Bob Dylan: Changing Times, part 2 - 1979

Thanks to Jerry Stone:

“I listened to the '79 show yesterday and thought that, whilst it was enjoyable enough, it barely began to examine the 'Born Again' period in any depth at all.

“I was pleased to hear that Sid Griffin is working on a book about that era and his comments were very astute.

“Howard Sounes, however… typical response from a fan who doesn't want to acknowledge Dylan's Christianity, whether it's in the past or not (personally, I see no real evidence to suggest Dylan has given it up).

“Looking forward to Griffin's book.”

(Jerry’s text has been lightly edited – GS)

Bob Dylan: Changing Times, part 4

Bob Dylan: Changing Times, part 4, which just finished on BBC 6 Music, covered Dylan in the Noughties.

It started with four men talking about Bob.

After about ten minutes, I fell asleep.

If you managed to stay awake, please share with fellow readers of The Dylan Daily what you heard.

Is it worth a listen on BBC iPlayer?



Gerry Smith


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Changing Times radio series: enjoyable. (Part 4 transmits Wednesday @ 1900 GMT)

Inter-cutting all 10 tracks with comments by writers Howard Sounes and Sid Griffin, Bob Dylan: Changing Times, part 3 – 1989, 0h Mercy, which just finished on BBC 6 Music, was a largely enjoyable dissection of the 1989 album.

Like the previous pair, the programme strove to prove that years ending in “9” have been particularly significant in the Dylan story.

Many, me included, would dispute that.

Other voices heard were Dylan himself (short clip about live performance), Sean Penn (impersonating Bob, reading from Chronicles), Malcolm Burn, muso/engineer on Oh Mercy, and presenter John Wilson.

The programme’s strength was its focus on the music.

But, for those who know the music, that was also a weakness – we all possess the album and can play it whenever we want. More evaluation and some fresh insights would have been preferable.

Those reservations aside, programme 3 will send me back to the earlier two, via BBC iPlayer:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

Programme 4, unlisted in Radio Times, the woeful BBC listings mag, runs tomorrow, Wednesday 30 Dec, @ 1900 GMT. It looks as if it might be “experts” “chatting” about Dylan in the Noughties.

Hmmm…



Gerry Smith


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Tempting new three-part BBC radio series to track the changing Dylan

Over the Xmas holidays, BBC 6 Music, the rock radio station, is broadcasting a tempting new three-part series surveying Dylan’s changing times.

Bob Dylan: Changing Times, a trio of one-hour programmes to be transmitted on successive evenings from Sunday 27 December (Sunday @ 2000 GMT, then 1900 on Monday and Tuesday), examines Dylan’s abrupt end-of-decade changes – country in 1969, Christianity in 1979 and a “return to large-scale touring” in 1989.

BBC 6 Music is a digital-only station, focusing mainly but not exclusively on post-Punk rock. It targets a younger audience than hoary old Radio 2 - the older brothers of pubescent Radio 1 listeners.

If you live in a territory where copyright allows, you might be able to hear the series online at:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/




Gerry Smith

Changing Times radio series: enjoyable. (Part 4 transmits Wednesday @ 1900 GMT)

Inter-cutting all 10 tracks with comments by writers Howard Sounes and Sid Griffin, Bob Dylan: Changing Times, part 3 – 1989, 0h Mercy, which just finished on BBC 6 Music, was a largely enjoyable dissection of the 1989 album.

Like the previous pair, the programme strove to prove that years ending in “9” have been particularly significant in the Dylan story.

Many, me included, would dispute that.

Other voices heard were Dylan himself (short clip about live performance), Sean Penn (impersonating Bob, reading from Chronicles), Malcolm Burn, muso/engineer on Oh Mercy, and presenter John Wilson.

The programme’s strength was its focus on the music.

But, for those who know the music, that was also a weakness – we all possess the album and can play it whenever we want. More evaluation and some fresh insights would have been preferable.

Those reservations aside, programme 3 will send me back to the earlier two, via BBC iPlayer:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

Programme 4, unlisted in Radio Times, the woeful BBC listings mag, runs tomorrow, Wednesday 30 Dec, @ 1900 GMT. It looks as if it might be “experts” “chatting” about Dylan in the Noughties.

Hmmm…



Gerry Smith


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Tempting new three-part BBC radio series to track the changing Dylan

Over the Xmas holidays, BBC 6 Music, the rock radio station, is broadcasting a tempting new three-part series surveying Dylan’s changing times.

Bob Dylan: Changing Times, a trio of one-hour programmes to be transmitted on successive evenings from Sunday 27 December (Sunday @ 2000 GMT, then 1900 on Monday and Tuesday), examines Dylan’s abrupt end-of-decade changes – country in 1969, Christianity in 1979 and a “return to large-scale touring” in 1989.

BBC 6 Music is a digital-only station, focusing mainly but not exclusively on post-Punk rock. It targets a younger audience than hoary old Radio 2 - the older brothers of pubescent Radio 1 listeners.

If you live in a territory where copyright allows, you might be able to hear the series online at:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/




Gerry Smith

Christmas In The Heart: different class!

Thanks to David Harris:

“I too have resisted buying this till Xmas was nearer. I have been reading the various (mainly negative) reviews.

“Then yesterday morning on Radio 2 Johnny Walker played the crazy polka sound of “Must be Santa Claus” on the car radio on my way to work in the snow.

“Amid all the other Christmassy muzak we have to endure at this time of year, this (to my ear) was simply different class.

“Bob is one step ahead as usual.

“Will now go out and buy the album and play it for the next couple of weeks feeling good about the cause and enjoying the novelty of hearing the master having fun.

“Keep up the good work.

“Happy Christmas!”

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And hearty Christmas greetings to all Dylan Daily contributors and readers!




Gerry Smith, Editor.

More on: Xmas album: “sh*te”

Thanks to Humberto:

“Well, I took your advice and waited... listened to the cd for the first time this morning, after taking your advice - "I'll probably play it a few days before Christmas."

“Excellent! It's a hit of this season, balancing Sting's "If On A Winter's Night."

“How can people moan and groan? It's a unique take on the seasonal bombardment of soft, gushy repeats of the same old songs, carols etc.

“It's Dylan, it's art, it's his creative offering for this special season. Let the snow Scrooges chill, just enjoy the effort he's made this Christmas.”

Xmas album: “sh*te” - Christmas week in Dylanland #1

Dylan Daily readers had their say on Christmas In The Heart when it was first released a few weeks ago, but it’s always healthy to hear the views of the unconverted.

I just received a txt msg from a friend who ridicules my Dylan preoccupation:

“Someone just gave me Dylan’s Xmas album: it’s sh*te. Even my favourites, Status Quo, wouldn’t stoop that low!”

Happy winter solstice to all readers! Keep calling in – normal Dylan Daily service over the holiday period.



Gerry Smith

Tempting new three-part BBC radio series to track the changing Dylan

Over the Xmas holidays, BBC 6 Music, the rock radio station, is broadcasting a tempting new three-part series surveying Dylan’s changing times.

Bob Dylan: Changing Times, a trio of one-hour programmes to be transmitted on successive evenings from Sunday 27 December (Sunday @ 2000 GMT, then 1900 on Monday and Tuesday), examines Dylan’s abrupt end-of-decade changes – country in 1969, Christianity in 1979 and a “return to large-scale touring” in 1989.

BBC 6 Music is a digital-only station, focusing mainly but not exclusively on post-Punk rock. It targets a younger audience than hoary old Radio 2 - the older brothers of pubescent Radio 1 listeners.

If you live in a territory where copyright allows, you might be able to hear the series online at:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/




Gerry Smith

Tell Tale Signs box - Dylan collectable?

Thanks to Martin Gayford:

“Thanks for the useful site.

“I reckon the TTS box is collectable, but as the price fluctuations have been so extreme up to now, I wouldn't want to bet on its future status. It was advertised as limited on release, I think, but who knows how many were produced, or whether or not it'll appear in the future in an upgraded version?

“The real collectables as far as I can see are the LPs that were issued in small numbers during the ‘90s - BS Vol 1-3, GAIBTY, WGW, Unplugged and TOOM - all of which often go for over £50 each on ebay. I'd guess that the vinyl Bootleg Series box sets may also have been pressed in relatively small numbers (at least the 180 gram editions), so perhaps sealed copies would be worth buying as an investment.

“In terms of the products themselves, I think TTS has some absolutely essential stuff on it - spread over all 3 discs, so you need the deluxe - but also some stuff I would have left in the vault (some of the live tracks in particular) in favour of more studio outtakes, especially from L&T, of which there are none.

“The box is nice, but I still don't understand the reason for inclusion of the singles book - other than it makes the price hike (slightly) more acceptable - as it has nothing to do with the contents of the discs.

“On average we pay about £10 per CD in the UK, so even at the reduced £50 you'd expect 4 or 5 CDs, which Sony could easily have produced. It's not exactly hard to find 5 hours of quality material from at least 5 major album sessions and over 20 years of concert recordings. Charging £100 for 3 discs is asking for trouble, in my opinion.

“If the artist was primarily aimed at teenagers, Sony wouldn't have a chance of selling it at that price, but because Bob's audience are either 'serious' music lovers who can afford it, or crazed Dylan addicts that will sell their furniture to get it if they need to, Sony are pretty much guaranteed sales, which is quite manipulative I think.

“Anyway, now you know my opinion!”

Bob Dylan’s fond comments about Joan Baez in must-have new TV doc

Thanks to Kenneth Crouch:

“Dylan talks about Baez in a warm way on last night’s Imagine show on BBC1.

“Does any Dylan Daily reader know when this was filmed and where? Seems new to me. Catch it on your iPlayer. Ken from Somerset.”

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I agree wholeheartedly with Ken.

This is a must-have broadcast. Lots of Dylan content – historic stuff from Don’t Look Back, plus a new interview in which Bob’s very positive about Ms Baez. She talks at length about Dylan, too.

If you live in a territory where copyright allows, see it online at:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/



Gerry Smith

More on Dylan box sets: collectables, investments?

Thanks to Barnaby Attwell:

“Just read your piece on Dylan box sets.

I recently bought the 3CD Tell Tale Signs for £35 from the HMV website (and it was £39 the last time I went to Fopp) – having just noticed it's gone back up to £117.99 (!)

I'm not sure if it's collectable or an investment (time will tell) but the 3CD package is a beautiful thing indeed – and if it was priced at £35 when it came out, I'm sure it would have sold a lot more (and there would have been less of an uproar!)

The book of singles covers is lovely – and fascinating – to flick through; the booklet containing the CDs is more expansive and has larger photos; the CDs themselves are nicely packaged in mock-old LP covers; and of course there's the third CD (which I already had through less legit channels – but it's nice to have it 'officially').

All in all, it's lovely as an artefact – but one I would never have paid over £100 for!

(Now if only they took such care for, say, re-issuing the complete Basement Tapes... as much as I love Tell Tale Signs, the 3CD packaging – and original cost – almost seems OTT for a relatively 'minor' (in my opinion) collection of songs.)

Nevertheless, a source of joy, aurally, physically and visually!

By the way, I took your advice and visited the National Portrait Gallery for the Dylan exhibition. Great photos – and a terrific poster for £5 too.

Many thanks for your always interesting site.






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Dylan box sets: collectables, investments?

Columbia Legacy’s recent releases of deluxe Dylan boxes – notably 2003’s Bob Dylan Revisited: The Reissues Series, and 2008’s Tell Tale Signs: Rare And Unreleased 1989-2006 (The Bootleg Series vol 8) 3CD – contain great music and are well executed artefacts.

But are they collectables? Or investments?

To be very collectable, they’d need to be scarce by now. But they are generally available for sale, new, on the web.

To qualify as investments, they’d need to be appreciating in value. But both seem to be available at well below launch price: I recently came across Bob Dylan Revisited: The Reissues Series at £124. And Tell Tale Signs: Rare And Unreleased 1989-2006 at £52.

What’s your experience of buying luxury packages? Worth having for the joy they bring? A source of disappointment?

Dylan Daily would welcome your thoughts on the matter.



Gerry Smith

Dylan box sets: collectables, investments?

Columbia Legacy’s recent releases of deluxe Bob Dylan boxes – notably 2003’s Bob Dylan Revisited: The Reissues Series, and 2008’s Tell Tale Signs: Rare And Unreleased 1989-2006 (The Bootleg Series vol 8) 3CD – contain great music and are well executed artefacts.

But are they collectables? Or investments?

To be very collectable, they’d need to be scarce by now. But they are generally available for sale, new, on the web.

To qualify as investments, they’d need to be appreciating in value. But both seem to be available at well below launch price: I recently came across Bob Dylan Revisited: The Reissues Series at £124. And Tell Tale Signs: Rare And Unreleased 1989-2006 at £52.

What’s your experience of buying luxury packages? Worth having for the joy they bring? A source of disappointment?

Dylan Daily would welcome your thoughts on the matter.



Gerry Smith

New issue of UNCUT - Dylan cover

Thanks to Martin Cowan for reminding me that the issue of UNCUT mag currently in the newsagents’ racks has a Dylan cover.

I mentioned it last week, at the end of a piece on the two London Bob exhibitions, but it might have been missed by some readers who collect Dylan covers.



Gerry Smith

Collectable new Dylan cover - The Big Issue magazine

There’s a new, very desirable Dylan cover on The Big Issue magazine, issue no 874, 23-29 Nov. It was still on sale in London on Saturday, but you’ll have to hurry.

The Dylan portrait (looks like the William Claxton shoot for Modern Times) flags the main article in the issue, a transcript of the Bill Flanagan interview promoting the Xmas album.

The Big Issue is the best possible UK mag for the interview as it’s sold by homeless street vendors, in line with the charitable destination for Dylan’s royalties from the new CD.



Gerry Smith

Utterly original: Bob Dylan Revisited - lyrics interpreted as grown-up graphics

There seems no end to the formats in which Dylan’s artistry is now celebrated.

The latest medium to catch my attention is the new hardback book, Bob Dylan Revisited: 13 Graphic Interpretations of Bob Dylan’s Songs.

It’s a fine addition to the Zim bookshelf, presenting lyrics of a selection of classic songs as graphics for grown-ups.

So, for example, Girl From The North Country is covered in five large-format glossy colour pages, with the lyrics running alongside graphic artist Francois Avril’s telling visual interpretation of the song, in strip cartoon form.

Graphic books for grown-ups are exotic in the Anglo-Saxon world, but they’re an important, massively popular, artform in Francophone countries. Unsurprisingly, this delightful book was originally published in French, last year.

Utterly original: recommended.

Achetez ce livre, mes amis!

(Details: Bob Dylan Revisited: 13 Graphic Interpretations of Bob Dylan’s Songs, WW Norton, New York/London, 98pp, large format hardback, Oct 2009, £15 approx.)




Gerry Smith

All along the watchtower: Dylan’s everywhere… (continued)

On my way to a gig at the Barbican, with half an hour to spare, I called in at the fabulous Museum of London.

At the end of the Roman London gallery, in a section dealing with defensive fortifications, the information panel was headed: “All Along The Watchtower”.

Dylan’s everywhere these days – he’s now firmly embedded in the English language – a Shakespeare for the 21st Century, just as some of us were expecting, way back when…


Gerry Smith

Bob Dylan and Miles Davis: Sony’s big box sets compared

As far as Bob Dylan and Miles Davis, its major assets, are concerned, Sony does a creditable job managing the treasures locked away in its priceless vaults.

However much hardcore fans might moan about the slow drip-feed of the unreleased Dylan legacy, Columbia Legacy is to be commended on its Bootleg Series.

Columbia Legacy also manages its Miles Davis assets pretty astutely, though some Miles aficionados whinge that Sony has released too much inconsequential blathering by the Prince Of Darkness!

But the imminent release of the Complete Miles Davis Columbia Album Collection will leave Bobfans drawing unfavourable comparisons with the Zim equivalent, 2003’s Bob Dylan Revisited: The Reissues Series.

The two reissue projects are similar in key respects – all the albums in both collections have remarkable upgraded sound and both boxes reintroduce the original album artwork, in seductive digipak format.

But, in other ways, the new Miles box is more compelling:

* it pulls together all of the label’s Miles albums – Bob Dylan Revisited: The Reissues Series was selective, with only 15 titles, against the Miles box’s whopping 52, many of them double albums!

* many of the Miles albums carry worthwhile bonus tracks – the Dylan reissues eschewed any.

* even if you already own most of the original recordings, the incentives to buy the Miles box are persuasive – a newly released live DVD, a couple of previously unreleased CDs-worth of music, a substantial 250 page book by two leading Miles experts, and striking packaging.

* value: the “street” launch prices of the two boxes are similar, but the Miles box gives you far more bang for your buck.

Bottom line: I already had virtually all releases by both musicians. I passed on the Dylan box; I’ve ordered the Miles box.



Gerry Smith

Hugues Aufray: more than just a “cover artist”

Thanks to Miche Duthoit:

“Good to see you reporting on Hugues Aufray again. But I think you underestimate Hugues’ importance: in France at least, he’s rather more than a ‘cover artist’.

“Aufray’s translations (as well as recordings) of the early catalogue converted a whole generation of 1960s French-speaking pop fans to Dylan.

“Keep up your coverage of Dylan from a European perspective; it’s refreshing.”



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Hugues Aufray a Paris: non, merci - trop cher

Having only recently discovered Hugues Aufray’s French-language translations/cover versions of the early Dylan catalogue, I was thrilled at the weekend to stumble across a live performance by the Gallic baritone.

I was strolling around les Grands Boulevards in Paris last Saturday evening, wondering what to do, when, lo and behold, at the legendary Rex theatre, there it was - Aufray’s name, up in lights. He was due to take the stage an hour later.

Shall I, shan’t I… ? Hmmmm.

After a moment of indecision, I checked my Pariscope ents guide for ticket prices: “euros 30-55.”

The clincher: trop cher.

So I walked away. I simply don’t value any Dylan cover artist enough to justify paying over £10.

Pity. I’ll continue to enjoy the singer’s best compilation CD, Aufray Chante Dylan - it’s a lovely change from Hardy, Brel or Piaf (and even Malcolm McLaren) when in Paris/Paris mood.

And recommended.



Gerry Smith

New Age Dylan: Oh Lord, please give me strength…

Thanks to Sarah Hunt:

“New Age Dylan? Oh Lord, please give me strength…

“This is certainly not ‘appropriate’. If people want to listen to this stuff, fine by me. Same with the Xmas album. But you couldn’t pay me to listen to either.

“Am I the only Dylan Daily reader who feels that a great body of art is being undermined here?”

New Age Dylan – soothing furrowed brows?

The record label have sent me details of a new album “which transforms popular rock bands [sic] like Bob Dylan, The Beatles and U2 into relaxing meditation music.”

But is this appropriate?

Having been surprised by some positive fan reaction to the Xmas album, I’m not sure any more…



Gerry Smith

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Information and song samples:

www.modernmeditations.com


FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:

Slated for release November 17, the ³Modern Meditations² series¹ ³Rock Classics² and ³Modern Classics² 12-track collections feature meditative renditions of some of rock music¹s best-known
and most beloved songs. Also available on November 17 is an album dedicated to the songs of The Beatles. Aimed at introducing a brand new, modern rock perspective on ³new age² music fare, the ³Modern Meditations² series will be available for purchase at all traditional music retail outlets and online services, as well as distributed to many high-end lifestyle retailers.

Featuring the work of renowned producers from across the globe, ³Modern Meditations² has transformed contemporary rock favorites into meditation music for the rock & roll generation. Shimmering rock guitars and warm percussion create lush instrumental soundscapes. While yoga, Pilates, and meditation have all entered the mainstream, the music has not. The ³Modern Meditations² series aims to introduce an alternative to traditional new age fare to the growing modern rock audience.

The first of two compilation releases, ³Rock Classics,² features serene instrumental versions of songs from classic rock¹s most revered artists including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Led Zeppelin and many others. ³Modern Classics² dives into the contemporary rock catalog with tranquil renditions of songs by The Verve, U2, The Cure, Oasis, R.E.M., Nirvana and more.

Dylan Different: jazz singer Ben Sidran's new covers album

I’m not over-fond of Dylan cover albums, but when a favourite singer – Bryan Ferry, most recently – interprets Bobsongs, I usually buy and enjoy.

So I’m looking forward to Dylan Different, an album of covers by jazz singer/pianist Ben Sidran.

Sidran crossed my radar with his contribution on the grossly under-rated Van Morrison album, Tell Me Something (1996), a collection of Mose Allison covers which also featured Georgie Fame and Mose himself.

I searched out Sidran and saw him play a tiny London gig. He was outstanding – laconic, droll and a beautifully lyrical musician. Very similar to Mose Allison, in fact. Watching him perform at close quarters for a couple of hours a was sheer delight.

Ben Sidran’s Dylan Different, due 16 November, is a must-buy in these parts.


Tracklist:

Everything Is Broken
Highway 61 Revisited
Tangled Up In Blue
Gotta Serve Somebody
Rainy Day Woman
Ballad of a Thin Man
Maggie's Farm
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Subterranean Homesick Blues
On The Road Again
All I Really Want To Do
Blowin' in the Wind

www.bensidran.com



Gerry Smith