Author: Hallgeir Olsen

Scarlet Rivera talks about Bob Dylan (video interview, 2013)

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Scarlet Rivera is an American violinist who was plucked from obscurity to play a prominent role on both Bob Dylan’s ‘Desire’ album and his Rolling Thunder Revue tour. In this interview she discusses being discovered by Dylan, working with his co-writer at the time, Jacques Levy, recording ‘Desire’ and her experiences on the road with the Rolling Thunder band. Published on YouTube in 2013.

The interview is in 5 parts and a little over 23 minutes long. Continue reading “Scarlet Rivera talks about Bob Dylan (video interview, 2013)” →

Blake Mills and Danielle Haim – Heart of mine – The Best Dylan Covers

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Blake Mills and Danielle Haim – Heart of mine – The Best Dylan Covers

Heart of Mine was originally released on the Bob Dylan album Shot of Love.

Blake Mills is an American songwriter, guitarist, producer, and composer. He has played with, among many,  Jenny Lewis,  Band of Horses, Cass McCombs, Julian Casablancas,  Lucinda Williams, Conor Oberst,  Weezer, The Avett Brothers, Norah Jones, Carlene Carter, Dixie Chicks, Pink, Lana Del Rey, Dangermouse and he also played guitar on Bob Dylan’s latest album, Rough and Rowdy Ways.

He also releases music under his own name and is a much used and respected record producer.

In January 2012, Mills appeared on Conan O’Brien for his first national televised performance as a solo artist. He covered Bob Dylan’s “Heart Of Mine,” which he had recently played at an Amnesty International benefit.

Daniell Haim is a guitarist in the band Haim, and has been a guest musician with several of the bands that Blake Mills have toured with, including Julian Casablancas and Jenny Lewis. On our chosen Dylan cover she plays drums and sing some wonderful harmonies with Blake Mills.

Taylor Goldsmith from Dawes plays bass on this track.

Continue reading “Blake Mills and Danielle Haim – Heart of mine – The Best Dylan Covers” →

January 17: Mick Taylor was born in 1949 , here playing Blind Willie McTell by Bob Dylan

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Happy 72nd birthday Mick Taylor!

Any fan of classic rock needs no introduction to Mick Taylor. The legendary  guitarist first made his mark in the 1960′s playing with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers as the successor to Eric Clapton. As if this wasn’t enough, Mick Taylor would eventually go on to replace the late Brian Jones in The Rolling Stones. He would  leave the Stones in 1974, but he was a big part on some of their most seminal albums, such as Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main Street. Over the years, Taylor would carve out his own solo career, but would continue to maintain contact with the Stones, eventually being present for the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

In 1983, Taylor joined Mark Knopfler and played on Dylan’s Infidels album. He also appeared on Dylan’s live album Real Live, as well as the follow-up studio album Empire Burlesque. In 1984, Dylan asked Mick Taylor to assemble an experienced rock and roll band for a European tour he signed with Bill Graham. Ian McLagan was hired to play piano and hammond organ, Greg Sutton to play bass and Colin Allen, a long-time friend of Taylor, on drums. The tour lasted for four weeks at venues such as Munich’s Olympic Stadium Arena and Milan’s San Siro Stadium, sharing the bill with Carlos Santana and Joan Baez, who appeared on the same bill for a couple of shows.

He played with The Stones again as a special guest on their 50 & Counting Tour in 2013.

His take on Bob Dylan’s Blind Willie McTell is faithful but playful, for instance he incorporates snippets from All along the Watchtower in the middle of the song. But it is his fantastic guitar playing that is the reason I chose this as todays video. There are not many guitarists in his league. Fantastic!

Blind Willie McTell – Mick Taylor (2009):

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Jeff Beck Group – Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You – The Best Dylan Covers

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Jeff Beck Group – Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You – The Best Dylan Covers

 

“Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You” is a song written by Bob Dylan from his 1969 album Nashville Skyline. It was the closing song of the album. The song was the third single released from the album.

Jeff Beck Group is the fourth studio album by The Jeff Beck Group and the second album with the line up of Jeff Beck, Bobby Tench, Clive Chaman, Max Middleton and Cozy Powell. The album was produced by Steve Cropper and often referred to as the Orange Album, because of the orange which appears prominently at the top of the front cover. The album has a wonderful song selection with unique arrangements that allows the virtuosity of the players to shine through. Jeff Beck as usual  let his group members shine.  Steve Cropper’s production is sometimes described as sloppy on this album, I don’t hear it. It’s a hidden gem and an underrated classic! Continue reading “Jeff Beck Group – Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You – The Best Dylan Covers” →

Full Dylan album covered: Blood On The Tracks

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Full Dylan Album Covered: Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks

 

Blood on the tracks is my favourite Bob Dylan album, and it is the one of his albums I play most often. I love it, one of the best albums ever recorded.

This is a post where I have dug out some cover versions of the songs on the record, none of them are as good as the originals, but they’re good and they are interesting. Let us do it the old fashion vinyl  way.

This is side one:

1. Jerry Garcia Band – Tangled Up in Blue – 7/9/1977 – Convention Hall:

Continue reading “Full Dylan album covered: Blood On The Tracks” →

Full Dylan album covered: John Wesley Harding

Posted on by Hallgeir Olsen

Bob Dylan’s John Wesley Harding – Full Dylan album covered

 

John Wesley Harding is Bob Dylan’s eight album, it was released on December 27, 1967 by Columbia Records. Produced by Bob Johnston, the album marked Dylan’s return to acoustic music and traditional roots, after three albums of electric rock music. John Wesley Harding shares many stylistic threads with, and was recorded around the same time as, the prolific series of home recording sessions with the Band, partly released in 1975 as The Basement Tapes.

John Wesley Harding was exceptionally well received by critics and enjoyed solid sales, reaching #2 on the US charts and topping the UK charts. The commercial performance was considered remarkable considering that Dylan had kept Columbia from releasing the album with much promotion or publicity.Less than three months after its release, John Wesley Harding was certified gold by the RIAA. “All Along the Watchtower” became one of his most popular songs after it was recorded by Jimi Hendrix the following year.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 301 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Many Dylan albums have lent themselves to loads of covers over the years, many quite different from the originals. John Wesley Harding was one of the easiest album to find good covers from.

Check Out more Full Dylan albums covered:

Nashville Skyline

Street Legal

Modern Times

Slow Train Coming

Infidels

Oh Mercy

… and here are our chosen 12 from Bob Dylan’s John Wesley Harding: Continue reading “Full Dylan album covered: John Wesley Harding” →