Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Volume 15 (Travelin’ Thru 1967-1969 (1st November 2019) *

A bit of a discouraging sign that "the what's next for the Bootleg Series?" didn't merit a full-length article like it usually does in RS.

 

lol

 

why no mention of "Western Road" in the article?

questions for the experts:
does the rehearsal take of "Lay Lady Lady" that was an iTunes bonus track with Together Through Life have a take number? if so, is that getting a lossless release on this set?
is there a take number for "I Threw It All Away" and "Country Pie" from BS10: Another Self Portrait? i'm wondering if those are the same takes that are appearing on this set?

 

I think I would be considered as Dylan-obsessive as just about anyone. OK, I know there are Bob-nuts out there way more nuts than me, but I am up there in the percentiles.

But the most I can come up with over this release is a big, fat "meh."

 

Jeff Rosen is confused about what's what.

His priorities are backwards.

 

i doubt they'll be anything exclusive from the official site, but remind me, did the official site announcement not go up until Friday last time?

 

Another Bootleg Series that will sit on my shelf after being played once.
My only hope is that having Johnny Cash plastered on the front will spark some extra sales, which apparently they desperately need to justify further releases.
I hope TOOM will surface sooner than later.

 

Pretty excited for JWH and NS outtakes but dang, that third disc is all filler, no killer.

 

jeff, baby, yuh KILLIN' me!

 

I'm pretty keen on this. I would have been delighted with a comprehensive set - everything from JWH, and the February and April/May '69 sessions.

It's something of a part 2 to ASP...or part 1...or something. Combine everything on this plus everything on that, delete the '67 tracks (which is what I'll do), and, especially if you have the deluxe edition with the IOW show, you get a rather nice collection of '69 and '70 material with a dusting of '71.

 

This is true and I agree. But that's because we've heard it. But there are countless people who haven't heard it, and for them a vintage Cash/Dylan tandem is about as tantalizing as it gets. Which is precisely why it's being released ahead of copyright concerns. I've said this before, but the only thing worse than releasing substandard material when you have control over it is leaving it to others to release when you have no control. At least with this method, Bobco can present the material framed in the best light possible.

This set is coming into existence primarily because of copyright concerns, make no mistake. But that doesn't mean the well is running dry. It just means this has to come out now, pushing its way ahead of other more exciting stuff.*

* That is not to say I'm not excited. I am! Gimme that JWH material!!!

 

Or maybe he's trying to torment us.

 

I'm convinced 100% by now that the bootleg quality artwork and design is intentional for the Bootleg Series.

 

I took a quick shot at fixing it. I evened out the bottom of the guitar, added in the bottom of the mic stand, removed the white mark on the bottom edge of the cover and reduced some red in the shadow of Bob's face.

 

This probably says more about Rolling Stone and where it's priorities lie than about Dylan's popularity or the thirst of his fans to acquire as much as they can.

 

Positive for this set is that aside from the long rumored coffee house years, there’s essentially nothing left for them to do with the 1960s. Which only puts into stronger contrast how much left on the table for the 70s-90s.

 

“We’ve collected all these early tapes of him like the Minnesota Hotel Tapes and all the tapes that Tony Glover recorded,” says the source. “We have all these things in beautiful quality along with the Town Hall concert [in 1963] and the Carnegie Hall concert [in 1963]. Some day we’ll put these all together and put them out, but it’s not like people are clamoring for it."

Gaah!!! CLAMOR CLAMOR CLAMOR!!!!

 

Pre-ordered!

 

Looks good. The arc and placement of Travelin’ Thru is driving me nuts. How did this hack job design work get past Sony quality control?

 

Oh man, just noticed that. AWFUL! Stunning, really.

 

Nothing left for them to do with the 1960s?
Are you serious?

 

To be fair, there's probably not much to add to the discussion beyond what was said when More Blood More Tracks was issued earlier this year.

 

I would’ve loved a DVD of the Johnny Cash Show appearance to go with this, but otherwise really looking forward to the release!

 

Although I have to add after reading the RS piece again, the "source" does sound rather odd with his comments about "nobody buys records anymore" and "it's not like people are clamoring" for this. Very weird. The Bootleg Series sell pretty well--as well as things like this usually sell--and it seems "the source" is soft-peddling this --and future projects.

 

The video counterpart is sorely missing and conspicuous in its absence.