Agreed. One of the more interesting bootleg releases in recent years was the "Tell Ol' Bill" sessions. Although the released version of the song was meh (at best), this bootleg is fascinating for the glimpse it offered into the way Bob works. I don't know if this was a rare exception or his usual MO, but if there's more stuff like that squirreled away, the series could go on a long, long time with gusto.
This is a great point. Also should be noted that take 6 (released on TTS) was fairly fantastic, and presented the song in a whole new light.
I just gave this another listen last week. It put Dylan in a whole new light for me as a producer. I had assumed he was distant and difficult to work with, leaving his fellow musicians to guess at what he wants. But the session tape indicates quite the opposite, and as soon as Bob strikes on the idea of changing to a minor key the song just takes off.
Hmm, the only thing that comes to mind is whatever may survive from the Pennebaker films/1966 hotel tapes. There's a few covers of Blonde on Blonde songs, but there's also unique, unreleased compositions.
Absolutely agree. The song was good not great, imo, but hearing it done completely different at least five ways was fascinating listening.
Okay, so my excitement led to me not reading through all 11 pages of this thread. But has anyone compiled a sensible list of stuff than can reasonably be expected for future Bootleg Series volumes? Even if stuff widely circulates, EVERYTHING would have the benefit of Columbia's resources vis a vis collecting original sources and mixing/mastering what they can. 1. Career-spanning collection of home worktapes and publishing demos (you just KNOW there's tons of stuff that only Dylan has. Can you imagine hearing the original home demo for "Mississippi," for instance, or "Heart of Mine," or "Changing of the Guards," if they exist? I bet there's some great stuff out there just begging for a remaster.) 2. Career-spanning collection of rehearsals that don't have a full set to be included with 3. Early home recordings and "hotel tapes" 4. Dylan "In Concert" 63-65 box (Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall, plus Don't Look Back '65 shows) 5. Complete 1961-1964 solo outtakes (sure, much of this has been released on previous Bootleg Series volumes and the European copyright sets, but put it all in one place with the proper mixing/mastering, once and for all!) 6. 1965-1966 outtakes (this could be one massive box set or separated out by album -- give us as much as you got, Columbia!) 7. Complete sessions with George Harrison and Johnny Cash 8. More 1974 live stuff 9. BOTT sessions box 10. More Rolling Thunder I (1975) stuff 11. More Rolling Thunder II (1976) stuff -- including a better-sounding Hard Rain 12. Better live 1978 material 13. 1978 rehearsals 14. Gospel-era outtakes and live shows 15. Studio sessions with Knopfler 16. Outtakes 1983-1988 and/or an "Another Self Portrait"-style rethinking of Empire, DITG and Knocked Out Loaded 17. 1986 "Hard to Handle" remaster + more stuff from that tour 18. Wilburys Vol. 1 & 3 Dylan-centric worktapes & demos 19. 1987 rehearsals with Dead 20. Better 1987 live material with Dead 21. Alternate Good As I Been/World Gone Wrong (if there's any more material -- I bet there is!) 22. Complete Supper Club 23. That Los Angeles live show from 1997 that provided lots of B-sides and stuff 24. "Love and Theft" outtakes (strangely, none at all on Telltale Signs, and it seems unlikely that none exist) -- also, Love and Theft rehearsals (apparently he set up the band on a soundstage and had them learn dozens of old-time songs to get them in the right frame of mind over the course of several months. You KNOW this stuff was recorded). 25. More outtakes from Modern Times, plus Together Through Life and Tempest 26. Shadows in the Night outtakes (we know there are 13 or so other songs, plus alternate takes) 27. Random studio outtakes -- albums like Under the Red Sky and Pat Garrett are bound to get overlooked, but there's always some good unreleased stuff surrounding those albums 28. Hodge-podge of compilation tracks and obscure stuff that hasn't seen a mainstream release. 29+. Several live shows from NET-era Bob: G.E. Smith-led era, early 1990s, 1995, post-Time Out of Mind, early 2000s, 2005 with Elana James/Fremerman, a "best of 2014" compilation set, and tons more. And almost any of these volumes could be split up into multiple issues. So that's literally 35 volumes or more that wouldn't even be too much of a stretch. It's weird to think that this series might go on for long after I die of natural causes (I'm only 30). What am I missing?
Mind-bogglingly insane list you got there. In other words, a nice start. One thing not on your list: A Time Out of Mind-centric set would be a revelation, I think. There's tons of stuff recorded in multiple band configurations. I've heard there's a "Highlands" that's over twice as long as the released version. You could also do a remix, which in the context of a BS set might be fun.
After 9 and 10 turning out out to be exponentially better than expected and after the astounding gift that is 11 (which I seriously never thought to see in my lifetime), I'll be totally pleased and grateful for anything they want to lay on us after this.
Also, I forgot to include a complete Gaslight set. The 2005 issue was a miss, considering it didn't have everything on it. While we're at it, include Finjan Club and other solid-quality early live sets. Again, this stuff is mostly available via bootlegs and The 50th Anniversary Collection, but put it all in one place with consistent mastering and extensive liner notes. It's historically important, dammit!
My guess is they do a live set next because the last few have been studio based but who knows. Maybe late-1978 tour, Gospel live stuff like Child's Balloon that they originally planned to release, or Supper Club. Probably not 60's since they did lots of that already. If it is studio stuff, they seem to be focusing on certain albums now rather than spanning the decades. My wish list is: Shot of Love with unreleased studio tracks and live tracks never recorded in the studio. Bromberg Sessions 1992 Bob's version of "Love Rescue Me" Infidels sessions Knofler mix and sequence and outtakes incl the other Blind Willie. The live Nara orchestra thing Bob's version of Traveling Wilburys Planet Waves- There's a killer acoustic Going Going Gone, I forget if that is a bootleg or official but that needs to be heard. Late 1978 tour which is better than Budokan Carnegie 63
I've been buying a lot of great music so have held off on buying the last couple of bootlegs series though I know they include rare and perfect gems of songs. Has there been any chatter about Complete Bob Dylan volume two coming out with all the bootleg series releases in one box? That would also be an opportunity for me to pick up the third disc of the telltale signs release.
I'd be quite happy with it. You're right; a full show would be underwhelming, but I'd be happy with a highlights disc or double disc of never-ending tour stuff. However, I agree it shouldn't be part of the Bootleg series.
I like the traveling wilburys idea. They recorded the basics tracks in Dave Stewarts home and later overdubbed everything. A mix of the basic tracks might sound interesting and raw. I'd like that 2001 live album (which included 2 christmas songs) they were planning on releasing.
I personally can't imagine a whole set devoted to the Wilburys. From what is on the b00ts, the unfinished versions sound just that: unfinished. Nothing more than curios, really. And for the 3rd album, Bob recorded "scratch vocals" for just about every song, being the first Wilbury available, but most of those scratch vocals were kept for the main album!
Would it make good business sense for them to take the opportunity to start tying in the Bootleg series with "copyright extension" sets? If so, then we may see the 2nd half of the 60s covered as priority in the near future.
I get the feeling that they consider the stuff being released on the copyright sets to be subpar compared to what they use on the Bootleg Series. The Bootleg Series is well-curated, whereas the Copyright Extensions are everything leftover. I wouldn't at all mind seeing the Copyright sets get a wider release, but I'd like the Bootleg Series to maintain it's higher standard.
Brandeis show was released as "The Columbia Performance Series." Maybe they should continue and promote that series for live sets?
I'd be perfectly happy if this series remained a studio-only set of releases. I love the live stuff, but if I had a choice I'd much rather drool at the prospect of unreleased studio material than live recordings. As someone else mentioned earlier, make a series for live things like Dagger Records or something. As for what I woul.d want to see released, well, I've completely LOVED volumes 8-11 and would personally love a Tell Tale Signs vol. 2. My favorite Dylan era is definitely 1989-now, so anything in that set of years I'll gobble right up. As far as sessions that I think could warrant their own releases, I definitely think the Oh Mercy and Time Out Of Mind sessions for a satart. I mean, look how much was released on Vol. 8 anyways. Pretty much 2/3 of that is TOOM and OM stuff .
Source close to the project has tipped us that BS12 will focus on 65-66 sessions and live 66 tour... 2cd and 5CD deluxe version configurations for 2015 release!
From a post on the Expecting Rain forum: I have just had some photos accepted by Sony for the forthcoming "BOB DYLAN BOOTLEG SERIES 12". As they are from 1966, and as the next "50th Anniversary Copyright" collection is due for 1965, I would like to suggest it will cover 1965/66 from BIABH to BOB with the 66tour as well. In the course of conversations with "the powers that be", apparently it will be issued as a double CD, a 5CD De Luxe version with 140 page book and an EXTREMELY limited 18CD version. Form an orderly queue please!! http://expectingrain.com/discussions/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=81684&start=175
