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

That's not true! The bonus material was good...

 

Maybe Mr. Heylin's observation was not as accurate as it sounded (to him)

Best Wishes,
David

 

"are you for sale or just on the shelf?"

 

I agree. I hope this is the route they take. I was told it was going to be (duplicating the effort of the '66 box for the RT tour), but that was over a year ago and things can change.

With a comprehensive live box as a companion, you could do mostly (if not all) studio for the main Bootleg Series (which is what I'd do), and if you're going to include any live material with the Bootleg why not do a complete show with ALL the artists, which though it would feature a lot of non-Dylan material, would reinforce Dylan the artist in a great way, since the artistic flavor of the Rolling Thunder tour was all Bob whether he was on stage or not.

 

Although they didn't take that approach with the big box of BS13, editing out sermons, raps and gospel trio numbers. I agree though, the RT concerts were conceived as a whole, and should be presented that way.

 

I thought of exactly that, too, but I think the gospel sermons were cut for reasons that don't apply to a full RTR being represented.

 

Nothing to add, other than saying that BOTT should stand on its own. If BOTT is mixed with anything, I'd lean closer to Planet Waves sessions than Desire or RTR. Different Dylans. We like all the Dylans, but keep them separated. Don't cross streams...Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously, and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light...



Also, don't cross horses in stream. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

 

Totally agree that BOTT sits better with PW than Desire, despite Sara and Isis.

 

If they asked me, I'd say they should issue a BOTT set with every take from NY and Mpls, and anything else from 1974 that we don't know about. There's so much demand for a BOTT-only set, it doesn't matter if it's 2 discs or 6, people will buy it. We don't always need a huge expensive multi-disc set, just sell us whatever music was recorded at the sessions, however many discs it takes. They seem to release these in November every year, so put this out in Nov 2018.

Then in Nov 2019, go with the 1975-76 era with Desire outtakes and RTR live shows.

But then again, nobody asked me....

 

Actually, yes, we most certainly do . . .

 

To be fair, we don't need the "expensive" bit, just the "huge, multi-disc" bit

 

AMEN!

I just want every NY take actually....
I found (if this was posted before, sorry) this one page, it's outdated, but lists what it claims to be all the takes from all six sessions:
Still On The Road: 1974 Blood On The Tracks recording sessions


A & R Studios
New York City, New York
16 September 1974
1st Blood On The Tracks recording session, produced by Bob Dylan.

1. If You See Her, Say Hello
2. If You See Her, Say Hello
3. You're A Big Girl Now
4. You're A Big Girl Now
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. Simple Twist Of Fate
7. You're A Big Girl Now
8. Up To Me
9. Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts
10. Simple Twist Of Fate
11. Simple Twist Of Fate
12. Simple Twist Of Fate
13. Call Letter Blues
14. Meet Me In The Morning
15. Call Letter Blues
16. Idiot Wind
17. Idiot Wind
18. Idiot Wind
19. Idiot Wind
20. Idiot Wind
21. Idiot Wind
22. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
23. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
24. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
25. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
26. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
27. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
28. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
29. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
30. Tangled Up In Blue

And that's just the first session! Bring it ALL on!!!!

 

If all that material exists then it would be criminal to not release it. Looks like a good 5 or 6 CDs worth of music.

Praying for this and I’m not religious!

 

This early acoustic take of "Meet Me In The Morning" was one of the best gems unearthed from those BOTT sessions. Really made me wonder what else there is.

 

Yeah, this is a gem. Have to assume it's a lock for the set.

The "slow" version of "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" from 9/17 was shortlisted for the original Bootleg Series back when it was intended to be a 4CD set. I'm also assuming that one is a lock too.

One track I'm very curious to hear is the first take of "Tangled Up In Blue" at Studio 80 in Minneapolis on 12/30/74. This take was performed in G, before Kevin Odegard suggested playing it in A instead, leading to the familiar album version.

 

Why are we thinking blood on the tracks will be released? Wouldn't it be more likely the live stuff with the Douglas Brinkley book/ and the Martin Scorsese documentary coming out?

I really want a stand alone BOTT set myself. It was my gateway into Dylan way back when.

Dylan's group seems reluctant to release two multi disc sets at the same time, but personally I d like a bot release with a desperate rolling thunder review release. If they do a decent job pricing it, and avoid the 18 CD cutting edge extravagance, I'd be all over it.

 

Because there have been recent rumblings that BOTT is being finalized/prepped for release. Read a few pages here.

 

The exact quotes are buried in the thread, but I'll give you a summary:

1. Last fall, Rolling Stone published an article that suggested the most likely next Bootleg Series would be a Rolling Thunder Revue overview to accompany the upcoming film on the tour, and that they were considering folding the long-promised Blood on the Tracks collection into this set. One sentence in it seemed to suggest Desire would also be covered (which would make sense chronologically).

2. A couple weeks ago, an attendee of the recent Dylan Tulsa Archive film festival posted on the Expecting Rain forum that a Dylan insider (presumably Jeff Rosen) mentioned the next BS would be cover RTR/BOOT. It wasn't stated explicitly in the post, but many of us are assuming Desire sessions would also be included in such a set.

3. More recently, Eric Anderson posted on Facebook that one of his band members Steve Addabbo was recently in NYC mixing a Blood on the Tracks-themed Bootleg Series installment (the same person who mixed ASP and Cutting Edge).

 

I should start saving some money.

 

Thanks for the synopsis. Not trying to be obtuse or difficult. Just trying to read the tea leaves. In years past though, no announcement has been made until August or September. Hoping an announcement is made sooner.

 

And ultimately, we've run the gamut from knowing what it was gonna be far ahead of time to being totally surprised when it was announced, and everything in between. The Basement Tapes set came virtually out of the blue, with only one small hint printed in Rolling Stone among mentions of many other potential projects.

 

Any Desire-era material folks are particularly excited to see included? A few things come to my mind:

1. "Money Blues." Okay, there's no reason to think it's a lost masterpiece. But as an uncirculating original (a rarity in this era) it already has novelty value. And the lyrics have a few phrases that I can imagine Dylan going to town on. I’m guessing it’ll almost certainly enjoy pride of place in the track listing.

2. "Rita May." I have to imagine this song will be represented too, but whether it's by the original single, the circulating outtake or a previously unheard version I won't hazard a guess. From experience, we know the compilers feel no automatic compulsion to mop up period singles or b-sides (example: "George Jackson") and even when the song is included, they seem just as likely to go with a compelling alternative when one is available (examples: "Tell Ol' Bill" and "Trouble in Mind").

3. "Black Diamond Bay (Big Band Version).” Of all the album tracks originally attempted in the early "big band" sessions, this is the one I'm most curious about. I have the sinking feeling that the song's intricate structure ultimately defeated the large unwieldy ensemble, but Dylan has surprised me too many times for me to dismiss the possibility of a truly special version still waiting to be heard. And even a failed attempt can be fun and interesting. In any case, there must be a gem or two hiding in the tapes of these sessions.

4. "People Get Ready." The rehearsal from the promo EP is fantastic (despite a rough start), and a commercial release is long overdue. The SIR rehearsals that the track was drawn from could be a productive source of further material for this set. I'm posting Bjorner's entry for the session, but I wonder if the ramshackle nature of some of recordings (example: "What Will You Do When Jesus Comes") would be well suited for this sort of collection (particularly if disc space is at a premium)? It’s been a long time since I’ve watched Renaldo & Clara, so I don’t feel very familiar with most of these renditions.

Studio Instrumental Rentals
New York City, New York
October 1975

Rehearsals for Rolling Thunder Revue

1. Kaw-Liga (Hank Williams/Fred Rose)
2. People Get Ready (Curtis Mayfield)
3. I Want You
4. What Will You Do When Jesus Comes?
5. Little Moses (Bert A. Williams/Earle C. Jones)
6. She Belongs To Me
7. Hurricane (Bob Dylan–Jacques Levy/Bob Dylan)
8. If You See Her, Say Hello
9. One Too Many Mornings
10. Patty's Gone To Laredo
11. Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands

Bob Dylan (vocal, guitar), Bob Neuwirth (guitar), T-bone J. Henry Burnett (guitar), Roger McGuinn (guitar), Steven Soles (guitar), Mick Ronson (guitar), David Mansfield (steel guitar, violin, mandolin ,dobro), Rob Stoner (bass), Howie Wyeth (piano, drums), Luther Rix (drums, percussion), Ronee Blakeley (vocal).

1-2, 4, 5, 7-11 Bob Dylan (vocal & piano)

Bootleg CD

The Genuine Bootleg Series Vol. 2 (track 2)
The Genuine Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (track 4)

Official releases

Released in the movie RENALDO AND CLARA, 25 January 1978 (long version)

1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 12 released in the movie RENALDO AND CLARA, late 1978 (short version).

2 released on promotional maxi-EP 4 SONGS FROM “RENALDO & CLARA”, CBS XSM 164035, January 1978.

2 digitally released on the iTunes collection RARE TRACKS FROM THE VAULTS, 29 August 2006.

2 released on promotional Japanese CD MR D's COLLECTION NUMBER 3, Sony Music Enterprises, XDCS 93133,1993.


Reference

Les Kokay: Songs of the Underground. Rolling Thunder Revue. Private publication 2000, page 7.

 

If nothing else, I wouldn't mind hearing Kaw-Liga without the voiceover discussing hydroplaning. It's a good rehearsal session, and would make a good disc in a potential Rolling Thunder Box.

As a big of Desire, it would be enough of a treat for me just to hear the songs I love so much in different takes. I find myself going back to that album very often. After his "electric" trilogy, this might be my favorite Dylan album. And after that, maybe Blood On The Tracks, but then I find it a bit flawed. I'm just not into the arrangement of You're A Big Girl Now. I prefer the outtake on Biograph, or even better, the Hard Rain version. Similarly, I prefer If You See Her, Say Hello from the New York sessions. Meet Me In The Morning and Buckets Of Rain are two that are OK at best to me. And he left off Up To Me? Now, of course he also left Abandoned Love off Desire, but unless he could have squeezed it in somewhere, there is nothing I'd wanna see cut in its place.

 

I’m probably the only one here that finds the arrangement of Lily tedious and repetitive. The organ gets to me. I much prefer the early acetate version. Other than that though, BOTT is perfect to me, although I agree there are some excellent alternate versions: Meet Me In The Morning and If You See Her particularly. And agree on Up To Me, although maybe it would be out of place on the final release. The fact he left it off the NY acetate though suggests he just didn’t think it was good enough- crazy.

 

I’m with you. I also feel on an otherwise transcendent album, especially in its cohesion of subject, I always felt “Lily” didn’t quite fit. It’s move to a more allegorical kind of ballad being a little out of place with the more confessional style songs that make up most of the album. I mean, make no mistake, this is one of my all-time favorite albums, and the bar is raised so high, that the song may just feel that way to me given what surrounds it. But it’s also not helped for me by that heavier arrangement.