Speaking of Bob Dylan

[Joe Sperling]

I liked some of ELP's stuff, but they sold out when they came out with an album
called "Love Beach", dressed like the BeeGees and tried to do disco. It was ridicu-
lous. You're right--the synthesizer on Lucky Man at the end is terrible. One group
I could never get into for some reason was Electric Light Orchestra, or ELO(since were
talking about groups with initials  ). Although I think Jeff Lynn(is that correct?)
later became a member of the Travelling Wilbury's.

--Joe

[summer007]

Dylan is the Man...("He walked up to me so graciously and took my crown of thorns".) Best concert I ever attended 7th row out-door summer night, need I say more?  Summer.........(I bargained for salvation an' they gave me a lethel dose)

[Mark Kisla]

I agree---Roxy Music is way underrated. I have the album "Avalon", and the song of
the same title on that album is beautiful. Another group that never really got the
fame they may have deserved was King Crimson--Greg Lake from Emerson Lake and
Palmer sang for them for a while and  sang "In the court of the Crimson King"--it's
a pretty awesome song.

I also used to be a big fan of "Ten Years After" with guitarist Alvin Lee who was actually
a pretty amazing guitarist. I have almost all of Joe Walsh's solo albums too. He wrote some
very beautiful songs---all you hear from him is "Rocky Mountain Way" but he had dozens of
other tunes that are really far better than that. The Moody Blues weren't too bad either--
"A Question of Balance" is a great album.


--Joe

'Alvin Lee live in Hamberg Germany' album IMO showcases his abilities.
I agree  with you about Joe Walsh...he is much much more than 'Rocky Mountain way'. 'Funk 49' is a fun song.
As I am writing this my 11 yr old daughter is playing the Moody Blues  'Story in your Eyes' on her acoustic guitar.
Court of the Crimson King, could only be played LOUD, Had that on 8 track

[David Mauldin]

Joe, I saw Alvin Lee at Woodstock!  (the movie) I remember the solo he did! Summer, I heard that song you quoted 20 years ago on "Hard Rain" I think it is "Shelter from the Storm!? I really like Dylan!  I have listed to his hits and some of his little known work.  Have you ever listened to the album/cd "Self Portrait"? It is a very earthy, folksy work he recorded in Nashville back in the early 60's. He sings it with that "Lay, Lady, Lay" voice! I think he researched some places/peoples way out in the sticks.  They are ballads about miners, prostitutes and gamblers!  Good Christian themes!

[Mark Kisla]

Hi David.

Hang on to that record, and don't play it!  Keep it safe, and retire a wealthy man. 

Any rock, folk or pop musician, especially a teacher, will tell you that the Beatles are to modern music what calculus is to math.  You can't do anything important with math unless you have a clear undertanding of calculus, and likewise, if you don't know the Beatles, and the way they crafted songs, you will be stuck doing rap or hiphop, or some other disgusting thing.

The Beatles made huge leaps and changes from album to album, and it didn't take them 2 years between records!  Sometimes they would have 3 a year!  Amazing.  With the Beatles, you don't get one band and one sound...you get about 6 bands and perhaps 20 sounds.  Teeny bopper, soul, psychedelic, pop, rock, ballads, it's amazing.

Think of this:

I want to hold your hand........Michelle........A Day in the Life.....Something.....Let it Be......all by the same group, all within an eight year span.  And there was so much more!

The simplicity of many of the songs is stunning.  The genius and sweetness of the melodies are amazing, and the playful quirkiness shows that they didn't take themselves too seriously.  (Lennon did later, and his music suffered, IMO)

Now two of them are dead, and they'll never come back.  What a sad commentary on the human lot.

I'm going to see Sir Paul this year.  He's still at the top of his game.

Brent

As far as I'm concerned, The Beatles opened the flood gates that allowed us to enjoy many other bands.
My favorite Beatle album is Abby Road.

[Joe Sperling]

That's funny you mention "Lay lady, lay". Whenever I hear that song, or "Knock, Knock,
Knocking on Heaven's Door" I always think "Now, why can't Dylan sing like that all of the
time?" Dylan's an icon, but I have to admit that a lot of his songs irritate me because of
the nasally whining sound he uses. He is very capable of "really" singing, as he demonstrates
on "Lay lady lay".  This is just my opinion of course.

--Joe

[editor]

That's funny you mention "Lay lady, lay". Whenever I hear that song, or "Knock, Knock,
Knocking on Heaven's Door" I always think "Now, why can't Dylan sing like that all of the
time?" Dylan's an icon, but I have to admit that a lot of his songs irritate me because of
the nasally whining sound he uses. He is very capable of "really" singing, as he demonstrates
on "Lay lady lay".  This is just my opinion of course.

--Joe

My friend is a Dylan nut, and he says that Bob has some sort of nervous disorder, such that he can't even play the guitar anymore.  He was actually a great guitar player at one time.

The reason he sings the way he does now, is because he can't help it.

In spite of all that, he remains a viable artist....and a backslidden christian.  Dylan makes me sad.

Brent

[David Mauldin]

Brent, He played right here in O.C. about 3 years ago. I thought his nasal twang was just old age or 3o yeas of Pall Malls.  Ray told me he lives up in San Francisco and is a dedicated family man who practices Judaism. My impression of "Trying to get into Heaven" a song on (Time out of Mind-album/cd) is that Bob still believes in a personal God. In his bio Dylan comes across surprisingly traditional values, he makes references to his Christian wife. I am surprised that his health had lasted all these years. Ray mentioned Bob's first wife died of heroin?

[editor]

Brent, He played right here in O.C. about 3 years ago. I thought his nasal twang was just old age or 3o yeas of Pall Malls.  Ray told me he lives up in San Francisco and is a dedicated family man who practices Judaism. My impression of "Trying to get into Heaven" a song on (Time out of Mind-album/cd) is that Bob still believes in a personal God. In his bio Dylan comes across surprisingly traditional values, he makes references to his Christian wife. I am surprised that his health had lasted all these years. Ray mentioned Bob's first wife died of heroin?

He played in SLO about 3 years ago too, at Cal Poly.

I don't enjoy Dylan too much, but I respect his early body of work.

Brent

[moonflower2]

As far as I'm concerned, Dylan is on the top. His earlier works were the best, IMO, including his work after he became a believer, but I wouldn't consider him to be a has-been in the least.

I was at his most recent concerts in Chicago, and the only thing I could complain about was the acoustics. I couldn't understand the words of his music, which IMO have always been the best written.

It seems to me that believing Jews have a more of a fullness about them than we Gentile Christians have. His songs written after his conversion are especially touching and very clear in their expression.

Unless Dylan has a double, it was him playing the guitar, harmonica, warbling out sometimes, and gliding across the stage.

[editor]

As far as I'm concerned, Dylan is on the top. His earlier works were the best, IMO, including his work after he became a believer, but I wouldn't consider him to be a has-been in the least.

I was at his most recent concerts in Chicago, and the only thing I could complain about was the acoustics. I couldn't understand the words of his music, which IMO have always been the best written.

It seems to me that believing Jews have a more of a fullness about them than we Gentile Christians have. His songs written after his conversion are especially touching and very clear in their expression.

Unless Dylan has a double, it was him playing the guitar, harmonica, warbling out sometimes, and gliding across the stage.

From what I hear, he has only recently become unable to play guitar.  Could you actually hear what he was playing, or was it merely a prop?

Brent

[moonflower2]

From what I hear, he has only recently become unable to play guitar.  Could you actually hear what he was playing, or was it merely a prop?

Brent

Most of the time he was playing keyboard. That was real. I couldn't see close enough to see whether his guitar-playing movements matched the music that was being played. If he wasn't playing, they did a pretty good job of covering up for him.

[editor]

Most of the time he was playing keyboard. That was real. I couldn't see close enough to see whether his guitar-playing movements matched the music that was being played. If he wasn't playing, they did a pretty good job of covering up for him.

That's exactly what my friend Kirk said.  He can play keyboard still, but is unable to do more than strum some simple chords on the guitar.  Except for the old days, his guitar hasn't really been a feature.  Back in the day he could really play.

Brent

[summer007]

David,  I started listening to Dylan as a teen, starting with 'Before the Flood' double album with the BAND. I really loved 'Blood on the Tracks' and his work between'74 and '84. So I hav'ent heard everything. He really loved Arlo Guthrie. Some of the real down home grass-roots stuff I'm not that into, and his new work I hav'ent been able to get into (very heavy) So when I saw him late in his 40 year career it was to see the living Legend perform and he did not disappoint, he is a true poet and gifted lyrisist. Emmy-Lou Harris (his back-up vocalist on Blood on the Tracks) used to shop in the store I worked in (as a teen) and alot of times I'd have their music on. As far as the Christian value comment...funny were all human arn't we. At least he did'nt spend years in a cult, thinking he was a Christian.  Summer.  p.s. Kenny Loggins popped in one day too, as well as many other "Stars".

[summer007]

Forgot to mention I was rebuked for bringing a Carly Simon Album into the sisters house. Did'nt I know she was an immoral woman? The funny thing was all the while this "Leader" was listening to of Mozart...Hello