Bob Dylan: The 1966 Live Recordings - Sony 36-CD box-set - November 11th 2016

I used to spend hours and hours, days and weekends, pouring over Dylan bootleg tapes from this period, comparing different performances of the same song, trying to interpret meaning and subtext, comparing one tape source to another tape source of the same show, working hard to get the best quality I could from spoiled rich private collectors and tightwad tapers. If Dylan had put this stuff out in the 1970s or 1980s when I was hanging on to every nuance in every word he ever sung, taping concerts and negotiating with collectors and tapers like a maniac for tapes I didn't have and had to hear, I would have lost my mind. Thirty to forty years go by and now suddenly it's all here.

I thought it would be priced much higher than $600. I was expecting $700-900. Seriously, by the size of the thing. But $100 to $150 I can handle. Guess I won't have to sell my old Maverick after all.

 

I hope that tool Greil Marcus wasn't commissioned to write the liner notes/essay.

 

we're getting clinton h-dog for that, because when you're going all out you might as well go all the way

 

All the possible complaints in one handy message for everyone's convenience:

1. I'd rather have FLAC/MP3/iTunes/some other trendy format. This is the digital age dammit! I want to stream from my 5Gig Hatomishi Dump Box upstream PtP Stereo Sub Mp6 Hard Drive to my surround theatre system cloud storage device in 4K resolution. It's an optimum listening experience (that only a dog can hear.) You can't do that with a cd.

2. I'd rather have a box set of 1991 soundboards.

3. Why can't I pick what individual songs/individual shows I want?

4. 32 CDs is excessive. Who's going to listen to that more than once/at all? I'd rather it was...let's say...four.

5. The design of the box is not as good as some other box sets. I want it bigger/smaller/made of a different type of cardboard with a different texture.

6. The book is too small/big with not enough/too much text/pictures.

7. Why include audience recordings? Why use a Nagra? Why use a multitrack? Why Mono? Why Stereo? and so on...

8. This should/shouldn't be part of the Bootleg Series/Copyright Extension etc...

9. I can't afford it & will have to sell 'my car' or similarly disproportionately high value item (a kidney, for example) to afford it.

10. Lol. The performances/setlists are 'identical' and we've already got Manchester, 'the best show'.

11. 'Nobody' buys CDs anymore.

12. I've worked out the exact cost per song & therefore the 'value' of this set. It is/isn't worth it.

13. Who wants to hear 'the same thing over and over'? Lol.

14. Various discussions on 'marketing strategy' and not understanding the 'sales tactics' or mentality of the record company for releasing this. Which has nothing to do with anyone except them & in no way enhances or diminishes your enjoyment of their product.


Oh, I forgot one....

15. There's 3 seconds of audience noise edited out of disc 26, therefore the set is 'ruined' with unnecessary heavy handed editing.

 

Same here. I ordered the first couple of Springsteen archive live shows and was disappointed in the quality. One disc I had to have replaced because apparently they didn't burn it properly. Once I found out they used CD-R's after that first order I didn't get anymore. I should have researched them before I bought them. I can make my own CD-R's.

 

you forgot:

why don't we get one of these!

 

agreed! why did we get such drips and drabs. I thought the Biograph Box Set was the mother lode back then

 

For me personally, I would rather listen to this entire box in one sitting than listen to any single Billy Joel album

 

I'd rather get an enima than read him pontificating

 

This makes excellent computer wallpaper, btw.

 

Oh, the Biograph set. It was full of polished gems like Golden Loom, Up to Me, and Blind Willie McTell. I've kept the 8 x 10 CD box.

Evidently my sense of humor went over your head, Mbd77.

 

Was it you who said that?!

 

Why would they remove the talking? This is part of what will make each disc distinctly different. I would be very sorry to lose Bob's stoned raps.

 

Although I'm not a recording artist, I would hate to have the whole world listening to my stoned raps from when I was in my twenties. Maybe Bob feels the same way.

 

the bobdylan.com announcement does promise "combative crowd responses" in addition to electifying performances so all hope is not lost

"Bob Dylan: The 1966 Live Recordings" to be Released in November | The Official Bob Dylan Site »

 

So did I, and it was great fun. It was always exciting to get some new material, and most of the tape traders back then we're just big fans, not profiteers.

 

I wouldn't be so sure about the Banter being edited out yet...

On The Bootleg Series 6, all the between song banter was indexed(if that's the correct term) before the track started.

There was also some of this on the Isle Of Wight Concert disc with Another Self Portrait Deluxe if I remember accurately.

So I'd relax before overreacting to iTunes track times.

Certainly hope the stage chatter has been retained. It would be moronic otherwise.

 

$150 for 36 CDs

They are practically giving this away!

You can never have enough Dylan.

You can never have enough Sinatra.

Those are the facts!

 

I'd like to know the system they used to record the shows, and why so many incomplete songs

Same show every night, seems like they'd figure a way to get audio coverage.

 

Right you are, my friend. I ordered the Dylan CD box today, and picked up these two FS albums (for about a buck and half) on vinyl over the past few weeks. Life is good.

 

"Some people never know." -- Paul McCartney

 

Mommy why does he slur almost every word like they are longer than they really are?

 

Even before you've heard any of it you are a happy camper!

 

But we most certainly have enough of Dylan doing Sinatra (IMHO).