ROCKOLLECTIONS: BOB DYLAN'S MODERN TIMES PT.1

Here is a show I did 5 years ago to the DAY!

So obviously it is NOT the latest album by Bob Dylan, but it was back then.

There is a lot of strangeness involved in this show.

For one thing, although I tried to hide it- and did a good job in this first half- I was in mourning, and this was the first show I had come back to do.

More about that in Part Two.

Listening to it now, it is evident I was distracted.

But that takes nothing away from the music.

Since the CD was over an hour and longer than the show, I played selected cuts from this critically acclaimed album- and it is/was terrific!

A few guys like Dylan seem to be rocking harder than ever as they get older- Leonard Cohen comes to mind, Tom Waits is another.

And at 65, Bob Dylan was the OLDEST living person to EVER have an album enter the charts at # 1.

We’ll have some rockers that set the tone, beginning with the opening track, and even a jazzy, crooning Dylan (HUH?).

More to follow.

Here's the to bob for Bob, at WLSO.FM:

http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/2224

Mike

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Comment by Mike Pell on March 15, 2012 at 11:43pm: Jon,

You are SO tough to please...you don't like anybody, lol!

Funniest line, "The Hurricane, cause he swears in it", hahahahaha.

Glad you liked Pt.1.

Robert Christgau, what a snob.

I have a book by him, and albums I love he totally destroys!

What is he trying to say?

That every album we like, he can't stand!

I just wanna choke something cause he's WRONG!

Go get 'em Tiger!
Good to hear from you again,

Mike

Comment by Jon on March 15, 2012 at 5:02pm: I'm not a fan of Bob Dylan at all (except that song about The Hurricane, cause he swears in it) but this was damn good. Surprisingly good, will be giving part 2 a listen early next week.

As for Robert Christgau, yeah his reviews are either wrong or totally nonsensical. There's a site with hundreds of his reviews and when I want to feel some pain, I look up artists and read what he says about their albums. I swear some of the stuff he says is so out there, I almost get lost. What is he trying to say?

And then when he pans an artist I like, I just wanna choke something cause he's WRONG!

Comment by Mike Pell on March 14, 2012 at 3:33pm: Scott,

I think I have Slow Train Coming but haven't ever listened all the way through.

My bad!

We used to kid about all the Dylans there have been- the old Dylan, the new Dylan, the folkie Dylan, the country Dylan, the rocker Dylan, the crooner Dylan, the born-again Dylan, the UN-born-again Dylan...etc, lol!

Sounds like Dire Straits eh? Gotta try to find it.

Modern Times is real good, but the one that got it all rolling for me was Time Out Of Mind- just a brilliant album, love Not Dark yet.

That's the album that seemed to me showed a BIG renewed focus.

Ah, you liked that jazzy one for the Golden Pell.

RJ is wrong...hahahaha...poor RJ, he gets it from all directions!

It's tough when you can't think of something as difficult as "A very nice listen", glad it doesn't happen to me on the radio, lol!

Thanks very much for that, and Part Two late tonight- with a VERY emotional finish for me.

And of course thanks for the listen and writing,

Mike

Comment by Scott on March 14, 2012 at 9:30am: I have Slow Train Coming and its a great great album in my opinion. Its really about his conversion to Chritianity, but its also, kinda sorta, a Dire Straits album as well. Classic tunes!

I like the feel of this too! Kinda sounds like he's got a renewed focus.

Golden Pell goes to the second track! RJ is wrong.

This was a, wait what was it? Oh yeah, A very nice listen...

Comment by Mike Pell on March 13, 2012 at 11:40pm: RJ,

Yeah, Dylan has changed his whole sound and I like it.

But next week, I will be playing some old Dylan...I still favor that.

I really liked that opening track too, and honestly it was the only you could give the Golden Pell to, lol!

I can't believe I played so few songs, although they were kind of long.

I haven't listened to that show since I did it, but it's me, so I can hear the distraction.

Interesting that others like yourself could hear it too.

My main memory is that I had listened to the CD before the show, and there was a song that applied to Angel's death- at least in my mind.

So hovering over me was this wondering how I would handle playing it, I could have skipped it but not me, I was going to play it no matter what.

You'll hear it...and me, in Part Two.

You reach a certain age and you can't help but be familiar with sadness.

Even after 5 years it's tough because she was only 46...and I can't help but think I would have eventually married her.

After all, I had cleaned up my act, no more drinking, and was actually becoming somewhat responsible...almost a mature adult, lol!

Time hasn't done much.

Maybe I won't let it!

Thanks very much for those kind words, I'll be thinking of them after Part Two when I am saddened by hearing that song and what I said after it.

But hey, I am always what I am on that show, and I think that means something- people can actually know me for good or bad.

No machine me, but a real person!

I still enjoy being stolen, lol,

Mike

Comment by RJhog (Admin) on March 13, 2012 at 10:28am: Mike, you know I don't claim to be a Dylan fan, but this was a decent little listen. I can promise I would have never heard any of this album anywhere else. So thanks for that.

I'll give the Golden Pell to that opening track (you're too slow this week Scott).

And I did like some of the guitar work in the other two tunes.

I can definitely hear the distraction in your voice. I think I'm familiar with sadness that you are referring to, so I can certainly understand why you would be distracted. It's been 5 years, and they say time heals all pain. Hopefully you are doing a little better these days. Thanks again for posting your shows at CRB. It was definitely a stroke of genius on my part () to steal you away from you know where.