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

I like reading your stuff Richard because it's like discovering there's someone out there who thinks like me! So, a couple of points.

Uncut--- I think that would be going too far. Too much changing harmonicas, tuning up etc. If you listen to 'Ramona' from Hollywood, '65, all that rapidly gets tedious.

'As good as the albums'. When Dylan said he was just a song and dance man, it was a case of many a true word is spoken in jest. He was the consummate performance artist at that point, and I would contend that several of the performances at those three concerts are better than the studio recordings, for example

Bob Dylan's Dream ; Hard Rain ; With God on our Side from Town Hall

Times Changing, Weary Tune, Hattie Carroll from Carnegie Hall

at least Chimes of Freedom from RFH. Possibly Mr Tambourine Man also, but Bruce Langhorne adds something special to the recording.

Obviously a concert is a different thing from an LP, the requirements are not the same, so the repertoire needs some light relief, but for me, with certain exceptions like VoJ and LARS, his very best performances of his best songs from his best era tended to be in the concert hall, inspired by his audience.

 

​

Great minds think alike and always know what's best for the children.

The moments you single out fr0m those concerts are akin to sacred
performances; the singer's symbiosis with the audience is like praying
in church. The sentiments being expressed are felt and shared by
everyone in perfect unison.

The albums made history, influenced generations, evolved culture and
changed the world. The albums are that strong. Dylan was a one-man
vanguard in the 1960s. I agree that often the most inspired versions
come at odd moments in live concerts. I love those early concert tapes
(and I think poorly of Columbia|Sony|Dylan for not releasing them in
their entirety decades ago) but the original albums remain constant. I
listened to The Times They Are A-Changin' recently, the MoFi edition,
and rediscovered it. Dylan sang like a folk Sinatra even in 1963. Each
song is astonishing in its intellect and delivery. Even the guitar playing
is under-rated. The sixties albums still exert a profound influence, still
win new fans, young and old, and bring them to the concerts.

 

I got the 2LP set of MBMT, and played it twice and got annoyed with it. Several of the outtake versions I was overly familiar with, so they lacked freshness / surprise factor I expected or hoped for - and getting up to change sides every three songs broke up the moody vibe I wanted to bask in.

Great material and all, it’s fine - I do collect Dylan on LP.

 

Richard, you're the one who is exasperating, and you're also getting ridiculous. The second Gaslight Tape is my strong preference and the only one I would recommend, but you've blown that up to me saying they shouldn't be released. I get you disagree but take a pill for crissakes.

 

C6H12O6, No you're the one who's ridiculous. Plus you have no sense of humor.

I didn't say the Gaslight Tape 2 shouldn't be released. It should absolutely be
released in its entirety. All the Gaslight tapes should be released in their entirety.

The place to discuss this is here:

Bob Dylan "The Bootleg Series" – overview and possible future projects

 

My only complaint about MBMT is that Dylan's guitar is too low in the mix.

This is especially noticeable in the solo acoustic tracks, which comprise the
single CD / 2 LP. It would be more engaging for some if the guitar were up.

 

Is the sound of the cds any good on the deluxe edition? It gives a very high number on dynamic range albums website but this is really not everything when it comes to sound...

 

To me, on my systems, they sound excellent.

 

I’m playing this for the first time today, completely blown away by the package, books, presentation and the sound is excellent! What took me so long!

PS- I’ve got Rolling Thunder Revue 14 disc set and Cutting Edge 6 cd set ordered and arriving soon!

 

Don't forget to download (some) of the missing notebook pages here:-

Missing Notebook Pages | The Official Bob Dylan Site

 

When you've done that, these are the other two missing pages that BobInc didn't know they'd missed:-

 

Thanks! Question- are the other Deluxe sets as extravagant with the books/extra material? Any other “must-have” recommendations after this one, Cutting Edge, And Rolling Thunder? I recently picked up the Travellin’ Thru and Basement Tapes Raw sets on vinyl and loved both of those.

 

Yes, about the same.

BS 10: "Another Self Portrait" should knock the socks right off of your feet.

If you don't have BS 1-3 you are not doing yourself any favours. Great liner notes, by the even greater late John Bauldie, which were nominated for a Grammy. It may not be considered deluxe by today's standards but it's dirt cheap these days and will give you, literally, hours of pleasure.

The Deluxe 6CD Basement Tapes may never leave your CD player if you buy it and the books are pretty good.

 

Your wallet is about to be smashed. Just thought you should know.

 

Tell Tale Signs (BS Vol. 8)

A MUST have!

 

If it does not bore you to tears.

 

I already own almost all of these on vinyl and CD but not the super deluxe multi disc versions.

 

If you can find the 3-CD version at an affordable price, the third disc is very good and worth it. The original pricing of the 3-CD deluxe set relative to the 2-CD set was extortion.

 

Another Self Portrait is one of my favorites in the series! I own the vinyl and love it.

 

Forgive me. I have foresight. I know the road you're traveling. I traveled it myself. There were others before me. It always starts with doubt, questioning, and concern. It always ends with an empty wallet and a huge smile on your face.

 

Thanks, well ****, I’m going to have to get the six disc Basement Tapes because the 3 vinyl set blew me away. I do own vol.1-3 on vinyl and cd. It’s also amazing!

 

Remind me again what albums Tell Tale Signs focuses on?

 

The album spans the recording sessions for Oh Mercy, World Gone Wrong, Time Out of Mind, and Modern Times as well as a number of soundtrack contributions and previously unreleased live tracks from 1989 through 2006.[1] The collection also includes a track from an abandoned album Dylan had started to record with David Bromberg in 1992, and Dylan's duet with Ralph Stanley, "The Lonesome River".

Although Under the Red Sky, Good as I Been to You and Love and Theft were all recorded during this time period, no tracks from these sessions were included on Tell Tale Signs. An alternate version of "Series of Dreams" was included on Vol. 3 of the Bootleg Series. "Dreamin' of You", an outtake from the Time Out of Mind sessions, was offered for free download on Bob Dylan's site and was also sent to radio stations as a promotional single.

 

Oh Mercy through Modern Times. Rounds up alternate versions, soundtrack cuts, live, previously unreleased in any form, etc. IMHO, the 2-disc is the best summation of Mod Bob (for the money).