“He’s been great to play with. Great fun as well, mostly because you can never let your mind drift. He’ll give the most familiar song an odd twist – a change of rhythm or a peculiar delivery. Playing with Bob Dylan certainly gives you a good kick up the ass. One night he’ll do something like he’ll say – on Stage – ‘Right, we’ll begin with “Forever Young” and the Heartbreakers have maybe played the song once before. Then he’ll say. ‘And Benmont you start it off´
– Benmont Tench (member of The Heartbreakers, Dylan´s backing band in 1986/1987)
In 1987 Dylan first made a guest appearance @ a Taj Mahal concert in Los Angeles, February 19, then performed with the The Grateful Dead 6 times in July & finally the “Temples in Flames Tour”.
I don’t know how I come to songs, y’know, but doing what I’m doing, I’m doing, er… I mean, it’s not up to me, y’know, I don’t really go into myself that deep… I just go ahead and do it, yeah, I was sort of trying to find a place to pound my nails, y’know.
~Bob Dylan (to Studs Terkel, 26 April 1963)
WFMT-Radio Studio Chicago, Illinois 26 April 1963 Studs Terkel Wax Museum
The Budokan album was only supposed to be for Japan. They twisted my arm to do a live album for Japan. It was the same band I used on Street Legal, and we had just started findin’ our way into things on that tour when they recorded it. I never meant for it to be any type of representation of my stuff or my band or my live show.
~Bob Dylan (to Kurt Loder – March 1984)
I believe this double LP was made available so our hero could boast of being outclassed by Cheap Trick, who had the self-control to release but a single disc from this location.
~Robert Christgau (robertchristgau.com)
Released 39 years ago today (April 23).
The album was slaughtered by many critics.. especially in the US.
The writers complain the show’s disco or Las Vegas. I don’t know how they came up with those theories. We never heard them when we played Australia or Japan or Europe. It’s like someone made it up in one town and the writer in the next town read it. I don’t know what the reviewers mean half the time. I don’t even care.
~Bob Dylan (to Robert Hilburn – Nov 1978)
It’s hell time, man
It’s hell time, man
It’s hell time, man
It’s hell time, man
Down these streets the fools rule
There’s no freedom or self respect
A knife’s point or a trip to the joint
Is about all you can expect
–
boys who kinda grow up in a kinda harsh way and kinda make their way through that learning how to deal with certain elements in society they know that usually in the passive would take an advantage of them, and they have to overcome that and go from bad to good.
~Bob Dylan (MTV interview, April 1986)
Classic concert: Bob Dylan: Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada April 20, 1980
…The band was refreshed, and excited about the concert being recorded and filmed. Dylan delivers a power house performance. If you are a fan of the christian material, this is not to be missed. If you love to hear Dylan pouring his heart and soul into the show… this is the one.
~bobsboots.com
FANTASTIC concert from the “Third Gospel Tour”.
Concert # 4 of the Third Gospel Tour
Gospel concert # 54
1980 concert # 28
Massey Hall Toronto, Ontario, Canada 20 April 1980
