ROSIE'S IN THE GARDEN
LADIES OF SOUL
GOAT LIFE
Live 1966 captures one of the 20th century's most important musical artists at the peak of his powers and cultural influence. Beginning with his introduction of electric instruments on-stage at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, Dylan's concerts became marked by boos, catcalls, and walkouts from the early '60's hootenanny audience. While his radical merging of rock & roll and folk music had won him legions of new fans, Dylan's new sound alienated the audience of folk "purists," who failed to connect to the visceral energy of rock. By the time Live 1966 was recorded the audience was clearly divided between folkies and rockers. The polarity of their response to Dylan's music actually increases the passion and intensity of the performances. Famous for the often-angry response of the crowd (who at one point attempts to halt Dylan's performance by clapping in hostile unison), this recording captures all the stomping, booing and the now-famous cry of "Judas" from one audience member; the album also preserves Dylan's caustic retort: "I don't believe you. You're a liar."
The first CD on Live 1966 is Dylan's solo acoustic set and features "She Belongs To Me," "Fourth Time Around," "Visions Of Johanna," "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," "Desolation Row," "Just Like A Woman," and "Mr. Tambourine Man." The second CD features Dylan and his backup band (formerly the Hawks, later the Band) -- Robbie Robertson, guitar; Rick Danko, bass; Garth Hudson, organ; Richard Manuel, piano; and Mickey Jones, drums -- scorching their way through "Tell Me, Momma" (a Dylan original that has no studio version), "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)," "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down," "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat," "One Too Many Mornings," "Ballad Of A Thin Man," and "Like A Rolling Stone."
Live 1966 comes in a deluxe slipcase containing a two-CD brilliant box and a stand-alone 56-page booklet containing many rare and previously unseen photos from the era and an essay by Tony Glover, whose friendship with Dylan extends back to 1960 on the University of Minnesota's Dinkytown folk scene.
Live 1966 was mastered by Greg Calbi. The electric portion of the concert was mixed by Michael M. Brauer.
"The songs seem to hang on slender threads: the rain-shower strumming of guitarist and main songwriter Mark Saxby; the sleepy-whisper singing of Phil Morris; the clockwork piano ting poking through the narcotic haze of 'Fleas Don't Fly'; the dusky glow of vocal harmonies in 'Fishsounds.' But Arnold...have a gift for smart, dark dashes of tension, like the faint, acidic guitar distortion running through the soft distress of 'Face,' the spidery tremolo guitar shooting Bowie-esque electricity through 'Windsor Park' and the Floyd-ian, Day-Glo-sunset collage 'Rabbit'....in Arnold's warm blend of bucolic sound and prickly discontent, you can hear them trying hard to be special, not just popular. The dog would be proud."
And three hoorays to Destiny's Child for winning three out of four awards they were nominated for. The quartet from Houston won "Best R&B/Soul Single , Group, Band or Duo" for "No No No," "Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year" and Best R&B/Soul or rap New Artist
Destiny's Child delivered a great performance of "No No No" on the show.
"This New York-based multi-instrumental singer-songwriter has had quite a life, and he's channeled it into one scratched-up, soulful party. His loopy, keyboard-fueled funk prompts the bootie to shake and the head to spin, particularly on such feel-good anthems as the title track (featuring guest guitarist/background vocalist Chris Whitley), the subtle pump of 'Boom Boom' and the techno-grinding, disco danceable cover of Brian Eno's 'Baby's On Fire.' Get your Goat, and start having a 'Great Life.'"
