Peaking on my Dylan obsession

[mpolak21]

What I said wasn't really directed at you. I get what you're doing and I think it's important but I think it's more important for the community that newer users feel welcomed. This board can be kind of intimidating with all the cliques and what not. I don't think it's fair that someone's topic gets called "annoying" because everyone decided to ignore the posters main question and talk about something that's been discussed recently. Not that I have a problem with anyone here or anything.

 

My "annoying" comment was more directed at the tone junkiesmile took his "obsession with the past" comment, which I found clever, yet unnecessarily snarky. Unfortunately, I worded this reply very poorly and it came across as me saying the entire thread was annoying, which I don't find it to be. We do talk a lot about Dylan on this particular board, but after re-reading the original post the primary purpose for this thread seems to be discussing being obsessed with an artists music, with Dylan used as an example, and as someone who once listened to Blonde on Blonde for 14 hours straight, it has my endorsement.

 

--Mike

[TCP]

Awe, congrats! That's a lovely name for a little girl. I'd like to name my kids after The Beatles and if I end up having an accidental child, he will be named Ringo.

Just kidding.

 

 

 

Glad to see we're all on the same page and the friendly lovin' can resume!!

That's the most emoticons I'll ever use in one post, I promise.

[junkiesmile]

My "annoying" comment was more directed at the tone junkiesmile took his "obsession with the past" comment, which I found clever, yet unnecessarily snarky. Unfortunately, I worded this reply very poorly and it came across as me saying the entire thread was annoying, which I don't find it to be. We do talk a lot about Dylan on this particular board, but after re-reading the original post the primary purpose for this thread seems to be discussing being obsessed with an artists music, with Dylan used as an example, and as someone who once listened to Blonde on Blonde for 14 hours straight, it has my endorsement.

 

--Mike

I haven't been posting long. This is actually the first forum I've ever posted on. Normally body language and tone of voice soften the blow of my smartassyness. I'll have to remember that couldn't possibly apply here.

[LouieB]

Sorry but it just bothers me that there's a group of people on this forum who are all on a first name basis and sometimes it seems like they ignore posts written by newcomers... definitely not saying Analogman is one of those people and I'm not saying you are either but... well, I remember what it was like when I first started posting here regularly.

Actually even old timers like A-man and I get ignored just as often as you do. You can't expect everyone to share your enthusiasm for everything, particularly since some of us have been Dylan obsessed since maybe before you were born. If you are really looking for total acceptance you should start a myspace or facebook and go with that.

 

I haven't been posting long. This is actually the first forum I've ever posted on. Normally body language and tone of voice soften the blow of my smartassyness. I'll have to remember that couldn't possibly apply here.

Don't you know.....everyone here has found that words written on the internet can be taken the wrong way. It is just how it goes. Internet postings are written quickly and sometimes in the heat of emotion and posted immediately. How many words and phrases and opinions do we all wish we hadn't written (you should have been here during the 2004 election.) You can't take them back you can only learn from your mistakes.

 

LouieB

[LouieB]

Ok then, do me a favour and find me one other topic in the last 6 months or in the first 5 pages about musical obsession with just one artist.

Sorry I dumped this comment from my last reply to you. I now know that you are 20 and truly were NOT born when I got MY Dylan obsession and you certainly have not read through very much of the old threads here either youngblood.

 

Before you make such a snap judgement go back and read through some posts that ARE about personal obsessions I start one about every few weeks because I have different obsessions than some people here. In fact I am about to go find some of the threads that few if anyone responded to because I love talking to myself about those obsessions.

 

Actually VCers have a fairly long list of obsessions and some of them crop up here with an amazing regularity. We tolerate obsessions pretty well, although at times they become boring. As mentioned earlier, see the recent Gram Parsons thread which is practically identical to this one. About every two months someone is getiting obsessed with Gram, Ryan Adams, Ray Davies, Brian Wilson, Nick Drake etc. etc. There are days I do want to scream when I read the newest Pet Sounds is the greatest album ever made thread or isn't Ray Davies the greatest songwriter who ever lived. There are literally thousands of recording artists (and some who have never been recorded or lightly recorded) to talk about. We talk about them all, but all music fans are opinionated and sometimes we are opinionated just to piss off other opinionated people.

 

So chill out and try and enjoy the internet. There wasn't one before you were born. We are all lucky now that there is.

 

LouieB

[Skian]

Hard Rain - Album, CD or DVD. Idiot Wind will blow you away and take Shelter From the Storm.

[LouieB]

Hard Rain - Album, CD or DVD. Idiot Wind will blow you away and take Shelter From the Storm.

I had no idea Hard Rain was actually out on DVD. I had to watch it on TV and have never seen it since.

 

LouieB

[Skian]

I had no idea Hard Rain was actually out on DVD. I had to watch it on TV and have never seen it since.

 

LouieB

 

I found it back in my bootleg trading days. Both the outdoor show from Fort Collins (aired on NBC back in 1976) and the indoor show that never aired. Worth seeking out.

[Analogman]

I have seen it on Youtube - along with out takes. I think I have also seen a cleaned up version up at Tape City.

[mountain bed]

as for Good as i been to you, thats a great. its more upbeat than World gone wrong and hasd some of his best acoustic playing. check out Step it up and go - its claimned that the abum was recorded live, with no overdubs, but i'm convinced that song has a 2nd guitar. if not, Dylan sure can play his acoustic guitar

Man, do I ever love that record. It has some of Bob's best guitar work for sure. Plus, I don't think there's a song on there I don't like.

 

Anyway - I know you like that one Mende for the last tune on the record.

[LouieB]

I found it back in my bootleg trading days. Both the outdoor show from Fort Collins (aired on NBC back in 1976) and the indoor show that never aired. Worth seeking out.

Yea, I didn't think it had been issued as a non-boot. I think I would rather remember it in my mind. I remember the wacky headscarves (I was at a show where Hamilton Camp was both dissing that and saying how cool it was at the same time.) and alot of swooping camera work.

 

I still have the TV Guide from that period with an interview with Dylan in it.

 

LouieB

[TCP]

You're missing my entire point. All I'm trying to get across is that while watching out for commonly posted topics IS important (and I'm also trying to stress that this thread is arguably not commonly posted since the OP was just inquiring on if he's the only one who gets really into one artist at the time) I feel it's more important to make newer users feel welcomed. But I guess I'm alone on that. Either way, you had to bring up the fact that I'm 20, which I don't really see what that has to do with anything so I'm done with this thread before I say something even colder then that.

[Synthesizer Patel]

ok, obsess over this! the bootleg series volume 8, out in September; a partial track list:

 

2 disc cd set

total unknown number of songs (more that 15 are brand new songs, others are alternate versions)

 

CD1 (1989

[LouieB]

You're missing my entire point. All I'm trying to get across is that while watching out for commonly posted topics IS important (and I'm also trying to stress that this thread is arguably not commonly posted since the OP was just inquiring on if he's the only one who gets really into one artist at the time) I feel it's more important to make newer users feel welcomed. But I guess I'm alone on that. Either way, you had to bring up the fact that I'm 20, which I don't really see what that has to do with anything so I'm done with this thread before I say something even colder then that.

Actually I am not missing the point at all. In fact we seem to be going along with this pretty well. We are talking about our obsessions as well. Bringing up the fact that you are 20 is not exactly fair, I suppose, but the point is that young people like yourselves are entitled to your obsessions since we have all been 20 and been obsessed about something that others were obsessed about in the past. None of this new, don't you know?? At least you should appreciate some of the humor here. Bob Dylan isn't 20 anymore himself. He has been a musician for nearly half a century, with dozens of albums and more money than god (pick a god...) . You don't think there have been millions upon millions of young people obsessed with Bob Dylan? That was the joke comrade. If you can't take a bit of fairly good humored ribbing here you won't last long. My goodness some of us here were doing the internet before you were born as well. That is simply a fact. I get obsessed by artists who were DEAD before I was born and just for the record that is nearly SIX decades ago. What the hell, more than a few people here have Coltrane obesssions (including me) and I was 17 when the guy died. I never even heard of him when he was alive really, because I simply wasn't that hip. Say whatever you want that you feel is "cold", believe me I have heard it.

 

None of us are intending to be mean. Read a few more threads, see how really really nasty people can get here and you will realize this is just a bit of ribbing not downright nastiness. Read the other Dylan thread (and the probably dozens of others just like it...do a search) and you will see we love talking about Bob Dylan. But don't act like you invented a Bob Dylan obesssion. Most of us are decades into ours...

 

LouieB

[mountain bed]

This place is like Mayberry or Leave It To Beaver compared to other boards. Some places are simply brutal (I won't name them).

[junkiesmile]

But don't act like you invented a Bob Dylan obesssion

I'm the one who started this thread about obsession. I think Dr. Canuck was just defending it. I don't believe anyone said anything about inventing obsession. Is the gospel Dylan stuff any good? I know Serve Somebody is good and I liked John Doe's cover of Pressing on. Just curious.

[LouieB]

I'm the one who started this thread about obsession. I think Dr. Canuck was just defending it. I don't believe anyone said anything about inventing obsession. Is the gospel Dylan stuff any good? I know Serve Somebody is good and I liked John Doe's cover of Pressing on. Just curious.

You can't live without it. Get Gotta Serve Somebody, Saved, and Shot of Love now. All of them are better than Bringing it Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde.

 

LouieB

[Analogman]

I don't think I could agree with that - although, I only own Shot of Love. That starts the period of Dylan albums I don't own (yet). I am not to eager to hear him sings songs about JC - and the bullshit he went on about during that time.

[mpolak21]

I haven't been posting long. This is actually the first forum I've ever posted on. Normally body language and tone of voice soften the blow of my smartassyness. I'll have to remember that couldn't possibly apply here.

 

Don't worry about, dude. That's one of the downsides of internet communication, no matter how many emoticons or quirky interwebs lingo people toss in to their posts, it's hard to really control the context by which people take what is typed up there.

 

Anyway, I am a big fan of the '66 tour. This is probably my favorite non-commercial Dylan release worth checking out http://www.bobsboots.com/cds/cd-j03.html. Along with any of the Basement Tape sessions you can find out there. If you can torrent or even have a decent internet connection and don't mind MP3's, you should be able to find quite a bit by just searching for a bit on google.

 

--Mike

[Analogman]

Speaking of Dylan cds - anyone ever bought all of those Hybrid-SACD re-masters?

 

I never did - as I own almost all the pre-re-master Dylan cds and I figured it would too costly to replace them all - I bought almost all of them new for $8.99 each.

[froggie]

Anyway - I know you like that one Mende for the last tune on the record.

 

yeah, i dont mind that last tune!. even tweedy gave it a go once.

 

 

 

as for Hard rain, its on bootleg dvd. there's also a video of the rehearsals of the tour with the following tunes:

 

Starlight Ballroom, Belleview Hotel, Clearwater, Florida (April 22, 1976):

- Mr. Tambourine Man

- The Times They Are A-Changin'

- Blowin' In The Wind

- I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine

- Silver Mantis

- When I Paint My Masterpiece

- Like A Rolling Stone

- Isis

- Just Like A Woman

- Knockin' On Heaven's Door

- Lay Lady Lay

[Analogman]

I forgot about this place:

 

The Unofficial Bob Dylan Free Library

Information Desk

[junkiesmile]

You can't live without it. Get Gotta Serve Somebody, Saved, and Shot of Love now. All of them are better than Bringing it Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde.

 

LouieB

Are you pulling my leg a bit LB?

[LouieB]

Are you pulling my leg a bit LB?

Just a touch...

 

To people who are religious these albums are the best thing Dylan ever did, so clearly it depends on who you talk to. Are you into Christian rock? If so Slow Train Comin is a classic, well produced, got some great songs, and was a landmark in Dylan's career. While the sound on Saved is less than perfect maybe you want the hard core gospel stuff and you will find it there, including Pressing On. And Shot of Love has some decent songs and is slightly less hardcore religion wise. On all of them the sound is full and gospel quality.

 

I mean people will tell you all kinds of stuff about any record and everyone has their favorites for whatever reason. I mean someone said the recording on Another Side is not good. I don't hear that at all. I think Under the Red Sky is horrid, someone else came on here and defended it but said Empire Burlesque sucks. I think part of Empire Burlesque is okay. I personally like Self Portrait, but others hate it. Someone actually said awhile back they like Dylan, a cobbled together album Columbia released when he went to Asylum. It's crap but if you have everything else there is interesting stuff on it I suppose, not unlike Self Portrait, which is totally spotty.

 

I own every Dylan album, not because I listen to them all, but because I have a long term Dylan obession myself. But to say that some of it is better than the stuff you already listen to, I don't know that for sure and neither does anyone else. Times are a Changin is a great album, it has early protest stuff and poems on the cover and When the Ship Comes in which I love and the song Times they are a changin, which was an important song in its time. Hell I even like the first album alot. Does that mean you should buy it? No, buy what you may want to listen to. There are even defenders of Down in the Groove and Knocked out Loaded. I like Dylan and the Dead, but some people hate it. I think Desire is over-rated, but I like it too. I like Infidels, I like Street Legal alot. I think the two folk albums from the 90s are good, but the real music he is covering is so so much better. Get them and then collect the real thing.

 

I like Modern Times and I like Love and Theft better than Time out of Mind, because I think TOOM has too many blues on autopilot on it.

 

You get on a website, even one with Wilco fans who we all know are infallible and you are going to get a wide range of opinions. The only way to know for sure if you like something is to want to like it and then hear it. I mean people here love My Morning Jacket; I just don't hear it. People here love Ryan Adams; he is an okay musician but if I never seen him that is okay too. I love the Waco Brothers, but people here couldn't care less. I like lots of things that no one gives a shit about. So it goes.

 

LouieB

[Analogman]

I think Desire may be the one I listen to the most - at least in the last couple of years. When I was 15 or 16, it was Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde On Blonde.

 

That's the great thing about his work - there is an album there for every age. Sometimes, I just listen to the beginning of Like a Rolling Stone - because it so moving. I mean - you hear that snare crack, and you always know what song it is. I have lived Dylan songs in real life - which is not always a good thing.