CJ, I am completely aligned with you, almost to the word. But Dylan's gonna Dylan.
As for me: Stop Making Sense (Talking Heads) is my all-time favorite live album. Not a bad song in the bunch, and some are far better than the original studio versions. It's been on constant rotation in my head (and my ear) since 1984 and that's saying something.
PS There's a 2023 remaster that includes tracks like Cities and I Zimbra, plus Genius of Love from the Tom Tom Club. More Tina Weymouth is never a bad thing.
Oh Liz, you are going to love this season! Mitch and I went to see Start Making Sense (the official Talking Heads Tribute Band) back in March and, not to put too fine a point on it, they were awesome! Dude came out with the boom box and the cassette tape, donned the oversized suit jacket and blew us away. The woman doing Tina's part was excellent and she and the other woman back-up singer covered the Tom Tom Club as well. We were inspired! If you get the chance, see them at an intimate venue near you.
Chris Frantz yelling "Who dat? James Brown!" delights me every single time. It's up there with "Does anyone remember laughter" and "Edge, play the blues" in the pantheon of concert banter.
I was wondering what happened to you. I am looking forward to a fresh new season of EON. The Rolling Thunder Review tour was a mess and this album takes what was salvageable from it. I know you guys are old dogs, more prone to reviewing music from before 1985 - like Live at Leeds, but might I suggest you look forward and consider Wilco's Kicking Television: Live in Chicago?
There must be the generational divide at EONS because I've pitched a ton of records from the 90s and 2000s, including Sky Blue Sky, which made it into the HOF!
We did Sky Blue Sky way back when. Great band. As far as RTR, I liked the documentary about it, and thought (take this with a grain of salt) Dylan’s live vocals never sounded better.
With all the official Dylan bootlegs available, I haven't listened to this in a while. The performance really swings. If I were to dance to a live Dylan album, this might be the one. "Real Live" from the '80s is also a solid rocking live Dylan album.
After re-listening to "Hard Rain" just now, I probably won't give it another spin for at least another 10 years. Or I might just pick one from the other dozens.
It's great to see you guys back! This was a nice surprise.
As for the record, I think I'm on #TeamMitch here. Fair point about balancing what you love vs objectivity, but I just can't get past the idea that you go to a Dylan show so you can say you've done it, versus going for the *experience.*
At this point, I wonder if people think he's great 'cause he actually is, or 'cause we've been told to think that for our entire lives. Saying you don't like Dylan is guaranteed to summon a boomer out of the ether who will then deliver a stentorian lecture on how you have failed at life.
Dylan definitely has a hardcore, obsessive fanbase that is there for the music. CJ and I used to work with a guy who would listen to every single show from the (still) Neverending Tour back when it was much harder to do so. He would notice every small detail - changes in setlist, tweaks in arrangements, everything. I would criticize him, but I do the same thing with Goose. One show in 1989 was enough live Dylan for me.
Great to see EONS back, I’ve missed reading you guys! Great writeups of an album I’ve never heard before. I’ve never been much of a Dylan fan (outside of Infidels, which I love) so I probably wouldn’t even have to hear the album before giving it a hard pass, but I do appreciate the passion of those arguing in favor.
Not sure whether it’s your jam, but Bob Marley and the Wailers “Babylon By Bus” is certainly one of my favorite live albums
Glad to see a new installment! Bob Dylan is arguably my favorite artist, but I never liked this album much. It was recorded late in the tour and I think the musicians were tired at that point. In fact, I always had a negative view of the RTR because of that album, and when Scorcese released the documentary a few years ago, I wasn't sure what I would think. But I had to watch it, because, well, I had to, and it was phenomenal! The music early on in the tour was great and the energy was awesome. Curious whether any of you have seen the movie. It's on Netflix.
That was a terrific read. While I loved (and still admire) 'Blood on the Tracks', I passed on the chance to see Dylan perform during this period, based on reports that he was wearing the kabuki pancake and not facing the audience.
I'd posit that Bobby was going through a very rough time in 75-76. His marriage had broken up, which is largely why we have the gem that is Blood on the Tracks, and he'd been rejecting audiences clamoring for his greatest hits for years. I don't condone turning your back on the people who paid to see you, but I can understand it...sort of.
And yet you can hear people screaming for "Lay, Lady, Lay" (which he played). That's like going to a Jefferson Starship concert and clamoring for "We Built This City."
CJ, I am completely aligned with you, almost to the word. But Dylan's gonna Dylan.
As for me: Stop Making Sense (Talking Heads) is my all-time favorite live album. Not a bad song in the bunch, and some are far better than the original studio versions. It's been on constant rotation in my head (and my ear) since 1984 and that's saying something.
PS There's a 2023 remaster that includes tracks like Cities and I Zimbra, plus Genius of Love from the Tom Tom Club. More Tina Weymouth is never a bad thing.
Oh Liz, you are going to love this season! Mitch and I went to see Start Making Sense (the official Talking Heads Tribute Band) back in March and, not to put too fine a point on it, they were awesome! Dude came out with the boom box and the cassette tape, donned the oversized suit jacket and blew us away. The woman doing Tina's part was excellent and she and the other woman back-up singer covered the Tom Tom Club as well. We were inspired! If you get the chance, see them at an intimate venue near you.
Chris Frantz yelling "Who dat? James Brown!" delights me every single time. It's up there with "Does anyone remember laughter" and "Edge, play the blues" in the pantheon of concert banter.
Wow! Count me in for the next show!
I was wondering what happened to you. I am looking forward to a fresh new season of EON. The Rolling Thunder Review tour was a mess and this album takes what was salvageable from it. I know you guys are old dogs, more prone to reviewing music from before 1985 - like Live at Leeds, but might I suggest you look forward and consider Wilco's Kicking Television: Live in Chicago?
There must be the generational divide at EONS because I've pitched a ton of records from the 90s and 2000s, including Sky Blue Sky, which made it into the HOF!
We did Sky Blue Sky way back when. Great band. As far as RTR, I liked the documentary about it, and thought (take this with a grain of salt) Dylan’s live vocals never sounded better.
I think you'd get two, maybe three, EONS members to consider pitching Wilco.
With all the official Dylan bootlegs available, I haven't listened to this in a while. The performance really swings. If I were to dance to a live Dylan album, this might be the one. "Real Live" from the '80s is also a solid rocking live Dylan album.
After re-listening to "Hard Rain" just now, I probably won't give it another spin for at least another 10 years. Or I might just pick one from the other dozens.
It's great to see you guys back! This was a nice surprise.
As for the record, I think I'm on #TeamMitch here. Fair point about balancing what you love vs objectivity, but I just can't get past the idea that you go to a Dylan show so you can say you've done it, versus going for the *experience.*
At this point, I wonder if people think he's great 'cause he actually is, or 'cause we've been told to think that for our entire lives. Saying you don't like Dylan is guaranteed to summon a boomer out of the ether who will then deliver a stentorian lecture on how you have failed at life.
Dylan definitely has a hardcore, obsessive fanbase that is there for the music. CJ and I used to work with a guy who would listen to every single show from the (still) Neverending Tour back when it was much harder to do so. He would notice every small detail - changes in setlist, tweaks in arrangements, everything. I would criticize him, but I do the same thing with Goose. One show in 1989 was enough live Dylan for me.
Great to see EONS back, I’ve missed reading you guys! Great writeups of an album I’ve never heard before. I’ve never been much of a Dylan fan (outside of Infidels, which I love) so I probably wouldn’t even have to hear the album before giving it a hard pass, but I do appreciate the passion of those arguing in favor.
Not sure whether it’s your jam, but Bob Marley and the Wailers “Babylon By Bus” is certainly one of my favorite live albums
Great pick. “Babylon by Bus” is an excellent album.
Glad to see a new installment! Bob Dylan is arguably my favorite artist, but I never liked this album much. It was recorded late in the tour and I think the musicians were tired at that point. In fact, I always had a negative view of the RTR because of that album, and when Scorcese released the documentary a few years ago, I wasn't sure what I would think. But I had to watch it, because, well, I had to, and it was phenomenal! The music early on in the tour was great and the energy was awesome. Curious whether any of you have seen the movie. It's on Netflix.
I’ve seen it. Loved it. I thought it was a great look both behind and in front of the curtain.
That was a terrific read. While I loved (and still admire) 'Blood on the Tracks', I passed on the chance to see Dylan perform during this period, based on reports that he was wearing the kabuki pancake and not facing the audience.
I am starting to think I was wrong.
Mitch wears the kabuki, but he still totally engages with the audience.
Listen, the face powder really cuts down on the redness and I just prefer loose garments that flow.
I'd posit that Bobby was going through a very rough time in 75-76. His marriage had broken up, which is largely why we have the gem that is Blood on the Tracks, and he'd been rejecting audiences clamoring for his greatest hits for years. I don't condone turning your back on the people who paid to see you, but I can understand it...sort of.
And yet you can hear people screaming for "Lay, Lady, Lay" (which he played). That's like going to a Jefferson Starship concert and clamoring for "We Built This City."
So good to be back in the thunderdome.
4 men enter. 4 men leave, go about their business and then return the following week.