Bob Dylan: Blonde On Blonde

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 at their highest 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" 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 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 good old city on Nashville, offered uniques musicians. But they were not very impressed by Dylan and his clique; joe South (guitar) charlie Mc coy (harmonica) wayne Moss (bass) and kenny Buttrey(drums) they were all veterans and will later form a band call area code 615.

The thing was they simply refused to jam in studio, waiting for Dylan to finish his lyrics, just like he did in New York for those tremendous seances that gave birth to the awesome "Bringing It All Back Home" and "Highway 61 Revisited"...

So, from that simple fact an 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. ad erternam.

"Like if i were a tape" he will recall years later in his memories a boook call "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 and nameless 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 Dylanesque legend ...

Two other gems will climb the Americans 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.

With "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 lets his imagination run free with his endless word's reservoir.

And his gallery of unforgetables characters.The musicians with him will bring an incredible warmth to that song.

Another great track; the very Rock "Most Likely You Go Your Way" (and I'll go mine)

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 planet. 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 wether It's true

Since then, Blonde On Blonde, will regularly be voted 2nd best album of ALL times, by all the world's rock-critics just behind "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" ...