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

I feel I should already know this, but were any songs re-recorded in Minneapolis ultimately discarded in favour of the original New York versions?

 

It doesn't appear so, but since the full documentation for the Minneapolis sessions hasn't (to my knowledge) been located and publicly shared, we can always hope.

 

Using "The Cutting Edge" as the best available reference point, I'd have to agree with you that we're almost certain to get fresh mixes of the acetate tracks (not to mention fresh mixes of the album tracks, if in fact they're included). Perhaps the original mixes of the acetate tracks might be preserved on a special vinyl release?

 

We can hope. Black Friday RSD is not so far away. It worked for Garth's Original Basement Tape!

 

I'm assuming this is Bob's overdub (I hear two organs and a piano on the 5.1 "Idiot Wind"). "Stabbing" is an apt description. "Possessed" might also be appropriate, I think.

 

I'd take a stab that the one organ is "live" and the stabbing one is overdubbed and is either Bob or someone, um ... not very good at playing the organ.

 

Or, possibly, someone knowing exactly what they needed to add to make this already brilliant song even better... so it's definitely Bob then.

 

Agree on both points. The overdub obviously wasn't MEANT to be heard in isolation - it certainly serves its purpose.

 

It feels like we should have a new bit or nugget this week, to pick up the momentum again.

 

Buckets > Nuggets. always

 

While we wait for the news to emerge that Bob Inc has relented and will give us what we want - every note from every slate in a big maroon box - let's hear it one more time for Capt. Dylan's Jack of Hearts Club Band, and the vital component, the A harmonica. Now, that has momentum...


#

 

I’m embarrassed to have to ask, but is there a difference in the music on the “acetates” versus the “vinyl test pressings” or were these merely a difference in “format”?

 

I think all the ‘test pressings’ were in fact Acetates, weren’t they? I might be wrong...but no: one version of the album unreleased, one version released. There are no variant mixes or alternate takes or sequences.

 

My understanding is that the acetates have the New York recordings. However, it seems that acetates were cut at different times and there are label variations showing the tracks in a different sequence also. It is not clear to me exactly how many acetates circulate. It seems it may be three; SFAG has label images of three, anyway. I think the one I linked to previously (which was described on the label as a Reference Recording) was the one sold in 2008 for $5,000.

There are two versions of the 16 September "Idiot Wind" in circulation on acetate; one with spooky organ overdub and one without. The latter began circulating much later that the organ version but it doesn't necessarily mean it's from an early pre-overdub acetate. Could be that Bob didn't like the organ he heard on the first acetate and requested its removal for a later acetate. I've only heard the organ-free "Idiot Wind" as a standalone cut so I don't know if it is from a complete BOTT acetate or a standalone single-track acetate. @Mbd77 may be able to help clear that mystery up. (Don't confuse the organ-free "Idiot Wind" on the acetate with the "Idiot Wind" on BS 1-3, by the way; it's a different, though similar, performance.)

It seems that six so-called "test pressings" which have the New York recordings as per the acetates have emerged. As @Mbd77 has indicated, it is not entirely clear whether the New York recordings test pressings are acetates or vinyl. (SFAG does say they are vinyl, as do the various listings when they have been sold on the open market, so I think I'll accept that as correct until I get my hands on one. ) These were apparently pressed in December 1974. @HominyRhodes linked to a New York recordings test pressing offered on e**y last year a page or so ago with an image of the record. I would say that the pressing date mentioned in that listing is incorrect. Then there are test pressings which are the same as the regular album, and released in January 1975. SFAG shows a regular BOTT test pressing looking like this. It was housed in the familiar plain maroon card inner sleeve that came with the first commercial BOTT pressing :-



#

 

I have a question about the 'speeding-up' of the BOTT album..... i thought i knew the answer to this, but the discussion over the last few pages has triggered the thought....

Was the speed increased for the whole album?? Or just the New York tracks ?? It seems that there was deemed to be a problem with the New York tracks.. hence the hurried re-recording of 5 tracks at the end of the year... NY tracks were too 'samey'.... the album as a whole too low impact, whatever...... In that context i could understand (just ! i didn't say it was a good decision...) the new recordings... but why would the new recordings need to be sped-up as well as the NY tracks....??

I can understand the logic that says they had a problem with the NY tracks, decided to re-record some of them , speed the others up that they hadn't re-done for whatever reason....... But are the December recordings sped-up as well?? Why??? ...or maybe it really is the faulty tape machine.......

Apologies if i have missed a fundamental point here........

 

I grabbed this a while back either on this forum or Expecting Rain -- it doesn't answer your question but it was put together by someone that spent some time with the recordings to figure out the corrections needed to speed correct the tracks:

Slow down Blood on the Tracks to have it run at the correct speed:

Tangled Up in Blue 2.30%
Simple Twist of Fate 2.30%
You're a Big Girl Now 2.28%
Idiot Wind 2.25%
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go 2.21%
Meet Me in the Morning 2.35%
Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts 1.74%
If You See Her, Say Hello 0.68%
Shelter From the Storm 0.68%
Buckets of Rain 0.61%

But didn't Phil Ramone state that the slowness was due to the tape machine and wasn't done intentionally?

 

The speeding up was a mistake that occurred in the mastering process. See here: Bob Dylan: Bootleg Series Vol. 14

 

Sorry for getting off topic, but I heard the song your username was based on during the opening of Better Call Saul last week. Either I had never heard that song before, or I have just never paid attention until now. I fell in love with the Ink Spots’ version and even checked out Bob’s live version circa ‘88. Just sayin’.

 

I will agree the acetate linked above is to die for. But I predict the Dylan camp will do right by the mix and mastering, and we're gonna love what we hear.

Let's accentuate the positive.

All the outtakes we've heard so far are white-hot brilliant to my mind, although the final takes on the album are definitive. I consider the album perfect as it is. Beat poetry to the infinite power. The champion in terms of writing is "Tangled Up In Blue." I'm looking forward to following the creative process on that one.

You've heard the 1978 live version? I wish that were available in a professional recording and officially released. I've never liked the revisions of "Tangled Up In Blue," but the slow blues with sax and keyboard from 1978 was reasonably faithful to the spirit and intent of the original. It drew enthusiastic applause every night. It was a highlight of the fall leg of the tour.

 

I like both versions of Blood On The Tracks, but for me the New York takes of Tangled Up In Blue, You're A Big Girl Now and Idiot Wind are "better", richer versions than the re-recordings.

To me the Minneapolis takes are overly stylised ("style over substance" would be overstating it) and, despite the extra instrumentation, more one-dimensional. Idiot Wind is basically turned into an extended venting session; which the New York take was too, but also so much more than that.

It's easy to imagine that the Minneapolis takes are more intense, but this is mostly due to the "rockier" band and faster pace. To me Bob sounds more "in the zone" at New York, locked into the heart of the songs and the depth of feeling contained within them.

I also prefer the lyrics on the acetate (as and when there have been alterations made in Minneapolis). I agree that the slightly Lo-fi, well-worn sound of the acetate has its own charm and accentuates the warmth and hypnotic-quality of the songwriting. The re-recordings are cooler, with more of an edge; but some warmth and richness is necessarily sacrificed in return.

The downside of New York is that after Idiot Wind, the sound gradually starts to out stay its welcome. Although Meet Me In The Morning is perhaps even more striking when experienced as the only song with a full band.

 

I've just played the album version of Tangled Up In Blue for the first time in well over 5 years and all I can say is it still sounds like a staggering achievement in song-writing to me. Even though I've probably heard it well over 200 times in my life it still sounds fresh to my ears and the near six minutes passes by in a flash as you get completely absorbed in the storytelling and momentum of the song.

 

In my humble opinion, one of the high watermarks in an incredible, unparalleled career as a songwriter (no, I don't do publicity for Bob). Great songs tend to be resilient as they are interpreted and reimagined. Consider the wide breadth of versions Dylan himself has done - New York, Minneapolis, Solo '75, Band '76, Torch Song '78, Alternate Lyrics '84, Epic-Length Romp '92-'93 ...

Jerry knew a great song when he heard one.

 

That’s the joy of the Bootleg Series and threads like this - always take you back to the music. Have been playing different versions of BOTT for several weeks now and have been re-reading the various related books in preparation for the impending release. Bring it on!

 

Another thing I never understood was the selection of takes used as the "Acetate" versions of "Tangled" and "Idiot Wind" versus the previously unreleased versions used on BSVol1-3.

To me at least, the unused versions featured on BSVol1-3 are much better. Those takes have a bit more guitar technique and Bob's vocal delivery is artful and deliberate. "Mannered" as Heylin would say. The acetate takes are extremely casual in playing and delivery. A treat to hear, but to my ears not album versions.

To be clear, I like 'em all and can't wait for 80 more takes. I just don't see why those "casual" takes were the ones pulled from the masters to the acetates, and presumably almost released. Despite the overwhelming amount of takes on The Cutting Edge, Bob (or Bob Johnston?) generally used the "right" ones. Could the BOTT acetate tracks have been an oversight? I hope the liner notes shed light on the selection process.

I think Heylin has stated his preference for the acetates. Pretty sure many here may prefer the acetates? Nah, those 2 on BS1-3 are takes for the ages. (Can't wait to hear them all.)

 

I feel the exact opposite: the takes on the original album acetate are full of a smooth smokey mysticism that’s only hinted at on the Bootleg Series 1-3 takes.