As you’ll read in this new magazine, where 1985’s Biograph opened the door, the mission of the Bootleg Series (18 volumes and counting …) has been to go further into Bob Dylan‘s extremely deep and well-curated vault. Inside it is music from an entire ghost Dylan career, as mesmerizing as the one we previously knew.
Which of the possible Dylans has the Bootleg series proved to be your favourite? Maybe the characterful folk musician of 1963, holding an audience in his spell with his wit and his capacity to deliver heartbreaking home truths? Or the wired 24 year old, waltzing through a short crack at “Like A Rolling Stone”? Maybe even the Self Portrait or Christian Dylan? We’ve reviewed them all in depth here.
And we’ve also drawn deeply on the well of Uncut’s own archive to bring you vivid scenes from inside the process of making Dylan’s legendary albums. Dylan’s personal elusiveness as he chases down a song’s essence through multiple takes and trial runs is one particularly delightful part of the archive material here.
“Bob never really spoke to the other musicians,” engineer Malcolm Burn tells us of his work on Oh Mercy. “He wasn’t interested in making buddies. And he always wore this hoodie, y’know. The first few days, we had the Neville Brothers’ rhythm section there, and the drummer, Willie Green, came up to me after the second night. I was sitting at the mixing board, and Bob was like, four feet away.
“Willie says, “Man, I’ve been here two or three days. When the fuck’s Bob Dylan showing up?” I said, “Willie, he’s sitting right next to you.” “Oh. Is that Bob Dylan right there?” And then, seriously, the bass player, Tony [Hall], he comes in, and he says, “Man, that Bob Dylan is some weird motherfucker.” Bob just sort of looked up and raised his eyebrow. Then went back to working on his lyrics.”
Enjoy the magazine! It’s out now, or you can get one here.