Bob Dylan - The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series Vol.12 (6CD)

[davis]

Just wondering if anyone here has purchased this. I was just sitting here drooling over the 18-CD set for $599, wishing I had that kind of money to spend on it. I supposed some people the 18-disc set and are letting it age (or the 10th anniversary of Bob's death) so they can get much more by selling it. I'm finding more and more that it makes no sense to collect bootlegs of outtakes, alternates, or demos cause eventually everything will be out. I couldn't believe the Basement Tapes came out; the same discs I'd spent so much time going over and getting right before burning - now officially available. Just thought I'd ask about the newest Bootleg Edition here.

When I first read about it (the 18-CD set) I thought 'who needs all of that?' Nobody really needs it, but I'd sure like to have it. And I'm not whining or having a pity party. I will at some point get the 6-disc set.

[Mister Triscuits]

I wish I could justify buying the 18-disc set. The 6-CD set is amazing. I've heard plenty of Dylan outtakes in my day, but there's TONS of stuff on here I had no idea about. And of course this is my favorite Dylan period to begin with. Just fantastic.

[davis]

I don't have a favorite dylan period. I collect from all of his career. But I happened to think about that one tonight and looked at Amazon and then his website. I hope this keyboard doesn't short out after all the saliva from drooling over the 18-disc set. 3 times as many discs as the 6-CD set and "only" twice the price. Sumpin ain't quite right.

[Mister Triscuits]

You mean twice the price per disc, don't you? Being realistic about it, I wonder if the full-blown set doesn't get tedious after a while. There must be a lot of repetition, and general dicking around caught on tape. I'd love to hear it once, but then what do I do with it? And who needs all the dumb collectable knick-knacks like a strip of celluloid from Don't Look Back? Meanwhile, the 6-CD set is jaw-dropping all the way through.

[bob_32_116]

I'm not a Dylan fan, but even if I was, I think I'd pass this up. I've never understood why people think if having one version of a certain song is good, having six slightly different versions of the same song must be six times as good.

I imagine something like the 5-disc box set of the beach Boys' SMiLE sessions. The 2-disc ABRIDGED version had no fewer than 24 versions of the keyboard motif from Heroes and Villains, FFS. Lord knows what dross was on the full 5-disc set.

[Oreb]

I've never understood why people think if having one version of a certain song is good, having six slightly different versions of the same song must be six times as good.

I own the set and absolutely love it - but I certainly don't think along those lines.

That said, I suspect I'm prety typical of the other people who bought it: there was never really any doubt that I would. Put it this way: if you can afford the set but you aren't sure if it's for you, then it isn't. It's for nuts like me.

[davis]

well, I have to get the 6-disc set. no doubt about that. just don't know when.

[Adm.Kirk]

Well, I'm a huge fan of Dylan and I settled for the 2 CD (or 3 LP version). The 3 LP version I have also has the 2 CDs. I have all of the other 11 volumes on vinyl and didn't want to not have Vol. 12 on vinyl too. With Vol. 11, I picked up the 6 CD set and the 4 LP vinyl version. What I discovered was that the 6 CD set was a bit tedious and the smaller version seemed to flow better so I was OK not having the big 6 disc set of Vol. 12. The smaller version is excellent but I have read nothing but stellar reviews of the 6 CD set and I must admit I'm thinking about getting this as well.

Bill

[davis]

I've found that I like most of Street Legal, Shot of Love, Under the Red Sky, and Good As I've Been to You. Or at least I'm willing to get those after listening to most of the songs on the latter. Those are all Dylan albums I've ignored. No more!

[Mister Triscuits]

I've found that I like most of Street Legal, Shot of Love, Under the Red Sky, and Good As I've Been to You. Or at least I'm willing to get those after listening to most of the songs on the latter. Those are all Dylan albums I've ignored. No more!

I've never listened to those very much with the exception of Good as I've Been to You, which I think is great, even though the songs aren't Dylan's. Under the Red Sky in particular I remember as being rather poor.

[Adm.Kirk]

Under the Red Sky has a couple of, what I would call, children's songs: Wiggle Wiggle and the title song. This was around the time he recorded This Old Man for a children's album released by Sony Kids with other artists. Still, while not being the strongest of Dylan records, there are moments: Born in Time is terrific and I've always liked Unbelievable, God Knows, 2 X 2 and Handy Dandy.

If you like Good As I Been to You then you need World Gone Wrong which is the same format: Acoustic Guitar, voice and harmonica. The songs are better and the performance is even stronger.

Street Legal is a fine, overlooked album which I've always liked as is Shot of Love.

Bill

[JJ88]

I like Street Legal more than most of what I've heard from him since. I could do without the backing vocalists, but it still has that classic Dylan sound to me.

[ronmac]

If you like Good As I Been to You then you need World Gone Wrong which is the same format: Acoustic Guitar, voice and harmonica. The songs are better and the performance is even stronger.

+1. I love them both.

[Oreb]

Street Legal is a fine, overlooked album which I've always liked as is Shot of Love.

I agree - never really understood the criticism Street Legal gets; I think it's packed with good songs and strong performances.

On the other hand I think Oh Mercy is over-rated.

[davis]

I love both the acoustic albums where he did old folk songs. it's Dylan but it's a different dimension. Street Legal, I don't much care for the first 2 songs, but after that there's some killer material on there that I just heard the day I started this thread. Like JJ, I too could do w/o the backup vocalists, but that's a period he went through. I like UTRS. Not all of it, but most of it.

[JJ88]

Street Legal was a strong seller in the UK at the time. 'Changing Of The Guard' I think is over-arranged, with that saxophone as well as the backing vocalists.

[Mister Triscuits]

I remember Street Legal as being pretty good, not great, but like I mentioned above, I've just never listened to it very much.

[jkelman]

Just wondering if anyone here has purchased this. I was just sitting here drooling over the 18-CD set for $599, wishing I had that kind of money to spend on it. I supposed some people the 18-disc set and are letting it age (or the 10th anniversary of Bob's death) so they can get much more by selling it. I'm finding more and more that it makes no sense to collect bootlegs of outtakes, alternates, or demos cause eventually everything will be out. I couldn't believe the Basement Tapes came out; the same discs I'd spent so much time going over and getting right before burning - now officially available. Just thought I'd ask about the newest Bootleg Edition here.

When I first read about it (the 18-CD set) I thought 'who needs all of that?' Nobody really needs it, but I'd sure like to have it. And I'm not whining or having a pity party. I will at some point get the 6-disc set.

I have and love the 6-disc set. I put on the disc entirely comprised of "Like a Rolling Stone" sessions as I figured if I could handle that (I could), then I'd be in.

Frankly, I wish I weren't so tapped out as I would go for the 18-disc set on the strength of the 6-disc version. For folks who love to hear the process of recording, it doesnt get much better. And Dylan is revealed as a much deeper thinker when it comes to how he envisions his material. I'm relatively new to Dylan, but am loving this big time.

[jkelman]

I'm not a Dylan fan, but even if I was, I think I'd pass this up. I've never understood why people think if having one version of a certain song is good, having six slightly different versions of the same song must be six times as good.

It's not about having six versions (though in the case of Crimson, it could be); in this case, it;s about the process of hearing how a song becomes what it ultimately does. "Like a Rolling Stone" is a completely different beast at the start; an ambling, waltz-time track that's OK, but not special. And each successive kick is not just whole versions with minute changes. There are false starts where things are tried and turfed; takes where you hear Bloomfield working towards the guitar parts the are ultimately perfect for the song.

Process isn't for everyone, to be sure. But for those of us who want to hear how an artist works, how they develop their material from inception to final version, coz sets like this are absolutely wonderful.

[Mister Triscuits]

"Like a Rolling Stone" is a completely different beast at the start; an ambling, waltz-time track that's OK, but not special. And each successive kick is not just whole versions with minute changes. There are false starts where things are tried and turfed; takes where you hear Bloomfield working towards the guitar parts the are ultimately perfect for the song.

What blows my mind about the LARS session is that, having arrived at that perfect, iconic, jewel-like take...they don't stop there! Perhaps because Dylan is heard complaining that it's six minutes long, they continue to experiment with it, adopting a sped-up tempo.

[Adm.Kirk]

Would you please stop talking about this. You are going to make me spend money!

Bill