Bob Dylan: Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix

The concert at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England on 17 May 1966 was recorded on Columbia's behalf by the London firm IBC on a professional three-track recorder. It was also recorded on a Nagra mono reel-to-reel for the sake of the film Pennebaker was making.

This concert has made numerous appearances on bootleg, most often being referred to as Royal Albert Hall, London, a misattribution which seems to have been caused by a wrong label on one of the original recordings.

It seems that Sony was planning to release this concert as volumes 4 and 5 of "The bootleg series". Masters were made, using the IBC recording. But several years after the release of the first three volumes of "The bootleg series" it still wasn't released. The story goes that someone with access to the masters got frustrated and gave a DAT copy to a bootlegger, which resulted in this double CD.

The sound quality of this double CD is much better than on all the earlier bootlegs: it's superb, just as good as if it were released officially. However, comparing this double CD with the earlier bootlegs, it becomes evident that the recording of the concert has been edited: some bits have been edited out from the moments between songs. So the earlier bootlegs haven't become totally redundant.

The concert consists of two sets. The first set is acoustic: Dylan alone with guitar and harmonica. The second set is electric: Dylan with The Band, not yet named The Band, but The Hawks. Disc 1 contains the acoustic set and disc 2 the electric.

In the last verse of "Visions of Johanna", the sound changes from stereo to mono at 7:12, after the words "conscience explodes". It remains mono until the applause comes in at the end of the song, where it reverts to stereo. Apparently this mono passage comes from the Nagra recording and has been spliced in by Columbia because of a problem with the IBC recording. The mono passage is playing a bit faster than the rest of the song, but this is hardly noticeable; I don't hear it.

"It's all over, Baby Blue" on "Biograph" is taken from this concert. On the "Biograph" sets from before 1997 it's the mono Nagra recording instead of the stereo IBC recording. On those old "Biograph" sets there is some guitar strumming immediately after the end of the song, that is missing on "Guitars kissing & the contemporary fix". Apparently the source used for the old "Biograph" set was an edited copy of the Nagra recording.

After "It's all over now, Baby Blue" the applause is faded out. It fades in again just before "Desolation row". This makes one wonder why the applause has not been edited seamlessly together, as has been done at all other points on this double CD where a passage between songs has been edited out.

The first 4 songs of the acoustic set, those before the break, are considerably louder than the last 3 songs, to the point of slight distortion.

During "Desolation Row", the sound changes again from stereo to mono, at 8:51, at the beginning of the first harmonica solo, and changes back to stereo at 10:35, at the beginning of the second harmonica solo. Apparently again a spliced in passage from the Nagra recording. This one is better speed- corrected than the Nagra passage in "Visions of Johanna".

"Mr. Tambourine Man", has a drop-out at 7:22, during the harmonica solo that ends the song. This drop-out was not on the DAT that was circulating before the release of this double CD. The DAT had a drop-out in the applause fade-out at the end of "Mr. Tambourine Man", which drop-out is not on the CD. Unobtrusive faults like these are introduced to tapes so that a company can better trace which copy leaked.

There is no evidence that "Tell me, momma", has ever been recorded by Dylan in the studio. It's a great song. Here's a description of this live performance by Paul Williams: "There's a few moments of (electric) guitar strumming and then on a drumbeat cue this big noise kicks in and then Dylan starts singing over the din, and the angel who shared his soul with you only minutes earlier person to person so intimate and clear you could hear a pin drop is now muttering sardonically and screaming crazily, and the only words you can make out are, "But I know - that you now - that I know - that you show - something - is tearing - up your mind - Tell me momma - Tell me momma - Tell me momma, what is it? What's wrong with you - this time?"

After the vicious "Tell me, momma" Dylan gives a few blows on his harmonica and then says, "This is called "I don't believe you". It used to be like that, and now it goes like this." This was his usual announcement of this song during the 1966 tour. Part of the audience laughs. Then it goes, "tap, tap, tap" and, quoting Paul Cable, "The Band comes in with the sort of immediacy you get from tipping a whole table full of crockery and cutlery into the sink all at once. It does not seem possible that the song was written for an acoustic guitar."

"Baby, let me follow you down" begins beautifully with guitar and harmonica only, but a part of the audience that resents the electric sound tries to drown out the music by clapping their hands in unison. The music stops. The protesters keep on clapping and Dylan decides to ignore them and starts the song again.

Paul Williams wrote: "From here on in the concert is framed by this confrontation between Dylan and the disaffected members of the audience, and the drama that results unquestionably has contributed to the fame and popularity of this recording (which has been called the greatest or one of the greatest live rock and roll recordings ever by quite a few different commentators)."

Tim Riley wrote about "Baby, let me follow you down": "Robertson's stinging leads between verses match the cymbals thrash for trash, and Hudson's organ solo uncoils from the center like a snake winding its way through a thicket; Richard Manuel scatters some high rockabilly piano frills. They hold back for Dylan's verses, assail the interludes, and send enough ripples across the song's surface to smother everything within earshot. Not a moment is left unscathed."

Tim Riley wrote: ""Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" gets counted off with a loud thumping of someone's boot, and gasps for a couple gulps of Robertson's guitar before heaving down into the song ("When you're lost in the rain in Juarez / And it's Eastertime too-ooh-ooh . . ."). Robertson turns in a vengeful lead that coaxes even more fervent cymbal splashes, and carries the entire song and band to a higher pitch than seems conceivable - even for a beatnik jaunt through the back alleys of Mexico. Hudson fills in the gaps of the last verse to the point where Dylan sings about heading back to New York City, he sings it like he's seen the same ghost that spooked Angel from the song a verse earlier."

Dylan introduced "Leopard-skin pill-box hat" as follows: "This is call... This is called "Yes, I"... This is... uh... This is called, "Yes, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill- box hat"." On the CD the introduction has been edited and goes: "This is called, "Yes, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat"." There follows some loud cheering from the audience, but also some angry shouts and the protesting clapping again. A section from this passage has been edited out on the CD. The song is finally launched with "One, two, three" and the Hawks are underway again. Tim Riley wrote: "Suddenly, they forge ahead, and the song struts off with authority; instantly, nothing else matters - all crowd chatter is swallowed up by the obliterating noise."

Paul Cable wrote: ""Leopard-skin Pill-box Hat" is undoubtedly the best version of the song in circulation. It leaves the official version standing and I think a good part of the credit has to be attributed to Robbie Robertson's lead guitar. All power to Dylan's elbow for playing lead on the album version but it was just a little sedate compared with what Robbie Robertson unleashes here."

Between "Leopard-skin pill-box hat" and "One too many mornings" there is again the protesting clapping. Dylan mumbles nonsense words and syllables into the microphone until curiosity overcomes the clappers so that they let the clapping abate to catch what he is saying. At this point the mutterings become "...if you only just wouldn't clap so hard." A much larger portion of the audience then bursts into applause indicating that they are on Dylan's side. This incident shows that it was only a minority of the audience that didn't approve of the electrification, albeit a loud and powerful one.

Paul Williams wrote about "One too many mornings": "... - "everything I'm saying, you can say it just as good" (Dylan sings this at Manchester with a weariness that has an extraordinary core of resilient strength, surrounded by guitar notes and drum beats and organ riffs that are truly eloquent, full of very specific color and breathtaking beauty)."

Tim Riley wrote: "The clapping continues after the song's cutoff, and the mechanical piano chords to "Ballad of a Thin Man" start up. Hudson's organ fills up the sound like a smoke machine, and the band comes down on the verse-ending kicks like they were slamming the door behind the entire concert. Twisting his words, elongating his vowels, and whining the lyric like a hungry tomcat, Dylan spills antiestablishment torpor into this song as though the Time magazine correspondent in Don't Look Back, with his invidious Caruso comparison, was easy prey." Dave Marsh wrote: ""You know something's happening and you don't know what it ISSSS", Dylan hisses, Hudson rocking those Ray Charles-like chords so ominously behind him, "Doooo yoooou Mr. Joooooness". Mickey Jones, the drummer here, nearly knocks his kit over with a power rarely matched - by Watts and Moon alone, perhaps - Manuel and Danko merely THERE, solid, the way it was meant to be." Paul Williams wrote: "The version of "Ballad of a Thin Man" is arguably the most powerful I've ever heard. The band (that includes the vocalist) found the groove, I mean really found it, this performance is an ocean wide and a hundred lightyears long (and ends right on schedule, the infinite in a nutshell)." Tim Riley wrote: "Even though this groove is slower, less manic than what's come before, the players bear down on this music to the point where it doesn't seem to have any curves left to hug; the gears are stripped but the chassis plunges forward. The ending is more a fait accompli than a climax."

Between "Ballad of a thin man" and "Like a rolling stone" lies the famous incident where a member of the audience yells out "Judas!". The passage just before this shout has been edited out on the CD and this time it is clearly hearable that a passage is skipped. The shout is followed by applause and several other shouts from the audience. Twelve seconds has been cut on the CD from this passage. Dylan replies, loudly and with great dignity, "I don't believe you". Whether this is a reply to the "Judas!" shout or to the indecipherable shouts thereafter is disputed. The next 4 seconds of indecipherable voices have been cut from the CD. Dylan strums his guitar, the first chord of the next song is heard, the bass comes in and some soft drum tapping, and Dylan says, louder and with perfect timing, "You're a liar!" Then, after a moment, in the background somebody says, "Get fuckin' loud!". According to some this is said by Dylan himself, having stepped away from the mike, according to others it's Robbie Robertson. To me is doesn't sound like Dylan, but I'm not good at recognizing voices. Some believe that the words are not "Get fuckin' loud!", but "Play fuckin' loud!", and others even believe that they are "You're a fucking liar!" Some people used to hear one of these two latter readings of the words before the release of "Guitars kissing and the contemporary fix", but now hear "Get fuckin' loud!", and that's the only one of the three readings that I can get my ears to agree with.

After the words "Get fuckin' loud!" a fell swoop on the drums follows and an incredible version of "Like a rolling stone" is played, with Dylan screaming the words. Paul Williams wrote: "And "Like a Rolling Stone," impossibly, is the equal of the original recording, totally new and just as intense. This performance has been called apocalyptic, which I think means announcing and even glorying in the destruction of the world as we know it. Is this something that can be repeated every night? Another definition is, "depicting symbolically the ultimate destruction of evil and triumph of good." Whew." I usually play this CD very loud and turn the volume yet a few grades higher when coming to this song, causing my ears to ring during an hour after the music's over. That one of my speakers has been damaged might also have been caused by playing this track so loud.

After "Like a rolling stone" Dylan says, "Thank you". You might hear this as "Fuck you", but I think it's definitely "Thank you". And as the audience lets hear some booing through the cheering the CD ends.

Dave Marsh wrote: "It is the most supremely elegant piece of rock 'n' roll music I've ever heard. Seeking after virtuous sounds, constantly on the look-out for the lost chord and its derivants, the music that springs out most completely from that place where magic operates most nearly operates as a totality, Bob Dylan and the Hawks Live At Albert Hall, 1966 seems closest to what I'm after. Closer than even all the Rolling Stones live bootlegs or even Ya-Yes, perhaps even closer (though in a different way) than the brilliance I found in Live/Dead and Kick Out the Jams when they were released." "Still, the fact that Bob Dylan and the Hawks possessed this magic does, indeed, place them forever among the ranks of rock's great. Dylan had a power that Mick Jagger only approaches, a power to make people think in whole new ways, a power that he used more consciously than anyone else before or since. No one is deserving of more praise."

Paul Cable wrote: "The music is great, brilliant, stunning - all the superlatives you can think of. Dylan seethes with resentment towards the audience and it is translated into singing that is tight, searing and - dare I say it? - apocalyptic."

Mark Brown wrote: ""Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix" finds a young Bob Dylan blowing through an epic two-hour set in May 1966, half acoustic, half with the Hawks -- later renamed The Band. It's perhaps the best two hours of his career, distilling everything tender, raging, touching and rocking in his work into one potent show." "This is an indispensable performance -- one of the few truly great lost albums of rock 'n' roll and easily one of Dylan's best."

The CD manufacturers have chosen to put the index marks of the songs not at the beginnings of the incidents that lead up to them, but at the beginning of the songs proper or in the middle of these incidents. So the track with "Tell me, momma" ends with Dylan introducing "You don't believe me" and the track with "Just like Tom Thumb's blues" has some time before the end Dylan introducing "Leopard-skin pill-box hat". The Judas incident is divided over the end of track 7 and the beginning of track 8.

There are several issues of this double CD. The original one was released late 1995. It comes in a gatefold black cardboard sleeve with red and white lettering and a high-contrast image of Bob Dylan with acoustic guitar wearing the very large-patterned hounds tooth jacket. On the back cover there is the track list in red letters and another high contrast image of Dylan, from the neck up, left quarter profile. He looks pensive. In the right bottom corner there is an image of a scorpion. When you open the gatefold, on the left hand side is a photograph (not high contrast image) of Dylan, singing and playing a dark coloured Fender Telecaster with no rear pickup cover. In the background is bassist Danko, with a Fender bass. On the right hand side are the liner notes. The discs are inserted from the inside of the fold, not the outer edge of each wing. They have individual paper sleeves with song listings for each CD. The inner sleeve on the left holds the acoustic set and has a red border on the front and 4 photographs of Dylan, 3 of which appear to have been taken at the same time and a fourth which appears to be more of a posed studio photograph. On one of these 4 photographs the head of some kind of doll can be seen. The front of the other inner sleeve is mainly red. It has a photograph of Dylan in the studio playing guitar, wearing sunglasses. This photograph is segmented into eight sections, with the red of the sleeve colour forming the bands between each section (like an ice cube tray). The label of disc 1 has a white background with a 1966 era high contrast, off-centered image of Dylan in black. The label of disc 2 has the same image, but in white and with a black background. Both disks have not the title "Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix" on them, nor the name "Bob Dylan", but ""Free Trade Hall" Live". Both disks have the words "stereo" and "SIAE" on them. The latter stands for "Societa Italiana degli Autori ed Editori", which means "Italian Society of Authors and Editors". The double CD was made in Italy. Disc 1 is numbered 51766A and disc 2 51766E. The label is Scorpio, but that name doesn't appear on the discs. The matrix of disc 1 has: GZ GB 1633 SIAE: 51766A. The matrix of disc 2: GZ GB 1632 SIAE: 51766E. Liner notes include a review of the show and a first hand account from a fan:

"Manchester Free Trade Hall May 17, 1966 There's nothing like a little adrenaline to enhance one's appreciation of an event. By the time Dylan and the band came onstage I was awash with the bloody stuff. I imagined mayhem. The piano-player, Richard Manuel, was right beside me. A more sinister-looking fellow I never saw. As a matter of fact, all the band looked like men who'd braved the fires of hell and emerged. Dylan's edgy aura hung over everything and out there at my feet was a surging mass of flesh-crazed fans, howling, cheering and screaming, waiting for the spark.

I don't think Dylan said anything. Just a glance at the band and suddenly the music started. I never heard such an apocalyptic roar. It took your breath away, like a squadron of B-52's in a cathedral. There was wicked crackling guitar over a vortex of sheer noise, with snatches of Captain Nemo organ and mad piano occasionaly surfacing. Above it all, the Dylan voice. Other writers have said it - nobody ever made a more ominous sound than Bob Dylan and the Hawks in the mid- 60's. It was total menace, with no let-up. Song followed song, the terrible intense wall of sound pushing further and further to the limits of sanity. It was magnificent."

This is taken from the "biography of The Band", Barney Hoskins' "Across the great divide", p. 122, where it is credited to "Rick Sanders, a student working as a bodyguard at the show."

A 1996 re-issue of the original release comes in a cardboard gatefold sleeve cover with two cardboard sleeves holding the CDs. There are no liner notes and no pictures on the CDs.

Another 1996 re-issue comes in a slimline 2 disc jewel case. The front and back covers are identical to the original. If you open the jewel case then you see on the left the back of the front insert, which has the same photograph as on the original inner sleeve of the acoustic disc. If you take this insert out and spread it open, then you see the same as on the inside of the original gatefold, i.e. on the left the picture of Dylan with Danko in the background, and on the right the liner notes. The images used on the CD labels are the same as the first issue but the colours are different, disc 1: red on white background, disc 2: black on white background. The matrix of disc 1 has: GZ GB 1633 SIAE: 51766 A. The matrix of disc 2 has: GZ GB1632 SIAE: 51766 E. The track timings are identical to the original. "Bob Dylan" is in capitals on the front cover and the spine, "The Hawks" is not. "Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix" is on the front cover and in capitals on the spine. This is the version I have. All the information on the other versions I have taken from descriptions by others.

Yet another 1996 re-issue is similar to the version I have. The differences are that disc 1 has black on a white background and disc 2 white on a black background. The matrix of disc 1 has: 517 66A. That of disc 2: 517 66 E.

A quite different version, released in 1996, has added at the beginning of disc 1 a sound check with a duration of 1:08, the number played being "Just like Tom Thumb's blues". This track can be found speed-corrected on "Bob Dylan sings the body electric" (T-041). On that disk the duration is 1:28. The 20 seconds can be accounted for at begin and end. It has some pops/crackles and level changes. The total time of disc 1 of this issue of "Guitars kissing and the contemporary fix" is 50:17. On the labels of the discs only it has "Disc Hits" (in capitals), "free trade hall" (all lower case), "For promotional use only" and "1996 DPP". On the back cover is "Made in Yugoslavia" and a small graphic of some type of beetle. The front and back cover are in black and white on a heavy woven single sheet paper. There are no notes, only the track listing on the back cover. The matrix numbers have been scraped off and are rough to touch.

Yet another 1996 re-issue comes in a black cardboard gatefold sleeve cover with red lettering, with two cardboard sleeves holding the CDs. "Bob Dylan & The Hawks" is on the cover and the spine, with the title "Guitars Kissing And The Contemporary Fix". The front cover has the picture of Dylan with Danko in the background which was on the left side of the inside gatefold of the original release. The inside of the gatefold when spread open is in black and white and has a picture of a pair of Free Trade Hall Manchester Tito Burns presents Bob Dylan tickets on the left hand side and the concert review from the original on the right. Each inner sleeve has the track listing for its CD on one side (unlike the original the "personnel" are not listed) and a photograph of Bob Dylan on the other side. The picture on the acoustic inner sleeve is the same picture that graces the front cover. The picture on the electric inner sleeve is of Bob Dylan in shades playing a harmonica with a microphone cupped in his hands; a microphone on a stand is to his right and above that is a hand holding another microphone. The CD labels are the same as the first issue but the colors are different: disc I has red on white background, disc 2 black on white background. The matrix numbers and track timings are identical to the original.

Yet another 1996 re-issue is the same as the original release, except for that it lacks the individual paper sleeves.

A version, released in 1996, has considerably different individual track times, while the total playing time of each disc is within one second of the original release. It has a fault on "Desolation Row" at 6:31 which is absent on the original. It comes in a jewel case. The label of disc 1 one has a solid black background and is titled in white print "The Lampost Stands with Folded Arms". The label of disc 2 is the inverse, that is a white background with the black print title "The Lampost Stands With Folded Arms". The inserts appear to be taken from the 1996 gatefold sleeve reissue which has "Bob Dylan & The Hawks" on the cover and the picture of Dylan Danko in the background on the cover (which was on the left side of the inside gatefold of the original release). The front insert when opened is similar (but of noticeably lower quality) to the inside of the 1996 reissued gatefold. When spread open it is in black and white and has a picture of a pair of Manchester tickets on the left hand side and the concert review from the original on the right. The matrix of disc 1 has: 601013X SCO-8 IFPI L602. That of disc 2: 600993X SCO-9 IFPI L602.

Another version, released in 1996, comes in a cardboard gatefold sleeve cover with two cardboard sleeves holding the CDs. The matrix of disc 1 has: 601013X SCO-8 IFPI L602. That of disc 2: 600993X SCO-9 IFPI L602.

Another version, released in 1996 or 1997, has no numbers anywhere except on the two disks - SCO-8 for disc 1 and SCO-9 for disc 2. Disc 1 is black and disc 2 is white. On both discs is printed "The Lampost Stands With folded Arms". The only thing identifying the label is a picture of an scorpion on the back. I think the following description by Stephen D. Walter of a "Guitars Kissing & The Contemporary Fix" version refers to this same version: "a nested 2-CD set with inverted black-and-white CD designs, each bearing the quote "THE LAMPOST STANDS WITH FOLDED ARMS," and with a flaw in "Desolation Row. On the cover there is the standard checked-suit image, and on the back the set list and close up photo + Scorpio emblem lower right. The interior design seems different, however, than that described in reference to the pirated version: here the inside sleeve has a collage that includes three photos taken -- I am guessing -- from the European press conference at which Dylan introduces a doll as his companion. That's it for artwork or text. Discs numbered SCO-8 and SCO-9."

Another version, released in 1996 or 1997, comes in a big 2- disc jewel box. It has an imprint from New Zealand and black and white cover art.

This is Alan Friedman's description of yet another version: "My copy (with serial numbers SIAE 51766A and SIAE 51766E) has "BOB DYLAN" in large red type on the front cover, with "Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix" below that in smaller white type. The picture of Bob shows him with acoustic guitar in the checked suit and pants outfit and he is pointing with his right hand. The back cover lists the songs in small white type and the pix of Bob shows him blowing on harmonica. Spine of CD says "Bob Dylan & the Hawks" in white and "Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix" in red. Inside, there are four head shots of Bob, one of which looks to me like a Daniel Kramer photo, and three others which appear to be from a press conference. In one of these, the head of some kind of doll can be seen. This edition does not include the soundcheck and does indeed have a dropout during the harmonica solo during "Mr. Tambourine Man.""

This is Moe's description of a version, which might be the same as one of the above: "The "latest" front cover has the picture that was originally inside the booklet, with Dylan in the checked suit w/electric guitar, holding his right hand in the air while standing at the microphone. The lettering is all red at the bottom (on either side of his legs). The inner left side of the booklet now shows an ad for the show and what appears to be a ticket, while the right side has the original "notes" in black. The back booklet pic remains the same (Bob blowing on the harp. The back cover lists the songs in small white type and the pix of Bob shows him blowing on harmonica and also playing guitar. This pic was not included in the original issue. Spine of CD says "Bob Dylan & the Hawks" in white and "Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix" in red."

Jonathan W. Wolf wrote: "The edition without the soundcheck has better audio overall."

An enhanced version was released in April 1997. "Enhanced" means that it contains besides the audio tracks which can be played on a regular CD player tracks with computer data which can only be played on a CD-ROM drive.

"Guitars Kissing & the Contemporary Fix" is a name taken from Bob Dylan's book Tarantula. It is the title of the 21st section. The way the title is split between the two inner CD sleeves of the original issue suggests "Guitars Kissing" refers to the electric set of the concert and "the Contemporary Fix" to the electric. The description of the original issue where I got this information from has this the other way round: it says the way the title is split suggests "Guitars Kissing" refers to the acoustic set etc. The description of the version I have in the same Usenet message makes me think this is a mistake. I can't be sure, since I don't know the original issue, but I think "Guitars Kissing" isn't appropriate for the acoustic set, since there is only 1 guitar in there.

The letters in the order numbers 51766A and 51766E may stand for "acoustic" and "electric".