The gunshot
snare drum at the start of Bob Dylan's Like
A Rolling Stone; the distinctive two-note dance that underscores Miles Davis's
So What; the unearthly howl and hum
of Blind Willie Johnson on Dark Was the
Night, Cold Was the Ground; the electrifying saxophone solo that lights up
the middle section of Bruce Spingsteen's Born
To Run....The thing that binds these varies sounds together is that they
were all- for better or worse captured for posterity by Colombia Records.
It was
Dylan's success that made John Hammond a rock star of A & R. Without Hammond's discoveries, it's hard to envisage Colombia being
anything like the beacon of American artistry it has become.
Today the
label is mighty mix of heritage artists and unit shifting pop behemoths such as
Adele and Beyonce. It has also expanded cannily into television, bringing music
from programmes such as Britain's
Got Talent and Glee to the listening public.
'There's so much music out there, labels
sort it out for you - they're the gatekeepers - and Colombia is still on of the biggest.
They're not the only ones who do that any more, but they bring you into contact
with people you should be listening to. You need that - we all need that.'
360 Sound: The Colombia Record Story By Sean
Wilentz
Bob Dylan -
'Tempest' (tracks Scarlet
Town, Soon After
Midnight, Long and Wasted Years.)
The XX -
Coexist/ Mumford - Babel/
Muse - The 2nd Law/ Lucy Rose - Like I Used to/ Jerry Douglas - Traveller / Plan
B - Ill Manors (She Said,)
Douglas's album include a version of The Boxer with Mumford and Paul Simon no
less. Also the lovely vocal of Allison Krauss on a song. Sitting alongside Douglas's exuberant dubro playing this all sounds
excellent!
Dylan at 71
continues to surprise us! : )Dylan has
written a track for his friend John in his latest album "Tempest"
entitled "Roll On John".....for his friend John Lennon …. Dylan
shows, through the prism of a broken heart, how the living carry the memory of those
who have gone — and how that, in some small way, keeps these lost loved ones
walking among us." [by Nick DeRiso -- excerpted from "something
else".]Bob Dylan's new album
TEMPEST is available everywhere today. Download now athttp://smarturl.it/tempestitunes
Today the Industry would put Bob Dylan, Sandy Denny, Rab Noakes, Paul Simon – all the great legends and outstanding talents of the 60s and have them in ‘backrooms’ studios to write for singers such as – Frankie this, or Johnny that, or Elvis shake your hips – so they can sing ( as Dick Gaughan put it) about what it is like at summer camp – I despair!
Fortunately in the 60s there was more creative freedom, and artists were able to stand up for what they believed in. There were several reasons for this –
There was a lot more money in the music industry; bands played at club nights and social venues; solo artists played residencies at bars and clubs.
I know there still are wonderful venues in places like London (the Troubadour, Bedford, RegalRoom, ) and Glasgow (Oran Mor, King Tuts, Nice n Sleazys ) and there are still many promoters who care about independent music.
My son’s band played recently at a ‘Grease the movie’ party and had so much fun covering those classic songs of the 70s. They also played some Motown and such great bass lines for him to play. They played an 8 song set and everyone was dancing and having a great time. After the DJ set came back on and it was so dull by comparison to the ‘live’ band. They could easily have played for longer. I told my son that’s what it was like at the clubs back when. There would be a DJ in one room and a live band in another room. The live band was so much better ( well usually) than the DJ.
It’s all about a fast profit today though and DJs are so much cheaper - and all the cheap club nights now.
The sad thing is now bands feel its’ a performance with the audience standing to listen. When I saw Aloe Blacc here last year – he attempted to make a path in the audience for those who wished to dance. Folk singers used to simply play in bars while ‘audiences or rather customers simply sat and chatted. It was all less rigid and formal – it’s all so formal now. I’m talking here about learning the craft of live music. Once a band or artist is established and people pay to hear them, that’s a different ball game. It seems that developing artists now spend much less of their time playing live.
It is just as well there were guys like John Hammond who was willing to take a risk with Dylan - after all he didn't look or sound quite right but he had charisma.Now the music industry simply can't afford to take any risks, its too expensive. That's why it is important that we support independent music.
I listen to young artists today and many lack any substance behind their songs.
John Hammond was an American record producer, Civil Rights activist, non-musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s. In his service as a Talent scout, Hammond became one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music. Hammond was instrumental in sparking or furthering numerous musical careers, including those ofBenny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Count Bassie, Pete Seeger, Aretha Franklin,George Benson, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, He was largely responsible for the revival of delta blues artist Robert Johnson's music (who was a big influence on Dylan) .He also strived for racial integration, not only in the musical frontier but in the United States in general.
Dylan revisited his favourite sons and as the familiar song refrains start it's like going home again.
I went with my guitarist son, and he was nearly as overwhelmed as I was! Dylan performed more than I expected. At the SECC Glasgow in 2006 we were further back and all I remember was Dylan hunched over the keyboards. Happily for this gig he even smiled a few times as he faced the audience at the mic for several songs when he squatted slightly and seemed to enjoy himself. It is simply inspiring to hear and see him live...
I noticed the admiration and awe of his band as they strove to embrace his music. His lead guitarist lent forward towards Dylan at the keyboards as if to draw from his wisdom. His band did excellent work of expressing the songs.
I could feel the reverence of the crowd at the front and this is serious business being a Dylan fan! Few are drinking. Most have travelled to many Dylan gigs - and have seen him ten or twelve times at least. One fan beside me saw him in the 60s at the Edinburgh Playhouse when Dylan was 24 and had just gone rocky. And yes he was seventy too, the same age as Dylan is now.
Highlights Songs - Full Set List below. Songs: It Ain't Me Babe, Tangled Up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate, Desolation Row. For his encore Dylan sang Like a Rolling Stone, and All Along The Watchtower. Mark Knopfler supported (think Dire Straits and Money for Nothing ) and he gave a very capable performance. I'm not sure what it is like supporting a master craftsman like Dylan and many artists of any calibre must feel second rate.
Dylan's songs and stories tell of the contradictions in life as they hit reality square in the face with his hard-hitting lyrics, voice and tunes. When he moved from Duluth Iowa to Greenwich village New York, Dylan soaked up many diverse influences for his music. Dylan has piercing eyes and a cracking, scorched voice just like the blues singer Robert Johnston he so admires.
He takes us to the other side of his songs. Perhaps we hope he might take us to that promised land? Going to see Dylan live is like a pilgrimage and you meet many other dedicated disciples on the way there and on the way back. You either get Dylan or you don't - and you have to go to him he doesn't come to you.
None of the usual descriptions can really apply to Dylan. Music is his life. How can I possibly write that his lyrics are colourful or deep when these words sound such simple clichés. Dylan has opened my eyes, perhaps he shows us the promised land is possible.
It is wonderful to be alive in the time of a poet like Bob Dylan. A comment from Rab Noakes -
'I can't imagine my life without Dylan in it.' Bob was on great form last night. Good-natured, good song-choices, good band esp Charlie Sexton.'
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There is a site for Dylan's set lists and lyrics (thanks to the fan beside me told me about) called boblinks. - http://www.boblinks.com/
Set List
1.Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat (Bob on keyboard)
2.It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on keyboard)
3.Things Have Changed (Bob center stage with harp)
4.Tangled Up In Blue (Bob center stage with harp)
5.Cold Irons Bound (Bob center stage with harp)
6.Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob on guitar)
7.Honest With Me (Bob center stage with harp)
8.Desolation Row (Bob on keyboard)
9.Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
10.Blind Willie McTell (Bob center stage with harp)
11.Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard)
12.Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage with harp)
(encore)
13.Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
14.All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard)
Band Members
Bob Dylan - guitar, keyboard, harp
Tony Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums Stu Kimball - rhythm guitar
Charlie Sexton - lead guitar
Donnie Herron - electric mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel
'It is not about the quality of his voice, it is about the songs. I love the attitude in his voice.'
My journey with Bob Dylan never ceases to surprise me!
I saw Dylan live at the SECC Glasgow in 2006 with my son Ross who was then 16, came with me. The wonderful thing was it was all kinds of people, all ages and all walks of life in the audience - everyman. When Dylan came on stage with his band there was no introduction by him ( or anyone!) - he simply strode on stage and started to play. Well I guess he doesn't need to introduce himself!
Many learn the skills, however the real test and important challenging part of being an artist is having something to say to others. He was always on that artistic journey and probably still is. He soaked up many other artists particularly Woodie Guthrie and after reading the poems of Dylan Thomas he then changed his name from Zimmerman to Dylan. With Guthrie he found the persona and image he was looking for - the travelling questioning troubadour. As well as questioning songs he also wrote some of the most insightful love songs ever.
His song 'Mr Tambourine Man play a song for me' - I feel expressed his joy of art and music and how that wonderful positive side of life lifts us up and is what matters ultimately.
Dylan cares deeply about the ills of the world, and he expressed this so clearly in his song 'Masters of War' which talks of the corruption and greed by those who 'play with my world like it's your little toy...all the money you make will not buy back your soul.. You aren't worth the blood that runs in your veins.''
And that his words of love might help to balance that by exposing their 'evil' and negative ways.
The beauty of Dylan is he attacks those darker shades of humanity head on! No avoidance there! That's important too. I've wondered what young troubadour is there today that writes as insightfully about our present problems?
I started to seriously listen to Dylan after watching Martin Scorsese's informed documentary 'No Direction Home'. After which I read his incredible autobiography 'Chronicles' which revealed some of his artistic journeys - a complete eye opener.
Since then I've bought many Dylan albums. My favourite Dylan Albums are 'Blood on the Tracks', 'HighWay 61 Revisted' ,' Nashville Skyline', 'Blonde on Blonde', 'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan'.
'Some' of my favourite Dylan songs. 'Mr Tambourine Man', 'Forever Young',
'I Threw it All Away' , 'Just like Tom Thumb Blues', 'Tonight I'll be Staying Here With You', It Takes a Lot to Laugh; It Takes a Lot To Cry', 'Tell Me It Isn't True', 'Visions of Joanna', 'Gotta Serve Somebody', 'Like A Rolling Stone', 'Jokerman', 'Shelter From The Storm', 'Lay Lady Lay', 'Tangled Up in Blue.' http://www.bobdylan.com/
And not forgetting my favourite album cover ever on 'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan' of Bob Dylan and Suzie on that snowy New York street, I love the perspective and feel of it. I also love the Forever Young images by Douglas Gilbert. Happy 70th Birthday Bob, May 2011! - he continues on that artistic journey of his...
In a sense Bob Dylan is now a part of my life...
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A Few Quotes on Dylan:
'His talent lies in finding and exploiting the tough contours that give the songs their bite, and that in his best moments can be devastating.'
Dylan embodies cool. Wheras Farina is clearly anxious to please, to fit in. Farina was all, 'Look at me - here I am dig me! ' Dylan was like, 'Look all you want. You'll never see me.'
'His album 'Highway 61' has a feeling of a Buick speeding down the thruway. Wheras Farina's experiments in new folk-rock sound suggest a man perched uncomfortably on a kiddy car. .. dated and ill at ease with itself.'
Like few performers before him, it creates a space that remains entirely its' own, that forces you to remember it, to notice it, that invites you in even while holding you at a safe distance.
His delivery avoid the obvious emotional stretches (just listen to most covers of his songs to hear how much is lost by overplaying them) veering into a less expected inflection at the turn of a syllable.
'Part of his ability, almost paradoxically comes from the nearly effortless quality of Dylan's vocals, a quasi-deadpan that knows not to overplay emotion, but rather to let it insinuate itself through the lines.' Mark Polizzotti ( Highway 61 Revisited)
