Bob Dylan – More Blood, More Tracks – The Bootleg Series Vol. 14 to Be Released by Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings on Friday, November 2
Eagerly Anticipated New Chapter in Acclaimed Dylan Bootleg Series Unveils Previously Unreleased Studio Performances from 1974’s Mythic Blood On The Tracks Sessions
Single Disc / 2LP Edition Showcases Revelatory Alternate NYC Versions of All 10 Songs from the Original Album + Unreleased Take of “Up to Me”
6CD Limited Edition Deluxe Set Presents the Complete New York City Recording Sessions + the Five Existing Minneapolis/Sound 80 Recordings in Chronological Order
Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Bob Dylan – More Blood, More Tracks – The Bootleg Series Vol. 14 on Friday, November 2.
The latest chapter in Columbia/Legacy’s highly acclaimed Bob Dylan Bootleg Series makes available the pivotal studio recordings made by Bob Dylan during six extraordinary sessions in 1974–four in New York (September 16, 17, 18, 19) and two in Minneapolis (December 27, 30)–that resulted in the artist’s 1975 masterpiece, Blood On The Tracks. One of the top-selling albums of Dylan’s career, Blood On The Tracks redefined the boundaries and structures of modern pop songwriting (a genre Dylan had virtually invented a decade prior), reached #1 on the Billboard 200, achieved RIAA 2x Platinum status and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.
Blood On The Tracks was originally recorded during four days in New York City in September, 1974. Soon thereafter, the album was mastered and review copies began to circulate. A few months later, Dylan felt the album needed a different approach and rerecorded five of the tracks at Minneapolis Sound 80 Studios beginning in late December of that year. While a few of the outtakes from the original New York sessions have been highly prized by bootleggers and collectors, most of these recordings have never been available in any format.
The single disc / 2LP configuration of More Blood, More Tracks assembles 10 of the most emotionally resonant alternate takes of each of the 10 songs appearing the original Blood On The Tracks plus a previously unreleased version of “Up to Me.”
The 6CD full-length deluxe version of Bob Dylan – More Blood, More Tracks – The Bootleg Series Vol. 14 includes the complete New York sessions in chronological order including outtakes, false starts and studio banter. The album’s producers have worked from best sources available, in most cases utilizing the original multi-track session tapes.
The only recordings remaining from the Minneapolis Sound 80 sessions are the multi-track masters of the five performances included on the finished Blood On The Tracks album. Each of these has been remixed and remastered for the deluxe edition of More Blood, More Tracks.
In his liner notes for More Blood, More Tracks, Jeff Slate observes that, “Dylan cut each of these amazing performances – some of the best he ever committed to tape – one after the other, live in the studio, without headphones, and without the types of overdubs that most performers rely on to make their records sound finished. Instead, on these tracks, we find Dylan – just a singer with a guitar and a harmonica and a batch of great songs – delivering performances that thrill you when they’re supposed to and break your heart when they need to…. The performances are also in the purest state we’ve ever experienced them. During the production of Blood On The Tracks, Dylan asked [producer Phil] Ramone to speed up many of the masters by 2-3%, a common practice in the 1960s and ’70s, especially for records sent to AM radio. It was thought that doing so would give the songs a little extra bounce to better engage listeners. Most of the songs from the New York sessions that previously circulated, officially and unofficially, are the sped-up versions that Dylan requested. On More Blood, More Tracks, for the first time, we’re hearing the songs exactly as Dylan recorded them.”
Bob Dylan – More Blood, More Tracks – The Bootleg Series Vol. 14 will be available in a single disc (or 2LP) configuration showcasing 11 essential tracks from the New York A&R Studio sessions.
Two previous volumes in Columbia/Legacy’s Bob Dylan Bootleg Series have taken home the Best Historical Album Grammy Award for its respective eligibility year: Bob Dylan – The Cutting Edge 1965-1966, The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 in 2017 and Bob Dylan – The Basement Tapes Complete, The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 in 2016.
The deluxe box set is a limited edition. After it sells out, no additional copies will be made. This set includes a hardcover photo book featuring liner notes by rock historian Jeff Slate and a complete reproduction of one of Dylan’s legendary handwritten 57 page notebooks, where you can follow the lyrical development of the songs that would eventually comprise Blood On The Tracks.
BOB DYLAN
MORE BLOOD, MORE TRACKS
THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 14
1 CD / 2LP
Tangled Up in Blue (9/19/74, Take 3, Remake 3)
Simple Twist of Fate (9/16/74, Take 1)
Shelter from the Storm (9/17/74, Take 2)
You’re a Big Girl Now (9/16/74, Take 2)
Buckets of Rain (9/18/74, Take 2, Remake)
If You See Her, Say Hello (9/16/74, Take 1)
Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts (9/16/74, Take 2)
Meet Me in the Morning (9/19/74, Take 1, Remake)
Idiot Wind (9/19/74, Take 4, Remake)
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (9/17/74, Take 1, Remake)
Up to Me (9/19/74, Take 2, Remake)
All Tracks Recorded
A & R Studios
New York 9/16 – 9/19/1974
Tracks Recorded 9/16 & 18
Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica
Tracks Recorded 9/17 & 19
Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica
Tony Brown – bass
All songs written by Bob Dylan
BOB DYLAN
MORE BLOOD, MORE TRACKS
THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 14
6 CD Deluxe Edition
DISC 1
A & R Studios
New York
September 16, 1974
If You See Her, Say Hello (Take 1) – solo
If You See Her, Say Hello (Take 2) – solo – previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare and Unreleased, 1961-1991
You’re a Big Girl Now (Take 1) – solo
You’re a Big Girl Now (Take 2) – solo
Simple Twist of Fate (Take 1) – solo
Simple Twist of Fate (Take 2) – solo
You’re a Big Girl Now (Take 3) – solo
Up to Me (Rehearsal) – solo
Up to Me (Take 1) – solo
Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts (Take 1) – solo
Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts (Take 2) – solo – included on Blood On The Tracks test pressing
Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica
DISC 2
A & R Studios
New York
September 16, 1974
Simple Twist of Fate (Take 1A) – with band
Simple Twist of Fate (Take 2A) – with band
Simple Twist of Fate (Take 3A) – with band
Call Letter Blues (Take 1) – with band
Meet Me in the Morning (Take 1) – with band – edited version included on Blood On The Tracks test pressing and previously released on Blood On The Tracks
Call Letter Blues (Take 2) – with band – previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare and Unreleased, 1961-1991
Idiot Wind (Take 1) – with bass
Idiot Wind (Take 1, Remake) – with bass
Idiot Wind (Take 3 with insert) – with bass
Idiot Wind (Take 5) – with bass
Idiot Wind (Take 6) – with bass
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Rehearsal and Take 1) – with band
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 2) – with band
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 3) – with band
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 4) – with bass
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 5) – with band
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 6) – with band
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 6, Remake) – with band
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 7) – with band
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 8) – with band
Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Eric Weissberg, Charles Brown III, Barry Kornfeld: guitars
Thomas McFaul: keyboards
Tony Brown: bass
Richard Crooks: drums
Buddy Cage: steel guitar (5-6)
DISC 3
A & R Studios
New York
September 16, 1974
Tangled Up in Blue (Take 1) – with bass
A & R Studios
New York
September 17, 1974
You’re a Big Girl Now (Take 1, Remake) – with bass and organ
You’re a Big Girl Now (Take 2, Remake) – with bass, organ, and steel guitar –included on Blood On The Tracks test pressing and previously released on Biograph
Tangled Up in Blue (Rehearsal) – with bass and organ
Tangled Up in Blue (Take 2, Remake) – with bass and organ
Spanish Is the Loving Tongue (Take 1) – with bass and piano
Call Letter Blues (Rehearsal) – with bass and piano
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 1, Remake) – with bass and piano
Shelter from the Storm (Take 1) – with bass and piano – previously released on the Jerry McGuire original soundtrack
Buckets of Rain (Take 1) – with bass
Tangled Up in Blue (Take 3, Remake) – with bass
Buckets of Rain (Take 2) – with bass
Shelter from the Storm (Take 2) – with bass
Shelter from the Storm (Take 3) – with bass
Shelter from the Storm (Take 4) – with bass – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Tony Brown: bass
Paul Griffin: keyboards (2-9)
Buddy Cage: steel guitar (3)
DISC 4
A & R Studios
New York
September 17, 1974
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 1, Remake 2) – with bass
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (Take 2, Remake 2) – with bass – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
A & R Studios
New York
September 18, 1974
Buckets of Rain (Take 1, Remake) – solo
Buckets of Rain (Take 2, Remake) – solo
Buckets of Rain (Take 3, Remake) – solo
Buckets of Rain (Take 4, Remake) – solo
A & R Studios
New York
September 19, 1974
Up to Me (Take 1, Remake) – with bass
Up to Me (Take 2, Remake) – with bass
Buckets of Rain (Take 1, Remake 2) – with bass
Buckets of Rain (Take 2, Remake 2) – with bass
Buckets of Rain (Take 3, Remake 2) – with bass
Buckets of Rain (Take 4, Remake 2) – with bass – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
If You See Her, Say Hello (Take 1, Remake) – with bass – previously included on Blood On The Tracks test pressing
Up to Me (Take 1, Remake 2) – with bass
Up to Me (Take 2, Remake 2) – with bass
Up to Me (Take 3, Remake 2) – with bass
Buckets of Rain (Rehearsal) – with bass
Meet Me in the Morning (Take 1, Remake) – with bass – previously released on the “Duquesne Whistle” 7” single
Meet Me in the Morning (Take 2, Remake) – with bass
Buckets of Rain (Take 5, Remake 2) – with bass
Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Tony Brown: bass (1-2, 7-20)
DISC 5
A & R Studios
New York
September 19, 1974
Tangled Up in Blue (Rehearsal and Take 1, Remake 2) – with bass
Tangled Up in Blue (Take 2, Remake 2) – with bass
Tangled Up in Blue (Take 3, Remake 2) – with bass – included on Blood On The Tracks test pressing and previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare and Unreleased, 1961-1991
Simple Twist of Fate (Take 2, Remake) – with bass
Simple Twist of Fate (Take 3, Remake) – with bass – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
Up to Me (Rehearsal and Take 1, Remake 3) – with bass
Up to Me (Take 2, Remake 3) – with bass – previously released on Biograph
Idiot Wind (Rehearsal and Takes 1-3, Remake) – with bass
Idiot Wind (Take 4, Remake) – with bass
Idiot Wind (Take 4, Remake) – with organ overdub – included on Blood On The Tracks test pressing and previously released on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare and Unreleased, 1961-1991
You’re a Big Girl Now (Take 1, Remake 2) – with bass
Meet Me in the Morning (Take 1, Remake 2) – with bass
Meet Me in the Morning (Takes 2-3, Remake 2) – with bass
Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar, harmonica
Tony Brown: bass
DISC 6
A & R Studios
New York
September 19, 1974
You’re a Big Girl Now (Takes 3-6, Remake 2) – with bass
Tangled Up in Blue (Rehearsal and Takes 1-2, Remake 3) – with bass
Tangled Up in Blue (Take 3, Remake 3) – with bass
Sound 80 Studio
Minneapolis, MN
December 27, 1974
Idiot Wind – with band – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
You’re a Big Girl Now – with band – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
Sound 80 Studio
Minneapolis, MN
December 30, 1974
Tangled Up in Blue – with band – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts – with band – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
If You See Her, Say Hello – with band – previously released on Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan: vocals, guitar, harmonica, organ (4-5), mandolin (8)
Tony Brown: bass (1-3)
Chris Weber: guitar (4-6, 8)
Kevin Odegard: guitar (6)
Peter Ostroushko: mandolin (8)
Gregg Inhofer: keyboards (4-8)
Billy Peterson: bass (4, 6-7)
Bill Berg: drums (4-8)
All songs written by Bob Dylan except Spanish Is the Loving Tongue (traditional, arranged by Bob Dylan)
New York sessions originally engineered by Phil Ramone
Minneapolis sessions originally engineered by Paul Martinson