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Hi Another year flies by. Pretty strange one for me but we won’t go there this time. It would be nice to keep this to an all-Dylan Top Ten this year if I can. After all this is a Dylan mag last time I checked. Yeah I know, I’m as, if not more guilty of straying from the fold than most.
But this
year looks good The Book “Chronicles” what else? Honestly if this isn’t your number one than have to question what you are doing here. This is amazing stuff. We knew Bob could write, but was he a author? Could he keep the public interested? Well now we know he can, better than that even, he’s got a best seller on his hands.
His
memories are freakily detailed, maybe too much so. But his insights
into his reasons for doing what he does are far more revealing than
certainly I hoped for. I’m not a fast reader, but I’ve done this one
twice already an that makes it not just in the top ten, TOP of the top
ten. The TV Interview
In
December Dylan appeared on “Sixty Minutes” depends what you read as to
whether you think this is good or not. If you only read my transcript
(FW 231) then you must get to see it too. Because his body language
easily says as much as he speaks. An anyway the old bugger still holds
you fascinated at the screen. Only real criticism must be that they did
90 mins of film but only screen about 15. The Tour
I feel
this is a hard choice. To be honest Bob was not in good form for most of
the shows. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the going, meeting old mates
etc etc. Of course Barrowlands was extra-ordinary. But I suspect this
will be the last time I do every show. (well at least for this year) The Album (Bootleg Series Vol 6)
This is
an easy thing to forget. The famous Halloween ’64 Concert. We’ve all
had it a a bootleg for so long. But the packaging is first class and the
sound pristine. And if I had to chose one early how to play well it
would probably be this one. It’s always seemed to me that if he enjoys
it so do I. and he clealy enjoyed himself here. The DVD (Masked & Anonymous)
Not only
did we ge a cracking book. We got an equally cracking film. Cheating a
bit but this was officially released on DVD this year. Little aside,
you may not be aware but the UK and US versions have different extra
footage ! The Convention (Ours)
John
Green Day. Hope you were there. Not sure if they get easier, or we just
get toughened, but they are still a blast to do. (Well when we sit in
the bar afterwards it feels good to me) It’s a great meeting place. We
really should incorporate a FW get together there somehow also. The Cambridge Anniversary
A special
one this 20 years !! I cannot believe it. We went out on a limb a bit
for this. But the turnout was amazing. I cannot believe so many people
showed. An Dylanesque were the best I had seen them. Well done chaps.
Especially, Keith, & the two Johns. The Second Book (Lyrics)
Now this
is also compulsory I guess, though I struggled a little with including
it as most of course was in the last version. But, if you believe (as I
do) that Bob has written the best songs ever then you just have to have
a copy right? (Please tell Dizzy that’s so.) The Third Book (Mind Out Of Time)
Earlier I
said ‘m not a fast reader, then include 3 books in my top ten! I have
al three of Paul’s books but this one really stands out as it covers a
period that is not often written about, the Nineties. An I really enjoy
the way he writes. Yes I know it’s a bit trainspotterish. Well so am I
! An One Meander Nine out of Ten isn’t bad is it? Well?? One non Bob thing has crept in I fear. My love for jazz got a huge boost this year. I went to the London Jazz Festival to see Ravi Coltrane, son of John Coltrane. He isn’t his dad, no one could be, but he is very good. And to my surprise accessible. I got to not only meet him afterwards but we had a short chat and after he signed a cd, he shook my hand. (told you I was a trainspotter) It’s the nearest I will ever get to the single biggest influence on my listening habits other than Bob. An that’s gotta figure here. I also considered the release of the original Star Trek series on DVD (yeah I bought am all) And stumbling across all 60 issues of that landmark sci-fi mag “Metal Men” (what? I hear you saying!)
Hope your year was better |
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