful artefact: aficionados need it - it’s one of the Dylan highlights of recent years, far more important than that new film that’s getting all the media attention.
Gerry Smith
As predicted, the exhibition is now set to open in a rather more important art centre, London, next month.
The Drawn Blank Series opens in The Halcyon Gallery, Mayfair, on 14 June. For readers unfamiliar with the city, Mayfair is London HQ for Brit old money and the global super-rich. It’s a village dedicated to exclusive designer fashion outlets, private art galleries, auction houses, toff drinking/gambling dens and the like. Joe Public makes only fleeting appearances on its streets.
The Halcyon Gallery is in business to sell art to collectors who’d think nothing of investing £100,000 on a picture. It doesn’t operate a public service to promote Dylan to Dylanistas. So I’ll be observing the looming culture clash with interest.
Keep watching The Dylan Daily for news and reviews of this very important exhibition – barring a surprise UK tour, this is the biggest event of 2008.
www.halcyongallery.com
Gerry Smith
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
Hurry - Drawn Blank exhibition in Chemnitz closes soon
If you’re planning to catch The Drawn Blank Series, the outstanding exhibition of Dylan artwork at Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, you’d better hurry, because the show closes on 3 February.
It’s a fine collection. Dylan’s artwork – interiors, urban landscapes, men, women - grabs your attention and demands careful scrutiny. The paintings, in the Expressionist style, would be arresting even if they didn’t carry Dylan’s signature. As you’d expect from its artist, the work is observant, witty and worldly-wise. The surprise is that it’s also technically accomplished – it never fails to evoke an emotional response.
Dylan fans worldwide are indebted to curator Ingrid Mossinger. It’s remarkable that the curator of a city art gallery in a regional centre like Chemnitz should have persuaded Dylan to complete such a substantial body of art, and then made it accessible to a global audience via the striking catalogue, Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series.
Danke schon Chemnitz! Danke schon Frau Mossinger!
The exhibition catalogue is a sumptuous stand-alone coffee table hardback book of 170 striking watercolour/gouache paintings that Dylan recently worked up from drawings originally sketched between 1989 and 1992.
It’s an unusual, beautiful, colourful artefact: aficionados need it - it’s one of the Dylan highlights of recent years, far more important than that new film that’s getting all the media attention.
Gerry Smith
Friday, May 09, 2008
Postings switched to master site in week commencing Monday 12 May
I won’t be adding any new articles to this blog site in the week commencing Monday 12 May, during some behind-the-scenes work on my small portfolio of web sites.
New articles will continue to be posted for much of the week on the master site, dylandaily.com, so please take a look there:
www.dylandaily.com
I’ll be posting daily here again from Monday 19 May, so please make a note to return then!
Sorry for any inconvenience.
Gerry Smith, Editor
New articles will continue to be posted for much of the week on the master site, dylandaily.com, so please take a look there:
www.dylandaily.com
I’ll be posting daily here again from Monday 19 May, so please make a note to return then!
Sorry for any inconvenience.
Gerry Smith, Editor
Writer Tom Grasty on his new Dylan-inspired crime novel
Thanks to Tom Grasty:
“The LA Festival of Books went fantastic! I sold out all the books I brought. Many people told me they had seen the blurb on DylanDaily.com. So here's another exciting announcement for your legions of fans …
“I will be interviewed about BLOOD ON THE TRACKS this Saturday, May 10 at 11:00 am (West Coast US) on KPOO FM San Francisco. I should be "spilling my guts" for around 30 minutes or so. Your readers can listen to the interview live by going to
www.ustream.tv/kpooradio
Or if they want to check out the interview later after I post it on my blog at
http://blood-onthe-tracks.blogspot.com/
“You certainly know the novel's premise by now, but your readers might want a recap. Here's a quick synopsis: BLOOD ON THE TRACKS is a murder-mystery set against the world of rock ‘n' roll. But not just any rock star is knocking on heaven's door. The murdered rock legend is none other than Bob Dorian, a thinly veiled, well, you can guess which Bob it is …
“Suspects? Tons of them. The only problem is they're all characters in Bob's songs. Not to mention they all hold a grudge.”
“The LA Festival of Books went fantastic! I sold out all the books I brought. Many people told me they had seen the blurb on DylanDaily.com. So here's another exciting announcement for your legions of fans …
“I will be interviewed about BLOOD ON THE TRACKS this Saturday, May 10 at 11:00 am (West Coast US) on KPOO FM San Francisco. I should be "spilling my guts" for around 30 minutes or so. Your readers can listen to the interview live by going to
www.ustream.tv/kpooradio
Or if they want to check out the interview later after I post it on my blog at
http://blood-onthe-tracks.blogspot.com/
“You certainly know the novel's premise by now, but your readers might want a recap. Here's a quick synopsis: BLOOD ON THE TRACKS is a murder-mystery set against the world of rock ‘n' roll. But not just any rock star is knocking on heaven's door. The murdered rock legend is none other than Bob Dorian, a thinly veiled, well, you can guess which Bob it is …
“Suspects? Tons of them. The only problem is they're all characters in Bob's songs. Not to mention they all hold a grudge.”
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Eat The Document - rare screening in LA
Thanks to Dorothy Rand for details of yet more Dylan delights at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
In addition to the fine continuing exhibition, there are several films, a tour and a teen open-microphone event.
The highlight of the programme is a rare public outing for the wonderful, hardly-seen 1966 documentary, Eat The Document, on 29 May. The Skirball’s compelling season demands the attention of Dylan Daily readers in Southern California; I only wish I lived near enough!
www.skirball.org
The Skirball Cultural Center’s press release:
* EXHIBITION: BOB DYLAN’S AMERICAN JOURNEY, 1956–1966
February 8–June 8: At the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA. Featuring more than 160 artifacts and rare audio and video footage, this acclaimed exhibition follows Bob Dylan from his Minnesota roots to his growing fame as a rock star.
* TOUR: SPECIAL GUEST WALKTHOUGH WITH JOSH KUN
Sunday, June 1, 2:30 p.m. Gain unique insight into the Dylan exhibition on a tour with music writer, cultural critic, and USC communications professor Josh Kun.
* FILM SERIES: WATCHING DYLAN
A documentary film series revealing how Bob Dylan’s artistic genius translates from music to film. Upcoming films in this series include: Dont Look Back, (showing May 7) which chronicles Dylan’s 1965 England tour, and his last as an acoustic performer; and Eat The Document (showing May 29), a rarely-screened film directed by Dylan about his 1966 European tour.
* CLASSIC FILMS: IMAGINING DYLAN
Mid-century films about youth culture and rock ‘n’ roll, including The Girl Can't Help It (May 13), King Creole (May 27), Jailhouse Rock (June 3), and Muscle Beach Party (June 10).
* TEEN PROGRAM: CAFÉ WHA? TEEN OPEN-MIC
Sunday, May 18, 1:00–4:00 p.m. This program gives teens an opportunity to perform their own music and poetry in a relaxed coffeehouse setting.
Gerry Smith
In addition to the fine continuing exhibition, there are several films, a tour and a teen open-microphone event.
The highlight of the programme is a rare public outing for the wonderful, hardly-seen 1966 documentary, Eat The Document, on 29 May. The Skirball’s compelling season demands the attention of Dylan Daily readers in Southern California; I only wish I lived near enough!
www.skirball.org
The Skirball Cultural Center’s press release:
* EXHIBITION: BOB DYLAN’S AMERICAN JOURNEY, 1956–1966
February 8–June 8: At the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA. Featuring more than 160 artifacts and rare audio and video footage, this acclaimed exhibition follows Bob Dylan from his Minnesota roots to his growing fame as a rock star.
* TOUR: SPECIAL GUEST WALKTHOUGH WITH JOSH KUN
Sunday, June 1, 2:30 p.m. Gain unique insight into the Dylan exhibition on a tour with music writer, cultural critic, and USC communications professor Josh Kun.
* FILM SERIES: WATCHING DYLAN
A documentary film series revealing how Bob Dylan’s artistic genius translates from music to film. Upcoming films in this series include: Dont Look Back, (showing May 7) which chronicles Dylan’s 1965 England tour, and his last as an acoustic performer; and Eat The Document (showing May 29), a rarely-screened film directed by Dylan about his 1966 European tour.
* CLASSIC FILMS: IMAGINING DYLAN
Mid-century films about youth culture and rock ‘n’ roll, including The Girl Can't Help It (May 13), King Creole (May 27), Jailhouse Rock (June 3), and Muscle Beach Party (June 10).
* TEEN PROGRAM: CAFÉ WHA? TEEN OPEN-MIC
Sunday, May 18, 1:00–4:00 p.m. This program gives teens an opportunity to perform their own music and poetry in a relaxed coffeehouse setting.
Gerry Smith
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
I'm Not There: Europe ignored again?
The DVD of I'm Not There was released in the USA yesterday; the two disc Collector’s Edition, packed with extras, looks particularly desirable.
But the European (inc UK) release isn’t due for ages (14 July if you can believe the retailers). And it looks like we’ll only be offered the single DVD version, without the extras.
Europe ignored again?
Sony is slipping up here. There was similar issue for European DVD consumers last year with the wonderful Don’t Look Back box: securing a Region 2 copy at a reasonable price was hassle-laden.
These are great products. I normally have a high regard for Columbia, but these DVD issues are irritating: I might just embark on my own one-man buyer’s strike.
Gerry Smith
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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
I'm Not There - DVD extras
The eagerly awaited I'm Not There DVD release is being variously advertised as 6 May (US) and 9 June and 14 July (UK).
Thanks to Bernard McGuinn for supplying this list of the DVD Extras. They’re welcome, though such an impressive movie hardly needs extras – it’d fly off the shelves without them anyway:
- Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
- Audio Commentary with Director Todd Haynes
- Premiere Featurette
- The Making Of I'm Not There
- Subterranean Homesick Blues Music Video
- Audition Tapes - Ben Whishaw and Marcus Carl Franklin
- Gag Reel
- Conversation with Todd Haynes
- Making of the Soundtrack
- Dylan Filmography
- Dylan Discography
- New York Times Article on the Film, by Robert Sullivan
- Lyrics
Gerry Smith
But the European (inc UK) release isn’t due for ages (14 July if you can believe the retailers). And it looks like we’ll only be offered the single DVD version, without the extras.
Europe ignored again?
Sony is slipping up here. There was similar issue for European DVD consumers last year with the wonderful Don’t Look Back box: securing a Region 2 copy at a reasonable price was hassle-laden.
These are great products. I normally have a high regard for Columbia, but these DVD issues are irritating: I might just embark on my own one-man buyer’s strike.
Gerry Smith
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
I'm Not There - DVD extras
The eagerly awaited I'm Not There DVD release is being variously advertised as 6 May (US) and 9 June and 14 July (UK).
Thanks to Bernard McGuinn for supplying this list of the DVD Extras. They’re welcome, though such an impressive movie hardly needs extras – it’d fly off the shelves without them anyway:
- Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
- Audio Commentary with Director Todd Haynes
- Premiere Featurette
- The Making Of I'm Not There
- Subterranean Homesick Blues Music Video
- Audition Tapes - Ben Whishaw and Marcus Carl Franklin
- Gag Reel
- Conversation with Todd Haynes
- Making of the Soundtrack
- Dylan Filmography
- Dylan Discography
- New York Times Article on the Film, by Robert Sullivan
- Lyrics
Gerry Smith
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
BOBMANIA #18: Bob Dylan's 50th Birthday Convention
Thanks to Mel Prussack:
“When Bob turned 50 years old a convention was held in New York City. This is a video of the updated song that I performed at that event. To access it go to "youtube" and search for "dylanshrine". The video is called "Bob Dylan's 50th Birthday Convention".
“You should also check out my most popular video, called "Dylan Presley & Me". See my videos at:
www.youtube.com/dylanshrine
“I hope you enjoy them!
“And you can hear my Dylan podcast at:
http://dylanshrine.podOmatic.com
“When Bob turned 50 years old a convention was held in New York City. This is a video of the updated song that I performed at that event. To access it go to "youtube" and search for "dylanshrine". The video is called "Bob Dylan's 50th Birthday Convention".
“You should also check out my most popular video, called "Dylan Presley & Me". See my videos at:
www.youtube.com/dylanshrine
“I hope you enjoy them!
“And you can hear my Dylan podcast at:
http://dylanshrine.podOmatic.com
Monday, May 05, 2008
The Top 20 Dylan albums - encore
Thanks to Marcel Levesque:
“Nice site you have there, always worth a click.
“Interesting results, in some cases. The top 3 are hard to argue with and the drop-off is understandable as well, as those records set the bar high.
“Bones of Contention: if you're including Live 66 in your analysis (and I'm guessing many people may not have) then it should rank considerably closer to the top by virtue of Hwy61 and BoB being there. Of course the respondents may just have a different opinion of 'live' music.
“I think the last 3 albums are slightly overrated in this sampling, due primarily to their relative newness and the non-stop touring that showcases 2 of them to excess. TooM deservedly ranks top amongst them but is perhaps a little high on the list.
“Freewheelin' deserves to be higher...no less than #4. This record is truly a masterpiece even if some of the songs are now dated or overexposed. Hard Rain, Think Twice, GotNC, Blowin' and Masters... tough to top that for what was ostensibly a 'coming out' album.
“Of course, ask me again tomorrow and I'll think differently.
“Thanks for your work on this.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
The Top 20 Dylan albums – new ranking, by the experts
Blonde On Blonde is the most popular Dylan album among the experts – the fans - comfortably ahead of Blood On The Tracks and Highway 61 Revisited.
And these three are more popular by a considerable margin than any other Dylan album.
Readers of The Dylan Daily and an associated website were asked to submit a list of their top 5 Dylan albums, in a competition to win a copy of the new Rough Guide to Bob Dylan. Many thousands of readers visited the web pages outlining the competition; and almost 100 submitted their top 5 list. Thanks to everyone who entered.
The submissions were processed to create a definitive new list of The Top 20 Dylan Albums:
The Top 20 Dylan Albums
1. Blonde On Blonde (1966) 100 (index)
2. Blood On the Tracks (1975) 84
3. Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 74
4. Bringing It All Back Home (‘65) 43
5. Time Out Of Mind (1997) 21
6. "Love And Theft" (2001) 18
7. The Freewheelin’ (1963) 17
8. John Wesley Harding (1967) 14
9. Desire (1976) 12
10. Another Side Of Bob Dylan (‘64) 11
11. Oh Mercy (1989) 10
12. Modern Times (2006)
13. Street-Legal (1978)
14. Slow Train Coming (1979)
15. Infidels (1983)
16. Live 1966 (1998) 2
17. No Direction Home (2005)
18. Planet Waves (1974)
19. New Morning (1970)
20. The Times They Are A'-Changin’(‘64) 1
(The index figure at the end of each line has been calculated to indicate popularity relative to Blonde On Blonde.)
The new Top 20 raises numerous intriguing points for discussion by Dylan aficionados. My analysis to follow; your reactions will be especially welcome: please email your comments with the subject line “Top 20” to gerrysmith@dylandaily.com.
Gerry Smith
“Nice site you have there, always worth a click.
“Interesting results, in some cases. The top 3 are hard to argue with and the drop-off is understandable as well, as those records set the bar high.
“Bones of Contention: if you're including Live 66 in your analysis (and I'm guessing many people may not have) then it should rank considerably closer to the top by virtue of Hwy61 and BoB being there. Of course the respondents may just have a different opinion of 'live' music.
“I think the last 3 albums are slightly overrated in this sampling, due primarily to their relative newness and the non-stop touring that showcases 2 of them to excess. TooM deservedly ranks top amongst them but is perhaps a little high on the list.
“Freewheelin' deserves to be higher...no less than #4. This record is truly a masterpiece even if some of the songs are now dated or overexposed. Hard Rain, Think Twice, GotNC, Blowin' and Masters... tough to top that for what was ostensibly a 'coming out' album.
“Of course, ask me again tomorrow and I'll think differently.
“Thanks for your work on this.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:
The Top 20 Dylan albums – new ranking, by the experts
Blonde On Blonde is the most popular Dylan album among the experts – the fans - comfortably ahead of Blood On The Tracks and Highway 61 Revisited.
And these three are more popular by a considerable margin than any other Dylan album.
Readers of The Dylan Daily and an associated website were asked to submit a list of their top 5 Dylan albums, in a competition to win a copy of the new Rough Guide to Bob Dylan. Many thousands of readers visited the web pages outlining the competition; and almost 100 submitted their top 5 list. Thanks to everyone who entered.
The submissions were processed to create a definitive new list of The Top 20 Dylan Albums:
The Top 20 Dylan Albums
1. Blonde On Blonde (1966) 100 (index)
2. Blood On the Tracks (1975) 84
3. Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 74
4. Bringing It All Back Home (‘65) 43
5. Time Out Of Mind (1997) 21
6. "Love And Theft" (2001) 18
7. The Freewheelin’ (1963) 17
8. John Wesley Harding (1967) 14
9. Desire (1976) 12
10. Another Side Of Bob Dylan (‘64) 11
11. Oh Mercy (1989) 10
12. Modern Times (2006)
13. Street-Legal (1978)
14. Slow Train Coming (1979)
15. Infidels (1983)
16. Live 1966 (1998) 2
17. No Direction Home (2005)
18. Planet Waves (1974)
19. New Morning (1970)
20. The Times They Are A'-Changin’(‘64) 1
(The index figure at the end of each line has been calculated to indicate popularity relative to Blonde On Blonde.)
The new Top 20 raises numerous intriguing points for discussion by Dylan aficionados. My analysis to follow; your reactions will be especially welcome: please email your comments with the subject line “Top 20” to gerrysmith@dylandaily.com.
Gerry Smith
Friday, May 02, 2008
Positively Main Street – a welcome new edition
I stumbled across Positively Main Street: Bob Dylan’s Minnesota in bizarre circumstances. One cold February evening in a North London post office in the mid-‘70s, I chanced upon it in one of those revolving wire racks which used to display pulp literature – trashy cowboy thrillers and sanitized romances.
I hadn’t heard of Positively Main Street before, but, intrigued, I read the thin little curio in a single sitting, before bedtime, savouring every nuance of its enthralling search for the essence of Dylan.
Toby Thompson, its youthful author, had travelled Minnesota in search of Dylan and managed to interview some mighty important witnesses – Echo Helstrom, the Girl Of The North Country, as well as most of Bob’s family.
The book shed new light on Dylan. And its affecting gonzo style – “Wow! Here’s me, in Hibbing - Dylan would have walked down this very sidewalk…“ - captured the breathless excitement that any fan would have felt so close to the hero.
So, I’ll be buying the new edition, just published by Univ of Minnesota Press, especially as it contains an interview with Thompson, previously unpublished photographs and a new preface.
Gerry Smith
I hadn’t heard of Positively Main Street before, but, intrigued, I read the thin little curio in a single sitting, before bedtime, savouring every nuance of its enthralling search for the essence of Dylan.
Toby Thompson, its youthful author, had travelled Minnesota in search of Dylan and managed to interview some mighty important witnesses – Echo Helstrom, the Girl Of The North Country, as well as most of Bob’s family.
The book shed new light on Dylan. And its affecting gonzo style – “Wow! Here’s me, in Hibbing - Dylan would have walked down this very sidewalk…“ - captured the breathless excitement that any fan would have felt so close to the hero.
So, I’ll be buying the new edition, just published by Univ of Minnesota Press, especially as it contains an interview with Thompson, previously unpublished photographs and a new preface.
Gerry Smith
Thursday, May 01, 2008
The Top 20 Dylan albums
Thanks to Jon Sells, latest in a long line of readers asking whether The Dylan Daily has ever compiled a reader survey of the Top 20 Dylan albums.
Yes! Here’s the list.
Gerry Smith
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Top 20 Dylan albums – new ranking, by the experts
Blonde On Blonde is the most popular Dylan album among the experts – the fans - comfortably ahead of Blood On The Tracks and Highway 61 Revisited.
And these three are more popular by a considerable margin than any other Dylan album.
Readers of The Dylan Daily and an associated website were asked to submit a list of their top 5 Dylan albums, in a competition to win a copy of the new Rough Guide to Bob Dylan. Many thousands of readers visited the web pages outlining the competition; and almost 100 submitted their top 5 list. Thanks to everyone who entered.
The submissions were processed to create a definitive new list of The Top 20 Dylan Albums:
The Top 20 Dylan Albums
1. Blonde On Blonde (1966) 100 (index)
2. Blood On the Tracks (1975) 84
3. Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 74
4. Bringing It All Back Home (‘65) 43
5. Time Out Of Mind (1997) 21
6. "Love And Theft" (2001) 18
7. The Freewheelin’ (1963) 17
8. John Wesley Harding (1967) 14
9. Desire (1976) 12
10. Another Side Of Bob Dylan (‘64) 11
11. Oh Mercy (1989) 10
12. Modern Times (2006)
13. Street-Legal (1978)
14. Slow Train Coming (1979)
15. Infidels (1983)
16. Live 1966 (1998) 2
17. No Direction Home (2005)
18. Planet Waves (1974)
19. New Morning (1970)
20. The Times They Are A'-Changin’(‘64) 1
(The index figure at the end of each line has been calculated to indicate popularity relative to Blonde On Blonde.)
The new Top 20 raises numerous intriguing points for discussion by Dylan aficionados. My analysis to follow; your reactions will be especially welcome: please email your comments with the subject line “Top 20” to gerrysmith@dylandaily.com.
Gerry Smith
Yes! Here’s the list.
Gerry Smith
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Top 20 Dylan albums – new ranking, by the experts
Blonde On Blonde is the most popular Dylan album among the experts – the fans - comfortably ahead of Blood On The Tracks and Highway 61 Revisited.
And these three are more popular by a considerable margin than any other Dylan album.
Readers of The Dylan Daily and an associated website were asked to submit a list of their top 5 Dylan albums, in a competition to win a copy of the new Rough Guide to Bob Dylan. Many thousands of readers visited the web pages outlining the competition; and almost 100 submitted their top 5 list. Thanks to everyone who entered.
The submissions were processed to create a definitive new list of The Top 20 Dylan Albums:
The Top 20 Dylan Albums
1. Blonde On Blonde (1966) 100 (index)
2. Blood On the Tracks (1975) 84
3. Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 74
4. Bringing It All Back Home (‘65) 43
5. Time Out Of Mind (1997) 21
6. "Love And Theft" (2001) 18
7. The Freewheelin’ (1963) 17
8. John Wesley Harding (1967) 14
9. Desire (1976) 12
10. Another Side Of Bob Dylan (‘64) 11
11. Oh Mercy (1989) 10
12. Modern Times (2006)
13. Street-Legal (1978)
14. Slow Train Coming (1979)
15. Infidels (1983)
16. Live 1966 (1998) 2
17. No Direction Home (2005)
18. Planet Waves (1974)
19. New Morning (1970)
20. The Times They Are A'-Changin’(‘64) 1
(The index figure at the end of each line has been calculated to indicate popularity relative to Blonde On Blonde.)
The new Top 20 raises numerous intriguing points for discussion by Dylan aficionados. My analysis to follow; your reactions will be especially welcome: please email your comments with the subject line “Top 20” to gerrysmith@dylandaily.com.
Gerry Smith
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