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Submission courtesy of dorio
Artist: Bob Dylan
Album: Blonde On blonde
Colombia/sony music.
First vinyl release: May 16 - 1966. Lots of CD reeditions: best one is Sony Millenium Edition: 1999 (SACD Remastering)
Personel
Bob Dylan (vocals/guitar/harmonica/piano),
Charlie McCoy (bass/guitar/trumpet/harmonica),
Wayne Moss (guitar/vocals),
Kenneth A Buttrey (drums),
Hargus Robbins (piano/keyboards),
Jerry Kennedy (guitar),
Joe South (Guitar),
Al Kooper ( various),
Bill Aikins (keyboards),
Henry Strzelecki (bass),
Jaime (Robbie) Robertson (guitar)
We are in 1966 and Dylan begins the recordings of Blonde 0n Blonde: he is aware of his position. Boosted by the single "Like a Rolling Stone" his career was taking off. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. were up in the charts thanks to their singles "Paperback Writer" and "Paint It Black" respectively.
So Dylan decides to stay sometimes in Nashville (Tennessee) because of his US tour interruption, to record an album (that was originally intended to be a single album) Just like for "highway 61 revisited" Dylan wanted to find back what he liked to call: that "savage mercury sound". An uninterrupted dialogue between an Hammond organ and an electric guitar. Like in the previous album the organist will be Al Kooper who was himself at the highest of his creativity.
But, on the other hand Dylan decided to change his guitarist. He decided to replace Michael Bloomfield for the Canadian jaime "robbie" Robertson who had played with him live. Mike Bloomfield was a kind of American Clapton whereas Robertson was a rocker, a rhythm breaker, a melody sawyer. He will bring a ferocious acidity to the project...
The band joe South (guitar) charlie McCoy (harmonica) wayne Moss (bass) and kenny Buttrey (drums) were all veterans and one unique working pattern was taking place; in his hotel room, Dylan explained his ideas to Al Kooper. One piano is brought up to the room, and Al Kooper plays and replays his melodies again and again. "Like if I was one cassette" he will recall years later in his memories "backstage pass".
Meanwhile, Dylan polished his lyrics, and Kooper would run to the studio to warm up the band, so when Dylan arrives his new recorded songs are played. In a few days, that strange band will record tracks like "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" an 11 minutes track concentrated on poetry dedicated by Dylan to his new girl friend Sarah.
Strangely the last recorded song will be the opening track of what had now become a double album "Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35" with it's funny lyrics (everybody must get stoned) That song will start enough controversies to become one of the keys to the Dylan legend.
Two other gems will climb the American and British charts; "I Want You" (top20) " Just Like a Woman" (top 40)... In "Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat" Dylan is at the highest of his sarcasm and he will even play a solo in it with his Telecaster. In "4th Time Around" Dylan follows the path opened by the Beatles wih songs like Norvegian Wood.
But it's when he comes back to the blues that Dylan is at his best; "Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" he'd let his imagination run free with his endless word's reservoir and his gallery of unforgetables characters.
April 7 1966 - Bob Dylan flies to Hawaii to start a 24 dates world tour that will bring him to Australia, Sueden, France, and the UK. Three months later, the news of his bike accident (near Woodstock) will hit the world. It's the crash. Dylan, will never be the same again (Now rumour has It that there had never been a bike accident Dylan wanted to get rid of his manager by allowing the rumours to spread. I don't know whether It's true though.
Blonde On Blonde, is regularly be voted 2nd best album of ALL times, by rock-critics just behind "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Trask-listing:
Rainy Day Woman #12&35
Absolutely Sweet Marie
Fourth Time Around
I Want You
Just Like a Woman
Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat
Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (and i'll go mine)
Obviously 5 Believers
One Of Us Must Know (sooner or later)
Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
Visions Of Johanna
MultiQuote
