Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings Announces Bob Dylan “More Blood, More Tracks—The Bootleg Series Vol. 14”

The Blood on the Tracks story is familiar to Dylan fans: the album was recorded in New York City in four days, September, 1974. It was mastered and review copies circulated. Months later (late December) Dylan decided the approach was wrong and re-recorded five tracks at Minneapolis Sound 80 Studios. Bootleggers circulated outtakes from the New York sessions but they’ve never been available legitimately until now.

The single CD/2LP version of More Blood, More Tracks (sounds more like an Alice Cooper project!) provides ten of the best alternative takes of the original album’s tracks plus a previously unreleased version of “Up to Me”.

The 6 CD deluxe edition includes the complete New York sessions in chronological order including outtakes, false starts and studio banter, mostly utilizing the original mulit-track session tapes. The multi-track masters of the five Minneapolis Sound 80 sessions used on the original Blood on the Tracks release have been remixed and remastered for this deluxe edition.

According to Jeff Slate’s liner notes: “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."

Link to the vinyl edition

COMMENTS
jokerman's picture

Got this track listing from another source:

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)

gbougard's picture

I think I'll go for the single CD/LP, if I am certain that it contains the original masters of the first sessions: the versions that made it to the test pressings that Dylan rejected before rerecording the album

Anton D's picture

110% awesomeness.

I am all in.

Anton D's picture

The ERC pressing of Bill Evans "Sunday At The Village Vanguard" is up for order.

Mike, you gotta keep up!

;-D

For the record, I took the leap and will compare with the Mo Fi One Step.

JohnG's picture

...and also Dylan-obsessives:

dylanchords.info

The Nose Knows's picture

An interesting writeup on the subject is A Simple Twist of Fate by Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard (Da Capo)

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