My Personal Favorite
His intensity at these shows is unmatched in my opinion. This is my personal favorite of all the Dylan albums.
Rolling Thunder Noise
Dylan was trying to break out of the traditional concert tour thing that he did to great effect in the 74 tour with The Band. The Rolling Thunder Review was the beginning of the end for a whole lot of us original Dylan fans. He decided to take a bunch of musicians on the road, and re-arrange all of his songs to the point that they were unlistenable. He succeeded. His career has been erratic ever since.
Best live Dylan out there!
I wasn't around in 1975, but if I was, I would've definitely caught one of these shows, because this is an awesome album. If you needed any proof other than Blood on the Tracks that Bob was going through a semi-artistic revival during 1975, this album should be your evidence. Even with a few snippets everyone could do without (a reggae-country version of "It Ain't Me Babe," a synthtastic "Just Like a Woman," a sappy "Mama, You've Been on My Mind" and an even sappier "The Water is Wide"), it's still really, really good. In fact, it's my pick for Bob's best live album. It totally rocks, maybe even harder than the electric half of Live 1966 did. And he sounds angrier than he ever has. You thought he was upset on the studio take on "It's a Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" or "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll?" Well, shimmy on over and give this a listen. And he even makes "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" from a fantastic country song into a fantastic rock song. And "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, it Takes a Train to Cry" reverts to the blues-boogie mode it was in during its earliest stages, which was cool. They also play two-thirds of Desire (but not "Mozambique!" Or "Joey!" YES!!!). There's a high-energy "Isis," a take on "Romance in Durango" without the kitschy Mariachi trumpet, a version of "Oh, Sister" that's probably the exact same thing as the one found on Hard Rain, a good version of "Hurricane" that is inferior to the studio take because it lacks the dramatic acoustic guitar-bongo duet thing, and takes on "One More Cup of Coffee" and "Sara" that sound exactly like the then-unreleased studio versions and therefore rule. There's also a really good acoustic set! He plays "Tangled up in Blue" and "A Simple Twist of Fate," and in both cases switches up the lyrics, to the point where it changes the meaning of "Simple Twist of Fate". That's cool! And he does "I Shall Be Released" using the Band's lyrics. He doesn't dare mess with "Blowin' in the Wind's" lyrics, though. And Bob also closes the whole thing with a lovely version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," with lyrics that are nothing like the original's. All he keeps is the chorus. Awesome! It's a loud, sloppy, spontaneous album in some places, and a soft, thoughtful, spontaneous album in others. Either way, it's fantastic, and everything live Dylan should be. By the way, did you know he was making a film when he was doing the Rolling Thunder tour? It's called Renaldo and Clara, it's supposed to be a mix of drama and concert footage, and it's supposed to suck. Yee-hah! Oh yeah, and everyone from Joan Baez to Mick Ronson to Roger McGuinn shows up somewhere on this album. .
Archival Interview on Bob Dylan and Rolling Thunder
We invited many well-know luminaries to discuss the greatest musical influences over the last decade. On May 17th, 1976 I, Liam Aposeur, Chief Editor of Seering Stone Magazine interviewed Metamorpho as part of a series we were running at the time. Metamorpho, just back from a spiritual speaking tour of Europe, arrived at our office in New York at about 1 o'clock. It was a balmy,bright spring day. Just right for a balmy personality. He was certainly dressed for the occasion, wearing a white linen outfit with matching seer's hat. I admit, a vision of Colonel Saunders entered my mind, which quickly dissipated when he puffed a magikal cigar circle in my direction. This was an indication that he was ready to proceed.
L: How did your tour go this time Metamorpho?
M: Pretty well. My guides kept me out of trouble although, dare I say it?
They tried to get me to party at some bar called The Tabernacle.
L: I think I've heard of that. Didn't Hemingway frequent that place?
M: (Laughing) Yes, in-between watching the Bull Fights. (puffing on cigar).
L: Anyway- today we are here to discuss the musical scene of the past 10
years.
M: Yes,Yes. I have reflected extensively on that topic.
L: And do you have comments for us today?
M: Yes (adjusting seer's hat). Has to be Bob Dylan. He is an artist who
is on my wavelength.
L: Well, you are known as the Seer of a Generation. You do know that?
M: I ignore that. I am not fond of labels. I don't speak for anyone but
myself.
L: Well, people take a liking to what you do. How would you characterize
what you do.
M: A circus clown (Laughing)
L: Not a prophet and visionary of the masses?
M: No. How about a rodeo cowboy with white make-up?
L: That sounds like Bob Dylan on last year's Rolling Thunder Revue.
M: Precisely (flicking a cigar ash).
L: Do you have a comment about that?
M: Well- I did go up to Massachusetts one evening to see it. It was
amazing. He had an entourage of excellent musicians and they played
alot of his songs alot differently than what we've heard before.
L: You mean he reinvented his classics?
M: (looking to the sky for spiritual energy) Oh no. I don't think with
an artist like Dylan you could say that.
L: How so?
M: Well, with any creative process that change is a universal law.
Recreating music is what most people want. Dylan has, and always will,
do what he wants. That is what makes him so special. He's just like me
in many ways.
L: What about the message in the music?
M: Certainly injustice is a theme as in "Hattie Carroll" and "Hurricane".
Also odes to women like "Sara" and "Just Like a Woman".
L: Anything else?
M: (furrows his brow) Yes. With Dylan you get so much. Desolation, deep
emotion, the ache for celebration, the struggle within the soul to be
free. And , of course (bordering on haughtiness) all told with the goal
of eternal truth.
L: But, back to the sound? How did it all sound to you?
M: Well- alot of the songs he did had a different meter and some almost
approaching a waltz I'd say. Many had a country feel to them with
slide guitar. That is most interesting. There were parts of the sound
I didn't expect and, yet, it was a novel and pleasurable experience.
L: How so?
M: You hear, all of a sudden, with new ears.
L: That may anger some devout fans.
M: Dylan doesn't care. Why should he? Besides, the songs he did were very
crafty in their arrangement.
L: Didn't he do any just acoustic songs?
M: Oh yes (peering into the air and laughing- remembering the experience)
He was most effective with "Baby Blue" and "Love Minus Zero". So well
done. Even his duets with Joan Baez had a much different flavor to them
than that totally acoustic concert in 1964.
L: With some of the same songs - aren't they similar?
M: Not at all. That is what makes the Rolling Thunder Revue so special, in
my humble opinion.
L: It's a shame we all couldn't hear this concert. . . . just to judge for
ourselves.
M: Well, (remembering) I do recall a Columbia sound crew there with some
recording equipment.
L: Do you think Bob will release this concert soon? Now you've got me
excited!
M: Hmmmmm. . . . (snuffs out cigar stub). . . I don't know. I have done serious
refection on this, and I did come to a prediction.
L: What? What? Share the prophecy with us! Please Metamorpho?
M: Well. . . . ok. . . . since that was a delicious, well-earned fawning - I must
say. . . .
L: And. . . . . ?
M: (grinning ear to ear-or seer to seer?) We might see a release this
year.
L: Wonderful!!!!!
M: But, if I were Columbia, you know what I'd do?
L: What?
M: Oh. . . . wait about 3 decades to release it. Could you imagine the demand
then?
L: (shrieks and begins to sob). And so we conclude "sniff" our inteview.
M: (offering a white linen hankerchief). . . . . here.
What else can I say but...I wish I had seen the show in person
Live unrehearsed just playing music for people. This is probably one of the best live albums I have had the pleasure to own. .
You can see a complete list of all Bob Dylan discography, or go back to the Bob Dylan tabs
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