WEDNESDAY CLUB - Bob Dylan - I'll Keep it with Mine
'Today we have 'Dont Look Back' and the 'Great White Wonder'
BOB DYLAN - I'll Keep it with Mine (1964)
It was 1970, I was living in a shared flat in East Kilbride, I had just been transferred from Inverness to a new Central Tax Centre. One of my flat mates was Stan, we shared the common interest of music and we were both great Dylan fans.
Stan said he did not need Dylan anymore, but I was still obsessed. As Stan was a bit older than me, I thought that could be the reason?. One day we read in one of the musicals papers either NME or Melody Maker that 'Don't Look Back' was going to be played in Glasgow, for one night only. We had often talked about the day when we would be able to see this fabled film of Dylan's 1965 UK tour. We now had the chance, we could not contain our total excitement. It was if we were heading towards some religious happening.
The queue for the film was filled with like minded souls, all heading in a trance to see their hero. When we eventually got into the cinema they were playing some Dylan stuff we had never heard before.
'God no! it must me the legendary Great White Wonder Bootleg album.'
This was indeed too much for us and the rest of the adoring fans who sat in awed silence. The film was stunning, a brilliant insight where Dylan was at in 1965. If only there were a few more complete songs it would have been perfect.
On the way out the organisers were selling some merchandise, mainly pics and posters of the event. I got talking to one of the guys and asked where could we get a copy of the GWW. After some time of Dylan discussion and pleading, more pleading and even more pleading, he said he had a few copies and he would let us have one for a very reasonable price. He said we were even more obsessed than even he was. Stan to, had regained his mojo for Dylan.
We could not believe what we were holding, it was, as if we had been handed some stardust and we were covered in a halo of light. I do believe we would have refused a million pounds at that moment, rather than part with that prized album. You have to remember there was no Internet, no access to the very few bootlegs around. This was as good as it could possibly get for us young Dylan fans..
The album was fabulous and it was the first time I had heard Dylan singing I'll Keep it with Mine. A song worthy of any Dylan album and still one of my favourite Dylan tracks. I later found out that the album was in fact GWW 2 and had a better range of tracks and the quality was better than the original GWW.
Before I moved to London, Stan and I played a game of cards to see who would keep the album. Stan won!
Would you believe it, I was holding aces and eights!
Thanks to the Swede for the nudge!
For more Wednesday Club Wonders
It was 1970, I was living in a shared flat in East Kilbride, I had just been transferred from Inverness to a new Central Tax Centre. One of my flat mates was Stan, we shared the common interest of music and we were both great Dylan fans.
Stan said he did not need Dylan anymore, but I was still obsessed. As Stan was a bit older than me, I thought that could be the reason?. One day we read in one of the musicals papers either NME or Melody Maker that 'Don't Look Back' was going to be played in Glasgow, for one night only. We had often talked about the day when we would be able to see this fabled film of Dylan's 1965 UK tour. We now had the chance, we could not contain our total excitement. It was if we were heading towards some religious happening.
The queue for the film was filled with like minded souls, all heading in a trance to see their hero. When we eventually got into the cinema they were playing some Dylan stuff we had never heard before.
'God no! it must me the legendary Great White Wonder Bootleg album.'
This was indeed too much for us and the rest of the adoring fans who sat in awed silence. The film was stunning, a brilliant insight where Dylan was at in 1965. If only there were a few more complete songs it would have been perfect.
On the way out the organisers were selling some merchandise, mainly pics and posters of the event. I got talking to one of the guys and asked where could we get a copy of the GWW. After some time of Dylan discussion and pleading, more pleading and even more pleading, he said he had a few copies and he would let us have one for a very reasonable price. He said we were even more obsessed than even he was. Stan to, had regained his mojo for Dylan.
We could not believe what we were holding, it was, as if we had been handed some stardust and we were covered in a halo of light. I do believe we would have refused a million pounds at that moment, rather than part with that prized album. You have to remember there was no Internet, no access to the very few bootlegs around. This was as good as it could possibly get for us young Dylan fans..
The album was fabulous and it was the first time I had heard Dylan singing I'll Keep it with Mine. A song worthy of any Dylan album and still one of my favourite Dylan tracks. I later found out that the album was in fact GWW 2 and had a better range of tracks and the quality was better than the original GWW.
Before I moved to London, Stan and I played a game of cards to see who would keep the album. Stan won!
Would you believe it, I was holding aces and eights!
Thanks to the Swede for the nudge!
For more Wednesday Club Wonders
Comments
I hear what Singing Bear is saying, anticipation and patience have all but disappeared from the music buying process, legit and otherwise. Nowadays if I'm introduced to something amazing, I can simply open a new tab and am able to listen to and instantly download an entire back catalogue if I choose. There's no more walking to the record store, taking a punt and ordering an LP you've only heard one song from or read a review of, then waiting a week to ten days (always the default when ordering a record!)to see if you've gambled wisely.
Also, I well remember the first time I heard the fast version of 'Visions of Johanna' and solo piano version of 'She's Your Lover Now'...on the same LP!! They were so amazing I needed to sit down for 10 minutes to gather my thoughts. Take that 10 minute recovery period now and you could probably locate and download enough rare stuff to compile your own volume of the Bootleg Series!
Sounds like a fair way to work out the ownership of a prized album but I bet the adrenaline of the game nearly killed you...!
Interesting comments - I gather too that vinyl is back, a small label I know of (who put out punk obscurities) doesn't even bother with CD any more, all their releases are 12" vinyl albums!