Tag Archives: Bob Dylan

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

Bob Dylan - Rough Cuts (Infidels Studio Sessions) - Front

 

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

outfidels
Another bootleg from the same sessions

 

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

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

My Favourite Bob Dylan bootleg 2014: Gothenburg Sweden July 15

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My Favourite Bob Dylan bootleg 2014: Gothenburg Sweden July 15

We (Egil & I) saw Bob Dylan two times on this leg of the tour (Stavern and Kristiansand), Stavern was good and Kristiansand was great. This show from Gothenburg, Sweden is close to the Kristiansand show in atmosphere and performance. It has a guitar-heavy feel just like the two shows we attended. The boot has a very good sound.

Bob Dylan – piano, harp
Tony Garnier – bass
George Recile – drums
Stu Kimball – rhythm guitar
Charlie Sexton on lead guitar
Donnie Herron – electric mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel

Review by Anders Tidström (via Boblinks)

“Rain stopped when Bob and his band entered the outdoor stage in Gothenburg. So did most expectations about the set list. There we go again Bobby. Tonight every song – but the encores – was different from last night and that was certainly not expected as things have been pretty constant on this tour. Opening act with Watch The River Flow gave the atmosphere for the whole evening – Dylan singing and playing the grand piano. He in fact parked behind this instrument most of the time. The Levee´s Gonna Break a few songs later gave a hell of a fire as the band rocked and swinged ultimately. Next: Shelter From The Storm with Bob center stage just singing and for a while pleasing the crowed with a small harmonica solo. He also performed Girl From The North Country solo center stage with a remarkably fine voice. Then back behind the grand piano, hammering, exercising a good swing-swing version of Summer Days. The set list wash´t expected but a great concert was performed. Though some local Gothenburg journalist had another view, seems like she´s been to another show actually. But I was enjoying it as much as ever. Standing by since Bob´s Swedish live debut, Stockholm 1966. Wow Bob, you´ll be back in a while? Stopping the rain!”

Highlights: Don’t think twice it’s all right, Girl from the North Country, Shelter from the storm were best, but the other are not far behind, this was a very good concert! Just like tom Thumb’s Blues and Ballad of a Thin Man are terrific also, and so are To Ramona, well, now you know that I like this concert a lot 🙂

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

The highlight, a stunning Girl from the North Country:

Continue reading My Favourite Bob Dylan bootleg 2014: Gothenburg Sweden July 15

The Best Songs: Tweeter and the Monkey Man by Bob Dylan and Tom Petty

Charlie T. and Lucky Wilbury
Charlie T. and Lucky Wilbury

Tweeter and the Monkey Man by Bob Dylan and Tom Petty
– a great story song

The Traveling Wilburys was a “supergroup” consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. The song is supposedly co-written by all 5 members – all of the album’s songs are credited to The Traveling Wilburys. However, it is believed that Bob Dylan was the primary writer of this song, which is one of the very few Traveling Wilburys tracks that has Dylan singing lead vocals on while the rest of the band singing backup. Roy Orbison is not singing at all on this track. Here is Goerge Harrison’s take on who wrote the song:

“‘Tweeter and the Monkey Man’ was  by Tom Petty and Bob. Well, Jeff and I were there too, but we were just sitting there around in the kitchen, and he was for some reason talking about all this stuff that didn’t make much sense to me, you know, it was that Americana kinda stuff and we got a tape cassette and put it on and then transcribed everything they were saying.”
– George Harrison (The Travelling Wilburys, the true story)

Tweeter and The Monkey Man – The Travelling Wilburys:

Continue reading The Best Songs: Tweeter and the Monkey Man by Bob Dylan and Tom Petty

Feb 24: George Harrison Birthday

george harrison

He was a giant, a great, great soul, with all the humanity, all the wit and humor, all the wisdom, the spirituality, the common sense of a man and compassion for people. He inspired love and had the strength of a hundred men. He was like the sun, the flowers and the moon and we shall miss him enormously. The world is a profoundly emptier place without him.
– Bob Dylan (George Harrison’s Obituary, Nov 2001)

Continue reading Feb 24: George Harrison Birthday

Bob Dylan: Tears Of Rage, Besançon 1994 (video)

bob dylan france 1994

We carried you in our arms
On Independence Day
And now you’d throw us all aside
And put us on our way
Oh what dear daughter ’neath the sun
Would treat a father so
To wait upon him hand and foot
And always tell him, “No?”
Tears of rage, tears of grief
Why must I always be the thief?
Come to me now, you know
We’re so alone
And life is brief

Palais Des Sports
Besançon, France
4 July 1994

  • Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
  • Bucky Baxter (pedal steel guitar & electric slide guitar)
  • John Jackson (guitar)
  • Tony Garnier (bass)
  • Winston Watson (drums & percussion)

Continue reading Bob Dylan: Tears Of Rage, Besançon 1994 (video)