freewheelin-on-line take 38
[published online 24 January 2006]
On the basis that the road of excess leads to the Palace of Wisdom, here at Freewheelin House we’ve had an excessive lock-in for the last six months. We’ve been having a perpetual party; a non-stop hoe down; a mammoth rave: all of every day and all of every night. The Freewheelers have had on their dancin’ shoes and we’ve done ‘em all – from the foxtrot, to the lope and pace. We’ve thrown sand on the floor and done the double shuffle – with one hand waving free. The reason for the celebration is that we’ve witnessed a complete turn of the wheel: it’s taken 20 years for the wheel to come full circle and now the rolling has ended with a total, exquisite, sunset. Lighting the candles on our cake, and indeed shining his light at every turn of our wheel, has been a guy who never wanted to join in the dance, a kind of lonesome hobo, a shady drifter always on his own. He’s made the dancing shoes for everyone here but he still walks round the house barefoot. But we continued with the festival anyway. We’ve had a festival of words, thousands of them jingle jangling down onto every page of the biggest Freewheelin in history. And do you know what? We just can’t do better than this. We can’t mix a better medicine than the one we’ve brewed here. So it’s time for us to quit while we’re ahead of the game. For a while or forever? The secret lies buried in the garden of Freewheelin House. One thing that we are going to do before the party ends however is open our front door and let that drifter escape into the world outside with a million thanks and kisses. He’s got plans to remake his own world at large. And as we open the front door to let him go, so you can all come in and join our party. You can read our festival of words which have a common theme and which are contained in this Take 38 of Freewheelin-on-line (taken from Freewheelin number 236). So put on your dancing shoes and click away your blues for free.  A word of warning though: you’d better be careful: you might want to stay in here forever.

freewheelin-on-line take 37
[published online 2 July 2005]
The residents of Freewheelin house are not often seen standing on the side of the road with rain falling on their shoes. We always seem to be on the move and you will thus find that this Take 37 of Freewheelin-on-line (taken from Freewheelin number 235) has a strong sense of movement about it. The wonderful illustrated article ‘America Over The Water’ by Richard Lewis epitomizes the kind of movement I am talking about here. Richard relates an amazing journey of discovery and realization that he took across America in the summer of 1967 which included a sighting of Dylan in Woodstock. There is also a to-ing and fro-ing here between the ancient town of Hastings in the county of Sussex, England and the not  so ancient town of Hibbing in the State of Minnesota, USA as Paula Radice discloses her private correspondence with a resident of Dylan’s home town. Michael Crimmin’s article ‘Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine)’ talks about another kind of journey and Patrick Webster joins in a tug-of-war with all those who rate ‘Chronicles’ so highly. And, talking of Chronicles, our librarian in residence Mark Carter takes a trip through the newspapers to find out what the world’s press made of Dylan’s own story of discovery and realisation.  As always with Freewhelin-on-line, there is lots more and to join us on the journey you don’t have to pay any dues or get tangled up in any kind of rope. Whether you be a mathematician or a carpenters wife, just make some movements with your right hand and we’ll take you down the road to ecstasy. For free.

freewheelin-on-line take 35
[published online 24 March 2005]
Now and again visitors come to Freewheelin House bearing gifts. As Freewheelin House however is a concept of the imagination rather than a structure of bricks and mortar, the gifts our visitors bring are normally works of their own imagination rather than potted plants and kitchen ware! The problems is that, once the resident Freewheelers have had their say, there is no space inside the House for much else and so we have no room to display the gifts of others. This month we are making an exception. When Padraig Hanratty tore through these quarters with a manuscript underneath his arm and a coat of green and gold, we just had to give him the space. Part 1 of Padraig’s Dylan inspired short story ‘Flowers in her Hair’ can be found in this Take 35 of Freewheelin-on-line (taken from Freewheelin number 233). And if you prefer your reading to be in parts, like a Shakespeare play, you will also find part 2 of Patrick J. Webster’s amazing ‘Conspiracy to Kill the Free’ here. Those two gems are among many others in this flaming ring of fire. And, just in case you haven’t noticed, those two Masters of the Universe namely Bob Dylan and Pablo Picasso are together again on the cover. This one is too good to be left on the shelf. Take it away, the only cost is your time.

freewheelin-on-line take 13
[published online 24 May 2003]
What a way to welcome our guests – this month's magazine is stocked full of information, intrigue, insight and infamy! The cover features the artist Frida Kahlo and ‘Coverdown’ explains her appearance. Mark Carter's colour coded 20lbs looks at press coverage with a wink and a nod. There are colour stills from Chris Cooper's selection of the month's Dylan videos and The Two Riders have transcribed a very interesting interview with Scarlet Rivera. Richard Lewis links Dylan anecdotes and the movies and the unstoppable C.P. Lee tells a personal tale of love and folk music. Chris Cooper comes back with some Bob Thoughts and Paula Radice reflects upon the state of things with a Dylan twist. Jim Gillan continues his very intriguing story of the lady who once shared a church with Dylan, and John Stokes takes up his brush to colour further images in his quest to uncover all the truths in ‘Visions of Johanna'. All this with Mark Carter's infamous cartoons spread throughout the mag gives you a good fix of Dylan for the springtime. Take it all away with our compliments.

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