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07/04/2006

Gospel

Tom Townsend:

“Jerry I think you misunderstand me, I never said that I dislike the gospel. I just don't see any of the three having the impact of any of his early work. I was listening to Live 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue, and what I thought was about how much Dylan had managed to change the style and perception of music in those few years from ‘61 onwards. That is something that he failed to do with such success over the next few years. So don't misunderstand me, I like his gospel, just not to the extent of the earlier recordings.

”I don't think see eye to eye on the greatness of 'Rainy Day Women'. I wasn't too keen on it, but it does grow and what is nice about it is the style which he wrote it in: the brass music gives it a really good atmosphere. Try listening again, but don't be so keen to judge it.”


Tom was replying to Jerry Stone:


“So, Tom Townsend thinks it is an exaggeration to consider the 'Gospel' years among Dylan's greatest. Well, each to their own, I suppose, but he goes on to state:

‘I doubt there is a single person who reads this page that would consider any of the three Gospel albums as one of Dylan’s greats.’

“How does he know? I, for one, believe that 'Slow Train Coming' is absolutely at the top of the tree. Okay, it's not 'Blonde On Blonde', but it's something else altogether. Both albums have their weaknesses ('Rainy Day Women'?), but I believe it is undeniable that Dylan was creatively 'on fire' in 1979. Equally, 'Shot Of Love' could have been a 'great' album too, if Dylan hadn't been so idiosyncratic in his final track selection.

“I think that people just let their own prejudices get in the way when judging the music of this period.”

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