All posts by Hallgeir

September 24: recording sessions for Bob Dylan: Greatest Hits Vol.2 in 1971

bob dylan greatest hits vol2

 

“He felt there were some songs that he had written that had become hits of sorts for other people, that he didn’t actually perform himself, and he wanted to fit those on the record as well…So we just went in one afternoon and did it, it was just the two of us and the engineer, and it was very simple…we chose three [songs] on the spot and mixed them…in the space of an afternoon…Sometimes I wasn’t even sure if it was a final take until we would just finish and Bob would say, ‘Okay, let’s go and mix it.'”
~Happy Traum


I believe we can hear a surprisingly happy Dylan reasserting the expressive power and rich musicality of his own work. The soulful harmonica playing, the striking two-part singing, the confident and inventive guitar rhythms, the strong conveying of individual consciousness and specific feelings in the vocalizing of words and phrases, all work together to communicate the artist’s renewed confidence in the value of his work and in his ability as a performer to share something unique with the world.
~Paul Williams (BD Performing Artist, 1960-73)

Wikipedia:

Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits Vol. II (1971), also known as More Bob Dylan Greatest Hits, was the second compilation album released by Bob Dylan. With Dylan not expected to release any new material for an extended period of time, CBS Records president Clive Davis proposed issuing a double LP compilation of older material. Dylan agreed, compiling it himself and suggesting that the package include a full side of unreleased tracks from his archives. After submitting a set of excerpts from the The Basement Tapes that Davis found unsatisfactory, Dylan returned to the studio in September 1971 to recut several Basement songs, with Happy Traum providing backup.

The final package included one previously uncollected single, “Watching the River Flow”, an outtake from the same sessions, “When I Paint My Masterpiece”; one song from Dylan’s April 12, 1963 Town Hall concert, “Tomorrow Is a Long Time”, and three songs from the September sessions, “I Shall Be Released”, “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”, and “Down in the Flood”. The remaining tracks were drawn from existing releases.

Continue reading September 24: recording sessions for Bob Dylan: Greatest Hits Vol.2 in 1971

Bob Dylan and George Harrison – Peggy Sue (live 1987) the Buddy Holly single is 62 years old today

“Peggy Sue” is a rock and roll song written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty, recorded in early July of 1957. It was released 20th of September with the song  Everyday on the other side. The Crickets are not mentioned on label of the single (Coral 9-61885), but band members Joe B. Mauldin (string bass) and Jerry Allison (drums) played on the recording. This recording was also released on Holly’s eponymous 1958 album.

We’d like to present George and Bob jamming at the Palomino Club in early 1987. They play a fun version of the classic Peggy Sue.

Not the greatest sound or picture, but still enjoyable.

– Hallgeir

July 25: Bob Dylan Goes Electric at Newport in 1965

Redirecting to a newer version of this post….

Joseph Hass: Can you explain why you were booed at the Newport Folk Festival last summer when
you came on stage with an electric guitar and began singing your new material?
Bob Dylan: Like, I don’t even know who those people were. Anyway, I think there’s always a little boo in all of us. I wasn’t shattered by it. I didn’t cry. I don’t even understand it. I mean, what are they going to shatter, my ego? And it doesn’t even exist, they can’t hurt me with a boo.
(Joseph Hass interview – Nov 1965)

“They certainly booed, I’ll tell you that. You could hear it all over the place. I don’t know who they were… they’ve done it just about all over… I mean, they must be pretty rich to go some place and boo. I mean, I couldn’t afford it if I was in their shoes.”
~Bob Dylan ( San Francisco press conference in December ‘65)

“The reason they booed is because he only played for fifteen minutes, when everybody else played for forty-five minutes or an hour. They were feeling ripped off. Wouldn’t you? They didn’t give a shit about us being electric. They just wanted more.”
~Al Kooper

On July 25, 1965, Dylan performed with a rock band at the Newport Folk Festival. Some sections of the audience booed Dylan’s performance. Leading members of the folk movement, including Irwin Silber and Ewan MacColl criticised Dylan for moving away from political songwriting, and performing with an electric band. (wikipedia)

bob dylan newport 1965

Freebody Park
Newport, Rhode Island
25 July 1965
Newport Folk Festival

Continue reading July 25: Bob Dylan Goes Electric at Newport in 1965

July 18: Bob Dylan live in West Germany 1981 (45 m video)

18 July: Bob Dylan Mannheim Germany 1981 (45 min Video)

The Bob Dylan World Tour 1981 was a concert tour by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The tour lasted from June 10, 1981 to November 21, 1981 and consisted of 54 concerts in three legs: 31 in North America and 23 in Europe. The tour promoted the release of Dylan’s 1981 album Shot of Love.

The European leg of the tour started on June 21 in Toulouse in France and consisted of twenty three concerts, the largest number of concerts taking place in England where eight shows were performed.  All shows from July 1 onwards were recorded by members of Dylan’s crew.

The European tour ended in tragedy in Avignon, France where a member of the crowd fell into the electric cables before the first song and caused total power loss. Dylan and the band improvised an unplugged instrumental until the power was restored and ‘Saved’ was started from the beginning. In the accident two people were killed, but the show went ahead despite the incident. Dylan returned to the United States in October to perform twenty three concerts there. Dylan also performed four concerts in Canada. The tour came to an end in Lakeland, Florida on November 21 after fifty-four concerts. (Wikipedia)

Rhein-Neckar-Stadion
Mannheim, West Germany
18 July 1981

There were also a very good audience taping available a couple of years back, well worth seeking out.

Continue reading July 18: Bob Dylan live in West Germany 1981 (45 m video)

July 14: Bob Dylan live in Chicago,Illinois 1988 (video 5 songs)

Poplar Creek Music Theater
Hoffman Estates
Chicago, Illinois
14 July 1988

Poplar Creek Music Theater was a concert venue located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The amphitheatre opened in 1980 and closed in 1994. It hosted a variety of popular musical acts during its 15-season existence. It consisted of a covered pavilion and grass seating area, and had a capacity of 25,202 people; 7,202 reserved seats, 18,000 lawn seats.

Attendance began to dwindle in the late 1980s, and Poplar Creek faced competition from the opening of the World Music Theater (now Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre) in Tinley Park in 1990. Sears acquired the property in 1989 and allowed Poplar Creek to remain in operation until 1994.

Bob Dylan’s 1988 tour stayed within the North America, performing 63 concerts in the United States and 8 in Canada. He performed in 29 states in the USA and 6 provinces in Canada.

  • Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
  • G. E. Smith (guitar)
  • Kenny Aaronson (bass)
  • Christopher Parker (drums)

Continue reading July 14: Bob Dylan live in Chicago,Illinois 1988 (video 5 songs)