Bob Dylan - General Appreciation Thread

It makes sense to me if I think of "mercurial" more than "mercury."

definition: subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.

That seems to fit the music and its effects.

 

Any chance it was expected to be more financially remunerative? (Mercury being the god of commerce. Actually lots of interesting allusions possible from this context.)

Mercury (mythology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia »

 

I like those takes. Nice input--thanks!

 

I was at that show and will probably never forget it. I've seen Bob many times but nothing will come close to hearing him that night. The theater was dead quiet and Bob's voice filled the entire space--I could hear every inflection and every grain in his voice. Hugely different than seeing him at a regular show. It was like being present at a recording session. Unreal.

 

This may sound just as nebulous as the way Dylan describes it, and since it's Dylan we're talking about, my interpretation is likely completely wrong, but I think I kind of understand what he's talking about. Whenever he mentions the "wild, thin mercury sound" I always think of Robbie Robertson's guitar on Blonde on Blonde. It has that trebly, free-flowing, pure, "silvery" sound, which I think Bob is referring to. As for the gold, I think Blonde on Blonde has sort of a golden, autumnal sound to it.

 

Hope nobody minds, but I moved this over here from another thread:

To add a little something extra to the Newport '65 thrill-ride, I really like the live version of Born In Chicago by the Butterfield Blues Band (it's on Michael Bloomfield: A Retrospective) which also has a Peter Yarrow introduction; I also have Mellow Down Easy from the same show on a Vanguard LP, but I'm not sure if their complete performance from the festival has ever been released.

It's cool to hear what Bloomfield sounded like with his own band before he ripped it up with Bob that Sunday night. (Sam Lay on drums, too.)

.

PAUL BUTTERFIIELD BLUES BAND"MELLOW DOWN EASY" LIVE »

 

To revive my thread I have this legit question. I saw this description int he Allen Ginsberg archive at Stanford U. in Cali

Cassette Box 4,

Audiocassette

74S1/000

Dylan Concert Madison Square Garden

Has anyone any idea what concert this might be?

thanks

 

I would wager this is the "Night of the Hurricane" benefit concert held on 12-8-75 @msg. Ginsberg appeared on stage.

 

Mystery tape of Dylan covers, seems to be a UK artist. Can anyone make an ID?

Unkown Cover - I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine / Drifter's Escape

 

Anybody know?

 

I've always got a 'gold feeling' from Blonde on Blonde. I thought it might be the cover art, but I've been told that I have a form of synesthesia.

The 'wild mercury sound' remains a mystery to me too.

 

I didn't even know about synesthesia when I first made that post, but since finding out about it, I think I may have it too. I think I may also have gotten the gold from the album cover, as I tend to do that a lot.

 

I don't know if this has been mentioned here there or elsewhere, but Discogs has been swept clean of Bob Dylan imports and ahems. The ahems are 90% of their business. The pages are still up but the inventory is gone. A statement is posted under each ahem saying it is forbidden and no longer carried on the website.

 

Random confession: despite reading about this many years ago and knowing about it, I only heard it today.



It's very primitive 80's rap, but still interesting in the broader tapestry. Also, once may have been enough.

 

The Dylan co-written (and I believe co-performed, but I could be wrong) tracks on the absurd Gene Simmons boxed set have been revealed. Unless I missed something, I think this is the first time “Everbody Wants Somebody” has become public knowledge:

Gene Simmons Reveals Full 166-Song 'The Vault' Track List


Everybody Wants Somebody 3:28 (Disc 5, track 14)
Bob Dylan and Gene Simmons Writing Session 15:48 (Disc 5, track 15)
Waiting For The Morning Light 3:56 (Disc 6, track 1)

I have to admit, I’m morbidly curious (particularly regarding the writing session). But I’m not $2000 (and up!) curious.

 

Hmm, that's out of left-field. I wonder what year this happened?

I think that $2000 price tag includes some sort of "opportunity" to meet Gene. Interesting business that guy runs...

 

While I'm not a Dylan fanatic, I think the guy is a genius songwriter and I'm slowly warming up to his music.

 

This article suggests “Waiting For The Morning Light” was written (well, “started”) 9 years prior to the 2004 release of Gene’s album (*ahem*) A**hole. So 1995 or so? I assume both songs are from the same session.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gene-simmons-is-an-*******-20040422

PS:I just realized this hyperlink won’t work, as the forum automatically censors the profanity. So anyone curious will have to insert the a-word manually if they want to read the article.

 

What have you listened to and what do you like?

 

Nashville Skyline
Blood On the Tracks
Infidels (not huge into this one, mostly got it because of the Mick Taylor connection)
Blonde on Blonde

 

This Bob Dylan thing has cornered a good bit of my
listening and reading market share over the years.
And the return investment has been a good thing.
This studio is one of many faves, but the most recent,
and says it all for me. Wish Charlie Sexton had played
on it but that's ok, it's still great.

 

In this massive purge, Discogs has also banned many official reissues of other artists. I saw a number of Japanese CD reissues banned.

 

He's the best song and dance man I can think of.

 

I grew up on Dylan in the 60s and that is my favorite era for the obvious reasons.He came roaring back in 1974 as any Dylan-oligist knows.Then in 1980s lost his way for sometime but new life appeared with No Mercy&1995 produced the exellent MTV-Unplugged IMO essential live Dylan.But what amazes me most in later day Dylan is after reinventing himself yet again
in 1997 with the astonishing T.O.O.M. he has remained more prolific and relative than any other time since his 1960s begginings.An amazing feat especially when you consider all the other 60s holdovers.This late in the game there are 2 artists from days gone by that I look forward to their next LP and they are Dylan & Pere Ubu.2 artists that continue to release quality music on a regular basis.Just like the old days.