Bob Dylan's Best Touring Band

He wasn't that great with Spirit either. I think Randy California had left the band at the time.

 

Bob Dylan had a person named 'Randy California' playing with him?

 

This:

 

The ones you named in first post were the best I saw. The show with TP and the Heartbreakers was the worse one I ever saw. Didn't work at all. Of course The Band will be judged the best he worked with and probably rightfully so.

 

Yeah it seems the Petty shows were wildly inconsistent. Guess I was lucky I saw a good one (MSG). From what Bob said his book, he was on fumes for a lot of that tour.

 

Yeah I think Bob had a few "issues" at the time.

 

Yeah There is one rather infamous filmed interview around the time where he looks a bit sauced.

 

It's not a popular opinion but I've always liked Winston Watson's drumming. Off topic but my favorite set lists were the 2002 Fall tour shows with all the covers.

 

Gospel era
Rolling Thunder

 

Those covers were great, and the band was on fire for that tour.

 

this:

 

I’ll be alone in this but I loved his 1978 Big Band, with Billy Cross on guitar and Ms. Bobbye Hall on percussion.

 

No, Randy California was the founder and guitarist of Spirit.

 

Campbell/Sexton/Garnier/Kemper

Then the Hawks 1966

 

Badass yes, and now unbelievably over 20 years ago.

 

Actually, it's exactly 15 years ago.

 

Time Out of Mind 1997?

 

No, this performance is from Masked and Anonymous (filmed in 2002, released the following year).

 

1) 1966- The Hawks (The Band)
2) 1969- The Band
3) 1974- The Band
4) 1975- The Rolling Thunder Review Band
5) The Heartbreakers
6) The Grateful Dead

 

I didn't see the Hawks in 66 but did see the 1974 tour and for me it was mostly about just seeing Dylan live when I thought I'd never get the opportunity. By 74 the Band were essentially an oldies act running on auto-pilot. Add copious amounts of cocaine and you got a live album that (even with a large amount of money then youthful hero worship) I thought was almost unlistenable (and the 66 "Royal Albert Hall" recording is one of my two favorite live albums ever).

The Campbell / Sexton / Kemper line-up was superb live and worthy of their own Bootleg Series release.

It's really unfortunate that the line-up with Koella was never officially documented other than a few Bootleg Series tracks. Freddy seemed fearless and that's a big thing when you're playing with Dylan. His playing was really adventurous and at times a real high wire act. Denny Freeman and Stu Kimball on the other hand never lost their "deer in the headlights" looks - Freeman especially. Kimball was just outmatched from the beginning. Probably a really nice guy and a team player (had to be for sticking on as long as he did) but nothing remarkable.

The current band is really outstanding. Lots of space for Bob's (much improved) vocals. They're almost more like a jazz group with the subtle interplay.

The recording of the gospel band in London from the recent BS box (with Steve Ripley added on guitar) really opened my ears. The groove they lay down on Gotta Serve Somebody is ferocious. Really underrated.

I saw thr RTR several times and what stood out to me was Mick Ronson's playing. Very fluid and compelling.

The Campbell / Bucky Baxter band in 1997 was sort of a transition into a golden era for Bob live but had some great shows.

The Heartbreakers were a great fit...for Tom Petty.

 

Say it again for the people in the back.