Bob Dylan: "Trouble No More 1979 - 1981" - The Bootleg Series Vol. 13

Anyone else thinking, "If only a DVD had been included in The 1966 Live Recordings" box? Yes, I know it was a Copyright Collection, not a Bootleg Series release, but still.....

I'd have worn that DVD out by now, just like I've worn out the promo video for that set.

 

Hell yes.

I mean, I'm glad we paid a (relative) bargain price for the box. But those 1966 performances seem uniquely suited for video release. I'm actually stunned we didn't get a Eat The Document/Something Is Happening set from Criterion.

 

The version of "Blowin' In The Wind" on BS13 is probably my favorite officially available take. It's a song I've long struggled with, but pretty cool here.

 

I blacken them with every step I make.

 

You've "long struggled" with "Blowin' In The Wind"? Do tell!

 

TCE with a DVD element would have been incredible. I think this release has really raised the bar on expectations for future releases.
The recent re-release anniversary version of NDH was a huge missed opportunity in this respect too. I could not believe how little they added to the original release. Great shame.

 

So anybody in California receive it yet? Hopefully will make it west in the next couple of days.

 

Got mine in. Listening to San Diego.

 

So it is completely my imagination, or does Fred Tackett play a brief taste of "We've Got a Groovy Thing Goin'" in the waning moments of the San Diego "Slow Train"?

 

Box finally arrived. A few initial thoughts on disc 1:

-These tracks sound a lot better than the YouTube previews and NPR sampler. Overloaded backing vocals and the cramped space of some of the recordings seem to be less pronounced on the actual CDs. Some of these two-track soundboards transferred to cassette sound flat out excellent.

-Love the Drummond bass lines on "Man Gave Names..."

-The live recording quality does vary quite a bit, even within the same show. "Precious Angel" from 11/16/79 San Francisco almost sounds like it was taken from multi-tracks whereas "Slow Train" from the same show doesn't sound quite as clear and separated.

-I don't have much listening experience with these tours, but never had anything against the Gospel trinity of albums either. I'm already gaining a new appreciation for some of these songs though: particularly "Precious Angel", "When He Returns", and "Covenant Woman".

-I hear Fred Tackett influence in some of the licks and weaving Larry Campbell will play 20 years later in Bob's band. The arrangement of "Do Right To Me Baby" sounds like a jam from 1999/2000 (Mash-up of Highlands-Song To Woody-Blowin' In the Wind maybe)

-I enjoy Bowman's song-by-song notes for the most part. Nice write-up on "What Can I Do For You" especially.

-Once again, a great sequencing job done by team Bob on this set (so far). Everything flows really well, which I was worried about considering how much it bounces around between 79-80-81.

-Looking ahead a bit: Is it just me and my too literal mind, or is anyone else slightly bothered when the years stated in the BS titles are incorrect? Don't get me wrong, glad to have 1978 stuff on here, but why not change the title then to 1978-1981?

 

I know what you mean, but Rosen probably didn't want the title to imply that ALL of 1978 was part of the "Gospel Era." Those three tracks are really there for context and historical interest, just like "Minstrel Boy" from the Basement was included on BS10, even tbough it wasn't technically part of the period being explored.

Also, the prospect of a Bootleg Series dip into the 1978 tour has been floated, so they will probably want to keep the difference between 1978 and 1979 distinct.

 

I know but I feel more strongly the other way. It wouldn’t bother me if there are 2 sets with an overlapping year and can’t see it creating confusion. Heck, they’ve already overlapped already. In the case of 1978, the difference between a rehearsal take on one and a tour set is clear.

And don’t get me started on Minstrel Boy on ASP!

 

I'm writing that down, let me get back to you, OK?

 

Gotta Serve Somebody (Take 1 - Slow Train Coming studio outtake) [Audio]

 

I'll be the first to mention it:

"Do Right To Me Baby" '78 Rocks. Tons better than '79. Oh, Bob, in '78 you were so down and dirty! Can't wait for the '78 Bootleg Series.

P.S. Loving this collection, but it'll take me a while to get my thoughts together.

 

Hey, I spent a year lobbying for Street Legal to be included in this set, so I clearly would have preferred a set that was subtitled "1977-1981"! That said, I still see those three rehearsals as part of the "1979" story, since they kick off the process that would drive his next artistic period. Now, if there was a whole half disc of those 1978 tracks, I'd be right there with you!

And don't get ME started on them not including JWH on either BS10 or BS11! Why must they disrespect this album so!?

 

Got my 4 LP box yesterday and listened to albums 1 & 2 last night. I'm not versed in all things Dylan like you all, but I will say one thing; this band smokes!

 

Some of the most rockin' live Dylan in this set. He definitely wasn't mailing it in!

 

I wonder if the guy who's quoted in the radio promo knows that he achieved a peculiar sort of fame: "I was kinda disappointed. I wanted to hear rock ‘n’ roll. Rock ‘n’ roll! I heard Bob Dylan singing gospel. I didn’t come here to hear sermons. I coulda went to church, man.”

 

I wonder how they came to pick the June 27, 1981 and November 28, 1979 shows for this set - did they actually think those were the best shows from those years?

Anyway, I'm definitely more partial to the earlier shows (November 1979 > April 1980 > 1981), but I'm tempted to say that they should've released the final Warfield show on November 16, 1979 in its entirety. I'm not actually a "whole show" type of fan, I'm more interested in listening to a curated compilation shaped like an album rather than a straight, archival presentation, but the performances of "Pressing On" and "Solid Rock" from that final night of the residency smoke the earlier ones included on BS13.

 

Okay, just got the box yesterday with the San Diego show. Now someone tell me why the SD show isn't authentic?

 

Well if I understand your question, it's missing Bob Dylan's long spoken intros to the songs (i.e., sermons) and some solo songs from the background singers. Other than that, it's perfect!

 

In regards to Earl's Court, we know Heylin lobbied for it. We don't know if that was determinative. But in any case, one thing to keep in mind is we don't know how complete the various concert recordings are in the archive. After all, they weren't recorded with potential commercial possibilities in mind (Toronto and perhaps some '81 shows excepted). As we learned on the Live 1966, most (not all) of the those soundboards are incomplete in one manner or another, and it seems the '79/80 ones were recorded under fairly similar circumstances. It's possible their choices were limited as to which shows to spotlight. Even the San Diego show they settled upon is slightly incomplete, necessitating a track substitution.

 

I wonder if that's even a real audience member or a hired voice actor. Got a heavy (put on?) Noo-Yawk sound even though the tour started out west.