My Site

 

My favourite Bob Dylan bootleg 1983: Infidels outtakes (Rough cuts)

 For the first time in his career, Dylan books a month of sessions to record an album. The sessions will take place at the Power Station in New York, across the way from Sony Studios. Dylan coproduces the album with Mark Knopfler. The band they have devised for the sessions ranks as one of his most inspired gatherings. The rhythm section is Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. The two-pronged guitar attack is to be provided by Knopfler and ex-Stones axeman Mick Taylor. Keyboardist Alan Clark has been enlisted from Knopfler’s band. The sessions result in 16 original new songs, 14 cover versions, and a couple of instrumentals (copyrighted under the titles, “Dark Groove” and “Don’t Fly Unless It’s Safe”).
~Clinton Heylin (Still on the Road: The Songs of Bob Dylan Vol. 2, . 1974-2008)

This is a fantastic bootleg/collection, the material and versions recorded included in these month-long sessions are impressive. The Infidels albums and singles, Death is not the end on the album Down in the Groove, Five tracks on Bootleg series vol 1-3: Blind Willie McTell (acoustic), Tell Me, Someone’s got a hold of my heart, Foot of Pride and Lord Protect My Child.

“…This Power Station material has also been released, in part, in several packages; under various titles. The quality of this material is great. There is some slight tape hiss, and at times ‘dead air’ noise. The overall sound, success of  ‘Infidels’, and desire for studio outtakes has been the spawn of the numerous releases. 

The outtakes themselves are most highly recommended. There really seems to be no particular standout as far as the various versions of CDs, … If you own one, for all practical purposes you own then all.”
– Bobsboots.com

Here we have some brilliant outtakes from the Infidels sessions. Most importantly the electric versions of “Blind Willie McTell”. This is worth the whole package, really.

Other entries in this series:

My Favourite Bob Dylan bootleg from 1962: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Outtakes
My Favourite Bob Dylan bootleg from 1969: The Dylan / Cash Sessions
My favourite Bob Dylan bootleg from 2011: Funen Village Denmark June 27
My Favourite Bob Dylan bootleg from 2012: The Day of Wine and Roses, Barolo, Italy July 16
My Favourite Bob Dylan bootleg from 2014: Gothenburg Sweden July 15

 

Studio A
Power Station
New York City, New York
April 11 – May 17.

1. Sweetheart Like You
2. Someone’s Got A Hold Of My Heart
3. Lord Protect My Child
4. Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground
5. Foot Of Pride
6. I And I
7. Tell Me
8. Union Sundown
9. Julius And Ethel
10. Jokerman
11. License To Kill
12. Man Of Peace
13. Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight
14. Neighborhood Bully
15. Blind Willie McTell (electric)
16. This Was My Love (Jim Harbert)
17. This Was My Love (Jim Harbert)
18. Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground
19. Dark Groove (Instrumental)
20. Don’t Fly Unless It’s Safe (Instrumental)
21. Clean Cut Kid
22. Death Is Not The End
23. Sweetheart Like You
24. Union Sundown
25. Sweetheart Like You (Several rehearsals)

– Hallgeir