from
Inside A Prune
Hello again
and a very warm welcome to Judas! issue 14. We have a variety
of treats lined up for you. John Hinchey has progressed on to that album
to top all albums, Blood on the Tracks; Izzy Young, whose back
pages we will continue to feature in later issues, has sent us a piece
fresh from his pen; Pádraig Hanratty provides us with another
Wilbury Twist; Gerry Barrett at remarkably short notice read and reviewed
Greil Marcus’s Like A Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan At The Crossroads
and left me jealous at his ability to do so in such a cogent manner;
while Martin Van Hees provides more meat and entertainment in his philosophical
reflection on ‘John Brown’ than I have ever found in the
song itself. Oh yes, and the first part of my article on Bob Dylan and
traditional Scottish music is also featured.
A recent Isis article detailing the history of Dylan fanzines
very kindly and pleasingly described my previous effort, Homer,
the slut as ‘a gem of a fanzine’. This led to some
people asking me for back copies but, sadly, I do not have any of those.
(Indeed I don’t even have a complete set myself, due to some of
the master copies not being cared for properly. On being informed of
this said enquirers then suggested reprinting parts of Homer,
the slut in Judas!
I was reluctant to do this for two reasons. Firstly, a great deal of
the attraction of Homer, the slut was in its
idiosyncratic nature and its reflection of what was happening in the
Dylan world at that time. To pick out articles that could fit into Judas!’s
remit and style will not give an accurate impression of the previous
‘zine. (This is without mentioning the chasm between the two publication
standards!)
Secondly, I worried – and I am still concerned – that it
would not be fair to those Judas! subscribers who have kept
their back issues of Homer, the slut (yes,
both of you).
However, after sounding out a number of subscribers on the idea and
finding out they were supportive of it we have decided to give it a
trial run. Please let us know if you think this a good idea or not.
The first article in this occasional series has been chosen not only
for its inherent merit but also as a twice-over timely tribute to its
author, John Stokes. It appears here in the same month as the final
issue of Freewheelin’, a magazine that John has been
the guiding light behind and indefatigable collator of for some twenty
years on a monthly basis. That’s stamina for you! Also, in one
of his many other services to the Dylan world, he helped launch the
John Green Day memorial event, the fifth annual occurrence of which
is being held at the end of this month. If you are going you can tell
him what you think of his article there.
Exciting times are ahead for Dylan fans, with Scorsese and The Bootleg
Series Volume Seven imminent. These will no doubt garner truckloads
of magazine and newspaper article and reviews. Meanwhile, the Never
Ending Tour rolls on and continues to attract more universal praise
in the mainstream press than it does amongst Dylan fans who seem –
or at least the groups of people I know all are – very divided
on the quality of the shows for the last two or three years. It is a
debate that inflames a great deal of passion, but I am hoping to have
a rational look at it in a future issue. It will also appear in some
guise or another in my talk at the aforementioned John Green Memorial
Day.
Just as we were going to print there was an astonishing bootleg DVD
release, a two-DVD set of Dont Look Back out-takes. Clearly
an indispensable item for all Dylan fans, and indeed should be required
viewing for everyone who has ever said that Dylan was only going through
the motions in early 1965, or didn’t care about this tour. (Mind
you, since many of the same people have written the same about the 1966
acoustic sets, even after hearing their extraordinary beauty, perhaps
the opinion is too engrained to be changed.)
Whatever, for the aficionado there is so much to admire here, the utter
control of himself, his performance and all that surrounds him (his
life is, per se, an ongoing performance). Songs like ‘It Ain’t
Me, Babe’ and ‘To Ramona’ delivered with real verve
and engagement. Ah, yes, you’ll gather I like it, a forty year
after the event release which just goes to show you should never give
up hoping. Blonde On Blonde out-takes anyone? (Actually, the
upcoming Bootleg Series Seven even has a few of those that are new to
us.) Plus there’s all the other stuff, the interviews, the chatter,
the whole caboodle and a little bit of a 1966 ‘bonus’ where
you can squirm with embarrassment over Bob’s ill and out of it
car journey with John Lennon for even longer than before.
Anyway, until next time, best wishes to you all, enjoy all the releases
to come, the shows and don’t forget to send your feedback, articles,
photos and thoughts on Desire and/or the Rolling Thunder Revue
to the usual address.
Bye for now,
Andrew Muir
