Bob Dylan – Bootleg Series Vol. 14: More Blood, More Tracks (2 Nov 2018)*

They know this Deluxe set is going to have limited appeal - perhaps even to the borderline hardcore Dylan fan - thus the 'limited' edition aspect to it, a la the Cutting Edge Big Box (which was just take after take of the same songs - how dare they copyright dump that into the published music world! Well, too late, the genie is out of the bottle and singing all manner of unwritten songs).

I'm hoping that the single-disc More Blood becomes my go-to BOTT. It's already got 'Up To Me' on it, so it's looking good out of the gate.

1968 was a great year in music.

 

I believe that Blood on the Tracks is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. This set helps you follow its evolution. A hundred quid may be a bit steep, but hey this is BotT for gords sake.
These Bootlegs come out only once a year, so are even affordable to poor Polish teachers like me (cue violins).

 

I have bought the big version of every BS to date but I have only preordered the LP of BS14 so far. I have my reasons.

With Blue Note jazz CDs, I could never tolerate repeated takes of the same song.

I've been a Dylan fan for nearly 50 years but here's my thing: I am afraid I might like the original LP recordings less if I have too many alternatives to plow through.

I am trying to balance my need for the whole BS14, with my interest in the Kinks, Tull, Lennon, Hendrix, Petty, Doors, Stones and Beatles sets which are coming out about the same time.

I figure if I don't have to have BS14 on November 2nd, there is a good chance I will be able to pick up a deal later.

That's just me.

 

I might agree about a release that presented a set of sub-standard outtakes and alternative takes as a collection for your listening pleasure, but the very fact that a release like this tries to present the whole process (at least the NY process) makes the inclusion of all the takes a different thing. I suppose we also differ when it comes to the value of what you call "a purely academic exercise." Of course, I'm an academic, so there's that, but there are also lots of fans out there who simply, as you say, find this sort of thing fascinating, so, I don't think it's really reasonable to call it barrel-scraping. It has a purpose other than just trying to dig up something to sell. Not for everyone, but significantly different from simple barrel scraping.

I do agree, by the way, that at this asking price, with this sort of track-list, they are probably not going to sell as many deluxe versions as they hope, but maybe, given the reputation of the album itself, the single CD sales will compensate.

L.

 

I know where a lot of you are coming from with this one. I felt the same way about The Cutting Edge. In fact, to this day, I don’t think I have still yet listened to every single track even on the 6 CD Deluxe version from that one.

It’s proudly on my shelf though, and I wasn’t too begrudging to fork over the money to Bob.

On this one, it feels like the same type of release, but I know I will listen to this one over and over.

However, ultimately, I think that BS 13 Trouble No More will end up getting the most play in my ears, personally.

“Scraping the barrel” by releasing the complete New York sessions for Blood on the Tracks? Surely that is hyperbole. This is an important historical document, if nothing else.

Maybe it helps me that I don’t collect any other music, so $150 USD once per year for a box set doesn’t phase me so much.

 

You are correct in your assesement it IS barrel scraping. I could never listen thru the NYC Idiot Wind/Jack of Hearts in the first place. I can't imagine listening to the same thing over and over.
All the good stuff has already been put out.

 

Since a bit of a backlash is being debated, this is me weighing in and dissenting early on in this thread a year and a half (!) ago... I've pre-ordered the boiled-down vinyl set and I'm fighting off intense cravings to own the book/documentation stuff from the full set, but I'm still planning to stand pat. Still fighting a battle between preserving a certain protective aura of mystery around this album and the urge to dissect/study/understand its evolution...

It's a minor tragedy that the Minnesota outtakes are MIA. The idea of getting deeper insight into the drama of abruptly re-doing and drastically revising some of the songs 14 weeks later seems so much more tantalizing and potentially rewarding than following all of the variations of the New York sessions.

 

Any substantial news since Friday? I've been on a Bob hiatus.

 

Yeah, I have only listened through the Cutting Edge 6CD set twice - and that set covers three albums, one of them a double album!

This new set is also 6CDs and covers 12 songs!

I suspect those who enjoyed disc three of the Cutting Edge set are the ones most likely to enjoy this new one.

 

Yes, the box has been declared a barrel-scraping money grab that only academics could possibly enjoy. Thread closure imminent, we're going to turn off the lights and all do something better with our lives.

 

It’s due to VAT, I would guess.

 

Harsh, dude!



Everything went from bad to worse
Money never changed a thing
Death kept following, tracking us down
At least I heard your bluebird sing...

 

I bought this many years ago without realising that the original manuscript of T he Waste Land with annotations, some parts of which would make the final work and others which would be incomplete, semi-complete, included with amendments, or simply thrown away, could be regarded as 'barrel-scraping'.

I'd agree it is not for everybody, but I would have thought the value was obvious.

 

I'm halfway kidding. If someone doesn't see the value in this set, so be it. It won't diminish my enjoyment of the set one iota. This is a case where I really do "live in another world". I collected and listened to every single live show from 1978 for example (115 or so that year if my memory is good), so listening to a bunch of "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome"s in a row is not a Sisyphean task for me, it will be a joy. This is my favorite album of all time and one that is deeply personally resonant. I strongly suspect I'll be listening to this set regularly for the rest of my life. A bargain at twice the price for this consumer. YMMV.

 

I see

 

It's not barrel-scraping, it IS the barrel (apart from that Minnesotan part missing or stolen from the barrel).

 

I believe I have that as well - is that the one that has the reproductions of the original drafts and notes? It’s a very interesting perspective - does it replace the original? Of course not. But does it shed light on process and uniquely interesting? Yes. As I expect this volume in the Bootleg Series will be.

 

The silver lining here (complete-ness-wise), to go with the golden parachute, is that they still have six years to find and publish the Minnesota sessions before they fall into the public domain. A lot can happen in six years (hopefully good things). Being ahead of the publishing/copyright card-holder game is an advantage here for Dylan, Inc.

So right around the time the 1974 Mega Tour Box rolls out (which could happen sooner than 2024 - market mortality being what it is), a Planet Waves Sessions and a More Blood More Money Deluxe reissue set (with barrel-scraped/newly-discovered Minnesota sessions added) could be in the ethernet as well; we can't rule it out. (Reality continuing more or less on even keel, of course.)

 

Of all the strange things I’ve learned from this thread, one stands out to me.
Some people don’t like You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go? I love that song.

I can see why the 6cd set may be overkill for many. Lots of alternates/outtakes from BOTT have circulated and have been officially released. If there were a 2cd set there would be little complaining about the 6 cd box as “barrel scraping “.

 

Well, a dozen.

 

Hard to believe the carping (here and elsewhere). Calling this release 'barrel scraping' is just bizarre. This is Dylan, one of his best and most popular albums, and we already know that different takes do differ significantly. Then there's the mastering, the speeds, etc. I reckon this release will easily eclipse Trouble No More.

 

It's hard for me to get my head around the notion of not being able to "make it through" the NY "Idiot Wind". But that's MY head, not someone else's, so ... so be it.

I think Dylan's people feel that this album is worthy of a full-on "here's every take" treatment. And chances are we've now exhausted the 4 albums they felt were worthy of such treatment. Personally, this album is my first choice in that regard. That being said, I would happily listen to the unedited session tapes for every album the guy ever made. I realize that's not for everyone, of course.

 

This is my favorite Dylan album. I love Bob, and those classic mid sixties albums are great. But I have to admit that often I, like Mr. Jones, often have no idea what he is singing about. A lot of brilliant but obscure poetry with lovely crystal clear couplets popping up now and then. The perfect couplet is one of Bob’s great skills.

On Blood on the Tracks all of his talents are on display, plus what he is singing about is clear and universal and packs a huge emotional wallop. It is a beautiful album about pain.

I’ve enjoyed every take I’ve heard. Give me all of them. Please.

 

Bootleg Series 4 should’ve been Toad’s Place 1990. Everyone already knew Guitars Kissing ATCF.

 

One man's barrel scraping is another man's caviar....