New album/Michael Gray/O2 gig transport problems

* Thanks to Martin Cowan:

"Just picked this up off the Isis website:
http://www.bobdylanisis.com/Dylan%20Digest.htm

“As it says here, strange that the fact that the new material is co-written has so far been absent from any of the pre-publicity.

“Interesting to also note a credit for Willie Dixon!

“Not too sure how well the co-written lyric story is going down:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/apr/16/bob-dylan-lyrics

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* After some North American dates earlier this month, Michael’s live event, Bob Dylan & the Poetry of the Blues - “wit, erudition, loud records and rare footage” - comes back to the UK, starting tomorrow, Friday April 17, at Buxton Opera House, Derbyshire. Box Office: 0845 1272 190 / http://www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/, tickets £8.

Next comes Herne Bay Little Theatre, Kent, on Thursday April 23 (Box Office: 01227 366004, tickets £12, £10 concessions).

Two days after that he’s back in the States, at One Longfellow Square in Portland Maine (Box Office: 207-239-1855 / www.onelongfellowsquare.com, tickets $18 in advance, $20 at the door).

If you haven't yet seen this gig, I can heartily recommend it.



Gerry Smith

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* Thanks to Andy Kelly:

“The helpline number for Transport for London is 0207 222 1234. They are generally helpful and informed.

“I've heard tales of nightmarish troubles and iniquitous charges for those using their own vehicles, so anyone considering that (probably teaching grannies to suck eggs here) - check the web.”

(Andy’s praise for TfL’s tel info service is deserved. Pity they can’t apply the same standards to providing a transport service. London’s Tubes are a world-class embarrassment. Gerry Smith – Ed.)

Bob Dylan in London, 25 April: no Jubilee Line Tube to the O2 Arena

A few days ago I asked: “how EXACTLY do you plan to get to the O2 Arena – several (6?/10?)miles outside central London - and back into town after the show?”

Thanks to Cornelia Grolsch and Gordon Macniven for responding – “by Tube” (aka Underground/Subway/U-Bahn). Well, that would normally be the obvious route.

But there is no Jubilee Line Tube running to the O2 on Saturday 25 April, the day of the Dylan gig. Just take a look at this official announcement (thanks to Paul Ryles for the link):

http://www.theo2.co.uk/images/PDF/misc/bob_dylan_transport_25_april.pdf





Gerry Smith

Dylan’s lyrics decoded

Thanks to Andy Maultby for notice of two promising BBC radio programmes, set to coincide with Dylan’s eight British gigs, starting 24 April in Sheffield:


* The Lyrics Of Bob Dylan
Saturday 25 April, 10.00-11.00pm BBC RADIO 2

Laura Barton attempts to decode the lyrics by exploring and analysing 10 songs from the perspective of poets, critics, musicians and contemporaries.

Voices: Poet Laureate Andrew Motion; authors Professor Christopher Ricks and Nigel Williamson; Dylanologist Michael Gray; Greenwich Village contemporary Tom Paxton; singer Gwyneth Herbert; cultural commentator David Quantick; Pete Shelley of Buzzcocks; and Mark Rudd of revolutionary political agitators The Weathermen.

Songs examined include Subterranean Homesick Blues, Like A Rolling Stone, Lay Lady Lay, Visions Of Johanna and It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding).


* Archive on 4, a history of bootleg recordings, is on Saturday 17 April at 8pm on BBC Radio 4.



You can probably hear the programmes online - some BBC programmes are accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission (though copyright restricts the territories in which they’re available):

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer



Gerry Smith

Dylan’s Back Pages: 12 April 1963

Thanks to Gerald Bamford:

“On 12 April 1963 Dylan played his first major concert in New York City - at NY Town Hall. The set list was as follows:

1. Ramblin' Down Thru The World
2. Bob Dylan's Dream
3. Talkin' New York.
4. Ballad Of Hollis Brown
5. Walls Of Red Wing
6. All Over You
7. Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues
8. Boots Of Spanish Leather
9. Hero Blues
10. Blowin' In The Wind
11. John Brown
12. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
13. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

14. Dusty Old Fairgrounds
15. Who Killed Davey Moore?
16. Seven Curses
17. Highway 51
18. Pretty Peggy-O
19. Bob Dylan's New Orleans Rag
20. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
21. Hiding Too Long (AKA Hypocrite)
22. With God On Our Side
23. Masters Of War
24. Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie

Dylan in London: how will you get to the gig?

The Dylan show at the O2 is fast approaching – two weeks tomorrow.

Given that the venue is about 12 miles east of the city centre, how EXACTLY do you plan to get there (and back into town after the show)?

Serious question!



Gerry Smith

Saarbrucken - the Euro tour’s premier set list

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“Further to your recent post about set highlights, I nominate the show at Saarbrucken on 5 April 2009 for most consistently fascinating set list to date (list courtesy of Bill Pagel's wonderful Bob Links):

1. Gotta Serve Somebody (Bob on keyboard)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay (Bob on guitar)
3. The Levee's Gonna Break (Bob on keyboard and harp)
4. Every Grain Of Sand (Bob on keyboard)
5. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob on keyboard)
6. Beyond The Horizon (Bob on keyboard)
7. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard)
8. Sugar Baby (Bob on keyboard)
9. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
(Bob on keyboard)
10. Po' Boy (Bob on keyboard)
11. Summer Days (Bob on keyboard)
12. I Believe In You (Bob on keyboard)
13. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
14. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)

(encore)

15. All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard)
16. Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard)
17. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on keyboard)

Euro tour 2009: highlights so far

A couple of weeks in, the 2009 Euro tour has had some spellbinding set list inclusions, once again illustrating the depth of the Dylan songbook.

The performances I’d love to have heard include:

* Senor, Billy 4, Chimes Of Freedom - Stockholm

* The Man in Me, Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll - Malmo

* Gotta Serve Somebody, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Desolation Row - Copenhagen

* Shooting Star, Dignity - Hannover

* The Wicked Messenger, My Back Pages - Berlin

* Man In A Long Black Coat - Erfurt

* One More Cup Of Coffee - Munchen

Magnificently eclectic! Roll on London!



Gerry Smith

Dylan on Obama: zzzzzzzzzzzz…

Thanks to Jon Ford:

“The new bit of Bill Flanagan’s Dylan interview, now on bobdylan.com, though mainly trite, has fuelled another media scrum on what Bob thinks about Obama.

“After supposedly endorsing Obama last summer, Dylan has now supposedly withdrawn his support.

“But Dylan uses words carefully: I don’t think he either endorsed or has withdrawn support for the new US President.

“The really telling comment was his dismissal of ALL politicians as entertainers in an earlier part of the interview.

“zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… who cares anyway?

“Dylan’s art will still be celebrated long after Obama (and Bush… Clinton… Blair… Thatcher… Chirac… Kohl et al) has become a footnote in history. He shouldn’t give them unwarranted credibility by even discussing them”

Dylan posters: my favourite – Milton Glaser’s psychedelia

Thanks to Gerald Bamford:

“Adding to the poster debate, I have a fondness for the Milton Glaser psychedelic artefact which was on the front cover of one of the books about Bob in the ‘70s (you tell me which one) and given away with the US version of More BD's Greatest Hits.

“A friend gave me his copy as a birthday present and I often used it as a backdrop to Back Pages gigs (a Bob Dylan Covers band in which I play rooted in Norfolk - contact me for bookings) until I left it on the wall in the bar at the Norwich Arts Centre by mistake and it had disappeared by the next day and is now on somebody else's wall.

“If that somebody else is reading this and he/she feels guilty I can be contacted through dylandaily. I think it can be purchased through Amazon even now.

“I also had a wonderful (I thought so anyway) copy of the Isle of Wight poster which my then girlfriend took down from an advertising wall in Portsmouth and which had been put on at least 20 or so other previous posters and so was pretty rigid.

“I left that on a wall in a house in West London after we'd been kicked out for reasons beyond my control and when I realised and went back to retrieve it, was told that it was being burned out the back with the rest of the rubbish we'd left!

“Bastards!

“I'm very pleased to share that with you.”



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Dylan posters: my favourite – Isle Of Wight 1969

Thanks to John Adams:

“My favourite Dylan poster is the handbill for the 1969 Isle Of Wight festival.

“It uses the Nashville Skyline cover portrait, but cleverly juxtaposes it with a repeated image of The Band from one of their albums.

“There was another poster for the gig – a portrait of Dylan in shades – but it wasn’t half as attractive or evocative.”


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Hanging a copy of the lovely Drawn Blank poster, courtesy of Woking’s Lightbox gallery, reminded me of the pleasures of having a fine Dylan poster or two on the wall. And encouraged me to acquire a few more.

But which posters? And where from?

Your advice on favourite Dylan poster(s) and preferred suppliers would be very welcome.



Gerry Smith

New issue of DYLAN DAILY Newsletter circulated today

The latest issue of the re-launched DYLAN DAILY Newsletter was circulated today.

The fortnightly free service carries listings of the last 6 weeks content on the DYLAN DAILY website, alerting subscribers to articles they may have missed.

To ensure you receive future issues, free of charge, please sign up in the subscriptions area in the left margin of the master website:

www.dylandaily.com




Gerry Smith

Beyond Here Lies Nothin’ and Red River Shore

Thanks to Liam Mogan:

“Undoubtedly like all readers of your marvellous website, I downloaded the first track off of the new album as soon as I knew about it.

“I can only heartily agree with Gerald Bamford on the similarities to Otis Rush and the seminal 'Beano' Bluesbreakers album. (Didn't Dylan attempt to record with Clapton & Co. around this time?)

“It’s definitely whetted my appetite for the new release, despite the awful cover which has an alarming similarity to a Levi's Jean advert! Beyond Here Lies Nothin' has a grimy, bluesy feel which is a definite improvement on the flatness and, after repeated listens, the dullness of most of 'Modern Times'

“As making often dubious connections and analytical leaps of faith is the lifeblood of many Dylan commentators, I would like to put forward my own hastily cobbled together 'theory' of the motivation behind the return of 'Colombia Recording Artist', Bob Dylan.

“Integral to this theory is the accordion, which, if reports are to believed, dominates 'Together Through Life'. Did Dylan, after the release of 'Tell Tale Signs', realise that the awe-inspiring, accordion-driven, seven minutes of wonderment that is 'Red River Shore' represent a lost opportunity in his continual search for artistic fulfilment?

“I listened to 'Beyond Here Lies Nothin'' and 'Red River Shore' back-to-back just before midnight last night and was struck by how on completely different tracks the accordion plays the same role.

“Clearly it improves the sound of the tracks, but also emotionally it adds a richness that would otherwise be missing.

“On 'Red River Shore' (the disc 1 version, the version on the 'exploitative' disc 3 is but a pale shadow) the accordion conveys the mood of the singer, heightening the emotional pull of the words which on the right day and with the right amount of whisky could bring a man to tears.

“The small accordion refrain after each line on 'Beyond Here Lies Nothin' ' (and the accordion which mimics the long solo in the second half of the song) adds to the playfulness, joy and, may I suggest, a certain biblical wickedness the singer is attempting to convey. The enjoyable on-the-edge of town/on the border feel of the track is created by that accordion.

“A quick flick through Dylan's official releases and the subsequent bootleg series releases is a clear indication that self-assessment is not always this artist’s particular forte.

“Take 'Blind Willie McTell', which, despite being cut from 'Infidels', has now (thank God) been positively re-assessed by Bob to the extent that it regularly crops up in concert and even appeared on the latest best-of compilation, 'DYLAN'.

“My hypothesis is that 'Red River Shore' is cut from the same cloth. A masterpiece, unfathomably overlooked when recorded, whose eventual release has inspired its writer to attempt capture that magic once again. With an accordion!”

Echoes of Otis Rush blues in Beyond Here Lies Nothin’

Thanks to Gerald Bamford of Norfolk tribute band Back Pages:

“Having listened to the free download of Beyond Here Lies Nothin', what I hear is a blues in Am closely related to those of Otis Rush - a blues guitar player and singer of some repute from Chicago in the ‘50s and ‘60s whose best known song is probably 'All Your Love', most famously covered by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers featuring Slowhand Clapton and released on the 'Beano' album (give both a listen).

“I have played around with the structure for years so now it can be updated and immediately added to the Back Pages set list once I've written down the lyrics! Oh joy!

“Bob's version is very nicely augmented by David Hidalgo's (of Los Lobos) accordion and now I'm really looking forward to hearing the rest of the album.

“I always hear the sound before I ever try to dissect the lyrics. It was ever thus, right from the first hearing of The Freewheelin'...back in '63.”

Free download of Beyond Here Lies Nothin’, from new album

Thanks to Peter Brookes and Martin Cowan for news of the free MP3 download of Beyond Here Lies Nothin’, the opening track from the new album.

It’s available for 24 hours from bobdylan.com.

Hmm… interesting - with an unusually rich musical palette, it sounds like no other recent Dylan release. The lyrics, as always, will demand careful scrutiny, but they sound, on first hearing, like an intelligent, simple pop song.

Roll on album release date!


Gerry Smith

Clinton Heylin’s new book on Dylan’s lyrics to 1973

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“There's a new Clinton Heylin book in which he provides detailed analysis on Dylan's songs between 1957 and 1973 - it seem he is giving it a touch of the ‘Revolution in the Head’ treatment.”

Watch The Dylan Daily for exclusive coverage of Heylin’s new book, which covers songs 1957-1973. A second volume covering the later work is promised for next year.

Volume 1 is due out on 23 April; Amazon.co.uk already has details on site.




Gerry Smith

New art exhibition in 2010 - and Dylan on politicians

The second slug of Bill Flanagan’s fine Dylan interview to promo the new album, now on bobdylan.com, has two nuggets which ring bells in this parish:


* The first, a welcome revelation:

“… I have an association with a London gallery, and there’ll probably be another exhibition of new works in another European museum in 2010. Now I’m scrambling to keep up. I’ve been commissioned to do paintings and they want me to work with iron and lead.”


* The second a piercing insight:

What’s your take on politics?

“Politics is entertainment. It’s a sport. Politicians are interchangeable.”

Don’t you believe in the democratic process?

“Yeah, but what’s that got to do with politics? Politics creates more problems than it solves.”


Thanks to Peter Brookes for the link.


Gerry Smith

Roundhouse extra London gig: I couldn't book - could you?

Along with, I’d guess, another 10,000 Euro Dylan fans, there I was at 0900 this morning with my password from bobdylan.com, poised ready to book the tempting extra London gig at the Roundhouse.

But the only Roundhouse page I could get said:

“Due to a high volume of users we are currently experiencing difficulties with our web ticketing service. Please be assured we are working on restoring this service as soon as possible.

“In the meantime to make a booking, please call the Box Office on xxx”

(I laughed till I cried - the tel number it posted as an alt route to the box office was, obviously, unavailable.)

When I re-tried the web site at 0914, even the link from bobdylan.com was dead.

So no tickets for me for the friggin’ Roundhouse.



Gerry Smith, scorned and scornful, at 0935

Euro tour setlists: highlights so far

The new Euro tour, just started in Stockholm, has already had its striking moments. Highlights of the two set lists so far?

* Billy
* Blind Willie McTell
* Chimes Of Freedom
* Lay Lady Lay

With material like this, my fellow EuroBobcats will be getting rather excited.

Dylan set lists are now covered on bobdylan.com, as well as boblinks.com. That is, Sony have sensibly taken this key category of Dylan news in-house.



Gerry Smith

Extra London gig in a well-chosen smaller venue

The extra London gig, at the Roundhouse on Sunday 26 April, is very welcome – the Roundhouse is London’s best smaller rock venue, and could be a welcome antidote to what some fear might be a lost opportunity at the gigantic London O2 Arena the night before.

My introduction to the Roundhouse was a splendid Morrissey show a year ago – see below.

To apply for Dylan Roundhouse tickets - on Wednesday morning - you have to get a password from:

www.bobdylan.com

Good luck! We’ll all need it!


Gerry Smith


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Morrissey in London – pop for grown-ups


Last night’s Morrissey gig at London’s Roundhouse – his third in a six night residency – was pure pop for grown-ups.

The setlist was a mixture of recent and new solo material, with Irish Blood/English Heart, First Of The Gang To Die and Last Of The Famous International Playboys the standouts. The forthcoming single, That’s How People Grow Up, will justify careful scrutiny.

Mozza’s unique talent is pungent, wittily original lyrics, allied to an unmissable on-stage charisma: very few performers give good gig better than he. His rapport with the faithful is wondrous to behold.

Last night’s music was nothing to get excited about, though. Trenchant lyrics apart, Morrissey’s solo work sounds pedestrian to my ears: too little variety in melody, tempo or dynamics. No variation. No improv.

So his musos are in a straitjacket to start with. But this crew sounded dull anyway. And the sound, from stage left, 20 metres from the front, was muddy, too bassy, and Il Mozzo was too low in the mix.

Morrissey was my first gig at the refurb’d Roundhouse. Very impressive – it easily reclaims its traditional status as London’s premier rockpop venue. Big enough for a 2,000 stand-up audience; small enough for intimate communion.

Pity about the audience, though. They’ve had to stop smoking (Hallelujah!), but most still yak incessantly, sing along as if they’re in the bath, and shuffle backwards and forwards to the bars all night long, spilling expensive beer from plastic mugs over innocent bystanders.

All music venues, from the Royal Opera House to Ronnie Scott’s, attract more than their fair share of stiffs. But rockpop gigs are notoriously bad: fully 50% of last night’s Roundhouse crowd were boneheads.




Gerry Smith

Second issue of THE DYLAN DAILY Newsletter just circulated

The second issue of the re-launched DYLAN DAILY Newsletter has just been circulated to subscribers - copy below. If you didn’t receive a copy by email and wish to ensure that you get future issues, please subscribe (free of charge) using the box in the left margin of the main website:

http://www.dylandaily.com/


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THE DYLAN DAILY Newsletter - celebrating the art of Bob Dylan - unofficially

Exclusive news and views, emailed to subscribers on alternate Thursdays.
Editor: Gerry Smith (info@dylandaily.com)



MESSAGE TO SUBSCRIBERS:

Hello again. Welcome to the second issue of the re-launched DYLAN DAILY Newsletter. As before, the newsletter lists articles published recently on THE DYLAN DAILY web site - http://www.dylandaily.com/ - helping you catch up on any articles you might have missed.

If you haven't visited http://www.dylandaily.com/ for a while, please take another look - you'll find original articles analysing all aspects of Dylan's ever-expanding creativity.

And please continue to send me your news and views - of gigs you've enjoyed, new releases, back catalogue discoveries and Dylan product of all kinds - for posting on the web site for Dylan fans.


Gerry Smith, Editor (email: info@dylandaily.com)



NEW ON THE DYLAN DAILY
Please log on to http://www.dylandaily.com/ to read the articles listed

* Dylan's debut record anniversary: 19 March 1962
* Together Through Life - "a great album": Uncut on the new Dylan release
* Dylan posters: my favourite - Isle Of Wight 1969
* New album: revealing Dylan interview on Together Through Life
* Dylan posters: your favourite?

* New Dylan CD - possibly Best Album Of 2009, according to MOJO
* Dylan the American poet
* Dylan Drawn Blank poster - all gone!
* Exclusive: iconic Dylan Drawn Blank painting - at a giveaway price


PREVIOUSLY ON THE DYLAN DAILY
http://www.dylandaily.com/

* The new Dylan album, according to Rolling Stone magazine
* Dylan: A Man Called Alias, by Richard Williams: is it worth buying?
* Michael Gray's Dylan and the blues gig: "fascinating and enjoyable"
* Theme Time playlists
* Is Theme Time running out of steam?

* Is Dylan's credibility in decline? No, insist readers
* Man In The Long Black Coat: Barb Jungr covers Dylan
* New Dylan album - conjecture summarised
* All Along The Watchtower by XTC: strikingly radical
* Freewheelin' shoot photograph - yours for £1,950

* Dylan jokes #1
* BBC Dylanfest this week
* Bob Dylan's albums: another beautiful little artefact
* Bob Dylan Lyrics - for German speakers: a beautiful little artefact
* Those Blowin' In The Wind TV ads for the Co-Op supermarket chain

* Folk America: a must-watch/record series
* Never Ending Tour: time to end it?
* Nature's voice: Dylan's everywhere! #1/2009
* William Zantzinger obituary
* Michael Gray to tour his BOB DYLAN & THE POETRY OF THE BLUES gig

* Series Of Dreams: a stimulating new study of Dylan the songwriter
* Street Legal re-masters: how good are they?
* Yet more new Dylan books in 2009
* Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - enhancing the official CD


MOST VIEWED RECENT ARTICLE ON THE DYLAN DAILY
http://www.dylandaily.com/

* Exclusive: iconic Dylan Drawn Blank painting - at a giveaway price

Man On A Bridge is a delightful Dylan painting. Now you can buy a copy - as a full-size poster - at a giveaway price.

The Lightbox gallery in Woking, near London, which recently hosted The Drawn Blank Series exhibition of Dylan paintings, has a few posters left and is selling them at a mere £4.50 (plus £3.00 p&p, UK); they can take payment by card over the phone - tel: +44 (0)1483 737809.

So if you fancied owning Man On A Bridge, the iconic signature image from Drawn Blank, but couldn't/wouldn't shell out the £2,300 for a framed signed limited edition, here's your chance to buy one for £2,292.50 less.

(Full text online at: http://www.dylandaily.com/)

NB the gallery sold out the same day!


ADMIN

THE DYLAN DAILY Newsletter is delivered free, by email, on alternate Thursdays. It's sent to you because you have subscribed via the web site. Why not bookmark http://www.dylandaily.com/ now, to make it easy to re-visit the site?


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(c) Gerry Smith 2009

Together Through Life - “a great album”: Uncut on the new Dylan release

Uncut's Allan Jones previews Together Through Life, the new album, on the London rock monthly mag’s website:

* “On first listen a great album…”

* “rawness that separates it from Modern Times, “Love And Theft” and Time Out Of Mind… Dylan’s voice throughout a splendid growl.

* “themes of mortality, lost love, grief, the passing of time, memory, waning days and lonely nights.

You can read the full article on uncut.co.uk - my favourite rock news web site, by some distance.

www.uncut.co.uk

Thanks (again) to Peter Brookes for the link.



Gerry Smith

Dylan posters: my favourite – Isle Of Wight 1969

Thanks to John Adams:

“My favourite Dylan poster is the handbill for the 1969 Isle Of Wight festival.

“It uses the Nashville Skyline cover portrait, but cleverly juxtaposes it with a repeated image of The Band from one of their albums.

“There was another poster for the gig – a portrait of Dylan in shades – but it wasn’t half as attractive or evocative.”


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hanging a copy of the lovely Drawn Blank poster, courtesy of Woking’s Lightbox gallery, reminded me of the pleasures of having a fine Dylan poster or two on the wall. And encouraged me to acquire a few more.

But which posters? And where from?

Your advice on favourite Dylan poster(s) and preferred suppliers would be very welcome.



Gerry Smith

New album: revealing Dylan interview on Together Through Life

Dylan is very forthcoming in the first interview about his new album, Together Through Life, just posted on bobdylan.com.

He agrees with interviewer Bill Flanagan that it has a “Chess feel – mood… intensity… more of a romantic edge (than Modern Times)… I see that my audience now doesn’t particular (sic) care what period the songs are from…”

(Bill Flanagan wrote the liner notes for the DYLAN 3CD box.)

Together Through Life is released in the US on Tuesday 28 April, so presumably the day before in Europe. Amazon.com is already taking orders for “regular” cd, deluxe cd and vinyl editions (thanks to Peter Brookes for his link).


Gerry Smith

Dylan posters: your favourites?

Hanging the lovely Drawn Blank poster, courtesy of Woking’s Lightbox gallery, reminded me of the pleasures of having a fine Dylan poster or two on the wall. And encouraged me to acquire a few more.

But which posters? And where from?

Your advice on favourite Dylan poster(s) and preferred suppliers would be very welcome.



Gerry Smith

New Dylan CD – possibly Best Album Of 2009, according to MOJO

Thanks to Peter Brookes for the tip that MOJO, the achingly beautiful London-based Heritage Poprock monthly, has scooped the pool with an early review of the new album.

According to writer Michael Simmons:

“YESTERDAY, MOJO HEARD seven of what may turn out to be ten or eleven Bob Dylan originals…

“… ample proof of an artist steeped in the past but thoroughly living in the present, cognizant of everything, not afraid to point fingers or laugh at fools or fall in love.

“It's a powerful personal work by a man who still thinks for himself… it'll be in the running for Best Album Of 2009.”

Simmons reviews the seven tracks in detail – his article is well worth your time:

www.mojo4music.com/blog



Gerry Smith

Dylan the American poet

I’m keeping up with Larry Epstein as he continues to build a stimulating file of short essays on his Dylan Watch page of The Best American Poetry blog.

It has a growing number of stimulating, nicely judged pieces on a variety of Dylan themes.

Recommended.

http://thebestamericanpoetry.typepad.com/the_best_american_poetry/dylan_watch/



Gerry Smith

Dylan Drawn Blank poster – all gone!

The Lightbox gallery in Woking tell me that their Man On A Bridge poster has now completely sold out.

Don’t miss out on future Dylan Daily exclusives - add us to your Favourites/Bookmarks now.



Gerry Smith


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Exclusive: iconic Dylan Drawn Blank painting - at a giveaway price

Man On A Bridge is a delightful Dylan painting. Now you can buy a copy - as a full-size poster - at a giveaway price.

The Lightbox gallery in Woking, near London, which recently hosted The Drawn Blank Series exhibition of Dylan paintings, has a few posters left and is selling them at a mere £4.50 (plus £3.00 p&p, UK); they can take payment by card over the phone - tel: +44 (0)1483 737809.

So if you fancied owning Man On A Bridge, the iconic signature image from Drawn Blank, but couldn’t/wouldn’t shell out the £2,300 for a framed signed limited edition, here’s your chance to buy one for £2,292.50 less.

It’s a very desirable, collectable reproduction. Bargain of the decade, if you ask me!

www.thelightbox.org.uk




Gerry Smith

Exclusive: iconic Dylan Drawn Blank painting - at a giveaway price

Man On A Bridge is a delightful Dylan painting. Now you can buy a copy - as a full-size poster - at a giveaway price.

The Lightbox gallery in Woking, near London, which recently hosted The Drawn Blank Series exhibition of Dylan paintings, has a few posters left and is selling them at a mere £4.50 (plus £3.00 p&p, UK); they can take payment by card over the phone - tel: +44 (0)1483 737809.

So if you fancied owning Man On A Bridge, the iconic signature image from Drawn Blank, but couldn’t/wouldn’t shell out the £2,300 for a framed signed limited edition, here’s your chance to buy one for £2,292.50 less.

It’s a very desirable, collectable reproduction. Bargain of the decade, if you ask me!

www.thelightbox.org.uk




Gerry Smith

Free DYLAN DAILY Newsletter just re-launched

After a lengthy delay, the free DYLAN DAILY Newsletter has just been re-launched.

If you’re a subscriber, you should have already received your copy by email. If you haven’t, it’s probably because:

* your spam filter has rejected it - please ensure that my sending email address – info@dylandaily.com - is in your spam filter’s Friends list

* you’ve changed your email address since registering to receive the free newsletter; if so, please re-register your new email address via the DYLAN DAILY Home Page – it only takes seconds.

And if you’re not already a subscriber – why not register now, from this Home Page?

Receiving the free Newsletter is a foolproof way of catching up with new content on the web site that you may have missed.

The Newsletter is now mailed to subscribers on alternate Thursdays.

Thanks for your interest.



Gerry Smith, Editor


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RELAUNCHED FREE NEWSLETTER - JUST MAILED TO SUBSCRIBERS

THE DYLAN DAILY Newsletter - celebrating the art of Bob Dylan

Exclusive news and views, emailed to subscribers on alternate Thursdays.
Editor: Gerry Smith (info@dylandaily.com)



MESSAGE TO SUBSCRIBERS:

Hello again. Apologies for the break in sending you your copy of THE DYLAN DAILY Newsletter. I had to curtail it for a while to focus on finishing my new book, MUSIC FOR GROWN-UPs. You won't be surprised to hear that Dylan is the book's hero - check it out at http://www.dylandaily.com/

As before, THE DYLAN DAILY Newsletter lists articles published recently on THE DYLAN DAILY web site - http://www.dylandaily.com/ - helping you catch up on any articles you might have missed.

THE DYLAN DAILY Newsletter is now published on alternate Thursdays, and you'll receive your copy at the email address you've already registered. I hope you like it and will tell fellow Dylan fans about it.

Bob Dylan demonstrates his greatness by continuing to attract new admirers - of all ages. If you haven't visited http://www.dylandaily.com/ for a while, please take another look - you'll find original articles analysing all aspects of Dylan's ever-expanding creativity.

And please continue to send me your news and views - of gigs you've enjoyed, new releases, back catalogue discoveries and Dylan product of all kinds - for posting on the web site for Dylan fans.

Good listening.


Gerry Smith, Editor (email: info@dylandaily.com)



NEW ON THE DYLAN DAILY
Please log on to http://www.dylandaily.com/ to read the articles listed

* The new Dylan album, according to Rolling Stone magazine
* Dylan: A Man Called Alias, by Richard Williams: is it worth buying?
* Michael Gray's Dylan and the blues gig: "fascinating and enjoyable"
* Theme Time playlists
* Is Theme Time running out of steam?

* Is Dylan's credibility in decline? No, insist readers
* Man In The Long Black Coat: Barb Jungr covers Dylan
* New Dylan album - conjecture summarised
* All Along The Watchtower by XTC: strikingly radical
* Freewheelin' shoot photograph - yours for £1,950


PREVIOUSLY ON THE DYLAN DAILY
http://www.dylandaily.com/

* Dylan jokes #1
* BBC Dylanfest this week
* Bob Dylan's albums: another beautiful little artefact
* Bob Dylan Lyrics - for German speakers: a beautiful little artefact
* Those Blowin' In The Wind TV ads for the Co-Op supermarket chain

* Folk America: a must-watch/record series
* Never Ending Tour: time to end it?
* Nature's voice: Dylan's everywhere! #1/2009
* William Zantzinger obituary
* Michael Gray to tour his BOB DYLAN & THE POETRY OF THE BLUES gig

* Series Of Dreams: a stimulating new study of Dylan the songwriter
* Street Legal re-masters: how good are they?
* Yet more new Dylan books in 2009
* Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - enhancing the official CD


MOST VIEWED RECENT ARTICLE ON THE DYLAN DAILY
http://www.dylandaily.com/

Is Dylan's credibility in decline? No, insist readers

Regular contributor Martin Cowan mused whether Dylan's credibility is in decline.

Not so, insist several readers:

* Thanks to Chris Floyd:
My response to Martin Cowan's -- what to call it? bill of potential indictment, maybe? -- is this:

He is neither on the ball nor off his rocker. He is simply exercising his right to be somewhat trivial and presumptuous -- a right that all humans have, and should freely exercise whenever they wish.

It also seems a bit silly to me. He says that how Dylan is to be "judged" following his next shows and next album is "crucial." ...

(Full text online at: http://www.dylandaily.com/)

* Thanks to Liam Mogan:
Martin Cowan's 'shock-jock' musings on Bob's credibility seem like a calculated attempt to jolt Dylan nuts out of their collective smugness.

I find it quite funny really and not totally serious. (Credibility? I think he's been reading too many copies of his son/daughter's NME. Either that or he has recently bought The Guardian for the first time in his life.)

(Full text online at: http://www.dylandaily.com/)

* Thanks to Joe King:
I would not presume to have the measure of "Dylan Daily" readers' views but, once ISIS had posted news of the new album on its website, the story was quickly picked up by other websites, including UNCUT and ROLLING STONE. This may not amount to "excitement" but it does show that Dylan news provokes great interest.

I will not be attending the O2 Arena show either...

(Full text online at: http://www.dylandaily.com/)

* Thanks to Fred Bals, writer of the very fine Dreamtime blog:
"In a word, "No."

"In more than one word:
* If the activity on the various Dylan forums and at Dreamtime are any indication, fans are eagerly looking forward to a new album... and it hasn't even been officially announced yet.
* I can't speak to...

(Full text online at: http://www.dylandaily.com/)

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Dylan's declining credibility?

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

Is there any excitement among Dylan Daily readers for either:

* a new Dylan album or

* "in show and in person" at the O2 or any of the other venues on the UK tour?

Personally, I remain to be convinced that a new album will reveal anything startlingly original and I won't be going to any of the shows.

In fact, it occurs to me that Dylan's credibility is on the wane at the moment:

* was MT really that good?

* why is he doing these ads?

* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio?

How he is judged following these shows and any new release will be crucial. The shows are likely to be compared to Cohen's glorious performances, and Mr Springsteen's new platter seems to be going down a storm.

Interesting times.

(Full text online at: http://www.dylandaily.com/)


ADMIN

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(c) Gerry Smith 2009

The new Dylan album, according to Rolling Stone

Thanks to Peter Brookes for news that Rolling Stone has covered the new album:

“… dark new disc with a bluesy border-town feel … arrives in April, … raw-country love songs, sly wordplay and the wounded state of the nation … 10 new originals… feel of Dylan's last two studio records… seductive feel … struggling-love songs…”

You can see the full text at:

www.rollingstone.com

Dylan's credibility

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“In view of the reaction to what seemed to me to be my reasonable questions about Dylan's credibility, here are some more thoughts.

“Dylan has enjoyed remarkable critical acclaim since 1997 and, by association, his fans benefit from this because the acclaim ensures there is ample access to product (all those books, cds and dvds) and if he is deemed to be popular, he'll keep coming back to play shows.

“Remember how, due to comments that were made after the Isle of Wight, he vowed never to play in England again - and didn't for 9 years. Hard to believe, when you think how often the NET has come round over the last 12 years. Of course, compare this to Tom Waits, who lives a near reclusive lifestyle, releases sporadic critically acclaimed albums, plays one night in London (and this for the first time in 17 years) and yet still maintains his artistic vision.

“I guess what I'm thinking is that, critics being critics, Dylan must be about due a critical downturn, and I guess my thought process was that an inferior LP, and inferior shows could spark this.

“His "people" are capitalising on this acclaim - films, DVDs, painting exhibitions, books, adverts - but I wonder what say he has in this kind of thing?

“Whose idea is it to advertise? Would he rather play the O2, or a smaller, more intimate, venue? Or does he not care? And if he doesn't care, should we?

“I should add that I am hoping for something different and interesting from a new record, and in the past it was often said that no two LPs were the same.

“These were the kind of things going through my mind. It will be interesting to see what happens when/if there is a new album, and I do wonder how the O2 show will go down.”

Dylan: A Man Called Alias, by Richard Williams: yes, it is worth buying

* Thanks to Johanna Moore:

“In reply to you reader Pauline's question I'd like to say that "A Man Called Alias" is a very nice coffee table book, though neither the written nor the photo content will be new to the avid Dylan reader.

“It is nice though to have some of the familiar photos well reproduced in large format though, like the picture of Bob's young family in Woodstock in 1968.

“I picked up a (translated) copy of the book a couple of weeks ago on ebay at a decent price, read through it in two days, learned nothing new... but enjoyed it nonetheless. (Well, I aim to read as many Bob books as possible.)

”A journey to the bookstore might not even be necessary, as new and used bookselling website abebooks.co.uk /.com - both have copies available at decent prices, so you don't even depend on ebay. Hope that helps.

”Now, if anyone could help me decide whether to get the Bob Dylan Copyright Files book that amazon (.de) is just selling out, I'd appreciate any advice.”


* And thanks to Martin Cowan:

“In response to Pauline Brett's recent posting, I've just been flicking through the Richard Williams book.

“While not a great addition to the Dylan library (its brief sketchy text is forgettable), it does work, thanks to its lavish illustrations.

“At nearly 200 pages, with large black and white and colour photos on every page, the pictures alone probably make it worth picking up. Some of the pictures are ones we have seen elsewhere but it does also include more unfamiliar photos.

“So I'd say to Pauline - for the pictures, take a punt!”

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Dylan: A Man Called Alias, by Richard Williams: is it worth buying?

Thanks to Pauline Brett:

“I’d welcome advice from fellow readers.

“Is Dylan: A Man Called Alias, by Richard Williams and published as a large format book in the early 1990s, worth buying?

“I ask because a friend told me that a local used bookshop has a copy. Problem is, it’ll mean a dedicated journey, which could eat up half a day and I’m not sure it’s going to be worth it.

“If any Dylan Daily readers think the book is “vital” or “indispensable”, or similar, I’ll gladly make time…”

Dylan: A Man Called Alias, by Richard Williams: is it worth buying?

Thanks to Pauline Brett:

“I’d welcome advice from fellow readers.

“Is Dylan: A Man Called Alias, by Richard Williams and published as a large format book in the early 1990s, worth buying?

“I ask because a friend told me that a local used bookshop has a copy. Problem is, it’ll mean a dedicated journey, which could eat up half a day and I’m not sure it’s going to be worth it.

“If any Dylan Daily readers think the book is “vital” or “indispensable”, or similar, I’ll gladly make time…”

New Dylan album listed on Play.com (could be speculative)

Thanks to Mike @ allalongthewatchtower.dk


“I've posted this over on:

www.allalongthewatchtower.dk/phorum/list.php?1

New Bob Dylan studio album listed on play.com

First commercial mention of a new Bob Dylan album coming from Play.com on this page –

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/8989611/New-Studio-Album-TBA/Product.html

Michael Gray’s Dylan and the blues gig: “fascinating and enjoyable”

Thanks to David Carter:

“Michael Gray's one-man show, Bob Dylan & The Poetry of the Blues, kicked off on Thursday evening at the Colchester Arts Centre.

“The performance held at the Arts Centre, a redundant church, had a slightly surreal feel about it. The chilly church with its black drapes and dark stage set-up was heightened by Michael Gray dressed in a three-quarter length black jacket and with his silvery white hair he took on the appearance of a 19th century preacher as he spoke and guided us through the blues connections in Dylan's albums.

“The show looked at the blues singers who influenced Dylan throughout his career, using audio and video clips to illustrate the connections, and when Michael Gray picked up his "good book" (The Bob Dylan Encyclopaedia), to read a couple of passages, the spiritual experience was completed.

“A fascinating and enjoyable evening, if it comes to a venue near you make sure you don't miss it.”

Theme Time playlists

Thanks to Ian Woodward for his reminder that Theme Time Radio Hour schedules and playlists are carried on the BBC Radio web site:

www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/dylan/

Great that BBC Radio bought the rights for the first two series. But they must have reduced the audience to single figures with their silly scheduling.

They’ve lost me, at least - the programme’s broadcast at daft times, which keep changing. (And I avoid Radio 2’s bland melange of Cosy Boomer Heritage Sounds – it just ain’t for me, babe.)



Gerry Smith

Is Theme Time running out of steam?

Last week’s discussion on whether Dylan’s in decline revealed that several hardcore respondents had stopped listening to Theme Time Radio Hour.

Well, I certainly have.

But only because of the daft broadcast times adopted by BBC radio: midnight on Sundays on 6Music and late Saturdays on Radio 2, the last time I looked, though they are changeable.

Late on Fridays (10pm?), the original 6Music slot, was perfect – prime listening time when you could relax and soak it all in: eclectic music, some never heard before, and Dylan’s witty, challenging, enlightening links. Fine programming.

But the changed UK times meant you were ready to hit the hay and had to start taping the show. Then the combination of repeats, on two different BBC channels, and inadequate programme info, was confusing. You started to forget even to tape it, then lost the habit completely.

I just gave up. Not because of the programmes – they were wonderful – but because BBC radio screwed up, wasting the valuable asset they’d bought.

I’d willingly buy a recording of Dylan’s Theme Time links and book of playlists and transcripts. I heard rumour of a possible Simon & Schuster product - has anyone heard whether one is due?




Gerry Smith

Is Dylan’s credibility in decline? No, insist readers

Regular contributor Martin Cowan mused whether Dylan’s credibility is in decline.

Not so, insist several readers:


* Thanks to Chris Floyd:

My response to Martin Cowan's -- what to call it? bill of potential indictment, maybe? -- is this:

He is neither on the ball nor off his rocker. He is simply exercising his right to be somewhat trivial and presumptuous -- a right that all humans have, and should freely exercise whenever they wish.

It also seems a bit silly to me. He says that how Dylan is to be "judged" following his next shows and next album is "crucial." Crucial to whom? Perhaps to someone who invests a bit too much of their own self-image in the image of a singer or some other celebrity; I can't see how it would be "crucial" to anyone else.

If Dylan's next shows are found to be, by some measure or other, lesser than "Cohen's glorious performances," then -- what, exactly? Does that lower Dylan's "credibility"? And again -- credibility to whom, and for what?

Has Dylan got something to prove? Even after all these years, even after all he's done? Even if he does give a sub-par show, puts out an album someone doesn't like, or, god forbid, associates his music with commercials, like Hank Williams used to do -- what does this matter?

It can only matter to someone who requires perfect heroes to fulfil their own emotional needs. I understand that need; we all have it to some degree, I'm sure. But it is, in the end, a rather juvenile impulse. And its seems somewhat odd to apply it to Dylan, of all people -- an artist who has been very much concerned with the fullness of our human reality, which of course includes failure, decline, disappointment, etc. etc., and not the production of fantasy figures we can mindlessly adore -- or attack and reject when they, inevitably, "let us down."

Dylan is a 67-year-old man who likes to make music, and makes it as best he can. Should he stop doing all that, just because it might make someone feel all wiggly for one reason or another? Should he stop playing great records on the radio because someone doesn't like it?

Finally, one last question: is someone holding a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to go to Bob Dylan shows and buy Bob Dylan records and listen to Bob Dylan's radio show?

If you don't like them, fine. Don't go, don't buy, don't listen. Go find someone else whose "credibility" serves whatever needs you have.

As I say, it all seems a bit childish and pointless to me.


* Thanks to Liam Mogan:

Martin Cowan's 'shock-jock' musings on Bob's credibility seem like a calculated attempt to jolt Dylan nuts out of their collective smugness.

I find it quite funny really and not totally serious. (Credibility? I think he's been reading too many copies of his son/daughter's NME. Either that or he has recently bought The Guardian for the first time in his life.)

Rather than rant on about how great our hero is I'd rather point to Mr Cowan's strangely formal way of addressing that other elder statesman, 'Brooooce'.

I seem to remember that those oh-so-worthy behemoths of late ‘70s rock-journalism, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone etc employed a number of writers who suffered from similar, almost ceremonial, courteousness. Maybe that's why he's so obsessed with 'cred', man.

Seriously, good on you Martin for daring to shake the tree. To answer your 3 key questions

1. No, Modern Times wasn't that good (at a push you could say 2 songs were worthy additions to the canon)

2. Adverts - Er, for the Money?

3. Theme Time - I got bored midway through Series 2. Don't listen religiously anymore, but still beats on most other Radio Shows with a big stick whenever I catch it.

I do remain excited by the new album though - you gotta have some hope and faith in your life. The o2 shows? Nah, you just know they're going to be spoiled by the usual fairweather fans, moaning loudly about the fact that the songs 'don't sound the same as on the record', whilst chewing on a big fat hot-dog.

Just a quick question though Martin. As a regular contributor to the Dylan Daily, how's your 'street-cred' these days?


* And thanks to Joe King:

I would not presume to have the measure of "Dylan Daily" readers' views but, once ISIS had posted news of the new album on its website, the story was quickly picked up by other websites, including UNCUT and ROLLING STONE. This may not amount to "excitement" but it does show that Dylan news provokes great interest.

I will not be attending the O2 Arena show either but simply because that venue is so very large. Should the extra show in London be in a smaller venue, then I will most likely try to attend.

Was MT really that good? No. It was good in parts but not nearly as good as the critics wrote.

Why is he doing these ads? We don't know what's in Dylan's mind but I would suggest these possibilities: (1) for the money, (2) to reach a different audience now that Martin Cowan is, as it were, falling by the wayside, (3) there is nothing wrong about doing ads. I don't recall a single adverse comment about the use of Woody Guthrie's "Car, Car" in those Audi adverts. Do I sense a double standard here?

Have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio? No, no, no, no, no. May it continue for a lot longer.

Comparisons with Cohen and Springsteen? If either had achieved as much as Dylan, I might take the question seriously. That is not to put them down, merely to state the self-evident. Whether they receive more acclaim than Dylan in 2009 is neither here nor there in the scheme of things.





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Dylan’s declining credibility? Encore #1

Thanks to Fred Bals, writer of the very fine Dreamtime blog:

”In a word, "No."

“In more than one word:
* If the activity on the various Dylan forums and at Dreamtime are any indication, fans are eagerly looking forward to a new album... and it hasn't even been officially announced yet.

* I can't speak to the second question, since I'm in the U.S., but I do know if he releases a new album, I'll be first in line for tickets when the N.E.T. comes back to the U.S.

* was MT really that good? Personal opinion of course, but I think there's lots to like about MT, especially When the Deal Goes Down and Beyond the Horizon. Of course, I'm a big Bing Crosby fan. :-)

* why is he doing these ads? Why shouldn't he? Mr. D's commercial affiliations doesn't impact my appreciation for his talent one whit. Should he be going, "Oh, no, my music is too pure to sell biscuits."?

* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio? Jesus, the man is mad. Along with Chronicles, TTRH is one of the best non-music achievements Bob Dylan has ever produced. I hope he does it for a dozen more years.

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Dylan’s declining credibility?

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

Is there any excitement among Dylan Daily readers for either:

* a new Dylan album or

* "in show and in person" at the O2 or any of the other venues on the UK tour?

Personally, I remain to be convinced that a new album will reveal anything startlingly original and I won't be going to any of the shows.

In fact, it occurs to me that Dylan's credibility is on the wane at the moment:

* was MT really that good?

* why is he doing these ads?

* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio?

How he is judged following these shows and any new release will be crucial. The shows are likely to be compared to Cohen's glorious performances, and Mr Springsteen's new platter seems to be going down a storm.

Interesting times.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Is Martin on the ball? Or is he off his rocker? Please let The Dylan Daily know what YOU think. Gerry Smith, Editor
(19 February)

Dylan’s declining credibility? Encore #1

Thanks to Fred Bals, writer of the very fine Dreamtime blog:

”In a word, "No."

“In more than one word:

* If the activity on the various Dylan forums and at Dreamtime are any indication, fans are eagerly looking forward to a new album... and it hasn't even been officially announced yet.

* I can't speak to the second question, since I'm in the U.S., but I do know if he releases a new album, I'll be first in line for tickets when the N.E.T. comes back to the U.S.

* was MT really that good? Personal opinion of course, but I think there's lots to like about MT, especially When the Deal Goes Down and Beyond the Horizon. Of course, I'm a big Bing Crosby fan. :-)

* why is he doing these ads? Why shouldn't he? Mr. D's commercial affiliations doesn't impact my appreciation for his talent one whit. Should he be going, "Oh, no, my music is too pure to sell biscuits."?

* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio? Jesus, the man is mad. Along with Chronicles, TTRH is one of the best non-music achievements Bob Dylan has ever produced. I hope he does it for a dozen more years.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dylan’s declining credibility?

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

Is there any excitement among Dylan Daily readers for either:

* a new Dylan album or

* "in show and in person" at the O2 or any of the other venues on the UK tour?

Personally, I remain to be convinced that a new album will reveal anything startlingly original and I won't be going to any of the shows.

In fact, it occurs to me that Dylan's credibility is on the wane at the moment:

* was MT really that good?

* why is he doing these ads?

* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio?

How he is judged following these shows and any new release will be crucial. The shows are likely to be compared to Cohen's glorious performances, and Mr Springsteen's new platter seems to be going down a storm.

Interesting times.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Is Martin on the ball? Or is he off his rocker? Please let The Dylan Daily know what YOU think. Gerry Smith, Editor

Dylan’s declining credibility?

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

Is there any excitement among Dylan Daily readers for either:

* a new Dylan album or

* "in show and in person" at the O2 or any of the other venues on the UK tour?

Personally, I remain to be convinced that a new album will reveal anything startlingly original and I won't be going to any of the shows.

In fact, it occurs to me that Dylan's credibility is on the wane at the moment:

* was MT really that good?

* why is he doing these ads?

* have we all had enough of Theme Time Radio?

How he is judged following these shows and any new release will be crucial. The shows are likely to be compared to Cohen's glorious performances, and Mr Springsteen's new platter seems to be going down a storm.

Interesting times.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Is Martin on the ball? Or is he off his rocker? Please let The Dylan Daily know what YOU think. Gerry Smith, Editor

Man In The Long Black Coat: Barb Jungr covers Dylan

English covers chanteuse Barb Jungr took her Dylan covers show, Man In The Long Black Coat, to Brighton last week.

Although in the area, I decided to miss it. I’ve seen Jungr’s Dylan show before - as far as covers shows go, it was a good gig. Jungr is an interesting artist and an able performer.

But I’d rather listen to the real thing, even on CD. Covers… tributes… reinterpretations… rehashes – none of them rings my bell any more.

“Barb Jungr”: odd name for a Scouser? Well, Barb is short for Barbara, and her father was Hungarian.




Gerry Smith

New Dylan album – conjecture summarised

Conjecture about an imminent new Dylan studio album is building a head of steam.

Today’s Dreamtime has a handy summary of current titbits from web sources such as Expecting Rain, Michael Gray and ISIS:

www.dreamtimepodcast.com


And thanks to Martin Cowan for his take:

“Let's hope it's a move away from the ‘Great American Songbook’ feel of L&T and MT, and not more recycling of favourite blues lyrics.”


Gerry Smith

All Along The Watchtower by XTC: strikingly radical reinterpretation

As expected, tonight’s Sings Dylan (cover versions) on BBC4 was mostly yawn-inducing.

The procession of pop and folkpop acts from the BBC archives presented pale imitations of the real thing: nobody sings Dylan like Dylan.

My semi-comatose state was disturbed twice, though.

XTC’s incendiary New Wave live radical reinterpretation of All Along The Watchtower was exciting, one of the most striking Dylan covers I’ve seen in a long time. I must check out that band (25 years too late!)

And Bryan Ferry’s lovely It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue, from his Frantic CD (or was it Don’t Think Twice, from the same Ferry album?) also had me awake - momentarily, until I realised that he and backing band were only pretending to make music.

You can probably see the programme online - some BBC TV programmes are accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission (though copyright restricts the territories in which they’re available):

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer




Gerry Smith

Freewheelin’ shoot photograph – yours for £1,950

Don Hunstein’s Freewheelin’ cover from February 1963 is one of the great iconic images in the Dylan catalogue.

The album’s cover image was selected from the shots on a single roll of colour film taken as the light was fading fast on a freezing winter afternoon.

Another very similar photograph from the same shoot is for sale at £1,950 in a Limited Edition of 50, 20x24 inch unframed, signed by Don Hunstein, from Snap Galleries in Birmingham, England.


www.snapgalleries.com




Gerry Smith

Dylan jokes #1: encore #1 & 2

Thanks to Gordon Macniven:

“I don't wish to be rude but could I suggest that Richard O Smith sticks to organising walking tours rather than risking it all as a comedian?!”


And thanks to Humberto:

>>>“How many rows must a man walk down, before he can find the milk?” Ahem… . >>>

“workingman's blues!”



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Dylan jokes #1

Richard O Smith, who runs the entertaining Eccentric Oxford walking tours -

www.oxfordwalks.co.uk

- is a long-time Dylan nut, as a well as a long-time semi-pro wag.

He’s just had this joke published in The Independent daily newspaper:

“Times are a-changin': Bob Dylan, having only once previously provided permission for lyric alteration, has finally allowed his famed protest song "Blowin' in the Wind" to be used in an advert for the Co-Op ("Dylan co-operates with TV advert", 28 January).

“How many rows must a man walk down, before he can find the milk?”



Ahem… .

Dylan jokes #1

Richard O Smith, who runs the entertaining Eccentric Oxford walking tours -

www.oxfordwalks.co.uk

- is a long-time Dylan nut, as a well as a long-time semi-pro wag.

He’s just had this joke published in The Independent daily newspaper:

“Times are a-changin': Bob Dylan, having only once previously provided permission for lyric alteration, has finally allowed his famed protest song "Blowin' in the Wind" to be used in an advert for the Co-Op ("Dylan co-operates with TV advert", 28 January).

“How many rows must a man walk down, before he can find the milk?”



Ahem… .

BBC Dylanfest this week

There’s a stack of Dylan content on BBC TV and radio this week.

Thurs 12 Feb
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2

Fri 13 Feb
2000 Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Sound Of The Sixties - BBC4
2010 Festival (Newport Folk, 1963—6) - BBC4
2140 Sings Dylan (cover versions) – BBC4
2230 Roger McGuinn et al, Folk America At The Barbican – BBC4

Sat 14 Feb
2200 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2

Sun 15 Feb
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC 6Music

(Thanks to Martin Cowan for his reminder.)


Many BBC radio programmes are broadcast live online - please see the channels’ web sites for details – and some BBC radio and TV programmes are also accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission (though copyright restricts the territories in which they’re available):

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer



Gerry Smith

Bob Dylan’s albums: another beautiful little artefact… Dylan Bookshelf #143

At the same time as I bought the beautiful little Lyrics book (below) at Dussmann on Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse, I also picked up the earlier companion volume, Bob Dylan, a monograph covering Dylan’s album output, and also by Heinrich Detering.

It’s also a beautiful little artefact, clearly designed as a companion volume.

Bravo author Heinrich Detering and Reclam publishers!

Bob Dylan by Heinrich Detering, 2007, Philipp Reclam jun Stuttgart, 184pp, euro4.80, ISBN 978-3-15-018432-5

www.reclam.de

Bob Dylan by Heinrich Detering is the 143rd book added to my groaning Dylan bookshelf.



Gerry Smith

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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:

Bob Dylan Lyrics – for German speakers: a beautiful little artefact
Dylan Bookshelf #142

On a recent trip to Berlin – surely Europe’s most exciting city – I picked up Bob Dylan Lyrics, a tiny book which reproduces the (English) lyrics of about 50 songs, with a short essay on each.

I bought the book simply because it looks so good – of all the volumes on my Bob shelves, it’s one of the most striking.

(Like most readers of The Dylan Daily, I already have all the lyrics in the official books and would struggle to understand the German text anyway, so I bought it purely as an attractive artefact.)

It’s always been a puzzle just how listeners can fully appreciate great writing in a language other than their mother tongue – for example, my French is fairly good, but there’s no way I appreciate the subtlety of great French writers like Camus, Baudelaire or Balzac.

This book shows the way, by translating key words and phrases, especially those which might prove difficult for German readers.

Bravo Heinrich Detering and Reclam publishers!

Bob Dylan Lyrics, translated by Heinrich Detering, 2008, Philipp Reclam jun Stuttgart, 155pp, euro4.60, ISBN 978-3-15-019741-7

www.reclam.de

Bob Dylan Lyrics, translated by Heinrich Detering is the 142nd book added to my groaning Dylan bookshelf.



Gerry Smith

New Dylan studio album imminent?

On his informative, expert blog, Michael Gray reported on 22 Jan that a new Dylan studio album might be released soon.

Does anyone have any more information?

www.bobdylanencyclopedia.blogspot.com




Gerry Smith

Bob Dylan Lyrics – for German speakers: a beautiful little artefact

On a recent trip to Berlin – surely Europe’s most exciting city – I picked up Bob Dylan Lyrics, a tiny book which reproduces the (English) lyrics of about 50 songs, with a short essay on each.

I bought the book simply because it looks so good – of all the volumes on my Bob shelves, it’s one of the most striking.

(Like most readers of The Dylan Daily, I already have all the lyrics in the official books and would struggle to understand the German text anyway, so I bought it purely as an attractive artefact.)

It’s always been a puzzle just how listeners can fully appreciate great writing in a language other than their mother tongue – for example, my French is fairly good, but there’s no way I appreciate the subtlety of great French writers like Camus, Baudelaire or Balzac.

This book shows the way, by translating key words and phrases, especially those which might prove difficult for German readers.

Bravo Heinrich Detering and Reclam publishers!

Bob Dylan Lyrics, translated by Heinrich Detering, 2008, Philipp Reclam jun Stuttgart, 155pp, euro4.60, ISBN 978-3-15-019741-7

www.reclam.de

Bob Dylan Lyrics, translated by Heinrich Detering is the 142nd book added to my groaning Dylan bookshelf.



Gerry Smith

Normal service restored!

Apologies to all readers and contributors for the lack of site updates and email acknowledgments on Monday and Tuesday – I got caught up in the traffic disruption following heavy snowfalls.

Normal service has been restored!



Gerry Smith

Bob Dylan, American folk, Handel

(Music For Grown-Ups, The Dylan Daily’s sister site, carries this column every week; the latest column has loads of Dylan content):



FREE! Music for grown-ups on the BBC in the next 10 days

Hidden among its vast TV and radio output, the BBC broadcasts some magnificent music for grown-ups every week of the year. And it’s all free - well, sort of….

Friday 30 Jan
1400 Cecilia Bartoli in Handel’s opera Rinaldo Act 3 – BBC Radio 3
2100 Folk America (2/3) – BBC4

Sat 31 Jan
2200 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2

Sun 1 Feb
2000 Folk America (2/3) – BBC4
2100 Neil Young, Don’t Be Denied - BBC4
2200 Neil Young, In Concert (1971) - BBC4
2400 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC 6Music

Tues 3 Feb
2355 Joni Mitchell, In Concert – BBC4
0105 Joan Baez, In Concert – BBC4
0135 Neil Young, In Concert (1971) - BBC4

Wed 4 Feb
2100 Buddy Holly, Arena (1985) – BBC4

Thurs 5 Feb
1400 Handel’s opera Il Pastor, overture & Act 1 – BBC Radio 3
2300 Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour – BBC Radio 2
0055 Later… Folk America – BBC4

Fri 6 Feb
1400 Handel’s opera Il Pastor Acts 2&3 – BBC Radio 3
2100 Folk America (3/3) – Blowin’ In The Wind – BBC4
2200 Dylan At Newport – The Other Side Of The Mirror – BBC4
2320 Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, In Concert - BBC4


Online access: many BBC radio programmes are broadcast live online - please see the channels’ web sites for details. Some BBC radio and TV programmes are also accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer


Nearly all of the musicians listed above are profiled in my new book, Music For Grown-Ups. For full details, please click on the book cover at the top left of the Home Page of the master website:

www.musicforgrown-ups.com




Gerry Smith

Those Blowin’ In The Wind TV ads for the Co-Op supermarket chain

Two very different views:

* Micky Johns: “I’d go further: the new ads, like the women’s underwear ads from a few years ago, really upset me – what the Hell is Dylan playing at?”

* James Talbot: “Ask any musician and they’ll tell you that even earning a living from playing/singing is very hard. Few of them would begrudge Dylan or anyone else from taking the man for as much as he’s prepared to pay. In my opinion, Dylan should milk his back catalogue for all it’s worth - and good luck to him.”



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Tour’s OK, but the Co-op ads worry me

Thanks to Pauline King:

“Unlike some Dylan Daily readers, I don’t have a problem with the NET: I always love Dylan gigs, and I’m sure 2009 will be no different.

“But the upcoming UK TV ads for the Co-op, for which Sony/Bob has licensed Blowin’ In The Wind, make me uneasy.

“Some will be reassured by the worthy left leanings of the Co-op business – it supports good causes as well as selling groceries, financial services and funerals – but I can’t stand it. If my local Co-op was the only supermarket I could use, I’d rather go hungry - it reminds me of Eastern European communism.

“The risk of Dylan associating his great art with a business is that many might not like the business and view the art in a lesser light.”

The Tour’s OK, but the Co-op ads worry me

Thanks to Pauline King:

“Unlike some Dylan Daily readers, I don’t have a problem with the NET: I always love Dylan gigs, and I’m sure 2009 will be no different.

“But the upcoming UK TV ads for the Co-op, for which Sony/Bob has licensed Blowin’ In The Wind, make me uneasy.

“Some will be reassured by the worthy left leanings of the Co-op business – it supports good causes as well as selling groceries, financial services and funerals – but I can’t stand it. If my local Co-op was the only supermarket I could use, I’d rather go hungry - it reminds me of Eastern European communism.

“The risk of Dylan associating his great art with a business is that many might not like the business and view the art in a lesser light.”

Never Ending Tour: time to end it? Encore #3

Thanks to Paddy Stewart:

“I’m with James on this one. I’ve booked London and have an awful feeling I’m going to be disappointed.

“In the last few months, several of Dylan’s rocker contemporaries – Neil Young, Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen - have been delivering shows which are among their best ever. The bar has been raised.

“The prospect of Dylan doing a run-of-the-mill gig at the 20,000-seater 02 without screens fills me with a sense of foreboding.”




xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Never Ending Tour: time to end it?

Thanks to James Appleyard:

“I’ve been a Dylan gig-goer for decades, but I booked a 2009 show recently with a heavy heart. I’m not sure I’ll even use the ticket.

“Why? Simple: déjà vu! Bob’s shows now seem formulaic to me; they show insufficient invention; and I no longer respond to his voice or musicianship.

“Dylan’s a great artist. Well, no – the greatest, by a long way. But I think I’d rather focus on the recordings from now on.

“Am I alone in this, or do other Dylan Daily readers feel the same?”

Battle of the covers bands; Senor inspires a father’s tribute to his son - BOBMANIA #2-3/2009

Tribute bands will be engaging in the 1st Annual Battle Of The Dylan Covers Bands:

www.zimmingpoint.com


And veteran NJ podcaster Mel Prussack’s newest video, Steven, is now online. It’s a musical tribute to his son, with a nod in the direction of Senor.

http://www.youtube.com/dylanshrine



Gerry Smith

Folk America: a must-watch/record series

Folk America, the central trio of one-hour documentaries in BBC 4’s timely new series of the same name, are must-watch/record programmes.

If they’re as good as BBC 4’s similar earlier series – Folk… Jazz… (etc)… Britannia they could well be the best documentaries of 2009.

The series starts tonight at 9pm: Folk America - new series exploring the revival of American folk music (Part 1), and is repeated late tonight and on Sunday. Part 2 - Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie et al – airs next Friday at 9pm, with repeats.

As for the rest of the programmes in the series – er, no thanks, not really my cup of tea.

Online access: Some BBC TV programmes are accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer



Gerry Smith


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Folk America on UK TV

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

A feast of viewing is on the horizon for Dylan Daily readers and Grown-Ups everywhere, as follows:

* Friday 23 January 2009 BBC4
8.00 Seasick Steve: Bringing it all back home (documentary about the blues singer)
8.30 Seasick Steve at Reading 2008 (live performance)
9.00 Folk America - new series exploring the revival of American folk music (Part 1)
10.00 Folk America at the Barbican - Hollerers, Stompers and Old Time Ramblers - concert
11.00 Desperate Man blues - profile of Joe Bussard

* Tuesday 27 January 2009 BBC4
11.15 Richie Havens in concert
11.55 Tom Paxton In concert
12.25 Judy Collins in concert
1.00 Joan Baez in concert
1.40 Crosby and Nash in concert

* Wednesday 28 January 2009 BBC4
8.30 - Tonight in Person - Peter Paul and Mary

* Friday 30 January 2009 BBC4
8.00 BBC4 session - Bruce Springsteen at the LSO, his tribute
to Pete Seeger
9.00 Folk America (part 2 - Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie et al)
10.00 Later...folk America (Norah Jones, Johnny Cash,
Emmylou Harris etc)
11.00 Arena Rock Docs - Woody Guthrie


Online access: Some BBC TV programmes are accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Folk America on UK TV

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

A feast of viewing is on the horizon for Dylan Daily readers and Grown-Ups everywhere, as follows:

* Friday 23 January 2009 BBC4
8.00 Seasick Steve: Bringing it all back home (documentary about the blues singer)
8.30 Seasick Steve at Reading 2008 (live performance)
9.00 Folk America - new series exploring the revival of American folk music (Part 1)
10.00 Folk America at the Barbican - Hollerers, Stompers and Old Time Ramblers - concert
11.00 Desperate Man blues - profile of Joe Bussard

* Tuesday 27 January 2009 BBC4
11.15 Richie Havens in concert
11.55 Tom Paxton In concert
12.25 Judy Collins in concert
1.00 Joan Baez in concert
1.40 Crosby and Nash in concert

* Wednesday 28 January 2009 BBC4
8.30 - Tonight in Person - Peter Paul and Mary

* Friday 30 January 2009 BBC4
8.00 BBC4 session - Bruce Springsteen at the LSO, his tribute to Pete Seeger
9.00 Folk America (part 2 - Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie et al)
10.00 Later...folk America (Norah Jones, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris etc)
11.00 Arena Rock Docs - Woody Guthrie


Online access: Some BBC TV programmes are also accessible online via iPlayer for a short period after transmission:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Never Ending Tour: time to end it? Encore #2

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“Further to the recent debate, I would say that some of the live recordings from the last 10 years are right up with other great performances down the decades. And - let's be honest - there are detractors who can't stand the caterwauling "Rolling Stone" (1966 vintage), his "shouting" when fronting the Band in 1974, the so-called "gone Vegas" 1978 shows etc etc.

“Listening to live recordings from the mid-‘80s, many vocal tics were in place at the time, including a faithful rendition of the tune for one verse, and then lots of Dylan-esque up-and-down singing for the rest.

“It seems to me that following Good As I Been and World Gone Wrong he really discovered the joy of singing - I'm thinking of live shows in 1993, the Great Music Experience from 1994, the beautiful "Restless Farewell" at Frank Sinatra's 80th in 1995, and the scintillating "Love Sick" from the Grammys in 1998.

“However, I do think that Dylan would benefit from an extended break. The old vocal chords are not what they were and I do think the set lists have become somewhat stale and formulaic.

“It's good that he gives such exposure to recent material, but some of the stuff from the ‘70s and ‘80s deserves to be played. When he is focussed, he is still an extraordinary vocal talent and anyone who doubts this should check out his cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change is gonna come" from 2004 on YouTube:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6_nP55cAwsk

“But he does need to remember that for most of us it's words AND music and to "recite" the lyrics is not really good enough.

“I'm not sure that the O2 will be a good venue for him and I await the reviews of those who are attending with interest.”

Never Ending Tour: time to end it? Encore #1

Thanks to Matthew Zuckerman:

Any Dylan fan/appreciator/fanatic has, over the years, had to put up with a steady stream of skepticism -- can't sing, can't play, can write a little -- and either we develop a thick skin or grow to enjoy the blood-letting.

I find it more disconcerting, however, to hear long-time Dylan fans
disparaging his recent songs, recordings or performances when I myself am more deeply in awe of them than ever.

This is true of such notable Dylan commentators as Clinton Heylin and Michael Gray as well as James (and also my MP Don Foster, a long-time fan who insists his recent performances are beyond the pale and has "given up" on seeing the man on stage).

I have two theories as to why this happens.

Theory 1:

Like a wild mustang, Bob will, given time, throw any rider who attempts to ride him. Some, he threw at Newport, some at Woodstock, some at Bible school, many during the bleak 1980s, many more with his occasional mercenary ventures, and a steady trickle at various stages along the Never-Ending Tour. This probably has something to do with Dylan's ability to "seem" to express our own thoughts and feelings more clearly and deeply than we knew them to exist. He may resent it, but this inevitably means we all feel we have a whole lot of ourselves invested in his work.

When he ceases to speak for us -- or, worse, when he appears to strike out in a radically different direction -- we are unable to see what he's doing since we are so incensed at what he ISN'T doing. Those of us not thrown are wrong to attribute it to anything more than that we haven't been thrown YET.

For me -- for what it's worth -- 2005 saw him give some of the finest performances of his career, and if the three years since have been a little less revelatory, then they have still been constantly absorbing.

Theory 2:

I have tin ears.

Guess which theory I hold to.



James Appleyard wrote:

> ³I¹ve been a Dylan gig-goer for decades, but I booked a 2009 show recently with a heavy heart. I¹m not sure I¹ll even use the ticket.
>
> ³Why? Simple: déjà vu! Bob¹s shows now seem formulaic to me; they show > insufficient invention; and I no longer respond to his voice or musicianship.
>
> ³Dylan¹s a great artist. Well, no the greatest, by a long way. But I think > I¹d rather focus on the recordings from now on.
> Am I alone in this, or do other Dylan Daily readers feel the same?²

Never Ending Tour: time to end it?

Thanks to James Appleyard:

“I’ve been a Dylan gig-goer for decades, but I booked a 2009 show recently with a heavy heart. I’m not sure I’ll even use the ticket.

“Why? Simple: déjà vu! Bob’s shows now seem formulaic to me; they show insufficient invention; and I no longer respond to his voice or musicianship.

“Dylan’s a great artist. Well, no – the greatest, by a long way. But I think I’d rather focus on the recordings from now on.

“Am I alone in this, or do other Dylan Daily readers feel the same?”

Nature’s voice: Dylan’s everywhere! #1/2009

Thanks to David Carter:

“Bob turns up in some unexpected places!

“In the spring edition of my RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) members’ magazine "Birds", highlighting the theme of the magazine, Nature's voice, is the following headline:

“Nature's voice,
Makes my heart rejoice,
Play me the wild song of the wind.”

Bob Dylan, Huck's Tune, 2007

“This is captioned over a photo of a Red Squirrel!”


(All lyrics quoted are used for the purpose of criticism or review. Huck's Tune by Bob Dylan, Copyright © 2007 Special Rider Music.)

William Zantzinger obituary

Thanks to Peter Truin for reminding me that the London-based Daily Telegraph carried a detailed obituary of William Zantzinger, as featured in Dylan’s classic The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll:

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/4224527/William-Zantzinger.html



Gerry Smith

Street Legal, according to Michael Gray

Thanks to Francesca Barnes:

“Funny that Dylan Daily should cover Michael Gray (on tour) so soon after your discussion of Street Legal.

“I happened to be reading Gray (S&DM3) on Street Legal at the weekend, and was struck by his impressive, lengthy analysis. Gray sees the CD as a coherent suite of songs charting Dylan’s replacement of married love by a nascent Christian faith.

“I like much of Gray’s writing and, though I’ve no religious agenda, I found this piece especially convincing and recommend it to your readers.”

Alphabet - Dyl-Time Theme Radio Hour - BOBMANIA #1/2009

Thanks to Mel Prussack:

“My new podcast of Dyl-Time Theme Radio Hour is now online. The theme this month is Alphabet. I hope everyone enjoys it!”

http://dylanshrine.podOmatic.com

Michael Gray to tour his BOB DYLAN & THE POETRY OF THE BLUES gig

If you haven’t yet caught Michael Gray’s recommended BOB DYLAN & THE POETRY OF THE BLUES gig, you get another chance in the next few months:


BOB DYLAN & THE POETRY OF THE BLUES: An Evening With Michael Gray
“wit, erudition, loud music and rare footage”

Thu Feb 19, 8pm Colchester Arts Centre, UK
Church St., Colchester, Essex
Box Office: 01206 500900 / www.colchesterartscentre.com
tickets £10, £8 concessions

Fri Feb 20, 8pm Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick, Ireland
temporarily at 36 Cecil Street, Limerick, Eire
Box Office: ticketline 061 319 866 or:
boxoffice@belltable.ie
tickets €15, €12 concessions

Fri Mar 6, 7.30pm Birkenhead Pacific Road Arts Centre, UK
Pacific Road, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 1LJ
Box Office: 0151 666 0000 or:
http://www.pacificroad.co.uk/webpages/booking.asp
tickets £10, £8 concessions

Tue Mar 31, tba Daemen College, Amherst NY, USA
4380 Main Street, Amherst NY 14226
Box Office: n/a; free admission (may be campus members only)

Thu Apr 2, 4.30pm Washington College, Chestertown MD, USA
The Rose O’Neill Literary House, 300 Washington Avenue,
Chestertown, Maryland 21620
Box Office: n/a; free admission (may be campus members only)

Fri Apr 3, 7.30pm Nyack Village Theatre, Nyack NY, USA
94 Main Street, Nyack NY 10960
Box Office: [001] 845-367-1423
tickets $20

Fri Apr 17, 8pm Buxton Opera House, UK
Water Street, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 6XN
Box Office: 0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/booking
tickets £8

Thu Apr 23, 7.30pm Herne Bay Little Theatre, UK
Box Office: 01227 366004
tickets £12, £10 concessions

Wed Apr 29, 4.30pm Farmingdale State College, State Univ. of New York, USA
English & Humanities Department, Farmingdale State College
2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale (Long Island)
NY 11735-1021, USA; Tel: [001] 631-420-2050
Box Office: n/a; free admission (may be campus members only)

Sat May 2, 8pm Bridgwater Arts Centre, UK
11-13 Castle Street, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3DD
Box Office: 01278 422700 / www.bridgwaterartscentre.co.uk
tickets £12, £10 concessions

Sat May 9, 8pm The Market Theatre, Ledbury, UK
Market Street, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 2AQ
Box Office: c/o Tourist Information Office 01531 636147 /
www.themarkettheatre.com/
tickets £10

Wed May 13, 7.30pm Uppingham Theatre, Rutland UK
32 Stockerston Road, Uppingham, Rutland LE15 9UD
Box Office: 01572 820820 / upp.the.arts@uppingham.co.uk
www.uppthearts.co.uk / or in person at Uppingham Bookshop
or at Stamford Arts Centre
tickets £8.50

Fri May 15, 7.30pm Cotswold Playhouse, Stroud, UK
Parliament Street, Stroud GL5 1LW
Box Office c/o Stroud Tourist Office: 01453 760960 /
www.cotswoldplayhouse.co.uk/jm/
tickets £12, £11 priority booking, £10 concessions

Sat May 16, 7.30m Festival of the Spoken Word, Berwick-on-Tweed, UK
The Main House, The Maltings Theatre & Arts Centre,
Eastern Lane, Berwick upon Tweed TD15 1AJ
Box Office: 01289 330999 / www.maltingsberwick.co.uk
tickets £10, £8 concessions

Fri May 29, 7.30pm Exchange Studio, Hazlitt Arts Centre, Maidstone
Earl Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1PL
Box Office: tel 01622 758611/
www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk/pages/booking.html
tickets £12.50, £10 concessions

Sat May 30, 8pm Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset UK
South Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3NR
Box Office: 01308 424204 / www.bridport-arts.com/
tickets tba


An enjoyable, stimulating evening/late afternoon awaits you!




Gerry Smith

Street Legal remasters: how good are they? Encore #2-4

* Thanks to Paul Ryles:

“In my opinion, either of the remastered versions of Street Legal, the 1999 remaster or the SACD issue, is worth a purchase.

“In both versions the 'muddy, muffled, insufficient separation...' of the original are gone. What you get is crystal clear music, so the muddy sound of the original was probably created at the mixing desk rather than as a result of poor recording in the studio.

“I think the transformation is nothing short of spectacular, but I will admit so some bias, as Street Legal has also been one of my favourites, even the muddy sounding vinyl original. I love the wordiness of the songs, especially as this was the time of disco.

“Hunt out either reissue and purchase, you won't be disappointed.”


* Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“In reply to your question, I would say yes, definitely worth getting. I have the 2003 remaster and it certainly is refreshing to hear this strong and intriguing set of songs in all its crystal-clear glory.

“I do have one reservation, however. While "Changing of the Guards" sounds superb (though there is a bizarre additional instrumental verse which sounds like it was somehow looped on to the end), many of the other tracks have an annoying echo on the vocals, which is a disappointment. This is a shame, because if you listen to "Senor" on "Biograph" (for which it was also remastered), there is no sign of the nasty echo.

“Reservations aside, I recommend you pick this up pronto.”


* And thanks to a third reader who sent a private message:

“I am probably some kind of weird person because I reckon I listen more to some of Street legal than just about anything else. From that
perspective then, at today's prices, I would say definitely worth it.

“In particular, Changing of the Guards and Where Are You Tonight? are much improved. Something I hadn't expected is that, compared with my old CD, the new one has maybe thirty seconds more instrumental at the end of Changing of the Guards which to my mind enhances the song. I like that song a lot, without having the foggiest idea what it's 'about'.”

Street Legal remasters: how good are they? Encore #1

Thanks to Tiernan Henry:

“I’m sure you’ve had plenty of responses to your question so I’ll just join in too.

“Some background: “Street Legal” was the first Dylan album I bought on release. I already had a couple by 1978, and had “acquired” a couple of others from my brother and sister’s collections.

“A common theme I’ve found among Bob listeners is the warmth with which we all regard our first Dylan album. “Hard Rain” remains the favourite of a friend of mine as it is the one that introduced him to Bob all the way back in the late ‘70s. Likewise I have more than a passing regard for “Street Legal”. I was 15 when it came out; the perfect age to listen and listen and listen to an LP. I still know the album inside out, so deeply did it get lodged in my brain back then.

“I bought a CD version sometime in the late ‘80s and found it almost totally unlistenable: it was muddy, dull and damp. In that first flush of CD releases the record companies were obviously not bothering about source tapes and were just getting back catalogues out there on sale. Though the album remained a firm favourite and though I would return to it on occasion I found that I would listen to the LP more than the CD (and in the car I had a tape I’d made from the LP).

“The 1999 remaster was and is a revelation. There are a number of reasons: they worked from the original tapes; it was obviously a work of love; and it sounds astounding. Though there is still bleed into the various mikes – remember that this was essentially an album that was recorded live – the separation has improved immensely. It is louder, though not simply as a result of levels being jacked up, and not in a way that causes loss of definition or detail. It has a really full, rounded and live feel to it.

“To my ears it sounds better than the LP. One other unexpected bonus was that “Changing of the Guards” is a full minute longer than on the LP (and earlier CDs) – there is an extended coda that really allows the band to kick the verse and chorus into high gear.

“I didn’t get the subsequent redone version because I didn’t think that they could improve it anymore.

“Though I listen to most of the albums over the course of the year “Street Legal” remains the one I probably listen to most, on CD and on my iPod.

“I hope that helps and I hope that a fresh listen to one of the newer versions opens up the album for you. It is worth listening – if you can – to the old CD and then sticking on the ‘99 remaster immediately after. Think Paul and road to Damascus!”

Series Of Dreams: a stimulating new study of Dylan the songwriter

By Anne Ritchie


Listeners who enjoy dissecting Dylan’s lyrics will be stimulated by Series Of Dreams, the new critical study by John Burns.

Compared with the heavyweight classics of Dylan Lit (notably Gray and Ricks), Burns’ book might be slight, but it’s an accessible way into a study of Dylan’s art - which can be as daunting as starting to study Shakespeare.

Burns applies his well-honed critical insight by focusing on what he calls “vision songs” – a couple of dozen classics from across the catalogue.

His antennae are mostly well-tuned – I particularly like his appreciation of the imagery in Chimes Of Freedom. And his comments on TOOM, especially Not Dark Yet, are revelatory. His discussion of Highlands made me reassess it – I’d always switched off half way through what I heard as a tedious shaggy dog story. And Burns’ appreciation of Dylan’s voice and his performance art, throughout the book, is right on the money.

I have a few misgivings. The author struggles to justify his “visionary songs” theme – “songs which open our eyes and help us to see” - for example when discussing Isis.

Burns can also be dogmatic, at times committing the cardinal sin of deciding what Dylan means or is trying to say. On a few occasions, he misses the obvious – for example, the nuances of the looks on Dylan’s face during the musical jousting with Donovan in the hotel room jamming scene in Don’t Look Back. And familiar rock hack prejudices crop up in the author’s ignoring of the achievements of great pre-Dylan pop writers such as Cole Porter.

But I combed Burns’ text closely enough to unearth such reservations, which suggests that he successfully engaged me in a serious discussion about Dylan’s art.

Series Of Dreams is a stimulating new study: recommended.

A round of applause for Glen Murray Publishing, too – this handsome, well-designed volume is a pleasure to handle.


DETAILS: Series Of Dreams: The Vision Songs Of Bob Dylan, by John Burns, published by Glen Murray Publishing, November 2008, 136pp, £12.99, pbk, ISBN 9780955318351.

Available from:

www.glenmurraypublishing.co.uk

Street Legal remasters: how good are they?

Like most listeners, I’ve long been aware that the original Street Legal album, while comprising impressive Dylan material and performances, suffers from poor sound quality – muddy, muffled, insufficient separation , blah, blah…

Listening to the original CD release today on a poor quality “hi-fi” (who’s kidding whom?) in my daughter’s car, I was stunned anew by just how bad the album sounds.

Is it worth replacing the original CD with either of the subsequent releases? Do they improve the sound sufficiently to justify the effort of acquiring?

Your thoughts welcome.



Gerry Smith

Yet more new Dylan books in 2009

With the Dylan bookshelves already groaning, many more new titles are scheduled for 2009. I’ll be buying (probably from Amazon):

Jan
* The Cambridge Companion to Bob Dylan (Cambridge Companions to American Studies) by Kevin J. H. Dettmar (hbk/pbk - 31 Jan)

Feb
* The Political Art of Bob Dylan by David Boucher and Gary Browning (pbk)

March
* Bob Dylan: The Illustrated Biography (Classic Rare & Unseen) by Chris Rushby (hbk, 1 Mar)

* Bob Dylan (Music Icons) by Luke Crampton and Dafydd Rees (pbk, 25 Mar)

April
* Revolution in the Air: The Songs of Bob Dylan, 1957-1973 by Clinton Heylin (hbk)

* Dylan: 100 Songs and Pictures by Bob Dylan (pbk)

May
* Bargainin' for Salvation: Bob Dylan, a Zen Master? by Steven Heine (pbk)

* Highway 61 Revisited: Bob Dylan's Road from Minnesota to the World by Colleen J. Sheehy and Thomas Swiss (pbk)

June
* Real Moments: The Photographs of Bob Dylan by Barry Feinstein (pbk)



Gerry Smith

Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid – enhancing the official CD

Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid has long been a favourite Dylan CD in these parts. Its exquisite musicality gives the lie to critics who claim Zim is a wordsmith but not a convincing musician.

The only problem with it is that it’s too short and omits some worthwhile material.

Reader Jake Squires “added a couple of tracks left off the official release, so my enhanced CDR tracklist runs:

1. Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid
2. Workin' For The Law
3. Billy 1
4. Bunkhouse Theme
5. River Theme
6. Turkey Chase
7. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
8. Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid
9. Billy 4
10. Billy 7

BONUS TRACKS:
Peco’s Blues
Goodbye Holly

The extras aren’t brilliant, but they fit the vibe and extend a short album by about six minutes.”

Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid - on the big screen again

This month offers a rare chance to see a great Dylan film on the big screen again. The National Film Theatre at London’s BFI is showing Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid on Sun 18, Thurs 22 and Sun 25 Jan, as part of its Sam Peckinpah season.

“Now re-edited in close accord with Peckinpah’s original intentions”, so presumably this is the 1988, not the messed-up 1973, release.

Great movie, great sound-track, great director, great art-house cinema.



www.bfi.org.uk




Gerry Smith