Product Description
An in-depth look at the creation of one of Bob Dylan's most celebrated albums, Blood on the Tracks.

In 1974 Bob Dylan wrote, recorded, reconsidered, and then re-recorded the best-selling studio album of his career. Blood on the Tracks was composed as Dylan's twelve-year marriage began to unravel, and songs like "Tangled Up in Blue" and "Shelter from the Storm" have become templates for multidimensional, adult songs of love and loss.

Yet the story behind the creation of this album has never been fully told; even the credits on the present-day album sleeve are inaccurate. Dylan recorded the album twice-once in New York City and again in Minneapolis, with a rag-tag gang of local musicians, quickly rewriting many of the songs in the process.

For A Simple Twist of Fate, the authors have interviewed the musicians and producers, industry insiders, and others, creating an engaging chronicle of how one musician channeled his pain and confusion into great art. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

It is hard to read bad writing
We Dylan fans love to read recollections of the many lives of Bob Dylan. And this particular album is a favorite of many. It has elements of his folk past, plumbs the depths of his poetic powers, and points to the complexities that will follow. It hints at being autobiographical, but resists easy mapping onto real events or persons. So I leapt upon this book, but quickly tired. It is as if someone backed a flatbed of adjectives (or should I say "opinions?") and dumped it into the pages. We read of musical trends that are "tired" or "soulless" or "inflated" or "vapid" but are never given explanations. Dylans work is "mesmerizing" and "brilliant" but there is barely one quotation or verse.

I will use the same technique to end: This is terrible writing, opinionated gobbledygook.

Fails to deliver on real promise
This was my second read of "A Simple Twist of Fate, Bob Dylan and the making of Blood on the Tracks" by Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard. A slight book at 212 pages, it didn't seem like a waste of time to read again and it wasn't; however the original annoyances returned almost immediately.

While interesting as a history of how Bob Dylan recorded "Blood on the Tracks", it relies too much in the amateur criticism of the authors and the sour grapes reminiscences of the musicians, engineers and producers, especially Odegard a guitarist on some of the songs.

"Blood on the Tracks" was Bob Dylan's 1974 come-back album that has been called his greatest, at least for wearing a broken heart on one's sleeve. Dylan is both a romantic and a cynic. Many early fans are in love with the snarling sarcasm of "Like A Rolling Stone" and his poetic flights of words in "Visions of Johanna". They tend to pass negative judgements on other periods and recordings but almost everyone agrees "Blood the Tracks" is a classic Dylan work.

Personally, I'm willing to give Dylan the wide latitude earned by a great artist. Some of his work is obviously more successful than other parts; however, I tend to appreciate it all as part of the artistic expression.

A book about one recording seems like a slight job. The Bob's story is: Bob's marriage is on the rocks and he creates one great album that expresses the inner angst with poetic skill.

The essential story of the book is how Dylan recorded the album with Eric Weissberg, Deliverance with famous producer Phil Ramone in New York City. Listening to the tapes, Dylan decided he could do it better.Over Christmas Dylan recorded the music again in Minneapolis with a pick up band of local musicians.The released album contains 5 songs from the NYC sessions and 5 from Minneapolis.

Initially only Dylanologists knew the difference since the album cover and credits have never changed from the Weisberg and Ramone credits. All of the album re-prints contain the error and the authors go on at great length to interviewthe musicians, disgruntled and otherwise.The point could have been made in about 90% of the space devoted to the topic.

Of more interest would have been a careful dissection of the songs, the various versions that are in official release and on bootlegs. Most Dylan collectors already have both versions. I would have been interested in reading about the SACD (Super Audio CD) release which changes the sound dynamic in a big way.

Essentially this is the books failure to deliver on the promise of the story behind "Blood on the Tracks". We get some of the negative and positive personal stories but not enough about the music itself.

A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE
I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY BOY FRIEND FOR X-MAS AND HE JUST LOVED IT,AND HAD IT READ IN 2 DAYS.THE BEST PART OF THIS IS THE SHIPPING DATE WAS RIGHT ON,THAT WAS QUIK,SO THANKS FOR BEING ON TIME.I LOVE WHEN I DO ORDER FROM YAS CAUSE EVERYTHING COMES RIGHT ON

Great for Dylan Fans, Not Necessary if You Are Not a Fan
A Simple Twist Of Fate is a fascinating look behind the scenes of the making of one of the greatest of Dylan albums, who is one of the greatest singer-songwriters ever. However, the book includes many technical details of the recording sessions which border on the arcane to boring - I mean, how many people really care about the make and model number of the microphone used?

An interesting exclusion in a book about the making of an album is that the book does not include the complete lyrics of the songs (maybe they thought anybody buying book already knows all the lyrics)?

If you are a true fan of Dylan, you will want to read the book.If you aren't, you can avoid this and still lead a productive life (although you may not read this far unless you were already a fan).

Behind the Scenes
Throughout his songwriting career Bob Dylan's creativity knows no bounds.Dylan effortlessly swings back and forth from folk to rock-a-billy to gospel to blues.In 1974, Dylan was looking for a new sound, but at the same time to get back to his roots.The album "Blood on the Tracks" was the successful culmination of this effort, and the album continues to be Dylan's most popular."A Simple Twist of Fate" gives the everyman's version of the making of this album.Most Dylan fans know that "Blood" was recorded once in New York City and once in Minneapolis.It is clear that the authors favor the Minneapolis sessions not only because one of the authors played on the tracks, but because the sound that was produced seemed crisper.One of the leading gripes of the New York session musicians is that they did not have time to practice or warm up before Dylan went right in to the music.Besides that Dylan kept changing around the chords without any warning to the musicians.Eventually, those same musicians realized that Phil Ramone (the New York producer) "was only interested in getting Dylan on tape.It didn't matter what any of us played.That could be dealt with later.'Because of the various problems with the New York sessions, Dylan went back to the mid-west where his brother set up another session.This session, according to the authors, was a much more successful endeavor.As a result, the album itself is a mix between the relative confusion of the New York session and the more temperate Minneapolis session.Throughout the book, the authors attempt to offer contextual analysis of the album but almost wholly concentrating on the vagaries of Dylan's break-up with his wife.The last third of the book drags itself down with various gripes of the Minneapolis session musicians who did not receive credit for their input.This is the principal weakness of the book and takes away from the strength of the very interesting behind the scenes narrative that the book offers. ... Read more

Product Description
'I change during the course of a day. I wake and I'm one person, and when I go to sleep I know for certain I'm somebody else.' Bob Dylan DYLAN ON DYLAN gathers together for the first time twenty-nine of the most significant and revealing conversations with the singer, stretching over forty years from the earliest days of his career in 1962 through to 2004. Among the highlights are the seminal Rolling Stone interviews by Jann Wenner, Jonathan Cott, Kurt Loder and Mikal Gilmore, as well as the legendary 1966 Playboy interview. In-depth and intimate, these interviews cover the gaps left by the Chronicles: Volume 1. Dylan expert Jonathan Cott writes an introduction to this must-have collection of the artist in his own words. 'Edited by Jonathan Cott, one of the original editors of Rolling Stone and arguably the most simpatico writer ever to converse with Mr Dylan, the interview format remains eminently readable ...Mr. Cott identifies the major sea changes in Mr Dylan's life via conversational format, without undue commentary ...Nobody can explain Mr Dylan as well as he, when he cares to do it, can explain himself' The New York Times ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Promo material with minimal info
Bob Dylan recorded, by my count, about 400 songs from, say, 1962 to 2008. Say one in six weeks. For my taste there are about 4 types - what might be called 'tales' (various people and the Jack of Hearts etc), a few perfunctory social comment, the intimate occasions type, both unaffectionate (Thin Man) and affectionate (Lay Lady Lay), and the meaningless but effective songs (Gates of Eden -'The motorcycle black madonna/ Two-wheeled gypsy queen).

Most or all of these thirty-one interviews coincide with tours, films, records; recently Dylan had an art exhibition but this postdates the final 2004 interview. They are all very polite- nobody says he's a disappointing ghastly little man, for example, to see what happens. All the background work - agents, contracts - is missing and it's impossible to know what information has been suppressed. The largest amount of data is about other musicians - notably early influences, and then musicians who accreted to him as became or was mad famous - and studio work, which he compared to working in a coal mine. He seems very generous about influences - there's quite a huge list of people he listened to. There's also quite a bit on poetry and writers - but whether deliberately or not it's a bit of a shambles - it's hard to believe Rimbaud, Byron, Shakespeare etc has any serious effect. It seemed possible to me he might have read Dylan Thomas - 'petrol blind face to the wind', 'Bible black night' seem Bob Dylanesque. At any rate the words are the thing here and there's very little on his writing technique, if he has/had one. The impression given is he used a portable typewriter and because this is an effort left most of the words the way they emerged. He doesn't seem to have ever designed songs in the sense of selecting some emotion or reaction or outlook, and trying to embody it in works, reworking it to make it more or less subtle.

I'm sure Dylan fans will buy this book and similar ones, and they are I suppose right to do so, but the nutritional content isn't very satisfactory - whether he has unrevealed depths, or basically is just another entertainer, who knows?

Dylan Revealed (Mostly) In His Own Words
Bob Dylan once wrote "Nothing is revealed", and he appears to try to live up to that saying in each of the interviews selected here.Actually, bits and pieces of the man, the motives, the poetry, the philosophy, and the sheer genius gradually emerge over the course of dozens of interviews given over more than 40 years.

The frustrating thing about being an admirer of Bob Dylan is that the man refuses to acknowledge his own legacy.Bob was very consistent from the beginning, stating more than once, "I just sing and play guitar".Well, that's a little bit like a prophet saying "I just give the occasional lecture".On one level, yes, Mr. Dylan is just a singer and songwriter (and some would claim he's not even really a singer).On another level, Bob has an amazing ability, or perhaps a God-given talent for taking intangible, nebulous thoughts and ideas that may exist only in a subconscious form, and putting these formless ideas into tangible words and music.Bob seems to be able to pick up something in the air, thoughts and feelings that people may not even be able to express themselves, and then he's put it all into a neat and simple package called a song.

I believe Bob Dylan puts down his own talent because he's not consciously aware of how he writes songs. (He certainly appears to be unable or unwilling to interpret the meaning of his own work.) I don't want to read too much into his lyrics, but I think that his songs will stand the test of time in 100, 200, 300 years.

I think an artist like Dylan is like Mozart - who just did what came naturally, and wasn't able to explain just how he was able to compose music that seemed to arrive straight from heaven.Like Mozart, Dylan is probably more of a messenger than a songwriter.

Indispensable Collection of Interviews
Much of Bob Dylan's work is mysterious, but the man lurking behind this famous alias even more so?"Dylan on Dylan" might be as close as we can get to understanding something of what makes this great artist tick, until Bob completes Chronicles, which is obstensibly hisautobiography.I think it fair to say that there is a public perception of Bob Dylan as aloof, perhaps even surly at times, but this collection of interviews and some short articles should deepen our appreciation of him. At times he is outrageously funny, insightful, direct and honest.You get the sense of Bob Dylan as the self made artist, uncomfortable with the conformity of institutional learning, and who eschews the over categorizing of his work.He demonstrates a satisfaction with his accomplishments, but seems not to be preoccupied with them. He seems to have been downright uncomfortable with his fame at times, particularly the Woodstock period when so-called fans refused to respect his need for privacy.His humility is palpable throughout, and he comes across as an artist engaged in a process of continual growth and renewal.These interviews are as profoundly interesting as his catalogue of amazing music. A lot of the credit belongs, of course, to the brilliant line up of interviewers, each of whom were able to draw something special out of Bob. "Dylan on Dylan" will, I predict, become a classic of the genre. ... Read more

Product Description
Fatherhood provides one of life's most joyful yet challenging tasks. This lively and fascinating book recounts specific guidance from more than 150 of history's most famous fathers, from Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway to Benjamin Disraeli and Mahatma Gandhi. With advice on such subjects as character, success, faith, love and happiness, this is a unique and unprecedented window into fatherhood through the ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Paternal advice from Moses to Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan gets paternal advice from Moses????

Marvelous insight into parenting.
Hoffman has a gift for making obscure and difficult truths clear and easily understood. He has selected words of powerful wisdom that bring the oft forgotten subject of "Fatherhood" into crisp focus. This book is written with compassion for children and the deepest respect for fatherhood. Only a soul that has no sympathy for the difficulties and challenges of being a male parent could find this book lacking. An excellent book written by an author with uncommon vision and heart. An excellent gift for a father you may know.

save your money....this book is tripe.
this book isn't worth the paper it's written on...it provides no insight into parenting, and it has silly/annoying cartoons throughout.it reads quickly, because there's no substance....and yet i couldn't even bear tofinish it. ... Read more

Product Description
"The most absorbing, wide-ranging and stimulating body of writing about the mighty Bob that's ever been assembled."--Salman RushdieHailed by Publishers Weekly as "not only the best writing on the ever-changing folk singer, but also some of the best writing about any musician around," Studio A presents Bob Dylan's unique literary legacy in a collection that is quintessentially Dylan: mosaic, offbeat, poetic. This "astutely chosen and intelligently annotated" collection (Time Out London) gathers over fifty articles, poems, essays, speeches, literary criticisms, and interviews; many previously unpublished. Individually, these pieces offer insight into the man and his time, but collectively they reveal the coming-of-age of American cultural criticism in their "sweeping view of both Dylan and the changing times he so eloquently captured in his music" (Publishers Weekly). With Sam Shepard, Bruce Springsteen, Allen Ginsberg, Johnny Cash, Greil Marcus, Joyce Carol Oates, Gary Giddins, Rick Moody, Tom Piazza, Barry Hannah, and Dylan himself on the list of contributors, Studio A is truly "a vital document" (New York Times) for all fans. 8 pages of photographs ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Dylan Resource
Studio A: The Bob Dylan Reader is all you could really ask for in terms of a Bob Dylan reader. As a music writer myself, I checked this book out for some Dylan research. It has proved much more helpful to me than other Dylan resources, even the 1,000 page Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. The materials you'll find inside range from interviews to reviews to poetry to literary analysis. I would have liked to have read more analysis, but that is just personal taste. I would say that Hedin chose the pieces very well, skirting the line between an actual college-level "reader" and something that is entertaining to read. It reminds me of the Popular Philosophy series that is out now (like Battlestar Galactica & Philosophy, Seinfeld & Philosophy, Radiohead & Philosophy, etc.), but it is more extensive and more interdisciplinary.

I recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

We Just Saw It From A Different Point Of View
If you're reading reviews about "Still on the Road" it probably means you're pretty serious about Dylan's work. I am, and that's why I read Clinton Heylin's books. He does the kind of research I can't do, so I appreciate the light he throws on Dylan's work. His books are so rich that I usually read them twice to find the things I missed the first time 'round, and "Still on the Road" is no exception. There's a whole lot to value in Dylan's later work, often dismissed as inferior to his work from the mid 60's, and Clinton Heylin illuminates the gems of this period: songs like "Changing of the Guards," "Jokerman," "Blind Willie McTell," "Most of the Time," "Series of Dreams," and "Brownsville Girl." These songs, along with a big handful of others, hold their own with Dylan's greatest work on "Bringing It All Back Home," "Highway 61 Revisited," and "Blonde on Blonde." For us folks who are convinced that Dylan is one of the great writers and performers of the last half of the 20th century to the present, this book is a must.

So, why only 3 stars?

- Heylin's habit of second guessing Dylan about lyric changes, best versions of songs, and so on, is hubris. Dylan is the writer and performer, and though it is reasonable to question choices he makes, Clinton Heylin crosses over into making definitive pronouncements thereby placing himself in a superior position to Dylan. Uh ... really?

- Heylin's condescending dismissal of other writers about Dylan is irritating. For some reason he seems to feel he needs to put down these writers. What I mean is that he doesn't just disagree and present a different point of view, he insults them. What is gained by this?

- Heylin, like so many writers on Dylan, seems to think it's cool, or a mark of superior knowledge, to incorporate allusions to lines and phrases from Dylan's songs in his prose. Give it a rest. It's a bore (not to mention that it's very easy to do), and given that advertisers, editorialists, journalists and the like drop Dylan references like jelly babies at Beatles' concerts, this stylistic habit is tedious. English Composition 101 - put it in your own words.

- Why on earth Heylin spends a good portion of his discussion of "Brownsville Girl" discussing the earlier studio take "Dansville Girl" is beyond me. I assume it's because, according to Heylin, Dylan has a habit of rewriting his songs in ways that make the released versions inferior to the earlier studio takes. But most people will likely only have access to the released song, so it would seem sensible to discuss that version. This is a case where Heylin "decides" that Dylan was wrong and so takes it upon himself to substitute his preference for Dylan's. Come again? I'm familiar with both versions and I think, after maybe a hundred listens, that Dylan made the right choice by releasing "Brownsville Girl."

- The "Christian Period" ~ Heylin does an excellent job of showing, from "Street Legal" to "Modern Times," that the so called Christian Period was not a period at all. Dylan's work is soaked in Biblical imagery and reference, his sensibility has been Apocalyptic from as early as "Freewheelin'" and Dylan has always been a moralist of the prophetic type. The problem I had with Heylin's discussion of songs from "Slow Train," "Saved," and "Shot of Love" is that he goes on and on about the Biblical references in these songs. Sure, a certain amount is appropriate, but Heylin goes on at such length it seemed more like he was displaying his endless "rabbinical" knowledge of The Gospels and The Prophets. If I felt his long discursions on Biblical passages actually helped to understand the songs it would be okay, but to me it came off more as an opportunity for Heylin to display his knowledge of the Bible (I have a Ph.D. in Religious Studies). It might be worth noting that there are websites like Oremus that can search and find Biblical references quite easily. Heylin could have written all those pages with no Bible in sight. Of course I don't know if Heylin is well versed in the Bible, but the main point is that this whole section of his book was filled with long discussions that focus far more on Biblical passages than on Dylan's song. I skipped or scanned lots of this section.

Clinton Heylin's books are always a mixed bag, but at his best his work is full of valuable research and quite interesting commentary on Dylan and his work. If you are seriously into Dylan then you seriously ought to consider getting "Still on the Road," along with the earlier companion volume "Revolution in the Air."

Is This The Bob Dylan Book For You?
I have prepared a short quiz to help you determine if this book is for you.

1. Are you a white male in your 40's or 50's?
2. Do you own all of Bob Dylan's official catalog?
3. If yes, are you slightly offended that I would even ask the previous question?
4. Apart from official cds do you own hundreds of Dylan books, unofficial live cds and dvds.
5. Do you get most of your news from a man named Karl Erik?
6. Does your wife (or more likely ex-wife) sigh when she hears the name Bob Dylan?
7. On the day of 9/11/01 did you go to the store and buy the newly released Love And Theft CD?
8. If Bob Dylan played "Never Say Goodbye" tonight in concert would you be visibly excited?
9. When you hear the name Clinton Heylin do you never throw up in your mouth, even a little bit?

If you answered NO to more than 2 or 3 of these questions you will not enjoy this book. I recommend you try another Bob Dylan book.

Better than the first volume
The second volume in this two-part examination of every song Dylan ever wrote is a more entertaining read than its predecessor, perhaps because it covers periods of Dylan's career that have gotten less attention than his groundbreaking 60s work.Heylin has clearly done an immense amount of research and brings to light interesting facts about some of the more obscure songs in Dylan's catalog.What emerges is a fascinating glimpse into what motivated this extraordinary artist during the most tumultuous periods of his career.

Unfortunately, some of the problems present in the previous volume are here as well.The author has a tendency to make definitive statements even when the truth is far from certain, and he resorts to childish insults of others who do the same.There's also an uneven treatment of the songs--the focus of the book is on the writing process, but sometimes Heylin discusses the music and sometimes he doesn't.This can be frustrating for those who see Dylan's evolution as a performing artist as important as his songwriting.

Despite these problems, this is the only book that examines all of Dylan's most recent work, and although Heylin can be arrogant at times, he's rarely boring.This makes the book easy to recommend to fans of Dylan's late-period work.

Just the facts please
This could be a very good book if the writer would keep his opinions and sarcasm to himself. It's self-serving for a lesser talent to spend his time second-guessing Bob Dylan with snide comments and personal opinions. Considering the amount of bias the writer displays, how much of what he writes is accurate?

Great for Dylan fans
Just a great compendium of information about Dylan songs.A must for any Dylan fan ... Read more

Product Description
The Bob Dylan 6 Chord Songbook allows even the beginning guitarist to play and enjoy the magic of Dylan's music. By learning 6 simple chords you will soon master 20 of his best songs.

The Bob Dylan 6 Chord Songbook does not use musical notation. All you need to learn is 6 chords and their symbols. The chord boxes are printed on each page to remind you, and the chord changes are shown above the lyrics. If you find the pitch of a song outside your vocal range, simply place your capo behind a suitable fret and use the same chord shapes! The strum rhythm or picking pattern most suited to the song is left for you to decide. The Bob Dylan 6 Chord Songbook guarantees hours of enjoyment for guitarists of all levels, as well as providing a fine basis for building a strong repertoire. When you have mastered the first 6 chords, you will want to progress to six more chords with these lessons. These are described within the text and illustrated in a comprehensive Chord Glossary at the back of the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

What piece of garbage is this so called Songbook
Do Not Buy This Songbook. Here's why:

1. The book contains lyrics and six chords. You can look these up online. Google is your friend.

2. There are only 21 songs; total page 40. You are paying about 50 cents per song and what you receive for your money is junk. It won't show you the correct chords, just the easy approximations. If you are good, you just might be able to make it sound good. If you're a beginner like me, it will sound HORRIBLE.

3. Avoid Hal Leonard's books like the plague. There are FAR better books on learning to play guitar and there are also FAR better books on playing Dylan songs on your guitar.

I bought this book hoping to strum some Bob Dylan songs and sorely disappointed at the lack of details. I could've saved my money. Well, the book gave me a few minutes of warmth because I threw it in the fireplace 10 minutes after I received it.

Fan favorite
I bought this for my father, a Dylan fanatic, and he was very pleased. It includes recognizable songs and comprehensible notation. He said it was easy for his beginner level and he had a lot of fun playing through it the first time. He still breaks it out 6 months later because he loves the music, so it's useful for learning and just playing even once one has progressed. He has vision problems and thankfully can read everything in the book with little trouble.

Good Book
This book has the lyrics and chord changes for the songs--all stuff you can get from the internet, but it is nice to have them all together in a nice little book.
It is basically set up with a verse and the chord symbol (like G or Dm) above the word where the chord changes.So you will need the song handy to get the strumming down and hear how the vocals should be sung.Other than that these are some great songs to learn.Everyone knows the words so it is great for sing-a-longs.

Great Book for Beginners
Advanced players stay away, but this is as good a beginning guitar book to learn to play and strum that there is. The chords are simple, so spending time with this book will really teach you to comfortably play G and C chord songs.

Many of the songs are "dumbed down" or have had the key moved. Purists will be unhappy, as the songs lose a lot of that Bob Dylan funk, but, nonetheless, virtually every song in the book sounds good when played and is recognizable. Plus, for beginners, almost every song can be played with either a Carter-Style strum or a simple 1 2 3+ 4+ strum pattern.

Within weeks, you'll be able to play Dylan songs recognizably and, if you have even been playing for 6 months, you'll be able to play many of these songs on the first run-through.

This book is ok.
I am not very familiar with Dylan's works but I bought this book anyway because I thought the 6 chords used would be simple.This turned out to be true.The chords are simple and if you forget some, there is a chart of all chords used at the beginning of the song.Since I have never heard of some these songs, I had to improvise on how it is played.Compared to other guitar related books, this one is fairly simple.There are no tablatures or written notes, just the lyrics with the corresponding chords.If there was a CD as a reference, this book would be good for a beginning guitar player. ... Read more

Product Description
Dylan: Visions, Portraits, and Back Pages is now available in a compact paperback edition. The world's best rock journalists from MOJO magazine piece together the complete Bob Dylan saga, revealing new insights into his life and career and telling the stories behind the songs. Previously unseen photographs, interviews, and commentary by fellow artists shed new light on Dylan's life and his enduring influence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Dylan Bio
A very interesting read.I never want to put it down.So many neat, intimate stories about Bob and his associates as he was gaining popularity.An interesting person.

GREAT PICTURES AND REVIEWS
I WISH the publishers of this book would start thinking of doing another book like this one!!!!This was a GOOD ONE!!!

I really think this book is worth more than what you spend on it.Great pictures that are VERY CLEAR AND SHARP and of EXCELLENT QUALITY and valuable information on his special albums (like Oh Mercy and Slow Train Coming), articles, reviews and so much more.All Bob's best pictures are not in this book, but it has many many VERY GOOD pictures.I especially enjoyed the picture of Bob with the Beatles in the Fab Five photo--Really.He is better looking than John and Paul--wow!!!I was in my early and mid teens when I heard all his commercial songs along with all the other groups that were playing non-stop on the radio--in the car, under the trees at the pool-in-the-park.I spent many summer days with friends, going to radio-sponsored rock festivals, TV rock shows, and I really liked his music very much, and we all knew who he was certainly, however the first 45 record I bought from Bob was Lay Lady Lay--lots of cool songs back then and too much to choose from.Unfortunately it was only fairly recently that I discovered that most of his best works are hidden in albums I had not purchased at the time--forgive me "since 1964 fans"--I was very young back then & too much going on--the 60's were superpacked years.This book has lots of everything--and some photos with his best-known girlfriends--one famous one less famous and one picture that really tugs at the heart--the one in which his girl fans in Ireland are right up close to their idol, Bob Dylan asking some questions.

Joan Baez looked gorgeous back then and Suzy looked great and very much in love.Despite the heartaches that came in each of these lives, these were priceless years and these priceless moments are all caught on camera preserved for us to see.

How can you possibly go wrong with purchasing this book if you are in any way interested in Bob Dylan?You CANNOT possibly go wrong.

Buy This!
It's been no secret to my friends,family and childrenthat I have been a fan of Bob Dylan since 1966.I love just about everything Dylan has written and sung and respect the man as a genius.When I purchased Dylan Visions,Portraits,And Back Pages I flipped.The series of articles spanning his career from Hibbing to the present moment are filled with some new information and compiled in chronological order,but what blew me away are the photos.Many of which we have seen before but many others that are spectacular.For instance Dylan looking intently upon a portrait of St. Peter in Washington,DC.Super photos from the Rolling Thunder Review.I am going to buy another copy of this book so that I can frame some of the pictures.Enjoy this book!

Pretty good book with great pictures and original people.
I love the fact that you can learn so much from this book.I am dissapointed though, in the fact it seems to be pieced together uncarefully.Great book.Worth the low Amazon price!

Not Needed If You Have Most Everything Dylan
Good for intro to Dylan or for the most basic Dylan fan - not for the hardcore. Beautiful pictures and some interesting articles but if you are a die-hard and have read/seen most everything published, nothing new here. ... Read more

Product Description
Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are widely acknowledged as the great pop poets of the 1960s, transforming the popular song into a medium for questionng the personal, social, and political norms of their times. They emerged at a time when the music industry was transforming the revolutionary sound of black music into something bland, homogenous, and fit for mass consumption. For many members of their generation, Dylan and Cohen were able to articulate what they were feeling and could not express: anti-establishement anger, angst, and despondency.

Dylan and Cohen is a fascinating political, psychological and artistic profile of these two iconic writers and performers. With reference to both biographical details and lyrics. David Boucher explores their similarities and differences, tracing the development of religious political, and social themes in their work and the ways in which those ideas engaged a new audience.

A must-read for all serious fans of either Dylan or Cohen, this book will also engage anyone interested in the North America of the 1960s, or more generally in the relationship between music, identity and politics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Take This Waltz
What makes this book such a unique and significant contribution to its genre is that it is written with the insight and sensitivity of a spirit that seems deeply attuned to those of its subjects. Not only does the reader come away with a better understanding of the historical times and political contexts that shaped these men, and the personal struggles and psychological bents that motivated their writing, but also with a clearer understanding of what attracts their devotees to their work.

Throughout the book, Boucher weaves explorations of various aspects of the lives and cultural context of Dylan and Cohen that strongly affected them and their work. These include the civil rights movement, drugs, women, sexuality, God and religion, what it means to be reluctantly identified as the voice of a generation, and -- particularly for Cohen -- the holocaust. Boucher also explores the influence of other artists on their work, from Woody Guthrie for Dylan to Lorca for Cohen, as well as the influence that Dylan and Cohen had on each other.

Just as Dylan and Cohen make poetry an accessible part of popular culture, with equal skill Boucher makes philosophy of art and interpretation accessible as well. He points out that our experience of lyric poetry is informed by the questions we bring to it and he explains that the richest experience is to be had when the most appropriate questions are asked. Boucher uses the theories of several philosophers such as R. G. Collingwood, Henry Jones, and Michael Oakeshott, to identify which questions are most appropriately asked of particular works at particular moments in the artists' creative development. He also shows the fruitlessness of asking the wrong kind of questions of a particular poem, as is the tendency of many thinkers.He describes various forms of artistic expression: pseudo-art, or art as magic; art as the expression of emotion, or imaginative art; and inspirational art, or poetry which delights in images. He then demonstrates how, at various stages in Dylan's artistic development, his work takes all three forms of expression, whereas Cohen's work primarily takes the form of the last two. He then offers examples from their poetry to illustrate which form(s) of expression is/are being inhabited by a particular work and he supports his demonstrations with quotations about their work from the artists themselves.

Finally, Boucher helps to bring the period to life for his reader by including several pictures of book covers, concert and film posters, magazine covers and various photographs. The overall result of the book is that Boucher successfully positions his readers to have a richer experience and a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lyric poetry of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

Compulsively Readable
This is an excellent study of the music and lyrics of the 2 greatest rock "poets."Boucher explores whether or not their lyrics even qualify as poetry and keeps the subject interesting!He effectively delves into their psyches,as well, without getting hung up on personal, biographical details which have been over analyzed in other places.I found the final chapter "The Religious Experience" to be some of the best writing that I've seen on Dylan and Cohen's spiritual journeys.I highly recommend this to fans of either man's work.

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
The irate and intemperate person signing himself pepidude in a previous review seems incapable of being able to appreciate an argument or of understanding the nature of the exercise that David Boucher has undertaken. It is a thematic book with a wide range of references, not a book of facts about Bob Dylan.The author introduces us to the complexities of issues relating to the difference between popular music lyrics and poetry, between origins and originality, the poetry of imagination and inspiration and much more. Anyone interested in ideas and issues, and in theories as well as facts will find this book immensely stimulating and fascinating.

Poetry Always was the New Rock & Roll
David Boucher has written a book that examines in detail the contribution of both artists to the worlds of both literature and rock & roll. In his intoduction he looks at the progress of Cohen from serious poet to rock & roll recording artist and performer. This transition cost him status in the literary world but aided by the legendary "golden voice" and some consummate musicians it allowed him to reach a hitherto undreamed of audience.

Dylan, whom he refers to as "The Changing Man" in Chapter Three, was the chameleon-like performer who picked up, and discarded new personas and new musical styles at the drop of his very famous hat. The obvious example here is the infamous "electric tour" where Dylan was heckled and called "Judas". This abuse was, the book shows, not only for his perceived betrayal of the acoustic folk movement, but also a reaction to the contempt with which Dylan treated his audience. Dylan had always been a confrontational performer, and his response to such attacks was to become louder and less acoustic than ever. What David Boucher also shows is that this signified a shift from the community centred ethic of the folk movement to the excessive individualism and nihilism of the Beat poets who through the drug culture wanted, like Rimbaud, to experience the extremes.

In other chapters the myriad influences on both performers are examined as well as their involvement with political and religious organisations. Finally David Boucher gives us an insight into the road travelled by both men in search of their own personal salvation.

Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are complex men and complex performers. To listen to, or to read the works of either man is always challenging. In this book the author has written an analysis that is equally challenging exploring, as it does, the anger and the angst of the 1960s and beyond. I enjoyed every minute of the challenge.

How lovely does it get...?
David Boucher's masterly work 'Dylan & Cohen' is essential reading, not simply for devotees of these 'Poets of Rock and Roll' but for anyone with an interest in the history of the radical cultural, political and musical changes in the last century.

It is clear from this eloquent book that neither Dylan nor Cohen wished to speak for anyone but themselves and equally clear that the strength of their work would be seized upon by a generation looking for a new direction.Thankfully they both continued to write through their tribulations and we have a bank of some of the most evocative music to continue to listen to.

I urge you to buy this book but with a word of warning: you won't want to stop reading once you've started. ... Read more

Product Description
Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are widely acknowledged as the great pop poets of the 1960s, transforming the popular song into a medium for questionng the personal, social, and political norms of their times. They emerged at a time when the music industry was transforming the revolutionary sound of black music into something bland, homogenous, and fit for mass consumption. For many members of their generation, Dylan and Cohen were able to articulate what they were feeling and could not express: anti-establishement anger, angst, and despondency.

Dylan and Cohen is a fascinating political, psychological and artistic profile of these two iconic writers and performers. With reference to both biographical details and lyrics. David Boucher explores their similarities and differences, tracing the development of religious political, and social themes in their work and the ways in which those ideas engaged a new audience.

A must-read for all serious fans of either Dylan or Cohen, this book will also engage anyone interested in the North America of the 1960s, or more generally in the relationship between music, identity and politics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Take This Waltz
What makes this book such a unique and significant contribution to its genre is that it is written with the insight and sensitivity of a spirit that seems deeply attuned to those of its subjects. Not only does the reader come away with a better understanding of the historical times and political contexts that shaped these men, and the personal struggles and psychological bents that motivated their writing, but also with a clearer understanding of what attracts their devotees to their work.

Throughout the book, Boucher weaves explorations of various aspects of the lives and cultural context of Dylan and Cohen that strongly affected them and their work. These include the civil rights movement, drugs, women, sexuality, God and religion, what it means to be reluctantly identified as the voice of a generation, and -- particularly for Cohen -- the holocaust. Boucher also explores the influence of other artists on their work, from Woody Guthrie for Dylan to Lorca for Cohen, as well as the influence that Dylan and Cohen had on each other.

Just as Dylan and Cohen make poetry an accessible part of popular culture, with equal skill Boucher makes philosophy of art and interpretation accessible as well. He points out that our experience of lyric poetry is informed by the questions we bring to it and he explains that the richest experience is to be had when the most appropriate questions are asked. Boucher uses the theories of several philosophers such as R. G. Collingwood, Henry Jones, and Michael Oakeshott, to identify which questions are most appropriately asked of particular works at particular moments in the artists' creative development. He also shows the fruitlessness of asking the wrong kind of questions of a particular poem, as is the tendency of many thinkers.He describes various forms of artistic expression: pseudo-art, or art as magic; art as the expression of emotion, or imaginative art; and inspirational art, or poetry which delights in images. He then demonstrates how, at various stages in Dylan's artistic development, his work takes all three forms of expression, whereas Cohen's work primarily takes the form of the last two. He then offers examples from their poetry to illustrate which form(s) of expression is/are being inhabited by a particular work and he supports his demonstrations with quotations about their work from the artists themselves.

Finally, Boucher helps to bring the period to life for his reader by including several pictures of book covers, concert and film posters, magazine covers and various photographs. The overall result of the book is that Boucher successfully positions his readers to have a richer experience and a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lyric poetry of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

Compulsively Readable
This is an excellent study of the music and lyrics of the 2 greatest rock "poets."Boucher explores whether or not their lyrics even qualify as poetry and keeps the subject interesting!He effectively delves into their psyches,as well, without getting hung up on personal, biographical details which have been over analyzed in other places.I found the final chapter "The Religious Experience" to be some of the best writing that I've seen on Dylan and Cohen's spiritual journeys.I highly recommend this to fans of either man's work.

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
The irate and intemperate person signing himself pepidude in a previous review seems incapable of being able to appreciate an argument or of understanding the nature of the exercise that David Boucher has undertaken. It is a thematic book with a wide range of references, not a book of facts about Bob Dylan.The author introduces us to the complexities of issues relating to the difference between popular music lyrics and poetry, between origins and originality, the poetry of imagination and inspiration and much more. Anyone interested in ideas and issues, and in theories as well as facts will find this book immensely stimulating and fascinating.

Poetry Always was the New Rock & Roll
David Boucher has written a book that examines in detail the contribution of both artists to the worlds of both literature and rock & roll. In his intoduction he looks at the progress of Cohen from serious poet to rock & roll recording artist and performer. This transition cost him status in the literary world but aided by the legendary "golden voice" and some consummate musicians it allowed him to reach a hitherto undreamed of audience.

Dylan, whom he refers to as "The Changing Man" in Chapter Three, was the chameleon-like performer who picked up, and discarded new personas and new musical styles at the drop of his very famous hat. The obvious example here is the infamous "electric tour" where Dylan was heckled and called "Judas". This abuse was, the book shows, not only for his perceived betrayal of the acoustic folk movement, but also a reaction to the contempt with which Dylan treated his audience. Dylan had always been a confrontational performer, and his response to such attacks was to become louder and less acoustic than ever. What David Boucher also shows is that this signified a shift from the community centred ethic of the folk movement to the excessive individualism and nihilism of the Beat poets who through the drug culture wanted, like Rimbaud, to experience the extremes.

In other chapters the myriad influences on both performers are examined as well as their involvement with political and religious organisations. Finally David Boucher gives us an insight into the road travelled by both men in search of their own personal salvation.

Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen are complex men and complex performers. To listen to, or to read the works of either man is always challenging. In this book the author has written an analysis that is equally challenging exploring, as it does, the anger and the angst of the 1960s and beyond. I enjoyed every minute of the challenge.

How lovely does it get...?
David Boucher's masterly work 'Dylan & Cohen' is essential reading, not simply for devotees of these 'Poets of Rock and Roll' but for anyone with an interest in the history of the radical cultural, political and musical changes in the last century.

It is clear from this eloquent book that neither Dylan nor Cohen wished to speak for anyone but themselves and equally clear that the strength of their work would be seized upon by a generation looking for a new direction.Thankfully they both continued to write through their tribulations and we have a bank of some of the most evocative music to continue to listen to.

I urge you to buy this book but with a word of warning: you won't want to stop reading once you've started. ... Read more

Product Description
"Wanted Man: In Search of Bob Dylan" is packed with articles and interviews offering insight into the poet laureate of the sixties generation and a man Life magazine recently named among the 100 most important Americans of the twentieth century.

This collection includes photos, many never before published, tracing Bob Dylan's entire career, plus interviews with people who have been closest to him-- such as Bonnie Beecher, the original "girl from the north country"-- and a number of major figures who have worked with Dylan and been influenced by him: Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Patti Smith, Ron Wood, and many others. The book spans Dylan's entire career, from his enrollment at the University of Minnesota in 1959 to his work with producer Daniel Lanois on "Oh Mercy", his most acclaimed album in years.

There have been many books written about this creative genius whose songs are the anthems of a generation-- especially during the fiftieth anniversary of his birth-- but only "Wanted Man: In Search of Bob Dylan" conveys the immediacy and humor which is so much a part of the experience of listening to his music. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Desperately Seeking Zimmerman
As a long time Dylan fan, I try to learn about him as much as possible. Rock's greatest poet (w/ apologies to Jim Morrison fans, Dylan gets thetitle hands down.) is always worth examination.Some of his lyrics rank asfine poetry.This is probably the most important song writer of the secondhalf of the 20th Century.Unfortunately, this collection is out of printbut it is worthwhile to seek out.It contains many articles and interviewsspanning Dylan's entire career.It includes writing by Allen Ginsberg,Patti Smith, Leonard Cohen and Paul McCartney among others.It is acollection of Dylan lore by Dylan's companions and cohorts.It featureshomages paid by many who were influenced by this great bard.Fans of Dylanwould do well to read this book.It is very imformative and lends someinsight into the career development of Dylan.The interviews with RonnieWood, Roy Orbison and Eric Clapton are revealing.It is amazing when youconsider the stature of the people who were influenced and touched byDylan.Tributes by Johnnie Cash and Bruce Springsteen also highlight thebook.It is a compelling look at a man ranked as one of the 100 mostimportant Americans of the 20th Century.

Literary bouiliabaise (that's a compliment)
Wanted Man is a great song that Dylan wrote for Johnny Cash and an apt title for the book because Mr. Dylan has touched many lives in a deep and profound way. This book is a fun collection of articles, interviews, etc. that's often more fun and illuminating than standard biography writing. I have also looked for the 1st collection in this series, to no avail. If you like this book, also check out Bob Dylan: the Early Years, another fine collection of writings.

Worth reading for hard core Dylan freaks.
Edited by the late John Bauldie (killed in a helicopter crash in England after a soccer match in late 1996), founder of the popular Dylan fan magazine _The Telegraph_, this book offers some insighful comments culled from friends and acquaintances of His Bobness ranging from Bauldie himself to Ray Orbison, Patti Smith and Eric Clapton.Illustrated throughout, this book begins with anecdotes from Dylan's days at the University of Minnesota and follows his career through the early '90's.Includes fascinating "sermons" of Bob's from when he was in his Christian phase in the late '70's and early 1980's.According to Bauldie, this book is the second in a series.The first book is called _All Across The Telegraph_ but I've never been able to find it anywhere ... Read more

Product Description
An extraodinary collection of drawings and sketches-of women, hotel rooms, cityscapes, and more-by the world's best-known singer-songwriter, each accompanied by a note or short poem. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Another Side of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is not only a great songwriter and performer, but has had a long-standing interest in other media, particularly filmmaking and the visual arts. Some of his drawings and paintings illustrated his book Lyrics 1962-1985, the album covers of The Band's Music from Big Pink and his own album, Self Portrait. Drawn Blank is the most comprehensive collection of his art work to date. In a brief introduction to the book, he calls the work "sketches for paintings that either never were painted, have yet to be painted (or more likely never will be painted)." He states that the drawings were executed over a three-year period between 1989 and 1991 (though hard-core fans have identified many of them as having been executed earlier, possibly from 1985). The drawings are expressionistic and realistic: portraits and interiors and landscapes, many apparently drawn while on the road, from hotel room windows and other places he was passing through.

The obvious question raised by a book like Drawn Blank is whether the drawings succeed on their own terms or simply function as pop culture fetishes. Drawn Blank seems to tackle this question by treating its material simply and straightforwardly, and with a minimum of hype: there is no text in the book other than Dylan's introduction; no information is given about who the drawings depict, where they were drawn, or when they were done. Perhaps like Dylan's well-known avoidance of stage patter, this is a way of trying to let the works speak for themselves and to maintain Dylan's privacy - and indirectly, to add to the mystery and glamour of the work, to make it more abstract.

The drawings in Drawn Blank show some of Dylan's conservative tendencies as well as his moral interests. In the introduction, he mentions a high school art teacher's advice to draw what you see "so that if you were at a loss for words, something could be explained and, even more importantly, not be misunderstood." While the drawings show Dylan's attempts to "get at something other than the world we know" through drawing from observation, viewed in the context of his music, they are somewhat disappointing - they don't show the same range of imagery and are not as involved with metaphor as his songwriting. They are functional; like Dylan says, a way for him to "relax and refocus a restless mind." Some of the most interesting drawings in Drawn Blank are those where earlier drawings are visible underneath later ones - what may be a skull, barely visible underneath a still life; a cross that says "Jesus Saves" underneath a drawing of a neighborhood seen through a window; a figure showing through a drawing of a tree. The style of many of the drawings has an effect like that of Dylan's singing voice or his harmonica playing - gratingly smudgy, apparently unschooled, but with a stubborn integrity that can grow on you. They are as uncommercial a bunch of drawings as one might see, sent into the world to see if anything might happen as a result.

Drawn Blank's "On the Road"-like pictures of rural America, roadside stops, dressing rooms, cars and trucks, bicycles, playground equipment, tables and chairs, naked women's butts, and friends make no great claims for themselves. The drawings offer an intimate look at another way Dylan views the world, and offer a way of vicariously traveling with Bob in a way that is unavailable through performances and recordings. Dylan's straight-ahead effort to experience and understand the world through drawing helps to make Drawn Blank appealing. At the same time, Dylan uses drawing to maintain his distance, to create some private space in the middle of the commercial and very public world he occupies. In Drawn Blank, Dylan's artwork, like his music, gives him a way of both capturing private experience and offering that experience publicly, as a gift.

(adapted from a review first published in Texte zur Kunst, August 1995)

a 10 if there were commentaries
Just a note, there are no written commentaries in the edition (1st) that I purcahsed when the book first came out, other than the Foreward, which is written by Bob ... Read more

Product Description
Few photographers had greater access to Bob Dylan than Barry Feinstein. Having taken the iconic photograph that appeared on Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ album in 1963, Feinstein was invited to Dylan’s European tour of 1966 and US tour of 1974. The photographs from these sessions and concerts, many previously unseen are included in this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Pic'd Apart but Nice
There are some great shots of Dylan in this book, but too many are cut by the seam in the focal points of the picture (biggest 'buzz-kill' is the shot of Dylan looking in the mirror when buying clothes, beautiful shot, bad place to split).The pages aren't of the greatest quality compared to other photo books of this nature. I wouldn't pay list price, (this would go down to three stars if I did), but I gave four stars b/c at Amazon's price I would still recommend this as worth buying for an average fan. Mostly I wish the book was a little bigger so there would not have to be spreads, better paper, and I would have happily paid twice as much.

An impressive compilation that will be of especial interest to the legions of Bob Dylan fans
Bob Dylan is an American music icon. Professional photographer Barry Feinstein had greater access to Dylan than any other photographer. It was Feinstein's iconic image that appeared on Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" album in 1963 and photographed Dylan at the musician's invitation during Dylan's European tour of 1966 and US tour of 1974. It is from among the photos taken on these two legendary tours that comprise "Real Moments: Photographs of Bob Dylan 1966-1974" and newly published by Omnibus Press. This is an impressive compilation that will be of especial interest to the legions of Bob Dylan fans, and a popular addition to personal, community, and academic library 20th Century Music History and American Photography reference collections. ... Read more

Product Description
Songs that have become legends in their own time, all in piano/vocal with guitar chord diagrams and full lyrics. Includes Blowin' In The Wind; Rainy Day Women; Like A Rolling Stone; and Lay, Lady, Lay. ... Read more

Product Description
Bob Spitz, drawing on hundreds of interviews with Dylan's family, friends, lovers and fellow musicians, presents the true Bob Dylan in a vast array of guises: the early years in Minnesota, when loner and local weirdo Bobby Zimmerman reinvented himself as Bob Dylan; the cataclysm that occurred when he went electric; the mad years, when drugs corrupted his gospel of peace and love; and his flirtations with political causes, various religions and superstardom. Photographs.Amazon.com Review
Writer Bob Spitz, author of Barefoot in Babylon, thestory of the 1969 Woodstock festival, spent years researching BobDylan's life, interviewing people who had known him ranging back tohis earliest days in Hibbing, Minnesota. Spitz did get people to talkon the record, and while his book collects myriad quotes from Dylanassociates, the overall tone of Dylan: A Biography tends toveer toward being unaccountably mean-spirited. The book doesdocument the recollections of some people important in Dylan's life,but it's an uneven read thanks to the persistently negative tone andSpitz's penchant for writing scenes in a hipster style that usuallytends to work against the subject (who is, after all, more than hipenough on his own). --Robert McNamara ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A facinating biography of Bob Dylan
A few months ago, I read Bob Spitz's biography, The Beatles. When the Beatles first came to America in 1964 the one person they wanted to meet was Bob Dylan, who according to Spitz turned them on to marijuana as the Plaza Hotel.I found Spitz's book so entertaining and engrossing that I ordered his biography of Bob Dylan, even though it was published in 1985.

As a teenager growing up in the 1960's, Bob Dylan was one of my great folk heroes. I was also a great fan of Pete Seeger, Dave Van Ronk, Phil Ochs, Peter Paul and Mary and of course Joan Baez.Bob Spitz's biography of Bob Dylan takes us on the incredible journey as Robert Zimmerman travels to New York to reinvent himself as Bob Dylan.One of the problems of reading a detailed biography of a famous person is that there are risks that as you turn the pages of the book, you may discover unsettling and disturbing facts about the main character.

If you need to perceive Bob Dylan as a kind and empathetic person to enjoy his music, don't read this book.Spitz reports how Bob would use his friends, steal from them and manipulate and abuse the people who loved him.He also examines his genius of writing and performing songs that transformed the music business.I loved the book and while Bob Spitz showed me the dark side of Bob Dylan he also has whetted my appetite to revisit and listen to many of his CDs'.

Spare us.
Mixed metaphors make a mess of this. I am in the publishing business and only hope this writer goes back to his job in the music business as he has no business writing.

bad attitude, great research
Mr. Perle's disclaimer does this book an injustice:Spitz's sequel to the Scaduto and Shelton biographies bears the aspect of a "tabloid-style hatchet job" unmistakably.Nevertheless the amazing quality of Spitz's even-then-still-timely research remains irreducible, and his book cannot be responsibly neglected by scholars of the topic.

As for Perle's claim that "An autobiography by Bob Dylan was also available," well, if only!Won't that be the day!

Spitz' Writing Misunderstood
(This was written for a course assignment.)

Though already ten years old, "Dylan - A Biography" by Bob Spitz is an incredible, often uncomfortable look into singer/songwriter Bob Dylan's life. "Uncomfortable" because Bob Dylan, admired and even idolized by so many,named the spokesman of his generation in the early 1960s, and supposedly aprophet of peace and goodwill, is uncovered as a frequently complete andutter jerk.But at the same time, Spitz writes with an understanding pen. "Dylan" is by no means a tabloid-style hatchet job, Spitz having set out to"unmask the hero."If anything, "Dylan" shows us that Bob Dylan, the man,the myth, is indeed both a man and a myth.He is and always has been ahuman being, and one with his fair share of faults.

Reviews of "Dylan" onthe Internet are rather critical of Spitz, using terms such as"mean-spirited."Due to Spitz having dramatically different reviewsfor his other works, it seems as though these other "Dylan" readers don'twant to face the idea that their icon is not the quintessentialhumanitarian, despite the legend.Spitz interviews and quotes countlesspeople from Dylan's past who give first-hand accounts of his ownmean-spirited dealings with those who've cared about him.In doing so onefeels foolish thinking of Dylan as among the world's greatesthumanitarians.

Lack of personal knowledge created the void that "Dylan"was hoped to fill.Two topics in particular were eagerly awaited to beexpounded on.These included Dylan's mid-1960s & life-alteringmotorcycle accident and Dylan's flirtation with Christianity, followed byhis return to Judaism.Neither topic was satisfactorily covered, though itappears that the second part of the latter simply occured after the bookwas published a decade ago.As for the first topic, it appears due to theless-than-heavy emphasis and the implication that the accident was notnearly as serious as the public was lead to believe that it is for thisthat the topic was given little concentration.

The 550 pages that make upthe main text of the book, including the prologue, chapters, and epilogue,certainly comprise a work that is significantly longer than easier-readalternatives for the topic, but it was hoped that the book would live up toits promise.At the bottom of the cover is a quote from esteemed writerGreil Marcus, "No other book captures it so well, understands so well..."Anautobiography by Bob Dylan was also available, but to get the objectivestory, it is best to stay away from such self-promotion.In the author'snotes preceding the prologue, Spitz writes that he was offered exclusiveinterviews with Dylan as well as access to countless treasures includingphotographs in return for allowing Dylan control over the final manuscript. Based on Dylan's notorious history of publicizing half-truths and outrightlies about himself, Spitz refused.

"Dylan" is a recommendedread.

This book rocks
This Bob Dylan book by Bob Spitz i felt was quite intrigueing. I have always wanted to learn more on Bob Dylan and this book, i felt really expressed a lot of his thoughts and how his has lived his entire life. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Material is better than the writing
This book covers the making of Dylan's greatest album, and sheds an interesting light on the highly unorthodox way it was made.Comments from band members are included.Unfortunately, the writing doesn't measure up the content, and some of it is a slog to get through.Still interesting for the Dylan fan.

British Myopia
This book has some interesting information that was new to me, but mostly details.The author pushes a kind of British left-leaning political line, and like most British Rock critics is gushing in his praise of the subject matter.As usual, trips to England become career-shaking.The US gets pretty rough treatment.Etc.Not worth the price to me.

WHAT A PAGE TURNER!
This book is a must buy for dedicated Dylan fans written by a veteran writer and editor.It is an account of the sessions that produced "Highway 61 Revisted" plus a VERY good weave of related happenings, people and other vital information that all fits in very very well.This book was a page turner, and I couldn't set it down.The book is very well written and will not disappoint even the intellectuals out there.There are very good choice descriptive words and good vocabulary all in all. There are only a sprinkling of photos, among them a stunning Dan Kramer light & shade photo of Bob that highlights the top gentle curvature of his nose and high cheekbone.This photograph makes Bob look like a ancient Roman statue except for the comical part--the cigarette stuck on the side of the harmonica.

To make this book complete, I recommend the DVD "The Other Side of the Mirror" and the Bootleg Series #7 in which are some of versions of the songs described in this book, along with, of course, the CD "Highway 61 Revisited."

Just a couple of editing misses, but Great Writing and Very Well Done!!

A MUST READ
THIS IS THE 1ST DYLAN BOOK I'VE PURCHASED IN SEVERAL YEARS. WHAT CAN ANYONE TELL ME I DON'T ALREADY KNOW. WELL, SOMEONE HAS. IRWINS' INSIGHTS INTO THE POSSIBLE SOURCE OF DYLANS' LYRICS ARE INCREDIBLE. A WELL WRITTEN INFORMATIVE PIECE OF WORK. I RECOMMEND TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN DYLAN, OR FOR THAT MATTER, THE HISTORY OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK TO READ THIS BOOK.

What you see is what you get
This book is a straightforward story of the recording of Highway 61 Revisited in 1965. That is what it promises and that is what it delivers. The good: no pompous highbrow attempts to interpret the songs, no speculative forays. The bad: not much in here is new. But it compiles what is out there in one book, puts it in coherent choronological fashion, talks a little about the context in Dylan's life and other works and doesn't muddy that with anything else.It's like a chapter of Dylan's biography about the album, supersized. Reads quickly. ... Read more

Product Description
Bob Dylan was recently named by Life as one of the 100 most important Americans of the 20th century. In this photographic tour of Dylan’s breakthrough years, 1964 to 1965, Daniel Kramer shows the human side of this legendary figure — playing chess, making coffee, and in one whimsical moment, sitting in a tree — and also in the studio and onstage. An essay by the photographer sheds further light on the man and his music. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

PAPERBACK VERSION
I got this one in hardback from the public library before I bought this paperback version.I liked the hardback version, but I was disappointed with the paperback version and here's why:

It appears as if the pictures are copies of copies of copies taken out of the the original hardback and copied right on some copier rather than done correctly all over again, and there is at least one VERY GOOD picture M I S S I N G!!!!--one of my favorites--where Bob is reading a magazine or paper up close and he has his hat on.NOT DONE RIGHT IS ALSO A TOP FAVORITE: the one where Bob Dylan is playing chess at a French cafe--REALLY REALLY GOOD ONE, I love that one very much--but it still seems COPY OF COPY OF COPY quality--IT IS DARK AND GRITTY.The quality of the pictures in the original hardback book are FAR superior. and I SEE it.I did a copy of the one at the cafe on a copier before I returned the book to the library and believe me it is BETTER quality than the one in this paperback version!!! AAAAHHHHH!!! Maybe people won't notice, but I do notice it.Unfortunately I had to return the hardback book to the library.

P L E A S E TELL THE PUBLISHER TO R E D O THIS BOOK PROPERLY AND RESPECT Bob Dylan's fans because we want quality pictures.This book deserves to be done again properly.Paperback is okay to save the forests, but the quality of the pictures has something to do with the process and technology that they use.They just dished out a paperback version and copied the pictures from some other copies (as I see it) just to make money with no concern about the QUALITY OF THE PICTURES.

May I also suggest Dylan: Visions, Portraits & Back Pages as a book with FAR FAR FAR FAR SUPERIOR quality pictures and it even costs less!

Please do this PICTURE BOOK all over again, PUBLISHERS!!!These pictures deserve FIRST QUALITY production.

Absolutely Sweet Bob
These photos will absolutely break your heart.
They will break your heart absolutely. If you love Dylan and the mythology he created around himself, this book will give you a glimpse behind the curtain. The images of Joan Baez and Dylan are so gorgeous you'll want to duck out of your busy life and cry for five crucial minutes. The image of a back-lit Bob and a shadowy Joan in profile is a just, simple ode to these monoliths. These photos give us what we've intimated about Bob all along.

pure dylan
many of these photos became icons over the years. not only absorbing photos of dylan, but classics of the photographic art. dylan was lucky during this period to be photographed by so many excellent photographers: kramer's work is the best

Great B&W photos of young Bob Dylan
This seems to be a reprint of a book that first came out in the 60's. I still have my copy but it's a smaller format than this reprint. It is chock full of great photos of Dylan being whimsical and eccentric, posing in a studio setting. Very professional. All seem to be from the "Highway 61 Revisited" period (1965)when Dylan affected a "mod" style of clothes, including polka-dot shirts and Beatle boots. This is a treasure for any Dylan addict. Except for one essay, the book is all photos without text. ... Read more

Product Description
Since the early 1960s, music fans have found Bob Dylan's spirituality fascinating, and many of them have identified Dylan as a kind of spiritual guru. This book, written by a scholar who is a longtime fan, examines DylanÂ's mystique, asking why audiences respond to him as a spiritual guide. This book reveals Bob Dylan as a major twentieth- and twenty-first-century religious thinker with a body of relevant work that goes far beyond a handful of gospel albums. ... Read more

Product Description

CHRIS O'DELL WASN'T FAMOUS. SHE WASN'T EVEN ALMOST FAMOUS. BUT SHE WAS THERE.

She was in the studio when the Beatles recorded The White Album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be, and when Paul recorded "Hey Jude," she sang in the chorus.

She was at Ringo's kitchen table when George Harrison said, "You know, Ringo, I'm in love with your wife." And Ringo replied, "Better you than someone we don't know."

She typed the lyrics to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. She lived with George and Pattie Boyd at Friar Park, developed a crush on Eric Clapton, and unwittingly got involved in the famous love story between Eric and Pattie.

She's the subject of Leon Russell's "Pisces Apple Lady," a song he wrote to woo her. Other rock legends with whom she was intimate include Ringo, Mick Jagger, and Bob Dylan.

She worked with the Rolling Stones as their personal assistant on their infamous 1972 tour and did a drug run for Keith Richards.

She's "the woman down the hall" in Joni Mitchell's song "Coyote" about a love triangle on Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour. She's the "mystery woman" pictured on the back of the Rolling Stones album Exile on Main Street. She's the "Miss O'Dell" of George Harrison's song about her.

Miss O'Dell is the remarkable story of an ordinary woman who lived the dream of millions -- to be part of rock royalty's trusted inner circle. Illustrated with private photographs and jam-packed with intimate anecdotes, Miss O'Dell is a backstage pass to some of the most momentous events in rock history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

Fascinating book...
I can't really add anything to the description of the basic story...others have done that well. What I can add is that the writing style is so comfortable, so familiar...it's almost as if you're having a conversation with someone rather than reading words on a page. I think that's what makes it such a quick, easy read. Anyone with an interest in rock music history from the late sixties through seventies would appreciate this book. These are stories you have probably not heard before.

Forest Gump, Indeed!
Do the people who wrote the reviews before me REALLY believe this crap? If this is not entirely made up, it is CERTAINLY embellished to no end! I started out enjoying it until about the umpteenth time of Forest, eh, Chris being in the place where all the action is AGAIN!
Yeah, she was there for every important album and tour of the late 1960's and through the 1970's. Sure. She constantly had people calling her up out of the blue to offer her a job with every act in the R&R Hall Of Fame, even when she had moved and didn't even have the same phone number. Sure.
You get the idea. Read the thing if you like Rock and Roll. And Fiction.

Please enter a title for your review.
This book allows you to go on a trip through a cool time in music.She tells a good tale without selling anyone down the river yet still telling us some great stories about herself and the persons she knew.I found her journey fascinating.If you are a Beatles' fan I think you will get to know the members just a little bit better than you did before.There are not shocking revelations but just stories to add to, and confirm, your knowledge of the group.I like the book.I'm glad she told her story.

An excellent memoir
I really enjoyed MISS O'DELL. It's a truly enjoyable book about a woman plucked out of virtual obscurity to become a part of the inner circle of many top Rocks of the 1960s and 70s. It's a compellingly written account of a very unlikely life. As someone from so-called Generation X (typically defined as the generation born during the 1970s), this book is something of a history lesson for me. I know the Stones, the Beatles, Queen, etc., are "rock gods," but I don't know much about them. So, it was great to learn about them, and to learn about them from a behind-the-scenes perspective. I just really enjoyed this book. Even if you aren't a fan of the various rock groups the author worked with, you will still enjoy this highly readable book.

A Great Trip Back In Time
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be a fly on the wall as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo went through their creative process? How about being a fly on the wall when the love triangles involving George, Ringo, and Ringo's wife when George tells Ringo "I'm in love with you wife?" Well Chris O'Dell was a fly on the wall during these very tumultuous times. She lived in the mansion with George Harrison and Pattie Boyd and saw that marriage fall as Eric Clapton openly went after and won Pattie's love. What is it about Pattie that inspired George to write "Something" and Eric to write "Layla", "Wonderful Tonight", and "Have You Ever Loved A Woman". This is the closest I've come to understanding more about Pattie than her obvious beauty as she and Chris were (and remain) very close friends.

Chris worked at Apple records at the height of it's place as an important center of the music world then, when Apple was collapsing, used her organizational skills to become a tour manager. This put her in close contact with The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell and many more. She gives an accurate depiction of life in the music world, onstage and off at a time when substance abuse was at its heigth. Chris O'Dell writes with humor, and honesty which make her personal journey very interesting as well. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall, Blowin' In The Wind, Tangled Up In Blue, Don't Think Twice It's All Right, and Just Like A Woman. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Who Wrote this?
I'm not going to slam this book because I'm sure it has it's place in a novice's sheet music library, but I am going to give it one star based on my personal opinion as an intermediate/advanced acoustic guitar player.First of all if you're not a stickler and just want the main idea of a chord progression for afew dylan songs then ignore this review you won't mind or notice what I have. On the other hand if you want to learn to play these songs in the same key and note for note from the greatest hits album then this book isn't what your looking for. In my opinion this is a fake book. The degrees seem to be right and for the strumming songs you could transpose and a adjust for dylan's free style vocals but for "don't think twice, it's alright"-which is the the main song I bought the book for-the tabs are wrong. There are no trills or hammer ons or pull offs which can distinctly be heard even by a novice. Also the tab for "Blowing in the Wind" is missing a few notes and the intro in addition to most of the other songs in the book
is totally different like the writer heard the song once picked it out by ear and then just decided to make up whatever else he felt like.Nothing personal to the author, but in addition to other books I've seen this one should deffinitly have the word fakebook on the cover. Anything that doesn't, I'd expect more from.

Best Dylan songbook
This is great Dylan songbook! The best starting point for a Dylan fan who wants to learn how to play those legendary songs. Simply the best songbook there is!

Bob Dylan - Musical Brilliance
Bob Dylan's music has touched the hearts of millions over the decades and this collection is a wonderful gathering of his masterworks.Whether you're looking to sing, strum, or tickle the ivories, this collection is amust. ... Read more

Product Description
Focuses on the production of the Basement Tapes, the suppressed recordings made by Bob Dylan and The Band in 1967 in Big Pink, Woodstock. This book returns to the folk/mythological preoccupations of Greil Marcus's "Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'n' Roll Music". ... Read more