Today comes official confirmation that Martin Scorsese’s much anticipated film biography of Bob Dylan, No Direction Home, will premier next month. Challenging the law of diminishing utility, along with the DVD comes the release of a new double CD (No Direction Home: Bootleg Series Vol 7) with 26 of its 28 tracks previously unreleased, and a 64-page hardcover book (The Bob Dylan Scapbook) “crammed with features including rare photographs, facsimiles of handwritten lyrics and rare memorabilia.” In a “Special Bob Dylan Bundle Offer”, shoppers who buy the double CD and the book get a bonus CD containing 6 tracks recorded at Bob’s 26 October 1963 Carnegie Hall concert. All this follows the publication of Greil Marcus’s Like A Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads, written to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the greatest single ever made and reputedly only the third instance of a book about one song. I think I’d need at least a week off to digest all this. How much the marginal price of a unit of Dylan?
and reputedly only the third instance of a book about one song.
What are the others? There is a book about Strange Fruit, I know.
deos this mean a hard rain is gunna fall or is it before the flood?
Amanda, I’m told that there is also a book on “Amazing Grace”.
hallelujuah! looking forward to the Scorcese film
Louie Louie by Dave Marsh
Rock Around the Clock, The Record that Started the Rock Revolution By Jim Dawson
Strange Fruit: The Biography of a Song by David Margolick
Thats all I can remember.
Come to think of it, I think there’s one about the “Orange Blossom Special” too. So thats at least four.
Somewhere on the blog I put up a link to a trailer for No Direction Home, the net is being hinky right now for me but if you Google search it should turn up.
No Direction Home trailer
I reckon we Sydney Dylanologist bloggers/blog commenters should organise a time to see the Scorcese film together when it comes out. what say ye?
“hinky” ????
Interesting that Dylan actually cooperated with the making of No Direction Home, following hard on Chronicles. He’s become most forthcoming for such a reclusive old bugger. Is this just a sign that he’s facing up to his own mortality and he wants to have his say before he goes?
Maybe next time I see a concert he might loosen up enough to look at the audience - or even smile!
I expect the Dylan folk (third Monday of the month, The Australia Hotel, cnr Broadway and Abercrombie 7pm) will have a screening.
Yes, “hinky”? What about it?
One pompous overpaid baby boomer who hasn’t demonstrated any talent in decades, fluffing another…
Books, dunno, but it appears almost any great song has become a blogspot! None are worth opening, mind…
I went to that hotel with a mate a few years ago Amanda. There was a video playing of some great Bob on a tiny screen, and I remember having to spend most of my time restraining my mate from decking people for talking.
We need a big screen and a decent sound system. Over to you Jas. If you can line it up bubba, I’ll be there.
I just want to go on the record as saying that Dylan bores me to tears almost as much as Dylan fans!!! <ducks>
Hank Williams. Now there’s a singer-songwriter I can respect.
rex - I’m saying a little prayer for your soul right now.
For Rex Bellatore:
Bob, forgive him
For he knows not what he does
Nor what he says
For my SOUL? Perhaps you ought to pray to the Godfather - James Brown - for that.
Used to share Rex’s sentiments as a young blade, with my head wedged up The Jam, till I heard The Ballad of Hollis Brown. That haunting repetitive riff, slowly driving the lyrics into a frenzy of homicidal madness. Incredible.
Dylan conversion song, anyone?
‘Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.’
Sad rex. Then again, I guess there would have been people who lived in Shakespeare’s time who thought he was a lousy playwrite, and just think how much money you’re saving.
I’ve never been averse to the Bobster, but I still well remember the moment he really dropped on me. Back in short-pants, I was a snobby blues purist. If you hadn’t heard my prized record, Robert Johnson’s King of the Delta Blues Singers, you weren’t worth talking to, full stop. Then, late one evening in ‘71, the dj introduced Bobby’s new single, the throwaway “Watching the River Flow”. The rolling piano, the relaxed lyrics (”People disagreeing on all just about everything, yeah, makes you stop and all wonder why”), the blues form - conversion - suddenly His Bobness was inside my veins, and 34 years later I still can’t drive the bugger out.
Nice choice JS - I have a slight preference for the Byrds version.
The Byrds’ version is indeed superior, at least according to Bob, who, in the supreme tribute, has adopted it as his own live (in the same way that he adopted Jimi’s interpretation of “Watchtower”). Unquestionably in my mind, the best version ever is on the 30th Anniversary album, featuring Bob joined by Roger McGuinn, along with Tom Petty, Neil Young, Eric Clapton and George Harrison. Magnificent. Do yourself a favour.
I agree CS - have the very track. It IS the best…. Saw McGuinn play it solo in Sydney. Not the same, but closest I’ll get.
The screening would be at a house, we have had several Masked and Anonymous nights.
Anyhoo.
I just got back from Kris Kristofferson, saw him do all those bloody songs and got my LP of Silver Tongued Devil and I signed so alls right with the world.
I’m not joining the rest of this thread. I don’t argue about Dylan (except with Bruce Elder). Some things are too important.
Except …
You don’t get it, you don’t get it. Big deal. Just means more room on the rail for me.
Bob chooses you, you do not choose Bob.
Life is one big conversion to Dylan.
The best version of any Dylan song is the one(s) Dylan does.
The best version of any song is the one Dylan does.
Jimi and Bob’s ALAWT are different songs, completely. No point even mentioning them in the same sentence.
30th anniversarty is a ridiculous shambles, affectionately shambolic in some places (Kris shielding Sinead is still the heroic shining moment, the list of duds is as long as yr extremely long arm), but the best ever anything. I think not.
The Byrds (especially goddamn Roger McGuinn) are not superior to me singing and playing, let alone B*b. Are you people on crack?
But, apart from that, I don’t argue about Dylan.
Well
argued, Amanda.…
* walks slowly out of the room, avoiding eye-contact with feral hillbillies *
“Life is one big conversion to Dylan.”
Personally I was most into him when I was in my teens, but grew out of it.
“The best version of any Dylan song is the one(s) Dylan does.”
Heard Hendrix do Like a Rolling Stone?
Yes, you either get Dylan or you don’t. I remember listening to the 2SER bobfest some time ago, where they played a Dylan song to a non-believer, trying to demonstrate that Dylan was a great singer. The song played was ‘Moonshiner’ from the first offical Bootleg album.
I understand perfectly why this song was chosen. For mine this is a great vocal performance. The song’s sung by this precocious Jewish kid, I guess Dylan was about 21 or so - but what you hear is the voice of middle aged man with years of hard living and drinking behind him. And the yearning he captures with “God bless them women, pretty women, how I wish they was mine.” It’s a wonderful song and performance. The non-believer’s response was along the lines of “Why on earth would you choose this song to prove he’s a great singer?”.
Personally I was most into him when I was in my teens, but grew out of it.
As Bob said to Peter Grant when he introduced himself as Led Zep’s manager: I don’t come to you with my problems, do I?
Heard Hendrix do Like a Rolling Stone?
Yes.
One of my fave Bob albums is his eponynmous debut as a folkie, mainly covering folk standards. Some tremendous versions of old mid-west classics. eg fixin to die, gospel plow. Shows what a great harp player he could be when he wanted to.
God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”
Abe said, “Man you must be putting me on”
God said, “Abe”; Abe said “What?”
God said, “You can do what you want to but the next time you see me comin’ you’d better run”
Abe said “Where do you want this killing done?”
I neglected to write - Instant conversion!
“you either get Dylan or you don‚Äôt”
Sorry to be the lone stirrer here, but maybe that should be better expressed as one of:
you either get over Dylan or you don’t
you either get bored with Dylan’s 3 chords or you don‚Äôt
you either get Dylan or you don‚Äôt like your lyrics wasted on someone who can’t sing.
With compliments
Commiserations ar-maniac. Better luck in your next life, or the one after that - as you obviously have quite a few still coming, going on your progress in this one.
Now now, don’t be a grouchy middle aged cardigan lefty CS, it’s possible to have a life AND be over the holy icons of the beareded generation generation.
In keeping with other great betrayals of the hippy rhetoric, here’s ol’ 3 chord himself doing his bit for the revolution:
[link]
“the latest artist to sign a deal with Starbucks for exclusive distribution rights to his new album”
it’d be funny if it wasn’t deeply depressing. But I’m sure he needs the money. And it isn’t like he’s wheeling out some old stuff to sell it a second time around…
“Bob Dylan: Live at the Gaslight 1962 collects songs recorded at Gotham’s famed Gaslight Cafe, including early versions of the classics A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall and Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”..
Oh good. No doubt just a one-off indiscretion? Er…
“Dylan’s credibility took a hit when he sold a song last year for a Victoria’s Secret lingerie commercial and again recently when he agreed to play Amazon.com’s 10th anniversary party with fellow Starbucks fave Norah Jones”
PS it’s the Norah Jones bit that really stuck in my throat!
aah amanda - I can see that the Codeine isn’t kicking in enough. (or perhaps it is) Up the dose baby. Think Hunter S.
I’ve been a born again bobcat several several times now, each time going to further depths. The last time was a few years ago listening to Forever Young, a song some consider inconsequential. Not me. Now I’m in too deep and for too long, there’ll be no backsliding. We all have to serve somebody.
Get over it armaniac, or try to find someone who cares.
My ‘personal’ digs were clearly tongue-in-cheek, Shiel, I think that sort of viciousness for its own sake is uncalled for. Tends to be the recourse of those who’ve run out of meatier arguments.
But I guess when you’re an Alpha Blogger you can get away with whatever you want and no-one pulls you up on it. Shame, I always looked up to you as a blogger.
Sad when your icons let you down. Whatever, have a good day.
There was nothing vicious in my comments, merely world weariness. Dylan’s body of work needs no defence. Fans discuss and argue about the artist, and detractors can go please themselves.
OK.
World weariness I can understand. Peace.
Back in 1963 I was lucky to have a music teacher who had been a US athlete in the 1956 Olympics and stayed here. He bought our class a Ray Charles album and a Dylan album. Changed our lives. I remember buying Blonde on Blonde double album the day it came out and learning the lyric of Sad Eyed Lady of The Lowlands. BUT I am over it now. I used to have to play My Generation every day or I couldn’t cope. but I am over it now. I screamed at the Stones in The Palais in 1965 but I am over that now (although I still have the ticket stub).all phases need to be passed THROUGH.
Hank beats Bob beats Ray Charles beats James Brown
Roy Orbison might come after James Brown.
When Orbison supported the Stones at The Palais in the sixties, the front row Orbison fan club all left before the Stones came on - a mass walkout.
When Dylan went electric at Festival Hall in the sixties, all the Folkie Dylan fans walked out. The rest of us had plenty of room to love The Band.
I did sit through the dead boring Rolling Thunder Dylan movie at the Valhalla in about 1980.
Don’t Look Back will do me for a Dylan film though - it has Viv Prince from The Pretty Things as a bonus.
“Hank beats Bob beats Ray Charles beats James Brown”
Such an analysis is fallacious. I like and listen to them all.
I think we are talking incommensurables here.
cs, I have a wide and eclectic musical taste. It doesn’t extend to Dylan, although it does extend on rare occasions to e.g. Woody Guthrie, and plenty of country, rock, blues and rhythm and blues. Dylan as a lyricist is moderately interesting, in a 60s kind of way, but Dylan as a musician simply leaves me cold. Excuse me as a member of ‘Generation X’ (as in, I remember the band) that might have different musical heroes to you boomers.
For example, the Gang Of Four album, Entertainment. Or The Birthday Party by The Boys Next Door. So quoting “Shivers” is more my style. The last Dandy Warhols album was most excellent, as is all the output of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (and Karen O is a goddess).
John Lydon’s lyrics speak more to me about my life experience than Dylan ever could.
So do I Jason, although I can’t handle Hank’s friggin’ yodelling.
Aspects of this thread remind me of the comments an old one back at Troppo, which I recommend for conversion experiences or if you want to read what it was like to hear Highway 61 for the first time, and to then get it real bad: see the comments by Ron Alcorn and James Hamilton.
So do I Jason, although I can’t handle Hank’s friggin’ yodelling.
Now, who was it that said “I like Bob Dylan, except for the lyrics” ……. ?
Yodellers can join the banjo players as far as I’m concerned, up in the hills and far away.
Watching the 30th Anniversary video now, first time in years. The Back Pages is kinda amusing I admit. Although Tom Petty is reading the lyrics. For shame. I do not retract about MGuinn, his MTM is a soft core massacree, as was the Byrds’ in the first place. Durng the Knockin’ at the end I swear Bob is singing something different in the refrain. I like to think its “What the fucking hell am I here for?” Everyone is clapping out of time with the song and with everyone else, its good to know the professionals do that too.
I’ve never seen the video
(someone told me there is an extra Eric Clapton song?)
But I’ve played that version of MBP a zillion times, and it IS the best. To be listened to Amanda - not watched - and then listened to again, and again …
And apart from his spot in that number, Bob was dreadful, just dreadful, that night … almost a bad parady of himself.
In fact, Girl from the North Country — Bob solo acoustic — at the end is the best bit.
Eric also does a bluesd up Love Minus Zero, No Limit. And inexplicably they left off the CD Nanci Giffith and Carolyn Hester doing Boots of Spanish Leather.
Also on the film you get the whole Sinead ugliness in living colour. I think they’ve put it out on DVD by now.
Dylan got “born again”.
Puke.
I don’t adhere to rabbis, preachers, evangelists. I believe in the songs.
~ Bob Dylan, 1997
I see Evil. Presumably this means you also puke over Dubya?
I heard a wonderful, totally apocryphal story about General Powell on his first day as Secretary of State. He walks into the Cabinet room and says:
Joke over. As you were.
I don’t adhere to rabbis, preachers, evangelists. I believe in the songs.
~ Bob Dylan, 1997
Yeah. Dylan was only pretending to get “born again” for the money.
Kind of kills his “integrity”, though. And the songs he produced during that period were rotten.
I haven’t cared much for him since then. I still like some of the old songs, when he had character.
Nonsense Evil - and he produced some brilliant songs during that period, no question. “Every Grain of Sand” is perhaps the most masterful, but there are many others. You’re out of date buddy.
Brilliance is in the ear of the listener. Or something.
your ears got bitten off in that midnight mawl by the rabid local stray moggie long ago, buddy.
Ah, I’m glad Evil entered this thread. I’d expect more than ‘go play elsewhere’ in response to the significant case against Mr Dylan. Even fans should be able to critique his significant failings, especially on a political blog.
Those who seek uncritical doting could always start a dedicated fan club.
My favourite artists include Sting and U2, but i’ve never been afraid to call them on their more pretentious or money-hoarding behaviour.
An individual living their own life and arranging their own affairs in any way they see fit is not “a significant failing.” Nobody who knows the first thing about Bob Dylan’s career (or cares about it — 40 plus year old folkie recording exposed to the masses — that’s a good thing, right?) raises an eyebrow at the Starbucks deal, and, happily, most people who get self righteous about that sort of thing found other Causes a long time ago. Leaving just the fans with a) a sense of humour and b) an actual love of music.
One of the reasons, perhaps the main reason, Dylan fans often can’t be bothered with hostile critics, such as your good self armaniac, is that their CD-holders are awash with his influence and their bookshelves bulge with critical appreciations, all of which appear to have passed you by.
By and large, hostile critics are either attention-seeking contrarians (such as Bruce Elder), or they just don’t like his sort of music and poetry, regardless. For the rest of the world at large, the argument is not beginning but long over, and he stands unchallenged as the greatest singer-songwriter of his generation.
By all means, take on the critics, and write the case for why Dylan is crap. If you can pull it off, I’m sure a bestseller awaits you. My advice, however, would be concentrate your attention on aspects that distinguish him from others, not rest your case on the extent to which he might be just like most people. Many people make money, but there is only one Bob Dylan.
Fair enough answers on a topic worth debate.
Many people into politics have bookshelves that bulge with opinion and criticism, but that doesn’t render such discussion void on the web.
“most people who get self righteous about that sort of thing found other Causes a long time ago”- I’d say this site was well populated by such people, as is true of the critical left generally, and I’d say that was a good thing.
He has been a significant voice in leftist discourse, and has some outstanding lyrics, but this is all the more reason why his giving the appearance of selling out is more worthy of critical appraisal than that of joe average or even some rock/folk act of lesser influence. Likewise the fact that bookshelves bulge with ‘critical’ appreciations.
I was serious about the Hendrix cover of Like a Rolling Stone. At Monterey live, a beautiful and respectful rendition.
Enjoy.
He has been a significant voice in leftist discourse
But he hasn’t been. Other people have used his music that way, he has done his best to be judged by other standards. The people worthy of critical apraisals are those who insist only on appreciating a Bob that never existed (self appointed leader of the revolution) and then get annoyed when he declines to play along.
Also fyi, I went to Red Eye this arvo and they will have No Direction Home the week of US release. $50.
Many people into politics have bookshelves that bulge with opinion and criticism, but that doesn’t render such discussion void on the web.
The point is that this literature is a large body of critical appreciation. The telling detraction is conspicuously absent.
selling out
Again, the point is that he is appreciated for what he adds that is exceptional and distinctive, not the extent to which he is also merely like most others.
“He has been a significant voice in leftist discourse”
I’m a right wing libertarian and I enjoy Dylan because of his lyrical inventiveness, his great stories and the memorable imagery in his songs. I’ve speculated about his politics like all good Dylanologists do but I really couldn’t give a stuff about his politics in the end (which is not to say I’m unappreciative of his civil rights songs - but the reason they’re so powerful is because they’re more than just civil rights songs e.g. Only a pawn in their game, etc - they’re emotionally powerful songs about people).
Similarly I’m an atheist and I’m moved by his Christian songs.
He has been a significant voice in leftist discourse
Since the heady days of the early 60s I think you could make a case that Dylan has gone out of his way to avoid being a significant political voice, apart from the odd foray such as his support for Farm Aid (and I’m not sure that that falls into any conventional left/right dichotomy). I think he’s gone out of his way to alienate the portion of his fan base that likes to pigeon hole him - it’s quite possible that the Starbucks deal is another manouvre in that long term game.
I honestly have no idea what his current politics are, nor do I really care - there’s just something about his music that resonates with me. Certainly lyrically, but also on a raw emotional level as well. I’m an athesit, like Jason, but the best of his overtly christian music still moves me, though I think the worst of it falls into a bland middle of the road rock category. The best songs such as Every Grain of Sand and Slow Train Comin’ are as good as anything he’s done.
Oh and while Jimi’s version of Watchtower is almost definitive, his version of LARS doesn’t come close to knocking the original off its perch.
Re the bland MOR gospel stuff, I find alot of the Christian songs really come alive live. Never had much time for Dead Man, for instance, on the record but its on the “40 Years of Live Peformances” that came out a few years back and it rocks.
Dead Man the movie on the other hand, with its fantastic Neil Young guitar motif looping through those haunting scenes, was a masterpiece.
Going to sleep after a choof with the soundtrack on is something else. I’m told.
I love how the ‘latest commented on’ function can keep a thread alive.
I’ve decided I agree with y’all anyway. Gloria Jeans have offered me an exclusive blog promotion gig to go with their caramel lattes
Sorry I came to this one so late. (I came via C.L. found this post while looking to see if Mark and Kim had written anything on the O.C.)
Sounds like it would have been fun to have been here. Dylan makes the list of the top 5 (western) cultural figures of the twentieth century, forget music, he is in the open catagory. It doesn’t matter if you like him or not and it doesn’t matter that they don’t want to go, or if they too young to have the faintest idea; a parent should take their children to see this man live if he comes here again. Here he is kids; this could be the most culturally important person you ever see in your life. Here he is in the room with you now I’ll just lift you up on my shoulders and ask the lady to take our picture…
Now if Bob would cark it about now, they’d really shift all this product.
And yeah the “Dead Man” soundrack is great. Apparently Neil just did a couple of live continous takes while watching it unrolling onscreen in a mastering studio.
James, The OC’s finished for the season!
Now if Bob would cark it about now, they’d really shift all this product.
Imagine the requiems. This guy’s sure gonna get one hell of a send-off. May he bring up the ton first.
Im amazed he’s alive. Check the ciggy consumption fest that is “dont look back”.
Maybe he went down to the crossroads with Keef.
cs, a bit O/T but I was browsing through the bookshelves at Dymocks the other day and wondered what you think of Greil Marcus as a cultural/musical historian? I’m keen to start reading about the history of music!
The Frogs gave Jacques Tati a state funeral. I’d like to think the US would show a bit of style here when Bob croaks. On the other hand I suspect he’d prefer more of a Hunter S Thompson style sendoff. Or perhaps his ashes leaking out during a cross country motorbike trip down proud and lonely highways. Or buried quickly and simply by a Walden-like pond. Anything but the Elvis necroroute.
Y’know, while I’ve never been a big Dylan fan, he does now more than ever remind you of all the great things about America. His death will be about mourning more than just the lack of a corporeal Zimmerman.
Greil is one of the leading rock ‘n’ roll historians Kim. His idea of looking at visions of America through the prism of its major artists in Mystery Train was beautifully accomplished, and I’m also very fond of Lipstick Traces (talk about title to die for! but it’s all about punk, and very stimulating). I also enjoyed Dead Elvis, and think the idea of writing a book on Elvis since he died was brilliant. All of his stuff rewards the reader, although his stylistics can be a bit annoying at times, and he has his critics. I’m finding the latest one on “Like A Rolling Stone” a little hard going (except for the appendix, which is fantastic, as fxh said it would be). If I recall correctly, Leonard Cohen’s “A Singer Must Die” was written about Greil. In any event, he sure is quite a few classes up on Bruce Elder!
Coming back o/t, if you want an absolutely fantastic book that is also packed with insights into the history of music along the way, I couldn’t recommend Bob’s Chronicles strongly enough. I’m just waiting for a little time to pass before I read it for the third time. It is a wonder and a pleasure from start to finish.
Thanks, cs! Mystery Train might be a good place to start. I was also thumbing through Mike Marqueesee’s book on Dylan and politics.
Or: If you want a wacky, obsessive-compulsive but strangely entrancing semiotic analysis of the putative interplay between Beatles and Dylan lyrics from 64-66, written by a man who clearly went through the looking glass mid-thesis, try ‘Magic Circles’ by Bob Mason.
“what you think of Greil Marcus”
“Mystery Train” is brillant. “LIpstick Traces” is either brillant or utterly self indulgent or both. I’ve read it several times and still can’t make up my mind. A bit like listening to a Cheap Trick single.
Across the pond, check out Nik Cohn’s “Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom ” and “Ball The Wall” - which has the best essay ever about dandies - from Beau Brummell to Marc Bolan.
Lester Bang’s “Pyschotic Reactions and Carburettor Dung” is also a good if rather single-minded read. But I hafta to say Lester read better when I was reading him in airmailed copies of Creem as a teenager. His work has not aged well. However his album cover notes for the big “Them” double album compilation is still a real pisser.
But for me, the ultimate printed take on rock and roll during its glory go-for-baroque years from the late fifties to the mid-seventies is “Rock Dreams” - big pictures by painter-collagist Guy Peellaert with short but very sharp guitar pick under the fingernails captions by Nik Cohn.
Most well regarded white boy rock writing since then has been NME pissants like Paul Morley or Nick Hornsby. Simon Wirth has penned some good stuff though and Julie Burchill had a few savage yet thoughtful polemics about the genre in “Damaged Gods” and “Sex And Sensibility”.
Basically I read ths shit for what they say beyond rock music - and to enjoy their own riffs on my terms.
I like Cheap Trick!
Thanks also, Nabs, and Lefty E - will report back on my reading list. Though I’ve got the desire to reread Leonard Cohen’s novels first. Beautiful Losers is a favourite.
Call me a cheap date, but I still get a chuckle out of Lennon’s Lear-esque “in his own write” and “A Spaniard in the works”.
…cripes… must sleep.
Toodlepip!
Tally ho, into the land of dreams, Lefty E!
“LIpstick Traces” is either brillant or utterly self indulgent or both. I‚Äôve read it several times and still can‚Äôt make up my mind.
Exactly Nabs. I think I’ve been reading it ever since it was first published. Just about due for another turn, come to think of it … will we ever get outta this place, as Mr Burden nearly sang.
Yes Lipstick Traces is up there with The White Goddess, The Golden Braid, The Romantic Agony, and The Aristos et al, as a classic example of a brillant writer wrestling with a pet obession in public. About halfway through you give up on trying to pick the outcome and just settle back to enjoy the struggle.