Dylan's participation in The Traveling Wilburys was a clear career bright spot of the 1980s. What started as a few friends dropping by the house turned into a hit record. In this episode Musician Jeff Slate talks to us about how this happened, what it produced, and what it mean to Dylan and his career. ** This Episode is available on video for FM Premium Members. ** LINKS Jeff Slate Website (AppleMusic) (Spotify) The Last Day of Summer (New Record) CD, Bonus Tracks Photo...

In this special episode we're sharing the premiere episode of a new podcast called 'Infinity Goes Up On Trial' hosted by Erin Callahan. It's monthly show with discussions about the ideas and emotions in Dylan's work, with artists, activists, educators, and more. **There is a video version of this episode available at TheFM.Club.** To make sure you don't miss future episodes of Infinity Goes Up On Trial, go subscribe in your favorite podcast app. The show is available on Apple...

Continuing our discussion with Michael Gray on his book Song & Dance Man Vol.2, we discuss Chapter 4 which focuses on Groom Still Waiting At The Altar and also covers Angelina and Caribbean Wind. Michael explains the biblical references from the title of Groom, we discuss the lyrical changes as sung from those in the lyric books, the various and adventurous rhymes, and Dylan's impassioned delivery. Michael reads several passages from Chapter 4, covering both Groom Still Waiting and...

Bob Dylan struggled in many ways in the mid 80's, no matter how you look at it. We talk about the perception and reality of that struggle, along with his triumphs, with Professor Erin Callahan. Erin often hosts The Dylantantes podcast, is co-author/co-editor of The Politics and Power of Bob Dylan’s Live Performances - a recent book looking at Dylan through the lens of his live setlists, and has another book coming - this one about Bob Dylan in the 1980s. She's a Professor of English at San...

The new Watching The Covers Flow podcast has been tracking Dylan's work in 1984-1988 along with us, and just posted a new episode of the wildest covers of Dylan songs that were released in those years. Since the podcast is new and you may not have subscribed yet, we're sharing a sample here to encourage you to do so. Follow Watching The Covers Flow in your Favorite Podcast App Show Home Page Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Other Podcast Apps Subscribe to FM+ To...

We continue our series with Michael Gray on Song & Dance Man, Vol. 2 with a discussion of two chapters on great songs from Bob's Born-Again Period. The first is Yonder Comes Sin, and outtake captured at a live show soundcheck, and unreleased until the Trouble No More Bootleg Series. The Second is the beloved Every Grain of Sand. This is an extended version of this episode exclusively for FM+ Subscribers and FM Club Premium Members. The nature of Michael’s work and writing is such...

Dylan & The Dead is much more than an album, it's a relationship. In this episode we talk to Dylan and Dead expert Harold Lepidus about all aspects of that history, the shows, the rehearsals, the inspiration, and the impact. This a part of our 'Five Worst Years' series looking at all sides of 1984-1988. Dylan first started spending time with The Dead in '87, rehearsing and then playing live shows - some of which resulted in the 1988 Dylan and The Dead album. ** The Extended Version...

A new podcast just launched on The FM Podcast Network - Watching The Covers Flow with Ray Padgett. Watching the Covers Flow is a podcast that dives deep into covers of, and by, the most covered songwriter in rock and roll: Bob Dylan. Host Ray Padgett (Flagging Down the Double E's newsletter, Pledging My Time book) explores covers across era and genre, from a hip-hop "Subterranean Homesick Blues" to a bluegrass "Ring Them Bells" to Dylan's own frequent detours from writing his own songs to...

Following 18 months after Infidels, nothing about the making of this record - the recording process, the sound, the songs, or even the cover art - suggested that Dylan was on solid footing. The times were a-changin' again. Yet the music did impress some: Rolling Stone asked: "Is Dylan “back”? Again? One is tempted to trumpet some such tidings. ...Empire Burlesque is nothing as straightforward as a simple return to rock & roll form for Dylan." In this episode we look at the first...

Bob Dylan has had an incredible career for over sixty years. But Dylan hit a bit of a rough patch in the 1980's - especially the mid 80s. Or did he? This is the question we're going to look at as we revisit the years 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988 - and everything that took place during those years - through this and a whole bunch of episodes ahead on Dylan.FM. In this introductory episode we set the stage, discussing how the 1980s sit within Dylan's history and legacy, and looking at...

Dylan fans have always focused on setlists, but this may be the first book to use them as a theme, around which a series of writers look at how the list of songs Bob chooses to sing in any given night or tour has evolved, the different roles certain songs have played over the years, and the larger story or message contained within a sequence of songs (intentionally or not). Another by-product of the pandemic, The Power and Politics of Bob Dylan’s Live Performances – Play a Song for Me, is...

Dylan fans have always focused on setlists, but this may be the first book to use them as a theme, around which a series of writers look at how the list of songs Bob chooses to sing in any given …

In this episode we talk with author Michael Gray about Chapter One of Volume 2 of Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan – Yonder Comes Sin, which was just released. Much of the discussion is about Street-Legal, …

There's a great new record just out - Cat Power Sings Dylan - The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert - recorded last November in London. We've got two Ltd. Edition 2 LP Vinyl versions to giveaway to subscribers of our Dylan.FM Substack - Detail and links below. In this bonus episode we talk about the album, the giveaway, and some of our favorite female Dylan cover albums. Thanks to Laura Tenschert for permission to use the Cat Power interview clip. Thanks to Diamond Recording Company for...

Mixing Up The Medicine is a new book that takes us all inside The Bob Dylan Archives, and shares a wealth of photos, memorabilia, manuscripts, and new original writing. We talk with authors Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel to learn …

Nobody Else Can Be Influenced By The Pre-War Blues like Bob Dylan – or so says author Michael Gray in Chapter 8 in Song & Dance Man Vol.1 (The 50th Anniversary Edition). In 112 pages in that book he explains Dylan’s relationship with the blues, which we discuss in this episode. Our Guest Reader for this episode is Scott Bunn of ReclinerNotes.com ** The Full Extended Version of this Episode is 45 Minutes long and available only to FM+ Subscribers. **** Details on joining FM+ are below....

Nobody Else Can Be Influenced By The Pre-War Blues like Bob Dylan – or so says author Michael Gray in Chapter 8 in Song & Dance Man Vol.1 (The 50th Anniversary Edition). In 112 pages in that book he explains …

Only one song from Dylan’s 1960s output earned a dedicated chapter in Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan (Vol.1), and it’s a song that Dylan never even released until over 20 years later. In this episode …

Following our two episodes on complexity in Dylan’s lyrics, our discussion turns to the trend towards simplicity in the late 60’s and early 70’s work. This covers Chapter 5 in Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan (Vol.1) and includes comments on John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline, New Morning, Self Portrait, Planet Waves and Blood On The Tracks. We’ll listen to passages from the book and then Michael comments, adds new thoughts, and answers questions. The selections for...

Following our two episodes on complexity in Dylan’s lyrics, our discussion turns to the trend towards simplicity in the late 60’s and early 70’s work. This covers Chapter 5 in Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan (Vol.1)…

This episode continues our discussion with Michael Gray on Chapter 4 from the new book Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan (Vol.1). Here we focus primarily on the two most extreme example of language complexity: Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde. Again in this episode, we'll listen to passages from the book and then Michael comments, adds new thoughts, and answers questions. The selections for Chapter Four are read in this episode by Anne Margaret Daniel, a writer and...

In this fourth episode in our Series on the new book release Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan (Vol.1) we talk to author Michael Gray about Chapter Four: Dylan’s Use of Language: Toward Complexity. We discuss the …

The FM Pods Network is expanding, and as of today Gaucho Amigos, a Steely Dan Podcast hosted by Alex Preiss is an FM Pods show. In this episode we talk to Alex and learn the history of the show and what to expect in future episodes. There are 21 past episodes covering Dan songs and topics - they're all free and available wherever you listen to podcasts. In the future, there will be Extended and Bonus Episodes available only to FM+ or Premium subscribers. Some of the back catalog too...

In this third episode in our Series on the new book release Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan (Vol.1) we talk to author Michael Gray about Chapter Three: Dylan and Rock Music. We discuss the influence the …