1975 THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN

 

6     On The Road With Bob Dylan

7     Renaldo And Clara

8     Songs 1975

9     Sources

10      Suggested Readings

10.1   Books

10.2   Reference

10.3   Selected articles

 

 

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Next

 

The Circus Is In Town

 

6                                       On The Road With Bob Dylan

Here’s a very short index to this marvelous book about the first Rolling Thunder Revue tour.

pages in 1978 ed

pages in 2002 ed

 

 

 

Chapter 1

2-6

2-6

Ratso & Roger McGuinn meet Dylan

 

 

Chapter 2

7

7

on The Village clubs

8

8

Dylan on the streets again

8-9

8-9

Dylan contacts Sheena

9-10

10-11

Dylan picks up Scarlet Rivera

10-11

11-12

Dylan meets Patti Smith

11-14

12-15

Jacques Levy on meeting Dylan

14-18

15-19

recording of Desire

19-20

20-21

Dylan planning “forever tour”

21-25

22-27

Mike Porco [1] birthday party

 

 

Chapter 3

26-33

27-34

Hurricane Carter

33-38

35-41

on the rerecording of “Hurricane” and lyrics mistake

 

 

Chapter 4

39

42

John Hammond show

40-42

43-46

party at MacDougal Mike’s

 

 

Chapter 5

43-51

48-56

Dylan interview in the studio on the last rehearsal night

51-54

57-59

last rehearsal in New York City

54-56

60-62

Steven Soles birthday party at the hotel

 

 

Chapter 6

57

62

Arrival at Sea Crest Motel, North Falmouth

58-59

63-64

Kinky Friedman (“Jewboy” lyrics)

60

65

Ratso gets kicked out of the hotel by Lou Kemp [2]

61

66

Ratso gets into Plymouth

62-67

67-74

show in Plymouth

68

75

Ratso talks with “Lisa”

69-73

76-80

Ratso interview with Joan Baez

74

81

show in Plymouth

 

 

Chapter 7

75

82

Ratso gets into North Dartmouth

77-78

84-85

show in North Dartmouth

80

87

Ratso gets into Lowell

80-83

88-91

Ratso in Lowell

86-87

92-93

Ratso bumps into Dylan

87-88

93-95

at Jack Kerouac’s grave

88-94

96-102

at Nicky’s

94

103

Ratso gets into Newport

95-96

104-106

afternoon show in Providence

97-98

107-108

Dylan and politics

99

108-109

evening show in Providence

100-102

110-112

The Sunrise ceremony

 

 

Chapter 8

103

113

Dylan getting mad at Mary, a photographer

103-104

113-114

Ratso having breakfast at the hotel

104-106

114-116

The Vanderbilt mansion

106

116

Ratso gets into Stockbridge

107-108

117-118

At the hotel, meeting Chris O’Dell [3], Sam Shepard, Bob Neuwirth, Gary Shafner [4]

109-114

119-125

afternoon show in Springfield, Ratso is with Allen Ginsberg

114-118

125-129

on Springfield concert tapers

119-120

130-132

evening show in Springfield, including Arlo Guthrie

120-123

132-133

filming of “R.T.R.” singer

123-124

134-135

Kinky Friedman on the phone

124

136

Ratso gets into Vermont

124-126

137-139

Ratso writes letter to Phil Bender, a.k.a. Bob Dylan

127-128

140-141

memories of Kinky Friedman

128

141

Joan Baez gives Ratso his name

129-136

143-150

Ratso having breakfast with Roger McGuinn

136-140

150-155

Ratso meets Lou Kemp

140-145

155-161

filming at the Curio Lounge

145-146

161-162

about the film crew on the earlier filming

146-147

162-163

show in Burlington

 

 

Chapter 9

148-149

164-165

show in Waterbury

150-151

166-167

Tom Pacheo calls, Ginsberg, Neuwirth, Elliott read “Stone article

151-152

168-169

Ratso plays Pacheo song to Dylan

153-154

169-171

show in New Haven

155

172

celebrities backstage

157-172

172-191

Rolling Stone and Lou Kemp on the phone about money, large halls etc.

172-173

191-193

Ratso on the phone with Jacques Levy

174-183

194-204

Dylan “interview” on the phone

183-186

204-207

Baez “interview” on the phone

186-187

207-208

Rolling Stone again

187

208-209

Mel Howard [5] on phone

188-192

210214

Rolling Stone once more

 

 

Chapter 10

193-194

215-216

Ratso gets into Boston, on the phone with Mel Howard and Dylan

194-199

216-221

Boston hookers, the Combat Zone

199-201

221-223

Boston ticket office

201-204

223-226

Ratso meets Amy

204

227

into Worcester

205-206

228-229

show in Worcester

206-208

230

famous lobby breakdown

208-209

231-232

lobby scene with Joan Baez and Roger McGuinn

210-211

233-234

Ratso meets Joni Mitchell and Lou Kemp in the hospitality suite

211-212

236-237

hitchhiking scene with Sara and Bob

212-213

237

show in Cambridge

213

237

Ratso calls Rubin Carter

214

238

Ratso having breakfast with Sara & Sally Grossman [6]

214-216

239-242

maniacs in the lobby

216-217

242

Ratso shopping with Sara

218

242

misses the shows in Boston

219-220

243-245

Ratso getting hookers with Gary Shafner

221

246

Dylan just getting up

221-222

246-247

show in Waltham

222-223

247-249

Ratso having breakfast with Sara and Bob

 

 

Chapter 11

224

250

Ratso picking up Kinky Friedman in New York City

224-225

251

show in Hartford

225

251

Kinky Friedman joins the party

237

264

Kinky Friedman leaves, Ratso pulls into Fenway

237-239

265-266

filming at a gas station in Fenway

240-242

267-271

Ratso with Joan Baez in camper outside Augusta Civic Center

242-249

272-279

show in Augusta, talking to Joni Mitchell inside Augusta Civic Center

249-250

279-280

Ratso at the doctor’s with Mike Evans [7]

250-251

280-281

Ratso at the hotel with “Beattie”, Dylan’s mother Beatty, and Bob Neuwirth

251-252

281-282

filming at old farmhouse with Dylan and Scarlet Rivera

252

282

with Dylan in car (on New York City news)

253

283

Ratso arriving at the Thanksgiving dinner in Bangor

254-255

284-285

show in Bangor, with Beattie

256-257

286

Michael Bloomfield on the phone

 

 

Chapter 12

268

298

into Quebec

268-270

299-301

filming in Ratso’s hotel room

271-275

301-306

Ratso at a café, talking to Joni

276

307-308

show in Quebec City

276-277

308-309

Ratso saying goodbye to Dave Meyers

277-279

309-311

on plane to Toronto with Greg Mallozzi [8]

279-281

312-314

Bob Neuwirth’s freak-out scene

282-284

314-316

Sara & Helena Kallianiotes’s [9] escape scene, forest scene, Dylan directing

284-286

317-319

CBC parody in the lobby

288-289

321-322

show in Toronto

290-292

323-325

Ratso talking to fan in Volkswagen

293-295

326-328

Ratso in hospitality suite with Dylan, Roger McGuinn and Ronee Blakley

295-303

329-337

Mel Howard on the bus, talking about the movie

304

338-339

filming at Montreal’s railway station

 

 

Chapter 13

308-309

343-344

Ratso reads Combat Zone to Joan Baez

309-316

345-352

Ratso interviews Beatty

316-317

352-353

Ratso meets Dylan, phones Leonard Cohen

317-318

354-356

Dylan writes autograph, buys clothes but is short on money

320-322

357-360

Ratso picks up Sara, they take cab to Leonard Cohen’s place

322-324

360-361

They pick up Leonard Cohen and friends and go to The Forum

324-330

361-368

party at the hotel, Ratso talking to Ronee Blakeley in the morning

330-337

369-376

Ratso joins Joni Mitchell and Roger McGuinn, they go to Joni’s friend Ruth

337-345

376-385

on to Leonard Cohen’s house, then back to the hotel

345-349

386-390

at Emmett Grogan’s house, talking to Dylan and Grogan

 

 

Chapter 14

350-353

391-394

Ratso gets into New York City and on to Trenton jail, meets Rubin Carter

354

395-396

Ratso talks to Joni Mitchell and Robbie Robertson

355-357

397-398

show in Trenton Jail

357-361

399-403

press conference

362-371

404-414

Hurricane 1 show at Madison Square Garden with Beatty and Mike Porco and with Rubin Carter on the phone

371-376

414-420

Parties in Felt Forum and Manhattan uptown restaurant

 

 

Chapter 15

377-384

421-429

Ratso interviews Robbie Robertson

384-394

429-441

Ratso in Joni Mitchell’s room, the last day

394-395

441-442

Ratso calls Phil Ochs

396-407

443-455

Ratso interviews Dylan on the phone

 

 

Chapter 16

408-410

456-459

assorted parties and at Other End with Dylan and Roger McGuinn

 

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7                                       Renaldo And Clara

This film was shot during the first Rolling Thunder Revue tour. Sam Shepard was hired as script writer, but produced no script, instead the "diary" Rolling Thunder Logbook, see chapter 10 Suggested Readings. Dylan and Howard Alk spent large part of 1977 editing the film and it was first released 25 January 1978.

Renaldo & Clara contains some forty-five minutes of very good live footage as well as a "background music" taken from the October rehearsals.

Tracks in order of appearance

Source

When I Paint My Masterpiece

Plymouth, 31 October

Kaw-Liga

October rehearsals

Isis

Montreal, 4 December

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

Montreal, 4 December

People Get Ready

October rehearsals

I Want You

October rehearsals

What Will You Do When Jesus Comes?

October rehearsals

Little Moses

October rehearsals

It Ain't Me Babe

Cambridge, 20 November

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Clinton, New Jersey, 7 December

Hurricane

October rehearsals

She Belongs To Me

October rehearsals

It Takes A Lot To Laugh

Boston, 21 November, evening

If You See Her, Say Hello

October rehearsals

Romance In Durango

Montreal, 4 December

One Too Many Mornings

October rehearsals

One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)

Montreal, 4 December

Sara

Montreal, 4 December

The Water Is Wide

Waterbury, 11 November

Patty's Gone To Laredo

October rehearsals

Never Let Me Go

Montreal, 4 December

Sad-Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands

October rehearsals

Tangled Up In Blue

Boston, 21 November, evening

Just Like A Woman

Providence, 4 November, evening

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Providence, 4 November, evening

 

[TOP]

 


 

8                                       Songs 1975

May

One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)

3

June

Abandoned Love

2

July

Black Diamond Bay

4

 

Catfish

5

 

Golden Loom

6

 

Hurricane

7

 

Isis

8

 

Joey

9

 

Love Copy

10

 

Money Blues

1, 11

 

Mozambique

12

 

Oh, Sister

13

 

Rita May

14

 

Romance In Durango

8

 

Sara

7

 

Sign Language

15

 

Town (Reference)

16

 

Wiretappin'

1

 

Notes:

1.       No Dylan version of this song is in circulation.

2.       An early version was played at the Other End, 3 July 1975.

3.        

4.       Played during the tours in 1975, 1976 and 1978, and occasionally during the Never-Ending Tour.

5.       Mentioned in some of the press reviews from the last show in 1976 in Salt Lake City, but might be mistaken for Romance In Durango.

6.       Sung by Rob Stoner in Renaldo & Clara. Covered by Joe Cocker on his album 'Stingray' (A&M).

7.       Covered by Roger McGuinn on his album 'Thunderbyrd' (Columbia).

8.       Played only during the first Rolling Thunder Revue. Hurricane remains to this day one of the most requested songs at concerts, but I guess we are as likely to hear it as we are to hear Sara again.

9.       Played during the Rolling Thunder Revue in 1975 and 1976.

10.   This song didn't made its live debut until 1987 when The Grateful Dead persuaded Dylan to take it up. Played also during the Temple of Flames tour later same year in Europe.

11.   A song mentioned by Sloman [1], as being recorded at the 'Sara-session' in July, but it is probably a work name for Abandoned Love.

12.   No cover known, but lyrics published in Lyrics..

13.   Played only during the second Rolling Thunder Revue in 1976.

14.   Played during the Rolling Thunder Revue in 1975 and 1976. and with new startling arrangement in 1978.

15.   One live performance from New Orleans 3 May 1976 has survived.

16.   Recorded with Eric Clapton 1976 and released on his album 'No Reason To Cry', September 1976.

17.   Title present on the studio sheets from 31 July, but without CO-number.


18. 

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9                                       Sources

 

William J. Clinton

The Bob Dylan CD & CDR Field Recordings Guide Of William J. Clinton
www.angelfire.com/wa/monicasdude

Tim Dunn

I Just Write 'Em As They Come.
Annotated Guide to the Writings of Bob Dylan
A Not-A-Ces Publishing Venture 1990.

Glen Dundas

Tangled Up In Tapes — 4th Edition

A Recording History of Bob Dylan

SMA Services, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada 1999. Softcover 334 pages.

Clinton Heylin

A Life In Stolen Moments. Bob Dylan Day By Day 1941-1995.

Schirmer Books 1996, 404 pages.

Clinton Heylin

Bob Dylan, The Recording Sessions 1960-1994

St. Martin's Press, 1995, 233 pages.

Michael Krogsgaard

Positively Bob Dylan
A Thirty-Year Discography, Concert & Record Session Guide 1960-1991.
Popular Culture, Ink. 1991. 500 pages.

Michael Krogsgaard

Bob Dylan: The Recording Sessions (Part 3).
The Telegraph #55, Summer 1996, pp. 111–142.

Craig Pinkerton

Bob's Boots
www.bobsboots.com/

Ray Stavrou

A Vinyl Headstone  Almost In Place
Loose leaf binder,  530 pages.

 

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10                                   Suggested Readings

10.1                            Books

John Bauldie

Bob Dylan & Desire.
Wanted Man 1984. Softcover, 58 pages.

 

Stewart P. Bicker

The Red Rose And The Briar

1984. Renaldo & Clara scene by scene with descriptions and analysis.

C. P. Lee

Like A Bullet Of Light – The Films Of Bob Dylan. Helter Skelter 2000.
Paperback, 219 pages.

Jonas Dergoth

A Concise Synopsis Of Renaldo & Clara

Paperback, 36 pages.

Les Kokay

Songs Of The Underground - Rolling Thunder Revue.

A collector's guide to the Rolling Thunder Revue 1975-1976.

160 pages.

Sam Shepard

Rolling Thunder Logbook

Viking Press 1977, hardback 184 pages.

Lots of very nice pictures!

Larry Sloman

Bob Dylan On The Road. Rolling With The Thunder

Bantam Books 1978, paperback 413 pages.

Reprinted in 2002 by Helter Skelter with a new foreword by Kinky Friedman. Softcover 464 pages.

The classic reportage from the first Rolling Thunder Revue tour. Narration starts summer 1975 with the surprise appearances in the Greenwich Village and the Desire recording sessions and ends in January 1976.

Robin Witting

Desire. Songs Of Redemption.
Exploding Rooster Books 2201. Softcover, 321 pages.

10.2                            Reference

John Baldwin

The fiddler now upspoke, Volumes 1–5.

A collection of Bob Dylan interviews and press conferences.

Desolation Row Promotions, 1995.

Carl Benson (ed)

The Bob Dylan Companion — Four Decades of Commentary.

Schirmer Books, New York 1998. Softcover 306 pages.

Michael Gray

Song & Dance Man III. The Art Of Bob Dylan

Cassell 1999. Hardback 918 pages.

David Hajdu

Positively 4th Street. The Lives and Times of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan,
Mimi Baez Fariña and Richard Fariña.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux 2001, 328 pages.

Todd Harvey

The Formative Dylan. Transmission and Stylistic Influences, 1961-1963
American Folk Music and Musicians Series, No. 7.
The Scarecrow Press 2001, 211 pages.

Clinton Heylin

Behind The Shades. A Biography.

Summit Books 1991, 500 pages.

Daniel Kramer

Bob Dylan. Citadel Press (hardback) or Pocket Books. Great photo book from 1964-1965.

Craig McGregor (ed)

Bob Dylan. A Retrospective.

William Morrow 1972

Anthony Scaduto

Bob Dylan. An intimate biography. New American Library 1973

Eric von Schmidt, Jim Rooney

Baby, Let Me Follow You Down. The Illustrated Story of the Cambridge Folk Years. Anchor Books 1979.

Robert Shelton

No Direction Home. The Life and Music of Bob Dylan. New American Library 1986.

Howard Sounes

Down The Highway. The Life Of Bob Dylan. Groove Press 2001.

Elizabeth M. Thomson (ed)

Conclusions On The Wall. New Essays On Bob Dylan.

Thin Man 1980

Paul Williams

Watching The River Flow

Observations on Bob Dylan's Art-in-Progress, 1966-1995.

Omnibus Press 1996, 255 pages.

Paul Williams

Performing Artist – The Music of Bob Dylan. Volume One, 1960–1973.
Underwood Miller 1990,  310 pages.

Paul Williams

Performing Artist – The Middle Years: 1974-1986
Underwood Miller 1992,  334 pages.

 

10.3                            Selected articles

A Chat with Jacques Levy – Derek Barker, Isis #90

Bob Dylan’s Renaldo & Clara – by John Nogowski, On The Tracks #14 (Summer 1998)

David Mansfield Interview – by Larry Jaffee, On The Tracks #17 (Fall 1999)

Hurricane – by Paul Williams, Isis #74

Interview: Kinky Friedman – The Telegraph #42 (Summer 1992)

Interview: Mike Evans, Dylan's personal security man on Rolling Thunder – The Telegraph #46 (Autumn 1993)

Interview: Ronee Blakeley – The Telegraph #41 (Winter 1991)

Jacques Levy Interview – by Larry Jaffee, On The Tracks #4 (Fall 1994)

Mel Howard on Filming Renaldo & Clara – The Telegraph #46 (Autumn 1993)

Seems Like I have Been Down This Way Before. An examination of Black Diamond Bay – by Robert Forryan, Dignity #4

Tangled Up In Film. Renaldo and Clara and Les Enfants du Paradis – Dignity #9

 

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[1] owner of Gerdes Folk City in Greenwich Village.

[2] producer and road manager

[3] road manager.

[4] described by Mike Evans as ”Dylan’s gofer”

[5] associate producer, camera

[6] Albert Grossman’s wife

[7] head of ”Big Police” security.

[8] sound man

[9] Hollywood actress appearing in Renaldo & Clara.