Every Bob Dylan fan should pick up a copy of this book. amzn.to/4cKSWRC Ray's Bob Dylan Newsletter www.flaggingdown.com/ Ray's TH-cam Channel www.youtube.com/@raypadgett950/videos
🤔,.... Hope it reveals that Dylan himself took care of that bullying issue with Watson's daughter. .... 😉. .... In more seriousness, I've attended around 30 Dylan shows. Most of which were in the 1997 - 2007 area. With that I remember feeling like the whole scene around it was so interesting. Would see certain folks consistently. A taping duo who would travel around to most shows. One would go inside to tape & the other would convert em to CDr's & sell em in the parking lots for $20 a show. Had the pleasure to talk with him a bit & he was fascinating. LoL, he even had me do some security lookout action for him after a casino show on April 22, 2005. In exchange he gave me the 3 Boston shows from the weekend before (🎉). ... Another was a lady that ran the merch table. She did it with her young daughter who helped out. Think I conversed with her in 2003 or '04. She said that she had done it for years & that was her last. ... Also, a very interesting person. Strong willed, quick tongued, & funny. Anyways, I recall thinking/wishing that somebody would make a documentary on it all. .. Plus, 30 Dylan shows isn't much at all. I know there's tons more out there that know a lot more about the whole scene back then & beforehand than I ever will. .... Would love a book of interviews with all those types of folks. ... Always hoped it be something documented in some sorta way at least. ... Feel like it being like that died on down in the 2013 area when he switched to mostly performing the same set of songs. ... But, before that it was definitely a unique scene that was entirely all its own. Just throwing the idea on out there. Nevvah know & all that. .. Do love this book & look forward to whatever comes next from Mr. Padgett. Thanks as always Otis. Excellent interview choice per usual. ... Best wishes & safe travels kind sir 🤠
Bob Dylan is one of the greatest Americans in history to me. I could see him as a character in Blood Meridian, which should be studied in every high school across the States.
I just got that book. It’ll be fun to talk to Jerry P. about it some day. I just saw Bob at the bowling alley in Nashville. I can’t believe I missed the show in my hometown of Akron with Tom Petty, The Grateful Dead, & Bob Dylan, but the streets of Europe weren’t going to busk themselves that Summer. Well, maybe they were, but anyway I had to leave Ohio & see the world a bit. I believe that was the Summet of ‘86. My first busking adventure overseas.
I was at that Rubber Bowl show. I imagined it was like seeing him with the Band. Mike Campbell is one of my favorite players. When the Dead came on, everyone started dancing, tie die was swirling around the football field.
my first time seeing the Dead, Dylan and Tom Petty…The only time the Dead played Don’t Think Twice…thanks Otis and Ray, I’ll pick up Rays book. Just finishing Sound Man
I saw him at Ballina nsw Australia played at a country football ground was incredible concert about 23 yrs ago not many people Bob looked like he was enjoying the small crowd played for couple of hours very relaxed atmosphere.
" We gotta do something about that girl," man, I loved hearing that story. I know alot of people and most of the time they tell me a story and I'm like yea, uh-huh but when a little kid tells you something it's new it's fresh and it really means something (maybe just to them) but the fact they chose to tell it to you means alot. I loved hearing that Dylan understood that, means alot to me. Again leave up to Otis to interview the interviewer. Rock on my brother, and keep up the good work !
I’ve probably read half a hundred books about Dylan over the past sixty years and I gotta tell you Ray’s book is in the top five. It’s entertaining and illuminating, simultaneously revelatory and confirming regarding the greatest artist of our time. Here’s to Ray and to you Otis for getting it and sharing it.
in the mid 1980s i was working part time as a university student in Calgary Canada as a ticket seller in a movie theatre...one cold rainy fall night, dead night, i had sold tickets to the two movies that were showing at 9PM and being 9:20PM thought that was it for the night so was studying for an exam i had in two days with my back to the ticket window when out of the blue that voice says " hey mister can you sell us some tickets ,,we wanna see Top Gun yeah Top Gun" - i thought i know that voice i think and turn around and there was Bob with two of his black backup gospel singers, one on each arm...i was caught off guard i mean heres Bob Dylan in front of you wanting tickets to Top Gun it was so surreal i think i just said yeah okay and handed them 3 tickets and said on the house the movie has already started"...one of the black singers said "thank you kindly sir" and off they went into the theatre...i stayed until the end of the movie to say something to Bob being ready for such an interaction but they never came out! I dont know how they got out of that theatre w/o me seeing them but they sure did somehow. I guess if yer Dylan you know those tricks haha
Interesting that Tom always held Bob above him. NOTE: When Tom and his first wife Jane got divorced it was well known that Bob Dylan was crushed by it. He took it super hard - Tom & Jane were okay with the whole split. It was apparently long over for their marriage. But Bob was devastated
One of my favourite aspects of Bob is his utter unpredictability. Whenever he's not on the road, he seems to be one of those people who'll just "appear" at random places without warning. A bit like Bill Murray. Someone has a wedding.....and there he is. A small restaurant in a small village in Alaska? Sure enough, Bob shows up on a bike, because he's hungry. He's a total nomad.
With my girlfriend, Andy, thanx to her older brother, Bruce, the two of us lived our young lives thru Highway 61. Thank goddess for Dylan's help to instruct me then....and still.
Bob Dylan is a genius, but not a virtuoso musician by conventional standards. And yet, highly accomplished musicians jump at the chance to play with Bob. I remember reading a quote - it may have been in the Biograph booklet - from one of the great guitarists who said that when you play with Bob, there are no charts and no set list, and he keeps changing the songs with every performance. You just have to keep watching his hands and trying to guess what he is going to do next. The amount of respect that Bob gets from other artists is extraordinary. That's why he's Bob Dylan, and we're not. 😀
I saw Dylan with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in June of 1986 at the Southern Star Amphitheater in Houston. It was a moderately long show, possibly 3 hours or more. Going from memory, I believe Tom Petty opened with about a 30-45-minute set of his greatest hits. Then Dylan came out and joined them, playing Dylan songs for an hour or more. At some point the band left the stage and Dylan did a solo acoustic set for about 30-45 minutes. Then Petty and the Heartbreakers came back out and they all played Dylan and Petty songs for another hour or so. It was a fantastic show. One thing I remember that was kind of weird and awkward was, after 2 or 3 of Dylan’s songs he brought out his harmonica. When he played his first harmonica note the crowd went wild with a standing ovation. Dylan didn’t even have a chance to play a tune or anything on the harmonica, literally just one note, and the crowd drowned him out for 60 seconds or more with applause. It seemed to me he was irked, or maybe he was just being funny, but I guess he thought, if they liked that, that’s what I’ll give them. He proceeded to just stand there, blowing one sustained note for a minute or two with the Heartbreakers baking him. It was very strange to me but, any sense of facetiousness seemed to go right over the heads of half the audience and many people thought it was great.
I saw that tour 3 times in Portland, Tacoma and in Calgary - but it was not one of my favorite tours of Bob. Never was a big fan of Tom Petty and thought they were pretty dull as Dylans band- Dylan himself was not in a good phase either, he just seemed apathetic and burned out, lyrics sung in a big slur - i heard later he was having some drug problems but whatever - so combined they were not good shows at all. I saw him in the Slow Train Coming tour and that was fantastic and luckily i saw Dylan a couple of times in mid 1990s when he was much revived and caring about his shows and was simply amazing; seeing bob play lead guitar was mind blowing , just great shows.
@julianciahaconsulting8663: I was surprised to see a few comments here, both yours and others, who said they were disappointed with that tour. Mabey I just caught him on a good night. With Dylan, every show can be quite different. The show I saw in Houston was really good. Also, I am a big Tom Petty fan, and maybe that affected our distinctive perceptions of the shows. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were at the top of their game, between the Southern Accents and Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) albums, and they were rockin and maintaining a high energy level throughout the night. Dylan was in good form too, doing a lot of material from Infidels and Empire Burlesque. Knocked Out Loaded, which was a disappointment, was not out yet.
@@williamfarr8807 idk i just found Tom Petty's band gave Dylan's songs no matter what song it was the same sort of generic FM radio friendly treatment which treatments of course Petty had mastered for himself hence his numerous hits around that time you would hear on FM radio....Dylan himself to me was in auto pilot mode in that tour for the most part , I mean even a hard core fan like myself who knows the lyrics for most of his songs by heart had problems deciphering what song he was doing at times because of the way Dylan was singing at the time; he wasnt enunciating clearly in his singing; it just felt like he only had half if that of his heart in it ; probably the result from touring too much maybe? i dont know but i do know you can see in a second if Dylan's heart is in it or that he is interested again in his performances and is truly enjoying performing live - thats when he blows you away . And on that Petty & Heartbreakers tour - despite a moment here and there - Dylan did not seem he was particularly enjoying playing live or just not caring that much - kind of like all of us , me for sure, are like at a job we dont particularly like or hate or have become totally bored with that we are just doing because we need the money or somehow have become trapped in doing that job versus how people are like in a job when they absolutely love the work they are doing you know?
I lived next door to Bo in Malibu in the mid 80's...we shared a tall tree line..couldn't really see but I used to spend hours just listening to Bob and Tom rehearsing
Great stories! I saw Benmont with the Watkins Family a few years ago with Fiona Apple . It was mind blowing. Fiona and Benmont did a song together that nearly brought me to tears.
Great stuff Otis..! I think anyone who doesn’t find at least one facet of Bobby Dylan’s enigma wrapped up in a mystery utterly fascinating must be totally deficient in the imagination department…😳 It’s very cool knowing that you’re here Otis… but no pressure…😳🤣✌🏼❤️
You are a God, Man You are a soul in a human You are a flow on a tongue You are words in a mind You are a flow on strings of mistic complex It's alright 'ma that's only rhythmic riverines Of poetry and flow of fragrance in the enchanting windy plains and running riveres Glowing icy peaks & Brewing Clouds Over the high lands Looking for the flowing rivers and gushing waters It's alright 'ma that's only rhythmic riverines Of poetry and Flow of fragrance into the past and present alike waiting for the new spring to visit and feel the flavour of the present Ma I am only running my mind to reach the words of Dylan Resonating the sounds of ever mystic Bob Mesmerising stoic eyes Glancing into mistic might Day or night Moon or sun Mysteries or Marvels Moving tone of Dylan in poetry As mystical as Milton's Paradise always regained but never lost It's alright 'ma that's only rhythmic riverines Of poetry and flow of fragrance into the winds of valleys and heights of mountains from the riverines to skies Ma, tell Tambourine man to sing Volcanic voices Waves like rhythms opening into tunnel of Musical Vocal caves
My favorite story about Bob is when he tried to sit in with Muddy Waters once. Muddy said to the audience, "We have Dylan here tonight- come on up here John...," (!)- Well this to me must have pleased Bob. The fact that he was not a god to Muddy explains that he was ultimately big to a select, although somewhat vast, audience, but he was not everything to everyone. I get the sense that Bob liked not being fawned over, and Stan Lynch ultimately won him over by not kissing up. It's probably the same with Jerry Garcia. He remembered being just another struggling musician, he probably never forgot that every night he was playing for his life- and he wasn't about to let ego get in the way.
Petty and band had dropped in ticket sales by 1987 when I saw them at LA’s relatively small Universal Amphitheater with Georgia Satellites and Del Fuegos. Bigger than ever just a few years later.
Bob’s spontaneous: he’s not into rehearsal. Most of his recordings are first take. A fan since I was a young girl, and Bob was a folk singer 💖 Love you, Bob
The 'like jazz' comment rang a bell with me. Over the decades, two different friends of mine played for Jerry Lee Lewis, one all through the late 70s & 80s, the other for the last 25 years. They both said they never knew what songs they would play, in what key they'd play them, or what tempo or beat. Maybe they'd swing it one night in D, then straight ahead in C the next night. It was always spontaneous that way.
One of the best concert movie/videos I've ever seen was the Bob Dylan/Heartbreakers show that appeared on HBO in the late/mid-80's. I wish that it would get remastered and re-released.
When you mentioned that Dylan's crew emptied the trashcan in his hotel room, it reminded me of a story my father told me that one day he was having drinks with friends outside of a café in Paris when Pablo Picasso dropped by and sat down with them. While talking he was drawing on a paper napkin and when they were leaving he creased the napkin and threw it away. My father remarked that he could have owned a Picasso if he would have picked the napkin of the table then. Dylan is not the only person that has to be careful of his privacy. That said, I liked the interview, but at the same time I realized that both of you are doing the same thing. You treat Dylan as a deity. Every smile or gesture means something. I understand why Dylan is more at ease with children then with grown-ups.
Thanks Otis and Ray for the stories. The mid-late 80s period was when I got into Dylan. Empire, Infidels, Knocked Out Loaded. Great to hear stories about that era and with the Dead and TP.
If anyone is disrespectful to Bob . They just don't know history. Bob's folk music and just his rolling stone song , all the songs wrote. Bob will always being a legand .
I've always wondered about how Dylan heard that Hendrix did All Along the Watchtower. Did Hendrix or the record company send him anacetate or tape before the album was released? Did he listen to it several times in a row, blown away like most people were? When did he get to talk to Hendrix about it?
Ways to support this channel. www.patreon.com/otisgibbs th-cam.com/channels/YX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Q.htmljoin Tip jar for anyone who wants to help support this channel. paypal.me/otisgibbs?locale.x=... www.venmo.com/OtisGibbs Paypal: @otisgibbs Venmo: @OtisGibbs ----- Otis Tour Dates ------- 04/16/24 -Key West, Florida -The Studios Of Key West 04/17/24. -Key West, Florida -The Studios Of Key West 04/27/24 -Seymour, Indiana -Crossroads Acoustic Festival 05/29/24 -London, England. -Leytonstone Social Club 05/31/24. -Smethwick, England. -The Thimblemill Library 06/01/24. -Broseley, England. -The Birchmeadow 06/02/24. -Nottingham, England -The Chapel at the Angel 06/04/24 -Newport, Wales -Le Pub 06/05/24. -Sheffield, England. -The Greystones 06/07/24 -Newcastle, England. -The Cluny 2 06/09/24. -Glasgow, Scotland. -The Glad Café ------ Details at otisgibbs.com ----------
To experience the Bobster being the most Bobsterish listening to his Theme Time Radio show is about as close as I’m gonna get..Truly stands up to his reputation as a song and dance man…And a master of the Borsht Belt one liners.🤠🤡🤠
Many thanks Otis. I'll pick up the book for sure. I'm curious if there's a Traveling Wilbury thread continuing the Dylan-Petty tale, and maybe a maturing of that relationship?!
I saw Bob Dylan at the big outdoor music venue in Westport of St. Louis county. He had a good sized back up band. He started playing around 6 pm, August something. Bob was not there spiritually, mentally. But he marched through. The band was out of time and out of key. A small number of people were booing and a few were even leaving. Dylan is on his third song, Lady, Lay, Lay, and all of the sudden, Sol's golden rays lit Bob's face completely, and the beauty in that song unfolded. The band found its cohesion and synchronization and most of those that started leaving turned around to return to the field to watch the poet.
Great stuff! I came here by way (indirectly) of Padgett's Tom Waits newsletter, "Every Tom Waits Song." If you're a fan of Waits, check that out... Padgett's already in the D's (it's alphabetical).
I was at the Farm Aid show in Buffalo on July 4, 1986. Three of my all time favorites, what a day and what a strange, loose, weird show. We had a great time and the Dead were great but everyone on stage just seemed a bit off. Otis - thanks as always for the great interview.
@@julianciahaconsulting8663 I don't know but that has more to say about my memory than anything else. It was '86 so definitely around the time of Empire Burlesque.
It hit while listening to these stories. That because every person in America. Has such a infatuation with astectic perfection. We may never have a prolific song writer/ performer like Bob or Niel Young , because we can't get past our perception of what a star should look like
I saw one of the Dylan/Heartbreakers shows in Sydney , the band were great and Bob appeared to be s**tfaced drunk ... A huge fan , I was severely disappointed , saw him again in the 90s with his own band and Patty Smith as support and it was effing brilliant .
This is great. Good to see someone who wants to know about the songs and various versions, the people involved, rather than in Bob's private life. Great interview. Thanks!
Every Bob Dylan fan should pick up a copy of this book.
amzn.to/4cKSWRC
Ray's Bob Dylan Newsletter
www.flaggingdown.com/
Ray's TH-cam Channel
www.youtube.com/@raypadgett950/videos
🤔,.... Hope it reveals that Dylan himself took care of that bullying issue with Watson's daughter. .... 😉. .... In more seriousness, I've attended around 30 Dylan shows. Most of which were in the 1997 - 2007 area. With that I remember feeling like the whole scene around it was so interesting. Would see certain folks consistently. A taping duo who would travel around to most shows. One would go inside to tape & the other would convert em to CDr's & sell em in the parking lots for $20 a show. Had the pleasure to talk with him a bit & he was fascinating. LoL, he even had me do some security lookout action for him after a casino show on April 22, 2005. In exchange he gave me the 3 Boston shows from the weekend before (🎉). ... Another was a lady that ran the merch table. She did it with her young daughter who helped out. Think I conversed with her in 2003 or '04. She said that she had done it for years & that was her last. ... Also, a very interesting person. Strong willed, quick tongued, & funny.
Anyways, I recall thinking/wishing that somebody would make a documentary on it all. .. Plus, 30 Dylan shows isn't much at all. I know there's tons more out there that know a lot more about the whole scene back then & beforehand than I ever will. .... Would love a book of interviews with all those types of folks. ... Always hoped it be something documented in some sorta way at least. ... Feel like it being like that died on down in the 2013 area when he switched to mostly performing the same set of songs. ... But, before that it was definitely a unique scene that was entirely all its own.
Just throwing the idea on out there. Nevvah know & all that. .. Do love this book & look forward to whatever comes next from Mr. Padgett.
Thanks as always Otis. Excellent interview choice per usual. ... Best wishes & safe travels kind sir
🤠
😊
Thanks! I was trying to find it. Insta-buy.
★★★★★ Otis Gibbs is known by many as a musician and song writer, but to me he is one of the best music journalists to be found. ☮
Agreed, outstanding. His style and format are top drawer. You can feel the comfort and respect given from everyone he interviews. Rare.
@@jimmyjambon9206 He lets people talk, and asks good questions
Bob Dylan is one of the greatest Americans in history to me. I could see him as a character in Blood Meridian, which should be studied in every high school across the States.
A hard read. A great read. Not sure where Dylan fits in. Maybe the kid. Tell us more.
Captivating interview. Once again Otis & Guest hit it out of the park. Thanks brothers, you're appreciated.
I just got that book. It’ll be fun to talk to Jerry P. about it some day. I just saw Bob at the bowling alley in Nashville. I can’t believe I missed the show in my hometown of Akron with Tom Petty, The Grateful Dead, & Bob Dylan, but the streets of Europe weren’t going to busk themselves that Summer. Well, maybe they were, but anyway I had to leave Ohio & see the world a bit. I believe that was the Summet of ‘86. My first busking adventure overseas.
Busking is not the same in Europe these days… but what is
I was at that Rubber Bowl show. I imagined it was like seeing him with the Band. Mike Campbell is one of my favorite players. When the Dead came on, everyone started dancing, tie die was swirling around the football field.
my first time seeing the Dead, Dylan and Tom Petty…The only time the Dead played Don’t Think Twice…thanks Otis and Ray, I’ll pick up Rays book. Just finishing Sound Man
I'm from Akron, saw the Rubber Bowl show years ago, and just saw him a few months back at the Civic. His band was tight.
I saw him at Ballina nsw Australia played at a country football ground was incredible concert about 23 yrs ago not many people Bob looked like he was enjoying the small crowd played for couple of hours very relaxed atmosphere.
" We gotta do something about that girl," man, I loved hearing that story. I know alot of people and most of the time they tell me a story and I'm like yea, uh-huh but when a little kid tells you something it's new it's fresh and it really means something (maybe just to them) but the fact they chose to tell it to you means alot. I loved hearing that Dylan understood that, means alot to me. Again leave up to Otis to interview the interviewer. Rock on my brother, and keep up the good work !
I’ve probably read half a hundred books about Dylan over the past sixty years and I gotta tell you Ray’s book is in the top five. It’s entertaining and illuminating, simultaneously revelatory and confirming regarding the greatest artist of our time. Here’s to Ray and to you Otis for getting it and sharing it.
Otis Gibbs. You are amazing on interviewing interesting people and sharing interesting content. I'm so glad I found your channel 👍😄
Thanks for the interview Otis! Excellent!
in the mid 1980s i was working part time as a university student in Calgary Canada as a ticket seller in a movie theatre...one cold rainy fall night, dead night, i had sold tickets to the two movies that were showing at 9PM and being 9:20PM thought that was it for the night so was studying for an exam i had in two days with my back to the ticket window when out of the blue that voice says " hey mister can you sell us some tickets ,,we wanna see Top Gun yeah Top Gun" - i thought i know that voice i think and turn around and there was Bob with two of his black backup gospel singers, one on each arm...i was caught off guard i mean heres Bob Dylan in front of you wanting tickets to Top Gun it was so surreal i think i just said yeah okay and handed them 3 tickets and said on the house the movie has already started"...one of the black singers said "thank you kindly sir" and off they went into the theatre...i stayed until the end of the movie to say something to Bob being ready for such an interaction but they never came out! I dont know how they got out of that theatre w/o me seeing them but they sure did somehow. I guess if yer Dylan you know those tricks haha
Dylan has been given people the slip for over 60 years ago.
This is excellent, 💯. .... Sincere thanks to both you guys.
Young man has a good memory of backstage stories. Enjoyed the conversation.
I will definitely buy this. I love to support self-publishers. I am doing my own cookbook the same way.
Some of the best anecdotes I've heard about the Great One! Thanks, Otis!
Traveling Wilburys was one of my most favorite bands. As a musician that's where I want to be.
I'm still looking for their volume II album?!1!
@@alnicospeaker Don't you get the joke?
Thank you both.
Interesting that Tom always held Bob above him. NOTE: When Tom and his first wife Jane got divorced it was well known that Bob Dylan was crushed by it. He took it super hard - Tom & Jane were okay with the whole split. It was apparently long over for their marriage. But Bob was devastated
bob is such a kind soul✌️❤️
@@RebekkaEngelsawwn! I have a great career but not a great love story❤
It's partly a generational thing. Dylan was older than Petty. Dylan idolised those who came before him, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison etc
One of my favourite aspects of Bob is his utter unpredictability. Whenever he's not on the road, he seems to be one of those people who'll just
"appear" at random places without warning. A bit like Bill Murray. Someone has a wedding.....and there he is. A small restaurant in a small
village in Alaska? Sure enough, Bob shows up on a bike, because he's hungry. He's a total nomad.
Almost like a regular person.
Thoroughly enjoyed your book Ray and gave it as gifts this last holiday to AND always enjoy hanging in your world Otis. Wonderful interview thx
Wait, John Brown?
How about Hollis Brown
@@poochpalace627Dylan wrote John Brown before Hollis Brown.
With my girlfriend, Andy, thanx to her older brother, Bruce, the two of us lived our young lives thru Highway 61. Thank goddess for Dylan's help to instruct me then....and still.
Excellent, Otis...keep em comin
Great stuff Otis thanks.
This brings back memories of when I saw Dylan and Petty together at the 1986 California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles.
Damn,what a treat
Bob Dylan is a genius, but not a virtuoso musician by conventional standards. And yet, highly accomplished musicians jump at the chance to play with Bob. I remember reading a quote - it may have been in the Biograph booklet - from one of the great guitarists who said that when you play with Bob, there are no charts and no set list, and he keeps changing the songs with every performance. You just have to keep watching his hands and trying to guess what he is going to do next. The amount of respect that Bob gets from other artists is extraordinary. That's why he's Bob Dylan, and we're not. 😀
I would say that Dylan is rather average as a musician himself but totally brilliant as an overall artist and leader of a band
a lot of love expressed here for Bob Dylan. the interviewer and the interviewee.
Great interview Otis .People really enjoy talking with you - your interest in the subject and above all , your ability to listen . Thanks mate.
Great interview Otis! Love your channel!
Excellent interview- Thanks👍
Fabulous. Thank you. Honor when Honor is Due. Is my take. God Bless your all Bob, in Jesus Name.
Yet another great interview Otis, thanks for this. This guy really does know his stuff…. Have to grab that book methinks…. ❤️
I love both of your TH-cam channels. I'm happy to see this collaboration!
I’m reading this book right now and enjoying it so much. Thanks for telling us about it Otis.
That's sweet, do you like what you're reading but it's kind if shy for me knowing you're reading about me... I hope you like that you read ❤
Fabulous content here! Thanks Otis!!!
Thanks again Otis. Great interview, interviewee and what great stories.
I saw Dylan with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in June of 1986 at the Southern Star Amphitheater in Houston. It was a moderately long show, possibly 3 hours or more. Going from memory, I believe Tom Petty opened with about a 30-45-minute set of his greatest hits. Then Dylan came out and joined them, playing Dylan songs for an hour or more. At some point the band left the stage and Dylan did a solo acoustic set for about 30-45 minutes. Then Petty and the Heartbreakers came back out and they all played Dylan and Petty songs for another hour or so. It was a fantastic show.
One thing I remember that was kind of weird and awkward was, after 2 or 3 of Dylan’s songs he brought out his harmonica. When he played his first harmonica note the crowd went wild with a standing ovation. Dylan didn’t even have a chance to play a tune or anything on the harmonica, literally just one note, and the crowd drowned him out for 60 seconds or more with applause. It seemed to me he was irked, or maybe he was just being funny, but I guess he thought, if they liked that, that’s what I’ll give them. He proceeded to just stand there, blowing one sustained note for a minute or two with the Heartbreakers baking him. It was very strange to me but, any sense of facetiousness seemed to go right over the heads of half the audience and many people thought it was great.
I saw that tour 3 times in Portland, Tacoma and in Calgary - but it was not one of my favorite tours of Bob. Never was a big fan of Tom Petty and thought they were pretty dull as Dylans band- Dylan himself was not in a good phase either, he just seemed apathetic and burned out, lyrics sung in a big slur - i heard later he was having some drug problems but whatever - so combined they were not good shows at all. I saw him in the Slow Train Coming tour and that was fantastic and luckily i saw Dylan a couple of times in mid 1990s when he was much revived and caring about his shows and was simply amazing; seeing bob play lead guitar was mind blowing , just great shows.
@julianciahaconsulting8663: I was surprised to see a few comments here, both yours and others, who said they were disappointed with that tour. Mabey I just caught him on a good night. With Dylan, every show can be quite different. The show I saw in Houston was really good. Also, I am a big Tom Petty fan, and maybe that affected our distinctive perceptions of the shows. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were at the top of their game, between the Southern Accents and Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) albums, and they were rockin and maintaining a high energy level throughout the night. Dylan was in good form too, doing a lot of material from Infidels and Empire Burlesque. Knocked Out Loaded, which was a disappointment, was not out yet.
@@williamfarr8807 idk i just found Tom Petty's band gave Dylan's songs no matter what song it was the same sort of generic FM radio friendly treatment which treatments of course Petty had mastered for himself hence his numerous hits around that time you would hear on FM radio....Dylan himself to me was in auto pilot mode in that tour for the most part , I mean even a hard core fan like myself who knows the lyrics for most of his songs by heart had problems deciphering what song he was doing at times because of the way Dylan was singing at the time; he wasnt enunciating clearly in his singing; it just felt like he only had half if that of his heart in it ; probably the result from touring too much maybe? i dont know but i do know you can see in a second if Dylan's heart is in it or that he is interested again in his performances and is truly enjoying performing live - thats when he blows you away . And on that Petty & Heartbreakers tour - despite a moment here and there - Dylan did not seem he was particularly enjoying playing live or just not caring that much - kind of like all of us , me for sure, are like at a job we dont particularly like or hate or have become totally bored with that we are just doing because we need the money or somehow have become trapped in doing that job versus how people are like in a job when they absolutely love the work they are doing you know?
@@williamfarr8807
I lived next door to Bo in Malibu in the mid 80's...we shared a tall tree line..couldn't really see but I used to spend hours just listening to Bob and Tom rehearsing
Love this, Otis! Thanks!
Thanks for another great interview !
Great stories! I saw Benmont with the Watkins Family a few years ago with Fiona Apple . It was mind blowing. Fiona and Benmont did a song together that nearly brought me to tears.
Wow! What a gig!
Awesome interview. Mil Gracias!!
Great interview, Otis! I'm reading Ray's book right now and would have loved to have chatted with him at the Brooklyn Bowl shows here in town.
This guy is RICH !!! Awesome interview !!1
Great stuff Otis..! I think anyone who doesn’t find at least one facet of Bobby Dylan’s enigma wrapped up in a mystery utterly fascinating must be totally deficient in the imagination department…😳
It’s very cool knowing that you’re here Otis… but no pressure…😳🤣✌🏼❤️
got the kindle version based on your recommendation Otis - very solid read thanks, from Ontario
You are a God, Man You are a soul in a human
You are a flow on a tongue You are words in a mind
You are a flow on strings of mistic complex
It's alright 'ma that's only rhythmic riverines Of poetry and flow of fragrance in the enchanting windy plains and running riveres
Glowing icy peaks & Brewing Clouds
Over the high lands Looking for the flowing rivers and gushing waters
It's alright 'ma that's only rhythmic riverines Of poetry and
Flow of fragrance into the past and present alike waiting for the new spring to visit and feel the flavour of the present
Ma I am only running my mind to reach the words of Dylan
Resonating the sounds of ever mystic Bob
Mesmerising stoic eyes Glancing into mistic might
Day or night Moon or sun Mysteries or Marvels Moving tone of Dylan in poetry
As mystical as Milton's Paradise always regained but never lost
It's alright 'ma that's only rhythmic riverines Of poetry and flow of fragrance into the winds of valleys and heights of mountains from the riverines to skies
Ma, tell Tambourine man to sing Volcanic voices Waves like rhythms opening into tunnel of Musical Vocal caves
I just bought a copy of the book on Amazon after completing this video.
I wonder how long the mythology behind Dylan will last throughout history?
Cool! I still have the actually groovy concert tshirt from the Dylan/Petty tour. Saw it in San Diego. 😁
I bet it looks good on you each time you rock it!❤
My favorite story about Bob is when he tried to sit in with Muddy Waters once. Muddy said to the audience, "We have Dylan here tonight- come on up here John...," (!)- Well this to me must have pleased Bob. The fact that he was not a god to Muddy explains that he was ultimately big to a select, although somewhat vast, audience, but he was not everything to everyone. I get the sense that Bob liked not being fawned over, and Stan Lynch ultimately won him over by not kissing up. It's probably the same with Jerry Garcia. He remembered being just another struggling musician, he probably never forgot that every night he was playing for his life- and he wasn't about to let ego get in the way.
Such a great interview... So insightful! Thank you:)
That was excellent. I’ll be getting the book and signing up for the newsletter
Bought this book after seeing this video. It's a classic! Highly recommend it to music nerds like me. You won't be disappointed!
I've still got my $20(!!!) ticket stub from the Grateful Dead, Dylan, Petty concert RFK July 6, 1986. Great show! Them was the days.
Ahahahah, you can save that for the next concert or tour❤
@@BobDylan-091 Sadly, there will be no more Tom & Jerry shows 😞. Thankful to still have Bob.
An enjoyable read Otis, I got it on your recommendation, so many thanks
Petty and band had dropped in ticket sales by 1987 when I saw them at LA’s relatively small Universal Amphitheater with Georgia Satellites and Del Fuegos. Bigger than ever just a few years later.
Great commentary! I'm going to have to check out your book. I've been a Dylan fan since the beginning (there are advantages to being old lol).
👌Great book 😎
Otis as a musician mostly solo and a conissuer of music history i really appreciate your videos and insight sir. Thank you sir. Keep it up man! 🕺🎸🕺
Another great one. Thank you Otis
Bob’s spontaneous: he’s not into rehearsal. Most of his recordings are first take.
A fan since I was a young girl, and Bob was a folk singer 💖
Love you, Bob
Thank you, your words are so kind and sweet.. I don't really enjoy rehearsals because I know I get a different aura whenever I'm the stage.
@@BobDylan-091 judas!
Bought the book after watching this video . Really great one . Thanks .
This channel is a hidden gem 💎
Restless Farewell Lyrics was written by Bob Dylan to a traditional Scottish folk tune "The Parting Glass".
The 'like jazz' comment rang a bell with me. Over the decades, two different friends of mine played for Jerry Lee Lewis, one all through the late 70s & 80s, the other for the last 25 years. They both said they never knew what songs they would play, in what key they'd play them, or what tempo or beat. Maybe they'd swing it one night in D, then straight ahead in C the next night. It was always spontaneous that way.
now it would be good to see a book on Dylan's paintings , maybe there's one out there already ? gotta search
I've always liked Stan Lynch. Like him even more now.
PS... It rains @ every outdoor show in Denver. Usually only for 10-20 minutes. 🤘🤩
One of the best concert movie/videos I've ever seen was the Bob Dylan/Heartbreakers show that appeared on HBO in the late/mid-80's. I wish that it would get remastered and re-released.
Thanks for all the insights, Snoop! Keep it up!!
Another great interview...done in the same dodgy motel room that a fugitive might hang out in if on the lam.
Great talk, thank you! Added Ray's book to my wishlist.
When you mentioned that Dylan's crew emptied the trashcan in his hotel room, it reminded me of a story my father told me that one day he was having drinks with friends outside of a café in Paris when Pablo Picasso dropped by and sat down with them. While talking he was drawing on a paper napkin and when they were leaving he creased the napkin and threw it away. My father remarked that he could have owned a Picasso if he would have picked the napkin of the table then.
Dylan is not the only person that has to be careful of his privacy.
That said, I liked the interview, but at the same time I realized that both of you are doing the same thing. You treat Dylan as a deity. Every smile or gesture means something. I understand why Dylan is more at ease with children then with grown-ups.
Thanks Otis and Ray for the stories. The mid-late 80s period was when I got into Dylan. Empire, Infidels, Knocked Out Loaded. Great to hear stories about that era and with the Dead and TP.
Very entertaining clip 👍🏼
Just bought the book! great interview!
Thanks for the insights !
Great interview! Thank you!!
If anyone is disrespectful to Bob . They just don't know history. Bob's folk music and just his rolling stone song , all the songs wrote. Bob will always being a legand .
I've always wondered about how Dylan heard that Hendrix did All Along the Watchtower. Did Hendrix or the record company send him anacetate or tape before the album was released? Did he listen to it several times in a row, blown away like most people were? When did he get to talk to Hendrix about it?
Thank you, Otis 🙏🏻
It's nice to have a recorded history and a great interview.
🤍
Hi Ottis love anything on the master his lord himself…hope you are keeping well and looking forward to your next visit to Wales Uk 🏴✌️❤️
Damn this was time well spent.
Did you interview GE Smith from Saturday Night Live that was his back up band I think in the late 80s early 90s
Ways to support this channel.
www.patreon.com/otisgibbs
th-cam.com/channels/YX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Q.htmljoin
Tip jar for anyone who wants to help support this channel.
paypal.me/otisgibbs?locale.x=...
www.venmo.com/OtisGibbs
Paypal: @otisgibbs
Venmo: @OtisGibbs
----- Otis Tour Dates -------
04/16/24 -Key West, Florida -The Studios Of Key West
04/17/24. -Key West, Florida -The Studios Of Key West
04/27/24 -Seymour, Indiana -Crossroads Acoustic Festival
05/29/24 -London, England. -Leytonstone Social Club
05/31/24. -Smethwick, England. -The Thimblemill Library
06/01/24. -Broseley, England. -The Birchmeadow
06/02/24. -Nottingham, England -The Chapel at the Angel
06/04/24 -Newport, Wales -Le Pub
06/05/24. -Sheffield, England. -The Greystones
06/07/24 -Newcastle, England. -The Cluny 2
06/09/24. -Glasgow, Scotland. -The Glad Café
------ Details at otisgibbs.com ----------
Great channel!
To experience the Bobster being the most Bobsterish listening to his Theme Time Radio show is about as close as I’m gonna get..Truly stands up to his reputation as a song and dance man…And a master of the Borsht Belt one liners.🤠🤡🤠
Can i give this two thumbs up????
Many thanks Otis. I'll pick up the book for sure. I'm curious if there's a Traveling Wilbury thread continuing the Dylan-Petty tale, and maybe a maturing of that relationship?!
I saw Bob Dylan at the big outdoor music venue in Westport of St. Louis county.
He had a good sized back up band.
He started playing around 6 pm, August something. Bob was not there spiritually, mentally. But he marched through. The band was out of time and out of key. A small number of people were booing and a few were even leaving.
Dylan is on his third song, Lady, Lay, Lay, and all of the sudden, Sol's golden rays lit Bob's face completely, and the beauty in that song unfolded. The band found its cohesion and synchronization and most of those that started leaving turned around to return to the field to watch the poet.
Bob Dylan with a "pick-up band", Late Night With David Letterman, 1984, Jokerman, song
Great stuff! I came here by way (indirectly) of Padgett's Tom Waits newsletter, "Every Tom Waits Song." If you're a fan of Waits, check that out... Padgett's already in the D's (it's alphabetical).
I was at the Farm Aid show in Buffalo on July 4, 1986. Three of my all time favorites, what a day and what a strange, loose, weird show. We had a great time and the Dead were great but everyone on stage just seemed a bit off.
Otis - thanks as always for the great interview.
was that when Bob did Maggies Farm with Willie Nelson? around the time of Empire Burlesque?
@@julianciahaconsulting8663 I don't know but that has more to say about my memory than anything else. It was '86 so definitely around the time of Empire Burlesque.
Got the book...GREAT read!
Ray's book is so good!!
This book is great
You keep wanting it will not finish because the interviews are mostly great.
It hit while listening to these stories. That because every person in America. Has such a infatuation with astectic perfection. We may never have a prolific song writer/ performer like Bob or Niel Young , because we can't get past our perception of what a star should look like
Thank you Otis
I saw one of the Dylan/Heartbreakers shows in Sydney , the band were great and Bob appeared to be s**tfaced drunk ... A huge fan , I was severely disappointed , saw him again in the 90s with his own band and Patty Smith as support and it was effing brilliant .
This is great. Good to see someone who wants to know about the songs and various versions, the people involved, rather than in Bob's private life. Great interview. Thanks!
The parting glass at Sinatra’s birthday is one of my favorites, just wish it had better sound
He reminds me of a grown up William Miller from Almost Famous. Great stuff