Morrissey – a post-Punk Dylan?

A couple of weeks before a Morrissey gig, a thirty-something friend had defined Mozza as “a post-Punk Dylan”.

Though a recent convert, I’m a great admirer of Morrissey (and The Smiths). I went to see Mozza solo at his enthralling recent London Roundhouse gig with the challenging Dylan comparison in mind – it had had me ruminating for days.

Morrissey, ex-front man of English post-Punk indie pioneers The Smiths and a solo artist for over twenty years, is certainly the nearest musician there is to a Dylan for a younger generation.

Like Dylan, Morrissey’s main strength is as a writer: he’s a superior pop lyricist to anyone of his generation. Like Dylan, Morrissey is revered by a large, loyal fanbase. Like Dylan, Morrissey/Smiths had a profound impact on the direction of popular music. And, like Dylan, Morrissey has a charismatic stage presence.

But comparisons stop there.

Dylan has far more depth and breadth than the Mozz. His writing and music draws on far more sources than Morrissey’s. Both his artistic canvas and his palette are far richer than Mozza’s.

In a nutshell, Dylan is a great artist with universal resonance: he explores what it is to be human. Morrissey is a great entertainer with a narrower focus: he explores what it is to be Morrissey.



Gerry Smith

I’m Not There – a change of heart

Despite glowing reports from several Dylan Daily readers, I’d decided to wait for I’m Not There to make it to TV, or buy the DVD, whichever came first.

(I curtailed a lifelong cinema-going habit a few years ago, after traipsing to see Wild Strawberries again, and realising afterwards that I could have bought the DVD (and a reasonable DVD player) for less than the cost of the tickets and transport.)

But when I saw I’m Not There advertised for a local showing on Sunday 6 April, I had no hesitation in booking.

I can walk to the cinema from home; it’s conveniently on at mid-day, so the evening isn’t taken up; the local municipally-run art-house cinema deserves support. And, the clincher for a cheapskate: two seats cost me a total of £8.50.

Rave on, Ms Blanchett! Rave on Mr Haynes!



Gerry Smith

Sinead O’Connor remembers the 30th Anniversary Concert

Thanks to the (anon) reader who forwarded this timely new link to an article from The Age (Melbourne), in which Sinead O’Connor remembers her role in the 30th Anniversary Concert:


http://www.theage.com.au/news/gig-previews--reviews/sinead-oconnor/2008/03/25/1206207070747.html




Gerry Smith

Dylan product @ bargain prices: #2 Highway 61 Revisited

Thanks to Peter Bonor:

“Zavvi in London’s Oxford St (former Virgin Megastore) had the new Flametree paperback edition of Highway 61 Revisited (Legendary Sessions) by Colin Irwin at £5 (down from about £12) a couple of weeks ago.

“They also had piles of the companion volume by Alan Clayson on the Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet.”

Celebrating Dylan in LA: unmissable Sunday and Wednesday gigs

If I happened to be in Southern California this weekend, I’d be heading for the Dylanfest at LA’s Skirball Cultural Center.

Detailed reports from lucky Angelenos attending the unmissable Sunday and Wednesday gigs will be welcomed!

www.skirball.org


* SYMPOSIUM: DEFINING DYLAN
March 30, 9:30-5:00 p.m.
Learn about Bob Dylan, his music, and early influences at this one-day symposium featuring Dylan scholars and experts. $15-35.


* LECTURE/CONCERT: BOB DYLAN: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: Ben Sidran
Wednesday, April 2, 7:30 pm
In this concert with commentary, National Public Radio "Jazz Alive" host and music historian Ben Sidran recounts stories from Dylan's life, explores his impact upon American history, and illuminates how his art speaks to his Jewish roots. $8-15.




Gerry Smith


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EARLIER, RELATED ARTICLES:


Celebrating Dylan in Los Angeles

Thanks to Dorothy Rand for more information on the remarkable Dylan programme now running at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles:

"Perhaps of most interest to your readers would be a symposium we'll be holding on March 30 called Defining Dylan, which features presentations and a panel discussion by Dylan experts and music scholars.

"And on March 20 we'll be hosting one of the last Beat poets, Michael McClure, who will read his work and share his memories and experiences with Bob Dylan.

"Then on April 2, we present National Public Radio host Ben Sidran who will play music and provide commentary on Dylan's impact on American history. More details on each of these programs is below.


* EXHIBITION: BOB DYLAN'S AMERICAN JOURNEY, 1956-1966
February 8-June 8
At the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA
Featuring more than 160 artifacts and rare audio and video footage, his acclaimed exhibition follows Bob Dylan from his Minnesota roots to his growing fame as a rock star. $5-10.


* SYMPOSIUM: DEFINING DYLAN
March 30, 9:30-5:00 p.m.
Learn about Bob Dylan, his music, and early influences at this one-day symposium featuring Dylan scholars and experts. $15-35.


* LECTURE: AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL MCCLURE
Thursday, March 20, 8:00 p.m.
Join this prolific, award-winning writer-one of the last living Beat poets and a longtime friend of Bob Dylan-as he reads from his work and comments upon the 1960s artist community. $6-10.


* LECTURE/CONCERT: BOB DYLAN: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: Ben Sidran
Wednesday, April 2, 7:30 pm
In this concert with commentary, National Public Radio "Jazz Alive" host and music historian Ben Sidran recounts stories from Dylan's life, explores his impact upon American history, and illuminates how his art speaks to his Jewish roots. $8-15.



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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:

LA to be fifth stop for travelling Dylan exhibition

Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956-1966, organized by Experience Music Project (EMP), moves to LA's Skirball Cultural Center from 8 February to 8 June.

Bob Dylan's American Journey, 1956-1966 showcases photographs, recordings, performance, interview footage and historical artefacts - from Bruce Langhorne's tambourine to Dylan's copy of Woody Guthrie's Bound for Glory and a letter from Dylan to Joan Baez's mother!

The exhibition opened at Seattle's Experience Music Project, before moving to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland), Morgan Library (New York) and the Weisman Art Museum (Minneapolis).

The ancillary Skirball programmes includes:

· John Cohen and Daniel Kramer on photographing Dylan;
· poetry by Michael McClure, and
· Greil Marcus and other Dylan writers.

Looks absorbing - I'm keenly anticipating it coming to London!

If you've already seen the exhibition - in Seattle, Cleveland, New York or Minneapolis, or plan to go to the LA gig, Gerry@dylandaily.com is keen to hear from you and publish your impressions.


www.skirball.org



Gerry Smith

Scrapbook also in HMV at £10

Thanks to Andrew Kelly:

“I was in HMV at Oxford Circus over the Bank Holiday, where the Dylan scrapbook is currently selling for £10. It doesn't appear to be a special offer and there were about 5 copies.

“Additionally the Zavvi shop (formerly Virgin) opposite the Dominion at Tottenham Ct Rd is offering "No Direction Home" for £4 if you spend £20.

“Thought Mr Dylan was in arch form on R2 last night.”

Dylan product @ bargain prices: #1 Bob Dylan Scrapbook

Fellow consumers of Dylan product with an eye for a bargain will be pleased to hear that The Bob Dylan Scrapbook (Simon & Schuster, 2005), which has stubbornly resisted discounting from its (absurd) £30 list price, is now being heavily discounted.

I came across a pile a couple of weeks ago at Soho’s Original Bookshop, priced at £9.95. The shop’s in Charing Cross Road, across the side street from Foyle’s, and opposite Borders.

The Scrapbook’s an evocative collection of memorabilia – photographs, facsimile ticket stubs and festival posters.

Soho’s Original Bookshop also had discounted copies of Gilbert’s Forever Young: Portraits of Bob Dylan (£7.99), and a full–priced Drawn Blank (£33).

If you see some Dylan product @ bargain prices – CDs, DVDs, books, memorabilia - please let me know: bargains@dylandaily.com


Gerry Smith

Rare Dylan recordings, 1990-2008

The new (“April”) issue of Record Collector has the final article in Evan Marshall (inadvertently called “Evan Hunter” in the sub-head!)’s fine three-part survey of Dylan’s officially released rarities. Part Three covers the ‘90s and beyond.

Apart from the invaluable detailed listing, author Marshall discusses Dylan's current musical direction through his use of standalone contributions to film soundtracks and tribute records. As he says, “There really are a lot of hidden nuggets in the ‘90s and ‘00s period which show him getting back onto top form and fine-tuning his new sound”.

Collectors are indebted to Marshall for this prime piece of archaeological digging. Most will agree with him that “there really is some astonishing work that has been released by Dylan without any attention being drawn to it … “

I’ll be raising a glass to Evan Marshall this Easter.



Gerry Smith

Dylan’s Europe summer tour, 2008

Following the adventurous swing through Latin America, Dylan’s annual summer tour of Europe also takes in locations usually ignored – from Reykjavik, Iceland to St. Petersburg, Russia; Brno, Czech Republic to Warsaw, Poland. Plus France. Unconfirmed gigs include Ljubljana, Slovenia, and several Italian and Spanish stop-overs.

But there’s still a UK/Germany/Benelux-shaped hole in the schedule, from mid-July (or in May, before Iceland).

Bill Pagel’s boblinks site tracks new dates, as announced:

www.boblinks.com




Gerry Smith

Dylan in Buenos Aires

Thanks to Gonzalo Barreiros for his review of Dylan at Estadio Vélez Sársfield, Buenos Aires, Argentina on Saturday 15 March:

"Well, the concert was really great. The first song was "Rainy day women", Bobby playing the Fender Stratocaster with the band sounding powerful and steady. Then they played "Lay lady lay", when I took my cell phone and I called to my son so he could listen to it ...

"Then it was a never-ending flow of old hits and new songs, the new ones hard and sometimes sad, the old ones performed in a fresh way, almost impossible to recognize them until you hear the chorus lines. This is a wonderful feature that Dylan has explored since the beginning: playing the old songs in a new way and even changing the verses or adding some new lines. This is what I call an artist, someone who doesn't repeat himself but rather changes and keeps creating beauty.

"I can't remember the full list of songs but these are some he played last night:

* Blowing in the wind,
* All along the watchtower,
* Watching the river flow,
* Just like a woman (a version with the taste of the original recorded version, that sweet and subtle guitar arrangement for the intro),
* Times have changed (he won an Oscar in 2000 with this song),
* Masters of war (wow, a deep and dark version!),
* When the deal goes down (here the band sounded like and old jazz band, nice arrangement too, I love this song),
* Like a rolling stone (I thought that this would be the final song ... but I was wrong!
* All along the watchtower, the last chord - a minor chord - was changed into a major chord to give the song the power of a closing, lasting sound.

"...well there were more songs but I can't remember exactly as I was really touched under a bright crescent moon and a fresh breeze, holding my girlfriend's hand ...

"We all knew that Dylan barely speaks on stage and he never plays a bonus song ... but this time he played two hours non-stop, standing while he played the keyboard, so everyone was really happy. And he played three extra songs ... I missed him playing more guitar than he did, but it's ok after all. It was a great show, maybe the last time we can enjoy him here ... who knows ... . Thanks a lot!"

BOBMANIA #13/14: Dylan Days 2008 and Dyl-Time Theme Radio Hour

Thanks to Nelson French for news of Dylan Days 2008:

“Ramblin’ Jack Elliott to headline 2008 Dylan Days Benefit Concert, Saturday 24 May. Spider John Koerner and Tony Glover to open at the historic Hibbing High School auditorium. Dylan Days: 22-25 May 2008.”

www.dylandays.com


And thanks to Mel Prussack:

“Volume 7 of Series 2 of Dyl-Time Theme Radio Hour is now online. The theme this month is 2007. Listeners who usually just listen to the audio of my show should make an attempt to watch it on iTunes, as I have some great stills to go with this episode”

http://dylanshrine.podOmatic.com



Gerry Smith

30th Anniversary Concert – an eye-witness report

Thanks to a 30th Anniversary Concert eye-witness who wishes to remain anonymous:

“It's funny just how divergent different views of the same event can be sometimes. I attended the 30 Year Tribute and I found Sophie B Hawkins one of the low points in the evening's proceedings - all that weaving around added nothing to the song.

“The event was more to celebrate Dylan's music than Dylan and she had no obvious relevance to his music. I'm no expert on Hawkins but had she recorded any Dylan songs before the event and has she recorded any since? I suspect not. Maybe she was just put there because it was a high profile event.

“Sinead O'Connor had a touch more relevance, at least, but I must say that a place the size of Madison Square Garden could hardly be filled solely with music biz types, even in New York and even with execs coming in from the coast. There were a lot of ordinary folk present, like me.

“As for the booing, it was certainly nowhere near the whole audience who did this; if that had happened, the roof would have lifted off. Some booed, some supported her and some just waited for her to get on with the song.

“What annoyed me about her appearance was that, on more than one occasion, her band struck up the intended song (‘I Believe In You’) only to have her gesture to them, with her right arm, to stop.

“Had she allowed them to continue and had she started to sing the song (especially with that early line about intolerance), she could have faced down the booers, made her point forcefully and probably got a cheer from her supporters into the bargain.

“Worse than letting the booing carry on first, when she did start to sing, it was a non-Dylan song, which went against the whole point of the evening.”

Bob v Neil and 30th Anniversary Concert

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“Further to the recent discussion about Bob versus Neil, readers may be interested in following this link:

www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/dylan.htm


“And further to comments about the Dylan audience booing Sinead O'Connor, I seem to remember from John Bauldie's coverage of the event at the time that the audience was made up of record company suits, showbiz types and corporate guests - I believe it likely there were very few ‘real’ Dylan fans present ... “

Sophie B. Hawkins – also missing from 30th Anniversary Concert

Thanks to Jon Talbot:

“It's unfortunate that 'I Want You', performed by Sophie B. Hawkins, is missing on the DVD and the CD. When PBS showed it, she was included. It was a powerful, passionate, dramatic rendering.

“Anyone know why she's missing?”

Sinead O’Connor - missing from 30th Anniversary Concert

Thanks to Wilson Smith:

“Of course ‘Sinead O'Connor's searing rendition of Bob Marley's ‘War’ is also missing from this track list.’

“After enduring booing from the audience, she finally relented and sang nothing. I always thought this was disgraceful; an audience full of fans of Bob Dylan — an artist that always spoke his mind — effectively "censoring" another artist because she had a week earlier torn up a picture of the Pope at a Saturday Night Live rehearsal.”


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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:

New - 30th Anniversary Concert on DVD: encore

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“And of course the 29 song list omits Dylan's opener, ‘Song To Woody’, due to "technical problems", although there didn't seem to be too much wrong with it when it was broadcast on national television in the UK.

2And Sinead O'Connor's searing rendition of Bob Marley's ‘War’ is also missing from this track list.

“Would agree with you that Neil Young was compelling, but also the Pearl Jam boys' ‘Masters of War’, Richie Havens' ‘Just Like A Woman’ and Willie Nelson's ‘What was it you wanted’ are worthy of mention.”

Yes - Neil Young IS upstaging Dylan

Thanks to Dave Dingle:

“Neil Young upstaging Bob? You better believe it!

“Having seen Bob over 100 times (an amateur compared to some, I know), I was struck last week by Neil doing a full one hour acoustic set, the like of which we haven’t seen from Bob since the 1960s, and a storming electric set ... active, prowling the stage, playing his own lead …

“I was left with the feeling that going to see Neil was an altogether more satisfying experience than Bob in recent years, stuck behind the piano, or even doing his few guitar songs.

“Sad to say, my conclusion is that Bob will never undergo the kind of renaissance that Neil obviously has!”


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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:

Neil Young upstaging Dylan?

Neil Young’s current London shows, with long setlists drawn from across his catalogue, have been getting rave reviews.

According to Martin Cowan:

“Interesting to compare Neil Young's 23/24 song sets from his current tour with the 17 that Dylan serves up these days.

“I have been pondering lately on Dylan set lists (further to my last email) and concluded that if he cut short some of the instrumental "noodling", he could play a few more songs and perhaps be a little more generous with that superlative song book. Just a thought.”


Here’s a sample of Young’s ever-changing setlist, from 8 March at Hammersmith Apollo, courtesy of Bad News Beat:

01. From Hank To Hendrix
02. Ambulance Blues
03. Sad Movies
04. A Man Needs A Maid
05. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong (grand piano)
06. On The Way Home (grand piano)
07. Harvest
08. Journey Through The Past (upright piano)
09. Love In Mind (upright piano)
10. Mellow My Mind
11. Love Art Blues
12. Love Is A Rose
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
---
15. Mr. Soul
16. Dirty Old Man
17. Spirit Road
18. Down By The River
19. Hey Hey, My My
20. Too Far Gone
21. Oh, Lonesome Me
22. Winterlong
23. Powderfinger
24. No Hidden Path
---
25. Roll Another Number



Gerry Smith

Neil Young upstaging Dylan?

Neil Young’s current London shows, with long setlists drawn from across his catalogue, have been getting rave reviews.

According to Martin Cowan:

“Interesting to compare Neil Young's 23/24 song sets from his current tour with the 17 that Dylan serves up these days.

“I have been pondering lately on Dylan set lists (further to my last email) and concluded that if he cut short some of the instrumental "noodling", he could play a few more songs and perhaps be a little more generous with that superlative song book. Just a thought.”


Here’s a sample of Young’s ever-changing setlist, from 8 March at Hammersmith Apollo, courtesy of Bad News Beat:

01. From Hank To Hendrix
02. Ambulance Blues
03. Sad Movies
04. A Man Needs A Maid
05. Flying On The Ground Is Wrong (grand piano)
06. On The Way Home (grand piano)
07. Harvest
08. Journey Through The Past (upright piano)
09. Love In Mind (upright piano)
10. Mellow My Mind
11. Love Art Blues
12. Love Is A Rose
13. Heart Of Gold
14. Old Man
---
15. Mr. Soul
16. Dirty Old Man
17. Spirit Road
18. Down By The River
19. Hey Hey, My My
20. Too Far Gone
21. Oh, Lonesome Me
22. Winterlong
23. Powderfinger
24. No Hidden Path
---
25. Roll Another Number



Gerry Smith

Eye-witness account of Dylan at the Troubadour, London, 18 Dec 1962

Thanks to Kevin Jackson in Dublin:

“At a recent funeral for a long-time Dylan fan, I met traditional Irish musician Johnny Moynihan (he played with several groups, including De Dannan and Planxty).

“At the graveside, Johnny joined other musicians in accompanying the singing of 'Every Grain of Sand'. Chatting afterwards, he mentioned casually that his first meeting with Dylan had been in The Troubadour, in 1962.

“Johnny was playing there on December 18 of that year. Martin Carthy arrived, accompanied by ‘an unknown young American guy’. When the American guy (Dylan) sang, Johnny's memory was that everyone was blown away. ‘Very impressive’ were the words he used to describe it.

By the way, a YouTube search for 'Johnny Moynihan' will turn up videos of him playing, usually with Planxty or De Dannan. Now in his 70s, he is still plays an active role in the traditional music scene in Ireland. Lately, he plays a lot of ‘Old Timey’ Americana material.”

New - 30th Anniversary Concert on DVD

Thanks to K Lewis for notification that “the dylan 30th anniversary concert dvd will be released on 7 April”, and for a link to one of the suppliers, Spin:

http://www.spincds.com/product.asp?id=9015526


The (confusing) detail on the Spin site indicates that the double DVD will have fewer tracks than the original CD release, 30th Anniversary Concert Celebartion – 19 tracks instead of 29.

Dylan Daily readers will differ on the 30th Anniversary Concert, held in Madison Square Garden in 1992. Some found it tiresome, exposing the bankruptcy of rock in the early 1990s.

Dylan was hardly compelling, the rest missable. Apart, that is, from Roger McGuinn and Neil Young. Young, who stole the show, with rousing versions of Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues and All Along The Watchtower, is missing from Spin’s tracklist for the new DVD.

Original CD version tracklist:

1. Like A Rolling Stone - Mellencamp, John Cougar
2. Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat - Mellencamp, John Cougar
3. Introduction - Kristofferson, Kris
4. Blowin' In The Wind - Wonder, Stevie
5. Masters Of War - Vedder, Eddie/Mike McCready
6. Foot Of Pride - Reed, Lou
7. Times They Are A Changin' - Chapman, Tracy
8. It Ain't Me Babe - Carter, June & Johnny Cash
9. What Was It You Wanted - Nelson, Willie
10. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight - Kristofferson, Kris
11. Seven Days - Winter, Johnny
12. Highway 61 - Winter, Johnny
13. Just Like A Woman - Havens, Richie
14. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - Young, Neil
15. All Along The Watchtower - Young, Neil
16. When The Ship Comes In - Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem
17. I Shall Be Released - Hynde, Chrissie
18. Don't Think Twice It's Alright - Clapton, Eric
19. Emotionally Yours - O'Jays
20. When I Paint My Masterpiece - Band
21. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - Cash, Rosanne & Mary Chapin-Carpenter/Shawn Colvin
22. Absolutely Sweet Marie - Harrison, George
23. Licence To Kill - Petty, Tom & The Heartbreakers
24. Rainy Day Women 12 And 35 - Petty, Tom & The Heartbreakers
25. Mr Tambourine Man - McGuinn, Roger
26. It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - Dylan, Bob
27. My Back Pages - Dylan, Bob
28. Girl From The North Country - Dylan, Bob
29. Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Dylan, Bob



Gerry Smith

Montreal and London shows in 1962: setlist and photos

* Thanks to Brady Leyser for this extract from his book, Bob Dylan Live in Canada:

“Bob Dylan made his Canadian live debut in 1962. Although virtually unknown outside of New York's Greenwich Village at the time, his first album released only a few months earlier, Mr. Dylan played five straight nights in Montreal.

It was Bob Dylan's debut concert and 2nd, 3rd, & 4th time playing at The Pot-pourri in Montreal and debut concert at The Finjan Club in Montreal.

The Dates
Montreal, QC Thurs., June 28, 1962
Montreal, QC Fri., June 29, 1962
Montreal, QC Sat., June 30, 1962
Montreal, QC Sunday, July 1, 1962
Montreal, QC Mon., July 2, 1962

Only thirteen of the songs Bob Dylan performed are known. Of those, 6 were from albums, 2 were unreleased songs and 5 were cover and/or traditional songs.

Freight Train Blues
Quit Your Low Down Ways
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
He Was a Friend of Mine
The Death of Emmett Till
Let Me Die in My Footsteps
Stealin'
Two Trains Runnin'
Hiram Hubbard
Ramblin' On My Mind
Blowin' in the Wind
Muleskinner Blues
Rocks and Gravel.”

Details: Bob Dylan Live in Canada: A Concert History, 1962-2005 by Brady J. Leyser and Olof Bjorner. For Dylan Daily review - check out the Archive; cheapest place to buy the book is on chapters.ca


* And to Stewart Grant for a link to a priceless collection of early Dylan photographs:

http://dylanstubs.com/pictures/1962/1962/index.html




Gerry Smith

More on Dylan’s first overseas gig

Whoops!

Observant early birds might have noticed that the headline on yesterday’s article quickly changed from “first gig outside the USA” to “first overseas gig”.

The difference, as I rapidly realized, is important. As Ian Woodward pointed out: “The answer to the question in the headline is Montreal in Canada in June/July 1962.”

And Karl Erik Andersen: “If ‘outside the USA’ was the question, I am thinking The Finjan Club, July 2, 1962.”

It’s the kind of error that drives Canadians to distraction – and rightly so.



Gerry Smith

Where, exactly, did Dylan play his first overseas gig?

London has an important place in the Dylan story: first overseas trip (December 1962/January 1963) and, I think, more gigs than any city except New York – though Dylan Daily readers need no invitation to correct me if that’s wrong.

But where, exactly, did Dylan play his first London gig?

When challenged recently, my (unsure) response was The Pindar of Wakefield pub, near King’s Cross; my Dylan fan companion offered the Troubadour, Kensington. Our interrogator thought it was a pub with a common name, near Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia.

So I checked my Dylan library. Biographers Scaduto, Shelton, Heylin, Sounes and Spitz were helpful, to different degrees, but none is definitive. All three pubs were variously mentioned, but without exact dates. I could find nothing in Gray’s Encyclopedia (though access to the CD-ROM would have been helpful).

After half an hour searching, I eventually found the answer in Nigel Williamson’s Rough Guide: it was, he states, the Troubadour folk club in Kensington, on 18 December 1962, where Dylan played The Ballad Of Hollis Brown.

And then I confirmed it in Derek Barker’s ISIS: A Bob Dylan Anthology. Barker’s short article, One Time In London, was perfect for my needs – he gives a detailed chronology of Dylan’s 1962/63 London trip, confirming that all three of us had been nearly right.

The itinerary was: 18 Dec Troubadour; 22 Dec Pindar Of Wakefield; 23 Dec King & Queen, Foley Street.

Did any Dylan Daily reader catch any of these historic gigs? A million to one against, I’d guess.


Gerry Smith

Celebrating Dylan in Los Angeles

Thanks to Dorothy Rand for more information on the remarkable Dylan programme now running at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles:

“Perhaps of most interest to your readers would be a symposium we’ll be holding on March 30 called Defining Dylan, which features presentations and a panel discussion by Dylan experts and music scholars.

“And on March 20 we’ll be hosting one of the last Beat poets, Michael McClure, who will read his work and share his memories and experiences with Bob Dylan.

“Then on April 2, we present National Public Radio host Ben Sidran who will play music and provide commentary on Dylan’s impact on American history. More details on each of these programs is below.


* EXHIBITION: BOB DYLAN’S AMERICAN JOURNEY, 1956–1966
February 8–June 8
At the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, CA
Featuring more than 160 artifacts and rare audio and video footage, his acclaimed exhibition follows Bob Dylan from his Minnesota roots to his growing fame as a rock star. $5-10.

more info: http://www.skirball.org/index.php?option=com_ccevents&scope=exbt&task=detail&oid=24



* SYMPOSIUM: DEFINING DYLAN
March 30, 9:30–5:00 p.m.
Learn about Bob Dylan, his music, and early influences at this one-day symposium featuring Dylan scholars and experts. $15-35.

more info: http://www.skirball.org/index.php?option=com_ccevents&scope=crse&task=summary&filter=Genre&fid=135#51



* LECTURE: AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL MCCLURE
Thursday, March 20, 8:00 p.m.
Join this prolific, award-winning writer—one of the last living Beat poets and a longtime friend of Bob Dylan—as he reads from his work and comments upon the 1960s artist community. $6-10.

more info: http://www.skirball.org/index.php?option=com_ccevents&scope=prgm&task=summary&filter=Genre&fid=14&ccmenu=d2hhdcdzig9u



* LECTURE/CONCERT: BOB DYLAN: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: Ben Sidran
Wednesday, April 2, 7:30 pm
In this concert with commentary, National Public Radio "Jazz Alive" host and music historian Ben Sidran recounts stories from Dylan's life, explores his impact upon American history, and illuminates how his art speaks to his Jewish roots. $8-15.

more info: http://www.skirball.org/index.php?option=com_ccevents&scope=prgm&task=detail&oid=291&ccmenu=d2hhdcdzig9u



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EARLIER RELATED ARTICLE:

LA to be fifth stop for travelling Dylan exhibition

Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956–1966, organized by Experience Music Project (EMP), moves to LA’s Skirball Cultural Center from 8 February to 8 June.

Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956–1966 showcases photographs, recordings, performance, interview footage and historical artefacts – from Bruce Langhorne’s tambourine to Dylan’s copy of Woody Guthrie’s Bound for Glory and a letter from Dylan to Joan Baez’s mother!

The exhibition opened at Seattle’s Experience Music Project, before moving to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland), Morgan Library (New York) and the Weisman Art Museum (Minneapolis).

The ancillary Skirball programmes includes:

· John Cohen and Daniel Kramer on photographing Dylan;
· poetry by Michael McClure, and
· Greil Marcus and other Dylan writers.

Looks absorbing – I’m keenly anticipating it coming to London!

If you’ve already seen the exhibition – in Seattle, Cleveland, New York or Minneapolis, or plan to go to the LA gig, Gerry@dylandaily.com is keen to hear from you and publish your impressions.


www.skirball.org



Gerry Smith

Latest Dylan tour set lists and reviews

Miguel asks why Dylan Daily hasn’t covered the latest show, in Monterrey, Mexico.

Simple, Miguel – because no-one’s sent Dylan Daily a report!

If you’re attending any of the Latin American shows (or any future gigs) I’d love to carry your review/setlist – just email me at tour@dylandaily.com

Dylan Daily gets lots of reports from UK/other European gigs, but not many from the rest of the world. If you can help fill the gap, please do so!

In the absence of reports of current shows on Dylan Daily, you can rely on Bill Pagel’s magnificent website:

www.boblinks.com

You’ll be in good company – over 19 million people have been there in the last twelve and a half years!


Gerry Smith

Surprise closing song in two Mexico City shows

The two shows in Mexico City continued the 2007/Dallas pattern of mixing up a rotating selection of classic ‘60s repertoire with picks promoting the last two albums.

The big surprise, though, according to the set lists on Bill Pagel’s wonderful boblinks.com site, was the installation in both shows of Blowin’ In The Wind as the final song of the encore.

Who can predict Uncle Bob? Not me, that’s for sure.


Gerry Smith

Dylan: Muzak for busy shoppers - encore

Thanks to Andy Miller:

“Nottingham’s Waterstones (2nd floor) can often be relied on, with what seemed like a full run through of Bringing It All Back Home heard on more than one occasion these past years.”


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Dylan: Muzak for busy shoppers

The Dylan Daily has faithfully documented how its favourite Minnesotan has been adopted by English mainstream culture. No longer the unwashed counter-cultural subversive, Zimmerman is now commoditised as a cuddly, granny-friendly nice man next door.

On a visit to the shops at lunchtime yesterday, in the market town of St Albans - quintessential Pleasantville - I was regaled not once, but twice, by Bobby Muzak.

Marks & Spencer, last refuge of Middle Englanders, treated me to Like A Rolling Stone, no less. Then, just along the High Street, Boots, the chemist chain, regaled me and its other lunchtime shoppers with Lay Lady Lay.

Do these retailers know what they’re unleashing?

Where will it all end?

Dylan: Muzak for busy shoppers

The Dylan Daily has faithfully documented how Robert Z has been adopted by English mainstream culture. No longer the unwashed counter-cultural subversive, Zimmerman is now commoditised as a cuddly, granny-friendly nice man next door.

On a visit to the shops at lunchtime yesterday, in the market town of St Albans - quintessential Pleasantville - I was regaled not once, but twice, by Bobby Muzak.

Marks & Spencer, last refuge of Middle Englanders, treated me to Like A Rolling Stone, no less. Then, just along the High Street, Boots, the chemist chain, regaled me and its other lunchtime shoppers with Lay Lady Lay.

Do these retailers know what they’re unleashing?

Where will it all end?



Gerry Smith

Tracking Dylan’s 162 official rarities

Having detailed the first 48 of Dylan’s 162 official rarities (the 1960s) in the February issue of Record Collector, discographer Evan Marshall continues his detailed catalogue with rarities 49-97 (1970s/80s) in the March issue.

It’s invaluable for serious collectors; pity the March issue isn’t another Dylan cover.

The remaining official rarities, numbers 98-162, will be covered in the April issue

Author Marshall credits long-time Dylan rarities discographer Alan Fraser, whose unmissable website, Searching for a Gem, has been doing the same job for the last ten years.



www.recordcollectormag.com

www.searchingforagem.com




Gerry Smith

Tour of 2008 starts strongly with trio of Dallas gigs

Bob Dylan’s 2008 tour started strongly with a three-night residency at the House Of Blues, in Dallas, Texas, a relatively small gig holding around 1,600. It acted as a warm-up for a five-country swing through Latin America, starting tomorrow in Mexico City.

Both the setlists and the band line-up suggest that the 2008 gigs will be a straight run-on from the format that proved so popular last year. Why change when you’re winning?

The three Dallas setlists – an ever-changing mixture of classic repertoire anchored around tunes from the current album, Modern Times – continued the pattern of introducing new tunes every night, thus reinforcing the addiction of habitual attenders.

In three Dallas nights, Dylan played a remarkable total of 35 different songs. Favourites I’d love to have heard included Girl Of The North Country, Positively 4th Street and Mississippi.

Whatever Dylan plays, of course, someone is bound to want to hear something else. Thanks to Martin Cowan for this note:

“Nice to see Bob on the road again and an interesting set list from the first two shows. My only comment is that while it's nice to see an abundance of recent songs in the sets it's a shame that he is almost completely ignoring 70s and 80s songs. A show with representatives from all decades would be good to see.”

Coffee bar chain to release new Dylan influences compilation

A well-known chain of foreign-owned coffee bars is to release Artist’s Choice - Bob Dylan, next week. The new CD assembles 16 tracks of the type Dylan has played on Theme Time Radio Hour, by musicians of the Stanley Brothers, Junior Wells and Billie Holiday vintage.

But, as with its Dylan Live At The Gaslight 1962 CD release, the “global” coffee bar company doesn’t supply online outside the US/Canada. How terribly quaint!

I assume the new CD won’t be available from local coffee bar outlets, either - I failed to find any evidence of the Gaslight CD in its central London branches last year.

I’d start to boycott the chain if I hadn’t been doing so for years. I never darken the doors of their coffee bars. Not for any ideological reasons, though – I just can’t bear to drink coffee from grossly oversized mugs, or to sit amongst serried ranks of shiny happy customers with too much time and money to waste. I choose to waste mine in Caffe Nero or Coffee Republic.



Gerry Smith

More on Legacy’s Dylan podcasts

Thanks to Ian Woodward:

“The three Legacy podcasts devoted to Newport, Episodes 11-13, appear to be taken from a promotional CD issued in support of the Newport DVD released last year.

“The Patti Smith podcasts are from the four-CD promotional set issued in support of the DYLAN box-set release.

“Quite why Legacy should mix the two together is unclear. Perhaps it was simply a case that waiting until they had finished the Patti series would mean too large a time gap between podcasting the Newport episodes and last year's release of the DVD they are intended to promote.

“The programmes are indeed much more interesting than expected, such that a few excerpts will be included in my column in the next issue of ISIS magazine, due out in March.

“The four hours of Patti Smith programmes have been broadcast by some radio stations in the United States but I haven't heard of any broadcast of the Newport programme, which is believed to last one hour in total.”

New episodes of Dylan podcasts

Legacy Recordings’ official Dylan podcasts have now reached programme 18. After losing Patti Smith as presenter for programmes 10-13, she’s been back for programmes 14-18.

The Legacy podcasts are free. And you can subscribe via iTunes to receive future episodes automatically.

http://blogs.legacyrecordings.com/podcast/category/bob-dylan-podcast/


Meanwhile, this month’s edition of Mel Prussack's unofficial Dyl-Time Theme Radio Hour podcast covers the theme of Tributes. According to the irrepressible Mel: “Advance reports say this is one of my best shows. I hope you enjoy it!”.

http://dylanshrine.podOmatic.com




Gerry Smith

Dylan: big in Germany - encore

Thanks to Katrin Diez for her detailed account of Dylan’s visibility in Germany:

“I can tell you that Dylan is still very important in Germany, especially for better-educated people with good English knowledge. (Excuse my mistakes - I`ve been out of school for a very long time and am only used to reading, not writing).

We have in the town library of Frankfurt a lot of books about him
(Williams, Shepard, Klein, Detering ...) his Chronicles and several books with lyrics (the actual one and older works) and notes. And there are a lot of CDs.

It is not easy to get them, you have to order them because a lot of people are keen on reading or listening.

In the ‘70s a lot of teachers were fans and it was normal to discuss the songs during the lessons, but even now my daughter learned some songs and my son had to play Blowin’ in the Wind on flute in a school concert.

Nearly every big bookshop with a musical department offers books about Dylan. And you can order everything at amazon.de or jpc.de - there are about hundreds of entries. And you can buy nearly everything at ebay.de.

The popularity of Dylan is shown in the fact that Germany has held the only art exhibition of his drawings. And there were a lot of articles about it in the press.

On special occasions (Dylan’s birthday) they show Don`t Look Back or other movies on TV. These days there are a lot of ads for the new movie everywhere.

Here are some new German books about Dylan:

* Bob Dylan - Ein Kongress, Herausgeber; Axel Honneth, Peter Kemper & Richard Klein, Edition Suhrkamp 2007

* Richard Klein - My name it is nothing: Bob Dylan: Nicht Pop Nicht Kunst, Lukas Verlag 2006

* Olaf Benzinger - Bob Dylan Seine Musik und sein Leben, Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag 2006

* Heinrich Detering - Bob Dylan, Reclamverlag 2006.”

Suze Rotolo’s memoir: encore

Thanks to Ian Woodward:

“I, too, am looking forward to Suze Rotolo's memoir but my impression, from the title as much as anything else, is that it will be about her life, times and activities in Greenwich Village as a whole, in the 1960s, of which her relationship with Dylan was but a part.

“Of course, a publisher is almost bound to stress the Dylan part of the book, particularly any salacious aspects, and may even have pushed her to increase the Dylan content, but I suspect the book will be as interesting for providing contextual background as detail.

“The press release, which I didn't see but it must have been a press release as quite a number of different newspapers reproduced identical texts, concentrated almost entirely on the Dylan connection. If I am right, then this press release may be understandable but misleading.”

Dylan: big in Germany!

I should know better by now: on my frequent trips to German-speaking Europe, I’m always surprised that Dylan’s had such a big impact. I should have realized long ago that Germany/Austria/Switzerland is a one of the major Dylan markets – much bigger, for example, than France or Spain.

An indication of strong German-speaking interest in Zim can be gauged in any good bookshop. On a recent trip to Vienna, I picked up five Dylan books completely new to me:

* Biermann, Wolf,
Bob Dylan Eleven Outlined Epitaphs/Elf Entwurfe fur meinen Grabspruch, Koln, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, hbk, 2003, 156pp.

* Rosteck, Jens,
Bob Dylan: Leben, Werk, Wirkung, Frankfurt, Suhrkamp BasisBiographie, pbk, 2006, 160pp.

* Honneth, Axel et al,
Bob Dylan Ein Kongress: Ergebnisse Des Internationalen Bob Dylan-Kongresses 2006 In Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Suhrkamp, pbk, 2007, 346pp.

* Williams, Christian (trans),
Bob Dylan In Eigenen Worten, Heidelberg, Palmyra, hbk, 2001, 153pp.

* Stein, Georg,
Bob Dylan, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers And Roger McGuinn: Temples In Flames, Heidelberg, Palmyra, hbk, 1989, 94pp.

The Dylan Daily would be pleased to learn from German-speaking readers just how big Dylan really is in Germany/Austria/Switzerland.

I’d also like to hear about recommended German-language books I’ve missed.




Gerry Smith

Suze Rotolo’s memoir of life in NYC

A Freewheelin’ Time: A Memoir Of Greenwich Village in the Sixties, Suze Rotolo’s memoir of life in NYC with Dylan, is a mouth-watering prospect. Rotolo was easily the second most compelling interviewee on No Direction Home; I hung on her every word.

The recent PR for the book might have focused on salacious personal tittle-tattle, but that’s decidedly not what interests me. No, the interest lies purely in the insights a very intelligent woman might provide on the formative period of a great artist.

The important bit of the recent press wasn’t the personal stuff, but the claim that, by early February, Rotolo hadn’t handed in the manuscript to the publisher.

Whether Broadway Books will now be able to meet its advertised 13 May publication date is debatable: possible, but unlikely. Not that it’ll matter much: after waiting for 45 years for this potential gold dust, another few weeks will make no difference.

Make no mistake: Suze Rotolo’s memoir could be the most important topic covered by The Dylan Daily this year.

Watch this space …



Gerry Smith

Barry Feinstein’s Dylan photos for Birmingham’s Snap Galleries

Birmingham’s Snap Galleries is to exhibit Barry Feinstein’s collection of historic Dylan photographs, for the first time in the UK.

Opening on Saturday 3 May, to coincide with the publication of Real Moments, Feinstein’s new hardcover book of Dylan photos, the exhibition will feature work which hasn’t been shown or offered for sale before.

Dylan Daily readers will be familiar with Barry Feinstein’s work. As the official photographer on the 1966 tour, he shot the cover pic on the No Direction Home CD and DVD, of Dylan standing outside a car at Aust Ferry, while waiting for the ferry across the River Severn.

The Real Moments book will also be available from Snap Galleries, at £25. While the book will probably be available cheaper elsewhere, Snap Galleries will be bundling its Dylan exhibition poster for customers buying it from them.

To mark his first UK Dylan exhibition, the photographer will be offering a special package deal - a copy of his book, plus a framed Dylan photograph from 1966 chosen and signed by Feinstein, at around £250. This will be “a one-time offer and a chance to own a signed Barry Feinstein photograph for a keen price”.

Every photo in the exhibition will be for sale, in a range of sizes, with prices for a signed handmade 16” x 20” silver gelatin photograph starting at around £1,000. Other sizes will be available, including bespoke pieces in a particular size.

Snap Galleries already has a small number of Barry Feinstein's 1966 photographs online here:

http://gallery.mac.com/guywhite#100271

Snap’s Guy White promises “plenty of very loud '66 electric Dylan blasting out throughout the show.” And he’s appealing to Dylan collectors for CDs of “unissued live material from ‘66”.




Gerry Smith

New low price for Dylan albums – encore

Thanks to Andrew Kelly

“I was in Tesco in the Old Kent Road, London today, where there are about six copies of the 3 disc set of Traveling Wilburys (2 albums + dvd) at £12.

“No sign of the Leonard C or other Dylan stuff mentioned in a previous posting though.”


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New low price for Dylan (and Cohen) albums

The major supermarket chains have driven down CD/DVD/book prices just as much the online retailers and digital downloads. Pity the poor specialist music retailers (only joking!)

But I never thought I’d ever see prime Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen albums retailing at £2.50 each!

Tesco are selling a load of Sony 2-fers including boxed sets of Dylan’s Time Out Of Mind and “Love And Theft”, and Leonard Cohen’s Songs Of Leonard Cohen and Songs Of Love And Hate for £5 each – that’s just £2.50 per album. I paid £15 each for some of these - when £15 seemed like a lot of money!

Will top albums soon be available at £1 each? I wouldn’t bet against it.


Gerry Smith

Theme Time Radio Hour: reminder of a third CD of Dylan selections

Thanks to Fred for jogging my memory: as reported on The Dylan Daily last summer, the August 2007 issue of Uncut had a very collectable free CD, Radio Bob – “15 Brilliant Tracks from Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour”, plus a short article on “the coolest radio show ever”.

Fred writes a running commentary on TTRH and “has just blogged about the various TTRH-associated CDs here ...

http://www.dreamtimepodcast.com/2008/02/theme-time-radio-hour-cds-list.html

Fred continues ... “as far as I know, that's the complete list, although the other two were both promotional CDs.”



Gerry Smith

Theme Time Radio Hour: another selection of Dylan selections

Up against the forthcoming Ace Records release covered here last Friday, there’s a competitive CD of Dylan selections from Theme Time Radio Hour.

Bob Dylan: The Best Of Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour is a 2CD set produced by Chrome Dreams in association with fanzine ISIS.

Though similar in length – 52 tracks to Ace’s 50 – the Chrome Dreams product has a very different selection. It presents one song from every one of the shows in the first series. It has sleeve notes by ISIS main man Derek Barker – a guarantee of informed writing. And it’s cheaper.

So which to choose, Ace or Chrome Dreams?

I’m not normally a fence sitter, but the musical content of these two products is so very different, and so very strong, that I’d buy both - if I hadn’t heard all the shows on the radio.

If you know of any other recent releases in this genre, please let me know.



Gerry Smith

Theme Time Radio Hour: selection of selections on new CD

Respected reissues label Ace Records has put its brand name behind a new 2CD set of selections from tracks Dylan played on his magical Theme Time Radio Hour. It’s set for release next month.

Claiming that theirs is the “only authorised” version of Dylan’s picks from the show, Ace’s new package includes tracks by the White Stripes, Billie Holiday, George Jones and Charles Mingus, plus 46 others.


Thanks to Kevin Lewis for links to record label and an English online supplier:

www.acerecords.co.uk/

www.spincds.com/product.asp?id=9015154




Gerry Smith

Memphis Minnie blues references in Modern Times

Thanks to Vinnie Del Basso:

There are several Memphis Minnie blues references in Modern Times. Here are a couple:


THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN:

I was thinkin' 'bout Alicia Keys, couldn't keep from crying
When she was born in Hell's Kitchen, I was living down the line
I'm wondering where in the world Alicia Keys could be
I been looking for her even clear through Tennessee


Compare the Memphis Minnie song, MA RAINEY:

I was thinking about Ma Rainey, wonder where could Ma Rainey be
I was thinking about Ma Rainey, wonder where could Ma Rainey be
I been looking for her, even been 'n old Tennessee

She was born in Georgia, traveled all over this world
She was born in Georgia, traveled all over this world
And she's the best blues singer, peoples, I ever heard

When she made Bo Weavil Blues, I was living way down the line
When she made Bo Weavil Blues, I was living way down the line
Every time I hear that record, I just couldn't keep from crying


* Note 1: Minnie's tribute to Ma Rainey was recorded about six months after Ma Rainey's death;

* Note 2: Bo Weavil Blues, recorded in December 1923, was Ma Rainey's first record and it was also her first hit.



WORKING MAN'S BLUES #2:

I got a brand new suit and a brand new wife
I can live on rice and beans


Compare the song DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS:

Well, my man is a doctor and he lives off of rice and beans
Well, my man is a doctor and he lives off of rice and beans
That's why he done gone and left me back down in New Orleans

* Note 1: rice and beans, though usually "red beans and rice" is used by countless others as an evocation of "back downhome";


All lyrics quoted are used for the purpose of criticism or review.
Thunder On The Mountain, by Bob Dylan, Copyright © 2006 Special Rider Music.
Workingman’s Blues #2, by Bob Dylan, Copyright © 2006 Special Rider Music.

Your favourite Dylan song: encore, encore

Thanks to Peter Truin:

“I'd always thought that I was, perhaps, the only one whose choice song was Sad Eyed Lady, but now I know I am not alone.

“For a long time I found it very difficult to choose just one, there are so many songs that could easily be considered a favourite while actually listening to them. For many years I thought Positively 4th Street was it, then Blind Willie McTell, then Series of Dreams, and for a short time, Not Dark Yet, and I am not too proud to admit to liking LARS.

“However, over the last few years, I have come to realise that Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, was the one that I have really preferred all along. I just love the song, from the wonderful opening bars (it's such a contrast to the preceding track on the album) through all those marvellous lyrics, to the long closing instrumental.

“When I am listening to it, despite its great length, I wish it would never end, and I am rarely able to play it just once.

“This has taken a long time to write because, of course, I had to stop to listen to the song (I couldn't concentrate on writing while listening to that superb music) and I ended up spending an hour playing it five times! Now that I have finished writing, I think I'll play it just once more ...”


And thanks to Nick Kolodziejski:

“I would have to say that Visions of Johanna would get my vote. It's sad and confusing, but in a wonderful way.”


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Which is your favourite Dylan song? Please send me a note of your top Bob song (to: topsong@dylandaily.com). I’ll post replies and, if we get enough, I’ll also compile a ranked list.

Thanks, in advance - Gerry Smith.

Your favourite Dylan song: encore, encore

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“I'd go for Sad Eyed Lady as favourite song, with the Hard Rain version of Idiot Wind as my favourite performance.”


Which is your favourite Dylan song? Please send me a note of your top Bob song (to: topsong@dylandaily.com). I’ll post replies and, if we get enough, I’ll also compile a ranked list. Thanks, in advance - Gerry Smith.

Your favourite Dylan song: encore, encore

Thanks to David Carter in Brettenham, England:

“Sitting here clutching the original single in one hand and Greil Marcus's book with matching label in the other, it has to be LARS (Like A Rolling Stone).

“Keep up the good work in supplying my daily fix of BD!”



Although it’s deeply unfashionable to admit it in Zimmermanfanland, I have to agree with David. Ever since release, LARS has always been my fave Bob song – Gerry Smith.

Dylan’s 11 Outlined Epitaphs

OK. I remembered that Dylan’s 11 Outlined Epitaphs, an early indication that here was a writer who took himself seriously, is reprinted on the sleeve notes of The Time They Are A-Changin’, in Lyrics 1962-1985 (but not, surprisingly, in Lyrics 1962-2001) and also on bobdylan.com.

But, on a trip to Vienna last week, I still couldn’t resist buying a copy of Bob Dylan Eleven Outlined Epitaphs/Elf Entwurfe fur meienen Garbspruch, by Wolf Biermann.

Why, I wondered later, had I shelled out 18 euro on a little book whose English text I already had several times over and whose German translation I’d probably never even attempt?

Simply because it’s a beautiful artefact, maybe the finest looking book in my Dylan collection. Presented in the small hardback format familiar to poetry readers, Biermann’s translation is an art object. It subtly underlines Dylan’s position as a creative artist bridging the yawning gulf between pop and high culture.

If you’re a collector, it’s a fine addition to the shelves.

Bob Dylan Eleven Outlined Epitaphs/Elf Entwurfe fur meienen Garbspruch, by Wolf Biermann, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Koln, hbk, 2003.

www.kiwi-koeln.de


Gerry Smith

Basement Tapes, Every Grain Of Sand and Carribbean Wind under scrutiny

Thanks to Paul Thomas for a link to some of his Dylan writing:

“For three major articles on some of Dylan's finest works - 'Every Grain Of Sand', 'Carribbean Wind' and a controversial item on some of the sexual content to be found in 'The Basement Tapes' - go to the blog(s) linked below.”

www.myspace.com/paullyricist

Your favourite Dylan song: encore, encore

Thanks to Michael Bowman:

“My favorite Dylan song is ‘Blind Willie McTell’.

“I love your blog, your reviews have steered me towards and away from all the Dylan books coming out. Just finished Million Dollar Bash and loved it. Got me to go back to one of my boots to relisten to them in the order he reconstructs in the book.”


And thanks to Steve Hughes:

“My choice would have to be ‘LIKE A ROLLING STONE’. Keep up the good work!”


But which is your favourite Dylan song?

Please send me a note of your top Bob song (to: topsong@dylandaily.com). I’ll post replies and, if we get enough, I’ll also compile a ranked list.


Thanks, in advance.



Gerry Smith

Good news from Chemnitz - Drawn Blank exhibition extended

Thanks to Cornelia Grosch in Berlin, the bearer of some very good news:

“Here's a message to everybody who hasn't had the time to go to Chemnitz to see Bob’s Drawn Blank Series, but would like to go there ... (like me). They’ve prolonged it till 24 March, which gives more of us the opportunity to see the paintings!”

“Hope you are fine! Always good to read your site.”


http://www.chemnitz.de/de/flash.htm

New low price for Dylan (and Cohen) albums

The major supermarket chains have driven down CD/DVD/book prices just as much the online retailers and digital downloads. Pity the poor specialist music retailers (only joking!)

But I never thought I’d ever see prime Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen albums retailing at £2.50 each!

Tesco are selling a load of Sony 2-fers including boxed sets of Dylan’s Time Out Of Mind and “Love And Theft”, and Leonard Cohen’s Songs Of Leonard Cohen and Songs Of Love And Hate for £5 each – that’s just £2.50 per album. I paid £15 each for some of these albums - when £15 seemed like a lot of money!

Will top albums soon be available at £1 each? I wouldn’t bet against it.


Gerry Smith

Your favourite Dylan song?

The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll may be the favourite Dylan song of writers Christopher Ricks and Bryan Appleyard (see below).

It was certainly the highlight of the magical November 2003 London shows. Here’s how I reported it on another website:

“The performances were outstanding. Dylan reinterpreted his canon with striking new emphases. The voice has rarely sounded more convincing - strong, melodious, impassioned. Many, hearing The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, maybe for the hundredth time, will have experienced an involuntary dropping of the jaw as Dylan delivered the key line. Such powerful writing, so skilfully delivered, made the derisory sentence handed out to William Zanzinger sound as outrageous as it did the first time you heard it.”

But is The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll your favourite?

Please send me a note of your top Bob song (to: topsong@dylandaily.com). I’ll post replies and, if we get enough, I’ll also compile a ranked list.


Thanks, in advance.



Gerry Smith

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The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll: the best Dylan song?

Which is the best Dylan song? The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll, according to Sunday Times columnist Bryan Appleyard, who has contributed his fair share of lengthy, well-informed Dylan feature articles.

Appleyard picked The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll as one of his choices on yesterday’s Private Passions (BBC Radio 3), pointing out that leading literary scholar/Dylan fan Christopher Ricks also considers Hattie Carroll as Dylan’s finest.

Thanks to Peter Truin who also heard the broadcast and supplied the link which enables you to listen to the programme via the web:

“The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll was chosen by Brian Appleyard, among the more usual Radio 3 fare of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, on the programme "Private Passions" (Sunday 27th Jan).

“I found it interesting to hear his comments about the song, if you would like to listen, it starts about 10 minutes in.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/privatepassions/pip/fpzvs/

The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll: the best Dylan song?

Which is the best Dylan song? The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll, according to Sunday Times columnist Bryan Appleyard, who has contributed his fair share of lengthy, well-informed Dylan feature articles.

Appleyard picked The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll as one of his choices on yesterday’s Private Passions (BBC Radio 3), pointing out that leading literary scholar/Dylan fan Christopher Ricks also considers Hattie Carroll as Dylan’s finest.

Thanks to Peter Truin who also heard the broadcast and supplied the link which enables you to listen to the programme via the web:

“The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll was chosen by Brian Appleyard, among the more usual Radio 3 fare of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, on the programme "Private Passions" (Sunday 27th Jan).

“I found it interesting to hear his comments about the song, if you would like to listen, it starts about 10 minutes in.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/privatepassions/pip/fpzvs/

Remembering Heath Ledger and John Stewart

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“How about a nod from Dylan Daily to acknowledge a couple of Dylan-related recent demises - the actor Heath Ledger and singer John Stewart?

“Condolences to their families and friends.”

Dylan Daily: “informative … well-written … my daily Dylan fix … “

Thanks to Jon Smithson:

“In case you don’t get told enough – thank you for The Dylan Daily – it’s informative, well-written and provides me with my daily Dylan fix.

“In the last few weeks alone, I’ve thanked you out loud for drawing my attention to, among other things:

* the fabulous second DVD disc in the Don’t Look Back box, which I’d neglected

* the new issue of Record Collector

* the new book on Dylan as a star

* the Sony podcasts

* the Drawn Blank exhibition catalogue

* what you call the “grey catalogue” product.


“Without Dylan Daily, I’d probably have missed nearly all of these.

“Thank you so much – please keep up the great work!”

Transmissions CD – a critical note

Thanks to Peter Mackie:

“Just to say that for me the three John Hammond Show songs plus Jokerman are really the only worthwhile things on this CD - they are good, especially Hurricane, and Simple Twist of Fate has the rewritten 1975 lyrics which are interesting to hear.

“The booklet is useless. Anyone who has read their Shelton, Heylin, Bauldie etc could have written that booklet. I didn't learn a single new thing, and I am far from a completist.

“The booklet frustratingly says nothing about the particular performances on the disc - indeed it was only by reading your site that I learned where All Along the Watchtower and Highway 61 came from.

“What are the licensing rules? Did the TV companies have a share of the copyright of these performances? It all seems a bit peculiar.”


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EARLIER, RELATED ARTICLES:


Bob Dylan Transmissions - enhanced CD & 74 page book

Thanks to Nigel Boddy:

“I've now listened to Bob Dylan Transmissions and can report that the sound quality (on a few of the tracks) could have been a lot better - no remastering carried out here! But, it's possibly better having average quality `rare and previously unreleased' material in your collection than not at all (?).

“The tracks, as far are as I can determine, come from the following sources:

1. Blowin' In The Wind,
2. Man Of Constant Sorrow
3. With God On Our Side
(Folk Songs & More Folk Songs TV Show 1963)

4. Hurricane,
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. Oh Sister
(The World of John Hammond TV Show 10.9.75)

7. Jokerman (Late Night With David Lettermen TV Show 22/3/84)
8. Maggie's Farm (Farm Aid 1985)
9. All Along The Watchtower (Guitar Legends 17/10/91)


10. My Back Pages
11. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
(30th Anniv. Show 18/10/02)

12. Highway 61 Revisited
13. Rainy Day Women #12&35
(Woodstock 14/8/94)

The two additional CD-ROM enhanced tracks are Girl From The North Country (With J Cash) & Forever Young (With Bruce Springsteen).

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Grey market Dylan product proliferating

If you haven’t had a good root in the Dylan racks of the music megastores for a while, you might be surprised at the recent proliferation of what’s best described as “grey market” product - CDs and (especially) DVDs.

These products aren’t official (Sony) releases, but they can’t be bootlegs (aka black market), or they wouldn’t be stocked by the mainstream music emporia. Some are also available via online retailers.

The latest product to catch my attention is Bob Dylan – Transmissions, a CD of 15 (mainly audio) tracks recorded for TV/radio across Dylan’s career, released by UK label Storming Music Company. Presumably such releases are legit because the original broadcasters have licensed performances for which they hold the copyright?

Has anyone come across this or similar CDs? Are they worth pursuing?




Gerry Smith

Books on individual Dylan albums proliferating

Book-length studies of individual Dylan albums, as pioneered by Greil Marcus over ten years ago, are proliferating. It’s evidence of a growing recognition of the depth and breadth of Zimmerman’s talent.

The latest addition to the genre is Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited, by British music journalist Colin Irwin (Legendary Sessions series, Billboard Books Jan 2008, 256pp, hardback).

I just bought a copy from The Book Depository, in Gloucester, via Amazon Marketplace, at the giveaway price of £8.83 delivered.

Irwin’s new book joins an expanding shelf of studies of individual Dylan albums, including two competitors:

* Marcus, Greil, Like A Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads, Faber & Faber, 2005

* Polizzotti, Mark, Highway 61 Revisited, 33 1/3/Continuum, 2006

as well as a trio of other single album studies:

* Griffin, Sid, Million Dollar Bash: Bob Dylan, The Band, and The Basement Tapes, Jawbone Press, Sept 2007

* Marcus, Greil, Invisible Republic, Picador, 1997

* Gill, Andy, and Odegard, Kevin, A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and the Making Of Blood On The Tracks, Da Capo, 2004.

You can access Dylan Daily reviews of Polizzotti’s and Griffin’s books via the Archive.





Gerry Smith

LA to be fifth stop for travelling Dylan exhibition

Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956–1966, organized by Experience Music Project, moves to LA’s Skirball Cultural Center from 8 February to 8 June.

Bob Dylan’s American Journey, 1956–1966 showcases photographs, recordings, performance, interview footage and historical artefacts – from Bruce Langhorne’s tambourine to Dylan’s copy of Woody Guthrie’s Bound for Glory and a letter from Dylan to Joan Baez’s mother!

The exhibition opened at Seattle’s Experience Music Project, before moving to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland), Morgan Library (New York) and the Weisman Art Museum (Minneapolis).

The ancillary Skirball programmes includes:

· John Cohen and Daniel Kramer on photographing Dylan;
· poetry by Michael McClure, and
· Greil Marcus and other Dylan writers.

Looks absorbing – I’m keenly anticipating it coming to London!

If you’ve already seen the exhibition – in Seattle, Cleveland, New York or Minneapolis, or plan to go to the LA gig, Gerry@dylandaily.com is keen to hear from you and publish your impressions.


www.skirball.org



Gerry Smith

Dylan Rarities – Part One – The ‘60s

Dylan Rarities – Part One – The ‘60s, the cover feature of the new (February) issue of Record Collector is the first of a three-part article by Evan Marshall on Dylan's rare, officially released tracks. Part 1 focuses on the 1960s, Part 2 will be the 70s/80s and Part 3 will be the 90s/00s.

It’s an eight page discographical labour of love – well written and beautifully illustrated with sumptuous cover artwork.

Author Marshall credits long-time Dylan rarities discographer Alan Fraser, whose unmissable website, Searching for a Gem, has been doing the same job for the last ten years.

The February issue of Record Collector also carries an enjoyable five page quote-heavy feature on John Wesley Harding by Harvey Kubernik.

So, if you’re a Bob collector, Record Collector February 2008 is a must-buy.


www.recordcollectormag.com

www. searchingforagem.com



Gerry Smith

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EARLIER RELATED POST

Thanks to Dylan discographer Evan Marshall:

“Thought you might like to know that the current issue of Record Collector features Dylan on the cover and inside is the first of a three part article by myself on Dylan's rare officially released tracks.

“Part 1 focuses on the 1960s, Part 2 will be the 70s/80s and Part 3 will be the 90s/00s.

“So, time to update that list of Dylan covers again! It seems that all the major magazines now seem to feature him once a year.”

(Looks like a must-have to me – Gerry Smith)

www.recordcollectormag.com

New issue of Record Collector has another Dylan cover

Thanks to Dylan discographer Evan Marshall:

“Thought you might like to know that the current issue of Record Collector features Dylan on the cover and inside is the first of a three part article by myself on Dylan's rare officially released tracks.

“Part 1 focuses on the 1960s, Part 2 will be the 70s/80s and Part 3 will be the 90s/00s.

“So, time to update that list of Dylan covers again! It seems that all the major magazines now seem to feature him once a year.”

(Looks like a must-have to me – Gerry Smith)

www.recordcollectormag.com

Bob Dylan 65 Revisited: a true bonus DVD

Having decided to wait for the DVD release to see I’m Not There, I’ve been watching instead Bob Dylan 65 Revisited, the bonus second disc in last year’s Don’t Look Back De Luxe box set

Bob Dylan 65 Revisited is a true bonus, a worthy complement to Don’t Look Back itself. Quite apart from absorbing new documentary footage, the film is a remarkable stand-alone DVD live album - unlike Don’t Look Back, Bob Dylan 65 Revisited is full of complete live performances. And they’re magnificent.

Just look at the track list of complete performances:

1. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
2. To Ramona
3. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
4. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
5. It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
6. It Ain't Me Babe
7. If You Gotta Go, Go Now
8. She Belongs To Me
9. Subterranean Homesick Blues (alt pop video)

And there are several other live clips, shot in dressing rooms and hotel suites.

Probably because the film lasts just over an hour, Bob Dylan 65 Revisited has had only a limited theatrical release.

A pity – it’s magical.



Gerry Smith

Re-Transmissions CD: new grey market follow-up release

Following the release of its Transmissions album before Xmas (details below), UK label Storming Music has announced a 3 March release date for Re-Transmissions, a follow-up live Dylan compilation CD/booklet.

Re-Transmissions’ track list complements the earlier release, with only two of the 12 tracks on the new product already released on the first CD. Both albums compile a number of live broadcast performances.

Like the first release, the new album has a 70-odd page booklet. I wonder if it’s the same booklet? Let me know if you know.

Amazon.co.uk are taking pre-orders for Re-Transmissions. The first CD had limited retail distribution, including the London flagship HMV store at Oxford Circus.



Gerry Smith


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Bob Dylan Transmissions - enhanced CD & 74 page book

Thanks to Nigel Boddy:

“I've now listened to Bob Dylan Transmissions and can report that the sound quality (on a few of the tracks) could have been a lot better - no remastering carried out here! But, it's possibly better having average quality `rare and previously unreleased' material in your collection than not at all (?).

“The tracks, as far are as I can determine, come from the following sources:

1. Blowin' In The Wind,
2. Man Of Constant Sorrow
3. With God On Our Side
(Folk Songs & More Folk Songs TV Show 1963)

4. Hurricane,
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. Oh Sister
(The World of John Hammond TV Show 10.9.75)

7. Jokerman (Late Night With David Lettermen TV Show 22/3/84)
8. Maggie's Farm (Farm Aid 1985)
9. All Along The Watchtower (Guitar Legends 17/10/91)


10. My Back Pages
11. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
(30th Anniv. Show 18/10/02)

12. Highway 61 Revisited
13. Rainy Day Women #12&35
(Woodstock 14/8/94)

The two additional CD-ROM enhanced tracks are Girl From The North Country (With J Cash) & Forever Young (With Bruce Springsteen).

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Grey market Dylan product proliferating

If you haven’t had a good root in the Dylan racks of the music megastores for a while, you might be surprised at the recent proliferation of what’s best described as “grey market” product - CDs and (especially) DVDs.

These products aren’t official (Sony) releases, but they can’t be bootlegs (aka black market), or they wouldn’t be stocked by the mainstream music emporia. Some are also available via online retailers.

The latest product to catch my attention is Bob Dylan – Transmissions, a CD of 15 (mainly audio) tracks recorded for TV/radio across Dylan’s career, released by UK label Storming Music Company. Presumably such releases are legit because the original broadcasters have licensed performances for which they hold the copyright?

Has anyone come across this or similar CDs? Are they worth pursuing?




Gerry Smith

New collectable Dylan T-shirts - in a very limited edition

Writer Michael Gray has a new, “very limited-edition” Bob Dylan Encyclopedia T-shirt for sale on his blogsite. An earlier version sold out in 2006.

According to Gray, the new shirt is “black high-quality cotton, again there’s the same understatedness to it - no writing, plain black back - but this time the image is silver instead of white (and the silver does not go grungy in the wash), and the sizes available are Small, Large or Extra Large. Photo and details on the blog.”

For readers unfamiliar with Gray’s writing, he’s the author of the recent, acclaimed Bob Dylan Encyclopedia (there’s a detailed Dylan Daily review in the Archive).

He was also the first writer, with his landmark book, Song and Dance Man: the Art of Bob Dylan (Abacus, 1973, 332pp, pbk), to fully grasp the literary dimensions of Dylan’s genius. For many, Gray’s milestone analysis confirmed the suspicion that Dylan's talent was on a different scale to that of his rocker contemporaries. Gray detailed exactly why Dylan is a great writer, helping to ensure that listening to the Mighty Zim would become a lifelong preoccupation.




Gerry Smith


http://bobdylanencyclopedia.blogspot.com/

More new episodes of Dylan podcasts

Legacy Recordings’ official Dylan podcasts have now reached programme 13, with the third of a trio of programmes Live At The Newport Folk Festival. We’ve lost Patti Smith as presenter – programme 10 onwards sees her replaced by Rita Houston.

The Legacy podcasts are free. And you can subscribe via iTunes to receive future episodes automatically.

http://blogs.legacyrecordings.com/podcast/category/bob-dylan-podcast/


Meanwhile, Mel Prussack's unofficial Dyl-Time Theme Radio Hour podcast reaches the second part of his analysis of 1966.

http://dylanshrine.podOmatic.com



Gerry Smith

I’m Not There – even more praise from Dylan devotee

Thanks to Bernard McGuinn:

“Stuck in the soft South on business last week, alone, I took advantage of the opportunity to see I'm Not There again, and it was well worth the time and the money.

“What struck me additionally, this time around, was the excellent use of some of the Tarantula stuff, and the Grossman and what I assumed was the Edie character – marvellous: illuminating and extremely humorous observations by the director.

“I loved the bit where the Grossman character is lying on a bed receiving a massage, and the Jones guy (?) comes up to him and slips a wad of money under his pillow.

“As your previous reviewer so insightfully highlighted, the dramatisation of the Newport electric set does far more to convey the real drama of the perceived historical situation than No Direction Home could possibly convey. Grossman and Seeger wrestling each other to the ground after they try to stop Seeger cutting the cables with his woodcutter’s axe is a pure belly laugh.

“And in a similar vein, the attempted attack on Bob by the waiter in the hotel room captures the sense of almost religious dogma that existed amongst so-called folk and protest fans in the mid-‘60s.
There's nothing at all new in this Muslim terrorist stuff; the world just has better access to weapons of some destruction these days.

“I think I'll go see it again, for the third time!”





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Thanks to Roy Edgar:

“I saw I'm Not There last night at the Barbican and I must say that I agree with Bernard McGuinn that it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

“I found it engrossing throughout, even when I was baffled at what was happening (I really didn't understand the computer-generated whale!) and loved the endless cornucopia of Dylan words from songs, interviews or reviews.

“Cate Blanchett was totally convincing to this viewer, I kept forgetting that she was a woman! Her stare straight at the camera later on in the film defied you to think that she was anyone but Dylan.

“I even enjoyed the playing around with the facts like the Judas scene following Cate/Jude's Ballad of a Thin Man (a la Copenhagen) in front of the Stars and Stripes (a la Paris) with the audience actually storming the stage.

“On top of all this Bob's music fills the theatre, even Sad-Eyed Lady, wow! Suffice it to say I will be going to see this film again.

“Just read your review of Bob Dylan: The Never Ending Star, which has instantly persuaded me to buy the book - thanks for bringing it to our attention.

“And just to round off the plaudits for your site: I have the old version of The Rolling Thunder Logbook but now that you have spotted the new version for £3 at Fopp I will be getting that too.

“Keep up the great work!”


And thanks to Martin Cowan:

“A friend of mine who is a dyed-in-the-wool Dylan fan (he was at the Isle of Wight, you know!) is just back from seeing I'm Not There and was so enthused he wants to see it again!

“By the way, I think you have been perhaps too fulsome in your praise for the Rolling Thunder Logbook reissue. I too looked at this on reissue but found it to be mostly the same as my original edition, with some slightly different illustrations. However, in the light of your comments, I will see if I can track it down and take another look. I thought this was worth having as it works as a written accompaniment to Renaldo and Clara.”

The Top 20 Dylan Albums

Reader Jan Rollins asks “has The Dylan Daily ever run a top Dylan albums poll?” Yes, in late 2006. Here’s the article, including the ranked list.



Gerry Smith

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The Top 20 Dylan albums – new expert ranking

Blonde On Blonde is the most popular Dylan album among the experts – the fans - comfortably ahead of Blood On The Tracks and Highway 61 Revisited.

And these three are more popular by a considerable margin than any other Dylan album.

Readers of The Dylan Daily and an associated website were asked to submit a list of their top 5 Dylan albums, in a competition to win a copy of the new Rough Guide to Bob Dylan. Many thousands of readers visited the web pages outlining the competition; and almost 100 submitted their top 5 list. Thanks to everyone who entered.

The submissions were processed to create a definitive new list of The Top 20 Dylan Albums:


The Top 20 Dylan Albums

1. Blonde On Blonde (1966) 100 (index)
2. Blood On The Tracks (1975) 84
3. Highway 61 Revisited (1965) 74
4. Bringing It All Back Home (1965) 43
5. Time Out Of Mind (1997) 21

6. "Love And Theft" (2001) 18
7. The Freewheelin’ (1963) 17
8. John Wesley Harding (1967) 14
9. Desire (1976) 12
10. Another Side Of Bob Dylan (1964) 11

11. Oh Mercy (1989) 10
12. Modern Times (2006)
13. Street-Legal (1978)
14. Slow Train Coming (1979)
15. Infidels (1983)

16. Live 1966 (1998) 2
17. No Direction Home (2005)
18. Planet Waves (1974)
19. New Morning (1970)
20. The Times They Are A'-Changin’(1964) 1

(Figures at the end of each line indicate popularity relative to Blonde On Blonde - they're index figures.)

Hidden cost of buying Drawn Blank exhibition catalogue

Since posting the previous article, I’ve discovered that UK buyers of the Drawn Blank exhibition catalogue who order direct from the gallery, Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, need to factor in the extra cost of making an international bank payment, which is about £20, to be added to the book’s price and delivery: total c£50.

Apologies to readers outside UK, I don’t know the extra bank cost in your country, but it’s worth finding out before you decide where to buy the book.

UK readers might be better advised to find a copy in the UK - if Amazon/Marketplace suppliers are out of stock, there are some copies in the bookshop system – I saw one in a branch of Waterstone's last weekend; and Foyles had it online recently.

Another option is to wait for further exhibitions (London, New York, LA?) - I can't believe Dylan would have done all that work just for a single show - and then expect the catalogue to become a very visible global best-seller.

Bottom line, though: Bob Dylan – The Drawn Blank Series is one helluva Dylan artefact, a must-have!



Gerry Smith

Hurry - Drawn Blank exhibition in Chemnitz closes soon

If you’re planning to catch The Drawn Blank Series, the outstanding exhibition of Dylan artwork at Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz, you’d better hurry, because the show closes on 3 February.

It’s a fine collection. Dylan’s artwork – interiors, urban landscapes, men, women - grabs your attention and demands careful scrutiny. The paintings, in the Expressionist style, would be arresting even if they didn’t carry Dylan’s signature. As you’d expect from its artist, the work is observant, witty and worldly-wise. The surprise is that it’s also technically accomplished – it never fails to evoke an emotional response.

Dylan fans worldwide are indebted to curator Ingrid Mossinger. It’s remarkable that the curator of a city art gallery in a regional centre like Chemnitz should have persuaded Dylan to complete such a substantial body of art, and then made it accessible to a global audience via the striking catalogue, Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series.

Danke schon Chemnitz! Danke schon Frau Mossinger!

The exhibition catalogue is a sumptuous stand-alone coffee table hardback book of 170 striking watercolour/gouache paintings that Dylan recently worked up from drawings originally sketched between 1989 and 1992.

It’s an unusual, beautiful, colourful artefact: aficionados need it - it’s one of the Dylan highlights of recent years, far more important than that new film that’s getting all the media attention.

Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series is available from UK suppliers, but the Chemnitz gallery itself is the prime supplier of the catalogue – they are selling the book at 28 euros (plus 17 euros packing/delivery) via their website – excellent value. Specify if you want the English-language version (the book includes several essays about the exhibition).



Details: Bob Dylan - The Drawn Blank Series, edited by Ingrid Mossinger. Munich, Prestel, large format hardback, 29 Nov 2007, 288pp.

www.chemnitz.de/de/tourismus/tourismus_kultur_17_2.htm




Gerry Smith

Dylan’s everywhere! Recent magazine covers: encore

Thanks to Ellen Rann for her reminder of another Dylan cover issue – which I listed on Dylan Daily - but foolishly didn’t buy:

“Rangefinder, Jan. 2007 issue: (the magazine for professional photographers) - Portrait of Dylan on the magazine's cover”

Other readers with details of Zim mag covers in other markets are invited to share their lists with Dylan Daily readers: please email info@dylandaily.com




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PREVIOUS RELATED ARTICLE:
Dylan’s everywhere! Recent magazine covers

Dylan’s portrait regularly graces the front covers of magazines stocked by my local branch of Borders. These are recent Dylan covers I’m aware of; there must be lots more:

The Independent - Arts & Books Review, Oct 2005
MOJO 142 Sept 2005
MOJO 158 Jan 2007
Paste 22 July 2006
Q April 2006
Radio Times Sept 2005
Radio Times Oct 2007
Record Collector 334 March 2007
Rolling Stone Sept 2006
The Sunday Times Mag Sept 2005
Uncut 92 Jan 2005
Uncut Dec 2006
Uncut August 2007
Uncut February 2008

Readers with details of Zim mag covers in other markets are invited to share their lists with Dylan Daily readers: please email info@dylandaily.com



Gerry Smith

Dylan’s everywhere! Recent magazine covers

Dylan’s portrait regularly graces the front covers of magazines stocked by my local branch of Borders. These are recent Dylan covers I’m aware of; there must be lots more:

The Independent - Arts & Books Review, Oct 05
MOJO 142 Sept 2005
MOJO 158 Jan 2007
Paste 22 July 2006
Q April 2006
Radio Times Sept 2005
Radio Times Oct 2007
Record Collector 334 March 2007
Rolling Stone Sept 2006
The Sunday Times Mag Sept 2005
Uncut 92 Jan 2005
Uncut Dec 2006
Uncut August 2007
Uncut February 2008

Readers with details of Zim mag covers in other markets are invited to share their lists with Dylan Daily readers: please email info@dylandaily.com



Gerry Smith

Is Uncut slowly morphing into a Dylan fanzine?

Is Uncut, the London-based music and movies monthly, slowly morphing into a Dylan fanzine? It certainly seems so - Elliott Landy’s striking portrait on the front of the new (“February”) issue is the fourth Dylan cover the magazine has run in the last two years.

Landy’s pic, from his famed Woodstock series - which also provided the Nashville Skyline cover - promotes the mag’s 11 page feature article, Bob Dylan: 1968, The Year He Came Back From the Dead, an extended analysis of John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline.

Drifter’s Escape, the cover-mounted CD, has lots of country classics, though the claim that they “inspired” the two Dylan albums is worthy of debate. I usually deal with cover mounts by salvaging the jewel cases and binning the CDs, but this one is well worth filing, with great tracks by Hank, Elvis, the Carters and Woody Guthrie, among others.

And, so that its readers don’t miss the point that Bob is now central to its worldview, Uncut has positioned yet another Dylan portrait as the centrepiece of a collage of leading poprockers making up a full page ad promoting its website.

Any more of this Uncut Dylan-mania and I might have to start looking at the mag more carefully. Dunno, though, they’d need to drop most of their heritage poprock content - even this collectable recommended issue has too much Dadrockpop for Ageing Nostalgics for my taste - REM, Tom Petty, Nick Cave, Led Zep reunion et al … no thanks …



Gerry Smith

Dylan, Radiohead, Brian Jones brighten up the January news-stands

New Year issues of rockpop mags - fashionably slim after the ad-led excesses of the Xmas consumption frenzy - are creeping onto the news-stands.

· UNCUT gets top billing with a striking Dylan cover straight from the Nashville Skyline shoot. Bob Dylan: 1968, The Year He Came Back From the Dead, is the cover feature, with extended coverage of John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline. The cover-mounted CD, Drifter’s Escape, has JWH-inspired country rock covers. And UNCUT has a separate photo feature on Blackbushe. Hang on – wasn’t that 1978?

· MOJO has Radiohead on the cover, and a featured interview with Joni Mitchell. Oh dear. I love Mitchell’s music but I lost interest in anything she has to say - about anything - aeons ago. Life’s far too short.

· Record Collector’s cover story is Brian Jones – The Lost Stone.


Gerry Smith

I’m Not There - more high praise from Dylan devotees

Thanks to Roy Edgar:

“I saw I'm Not There last night at the Barbican and I must say that I agree with Bernard McGuinn that it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

“I found it engrossing throughout, even when I was baffled at what was happening (I really didn't understand the computer-generated whale!) and loved the endless cornucopia of Dylan words from songs, interviews or reviews.

“Cate Blanchett was totally convincing to this viewer, I kept forgetting that she was a woman! Her stare straight at the camera later on in the film defied you to think that she was anyone but Dylan.

“I even enjoyed the playing around with the facts like the Judas scene following Cate/Jude's Ballad of a Thin Man (a la Copenhagen) in front of the Stars and Stripes (a la Paris) with the audience actually storming the stage.

“On top of all this Bob's music fills the theatre, even Sad-Eyed Lady, wow! Suffice it to say I will be going to see this film again.

“Just read your review of Bob Dylan: The Never Ending Star, which has instantly persuaded me to buy the book - thanks for bringing it to our attention.

“And just to round off the plaudits for your site: I have the old version of The Rolling Thunder Logbook but now that you have spotted the new version for £3 at Fopp I will be getting that too.

“Keep up the great work!”



And thanks to Martin Cowan:

“A friend of mine who is a dyed-in-the-wool Dylan fan (he was at the Isle of Wight, you know!) is just back from seeing I'm Not There and was so enthused he wants to see it again!

“By the way, I think you have been perhaps too fulsome in your praise for the Rolling Thunder Logbook reissue. I too looked at this on reissue but found it to be mostly the same as my original edition, with some slightly different illustrations. However, in the light of your comments, I will see if I can track it down and take another look. I thought this was worth having as it works as a written accompaniment to Renaldo and Clara.”

Dylan the Never-Ending Star – a must-read new book

Bob Dylan: The Never Ending Star, by Lee Marshall, is one of the most enlightening of the 115 titles currently weighing down my groaning Zim bookshelf.

Author Marshall is a baby boomer Dylan fan who also happens to teach sociology at England’s Bristol University. He has applied his professional skills to his musical passion and come up with a challenging, wholly original perspective on Dylan’s art.

Along the way he offers refreshing insights into, inter alia, Dylan the folk star, the rock star, the Never Ending Tourist and the benign radio-friendly Uncle Bob, fount of wit and wisdom.

Mulling over Dylan’s early subversion of the traditional star role, Marshall is strong on the mid-1960s emergence (creation?) of the rock music market, and Bob’s centrality therein.

The book’s highlights include its analysis of crucial eras in Dylan’s development: the 1965 morphing from folkie to rocker; the unpopular late decade “sell-out” in favour of country and pre-rock pop; and the early 1980s Rock Is Dead phase. Marshall’s analysis of the NET, its purposes and its ever-evolving phases, is stimulating - it will force many readers to reassess the last twenty years of Bob-mania.

No one, not even Bob Dylan, operates in a vacuum, and all players are constrained to some extent by the times. Marshall’s study succeeds admirably in defining the social context and significance of Dylan’s career. In doing so, he ranges freely – and expertly – over popular culture, rock music, the cult of celebrity, and post-Modern creativity, to list but a few phenomena adroitly analysed.

The author’s social scientific objectivity enables him to outshine most Dylan writers, locked, as they are, inside rockist straitjackets, and hampered by risible musical prejudices.

His discussion of earlier Dylan authors is absorbing. Encyclopaedist Michael Gray is the target of some critical potshots; Marshall is maybe too gentle with Greil Marcus.

Though the book is addressed primarily to Cultural Studies inmates, mere civilians shouldn’t be deterred: unlike many sociologists, Marshall writes lucidly and wears his considerable learning lightly. You have to engage your brain, but it’s well worth the effort. And while it’s easy to sneer at the loonier margins of Cultural Studies, admirable books like this reveal a maturing subject demanding respect.

Weaknesses? Not many. Just occasionally, the mask slips, to reveal the Dylanista lurking behind the professorial persona. For example, Marshall proudly discloses attending the full week – five nights – of London shows in 2005: it would be interesting to hear a sociological take on what is, let’s face it, unusual individual and social behaviour. And some of Marshall’s artistic judgments are debatable, but, then, whose aren’t?

Kudos to author and/or his unsung Editor at publisher Polity who worked hard to make the text into such a polished product. In 300 pages of factual information, I only came across one single error (Arthur “ Cudrup”).

Dylan Daily readers are lucky that an expert fellow fan has applied his specialist insight to create an original, compelling explanation of the “Bob Dylan” phenomenon. And that he’s done so with such an accessible and stylishly written book.

Highly recommended. A must-read.



Bob Dylan: The Never Ending Star, by Lee Marshall, Polity Press, 2007 308pp, pbk, £15


www.polity.co.uk



Gerry Smith

The Rolling Thunder Logbook – check out the 2005 edition

Having had the original edition of Sam Shepard’s Rolling Thunder Logbook since publication thirty years ago, I ignored what I assumed to be a reprint, published by Sanctuary in 2005.

Mistake.

The new version is far more than a reprint. It has the same Shepard text as the original, but in every other way it’s a new book. Apart from a new Preface and Foreword (by T-Bone Burnett), it features entirely new set of photographs in a radical redesign.

So, collectors need to check out the 2005 edition of The Rolling Thunder Logbook, even if they already have the original. Especially when it’s discounted to £3 (from £14) as it currently is at the reborn Fopp min-chain.

Other Zim bargains currently on sale at Fopp include Biograph (long box version) at £10, and CP Lee’s Like A Bullet Of Light, at £5.



Gerry Smith

I'm Not There now on YouTube

Thanks to Bets:

“Been a regular reader for awhile now. Just thought I'd let you all know that I'm Not There - the entire movie - is up on YouTube (in 22 separate instalments ... no joke). At least it was there this morning.

”I saw the movie about 6 weeks ago here in town and loved it. Actually I had to go see it twice. Being a hard-core Dylan geek had my brain doing too much analyzing the first time around. The second time I was able to just view it viscerally.

“Really cool flick. Thanks for the site.”