Tag Archives: George Harrison

Writer Michael Goldberg Interviewed: Dylan, Rolling Stone & More

ATN MG int cover 2

Andrew Hamlin interviews me for Addicted To Noise.

Among other things I talk about how Bob Dylan, Captain Beefheart and Diane Arbus changed my life, some of the most difficult artist interviews of my rock journalism career, and how I wrote my latest novel. The Flowers Lied.

Here’s how the interview begins:

From his early rock writing, to a spot as a Rolling Stone mainstay, to a pioneering Web editor/publisher, to rock as literature, Michael Goldberg, founded of the original Addicted To Noise in 1994, keeps moving and keeps his thumb pushed down deep on the blurt.

Goldberg was immersed in the punk scene in the mid-1970’s, interviewing Patti Smith and The Ramones and the Talking Heads for stories that ran in the Berkeley Barb and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. The Clash nearly threw him out of a San Francisco recording studio, the Sex Pistols tried to break his tape recorder, and Frank Zappa said if Michael Goldberg was one of his fans he was in big trouble.

Prior to starting ATN, Goldberg was an associate editor and senior writer at Rolling Stone for 10 years. His writing has also appeared in Wired, Esquire, Vibe, Details, Downbeat, NME and numerous other publications.

Goldberg has recently published The Flowers Lied, the second of three books detailing the life, work, frustrations, and passions of his protagonist, Writerman.

Who were your earliest powerful influences, literary, musical, and otherwise?

It’s rare that something you read or hear has a direct, clear-cut influence…

Read the entire interview at Addicted To Noise.

– An Addicted To Noise blog post –

Audio: Bob Dylan & George Harrison Cover ‘Yesterday’ – May 1970

Here’s Bob Dylan singing “Yestersay” with George Harrison on guitar.

This was recorded May 1, 1970 at Columbia Studios in New York.

[I just published my rock ‘n’ roll novel, True Love Scars.” Rolling Stone has a great review of my book in a recent issue. Read it here. There’s info about True Love Scars here.]

Video: Bob Dylan Covers Beatle George Harrison’s ‘Something’ – Nov. 13, 2002

Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden, 2002.

Bob Dylan is in quite good voice as he covers the George Harrison-written Beatles classic, “Something,” at Madison Square Garden on November 13, 2002.

[I just published my rock ‘n’ roll novel, True Love Scars.” I’ve got a Goodreads. book giveaway going right now. Click here and enter.]

— A Days Of The Crazy-Wild blog post —

Video: Bob Dylan’s 30th Anniversary Concert – Lou Reed, Willie Nelson, George Harrison & Many More

Bob Dylan’s 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration took place on October 16, 1992 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

An amazing group of artists assembled to offer tribute to Bob Dylan.

The first video below, is the first half of the concert.

The second video is an eclectic mix of songs from the entire concert but it does include George Harrison, Neil Young, Tom Petty and others that are not in the first video.

Part One:

Misc. songs:

–- A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-

Video: Bob Dylan Joins George Harrison for ‘Peggy Sue,’ John Fogerty Sings ‘Proud Mary’ – Feb. 19, 1987

Bob Dylan, Mark Shark, George Harrison, Bobby Tsukamoto, John Fogerty and Taj Mahal. Photo via Mark Shark’s taooftuningscom/.

Twenty-Seven years ago, on February 19, 1987, a remarkable meeting of the superstars took place on stage at the Palamino Club in North Hollywood.

Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and John Fogerty joined Taj Mahal and the Graffiti Band, which included slide guitarist Jessie Ed Davis, guitarist Mark Shark, bassist Bobby Tsukamoto, drummer Gary Ray, and keyboardist Jim Ehinger.

Rear L-R, Jesse Ed Davis, Gary Ray, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan, Bobby Tsukamoto, John Trudell, George Harrison; Front: Jim Ehinger, Mark Shark. Photo via Mark Shark’s taooftuningscom/.

George Harrison took charge of the jam session. He sang “Matchbox,” “Honey Don’t” and “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” all three of which The Beatles did covers of, and Dylan’s “Watching the River Flow. He also shared vocals with Dylan on a version of Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue.”

At one point during “Watching the River Flow” Harrison improvised a verse and worked Bob Dylan’s name into it. Jesse Ed Davis, by the way, played on Dylan’s original recording of the song.

John Fogerty sang Elvis’ hit, “Blue Suede Shoes,” and before launching into his best known song, “Proud Mary,” which Fogerty hadn’t sung in years, he said, “OK we’re gonna do this ’cause Bob Dylan asked me to do this. Holy Mackerel.”

Taj Mahal sang “Johnny D. Goode” and “Willie and the Hand Jive” with Dylan, Harrison and Fogerty leaning into a shared microphone for the background vocals. Amazing!

What is unique about these jams is how relaxed the artists seem. Unlike so many superstar jams, this one doesn’t appear calculated. The artists are having a great time singing songs they want to sing.

And Dylan is seemingly comfortable in his role as rhythm guitarist, playing a Fender Jazzmaster (one of the types of Fender electric guitars which he played in the mid-’60s), occasionally adding very loose harmony vocals.

Dig the video, which is funky. Sound is pretty good.

“Matchbox,” Taj Mahal and George Harrison trade off on the verses, and Harrison sings “Honey Don’t” and “Watching the River Flow”:

Bob Dylan, George Harrison sing “Peggy Sue”, Harrison sings “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”:

John Fogery sings “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Proud Mary”:

Taj Mahal sings “Johnny B. Goode” and Willie and the Hand Jive” and “Hey, Bo Diddley”:

-– A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-

Video: Lauryn Hill Covers The Beatles’ ‘Something’

Last night on “Late Show with David Letterman” Lauryn Hill sang the George Harrison-penned Beatles’ song “Something.”

Tomorrow, by the way, marks 50 years since The Beatles first performed in the CBS studio that has since been renamed the “Ed Sullivan Theater” — the same theater where Lauryn Hill performed last night.

-– A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-

Bob Dylan’s ‘The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration’ Expanded, Set for DVD, Blu-ray

On October 16, 1992, an amazing group of artists came to Madison Square Garden to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of Bob Dylan’s self-titled debut album.

From Bob Dylan’s website:

The four hour show, performed for a sold-out audience of more than 18,000 fans and live-cast around the world, brought together an unprecedented roster of artists and icons including Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Lou Reed, The Clancy Brothers, Richie Havens, Johnny Winter, Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Stevie Wonder, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Ron Wood, Chrissie Hynde, The O’Jays, Eddie Vedder, Sinéad O’Connor, Tracy Chapman, George Harrison (then making his first US concert appearance in 18 years) and more. Providing musical backing throughout the show was an ensemble dream team featuring three members of Booker T. & The M.G.’s, G.E. Smith on guitar with Jim Keltner and Anton Fig on drums.

There was a a CD and a VHS tape released in 1993, but now, on March 4, 2014, Columbia Records will release an expanded version of the album, as well as DVD and Blu-ray versions of the video.

Promotional video about the new release:

More from Dylan’s website:

Struck from a new High Definition video master with remastered audio, The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration – Deluxe Edition makes this historic all-star musical event available for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray.

The 2DVD and Blu-ray versions of The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration – Deluxe Edition include 40 minutes of previously unreleased material including behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage, interviews and more.

The 2CD audio edition premieres two previously unreleased recordings from the concert’s sound check: Sinéad O’Connor singing “I Believe In You” and Eric Clapton’s interpretation of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.”

The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration – Deluxe Edition includes new notes by pop music historian Bill Flanagan.

More info here.

Here’s Rolling Stone’s story.

Check out some of the original version of the concert:

Bob Dylan – The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration – Deluxe Edition:

Like A Rolling Stone – John Mellencamp
Blowin’ In The Wind – Stevie Wonder
Foot Of Pride – Lou Reed
Masters Of War – Eddie Vedder/Mike McCready
The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Tracy Chapman
It Ain’t Me Babe – June Carter Cash/Johnny Cash
What Was It You Wanted – Willie Nelson
I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight – Kris Kristofferson
Highway 61 Revisited – Johnny Winter
Seven Days – Ron Wood
Just Like A Woman – Richie Havens
When The Ship Comes in – The Clancy Brothers and Robbie O’Connell with special guest Tommy Makem
War – Sinead O’Connor
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues – Neil Young
All Along The Watchtower – Neil Young
I Shall Be Released – Chrissie Hynde
Love Minus Zero, No Limit – Eric Clapton (Track Only Available on DVD/Blu-Ray Format)
Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright – Eric Clapton
Emotionally Yours – The O’Jays
When I Paint My Masterpiece – The Band
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere – Mary Chapin Carpenter/Rosanne Cash/Shawn Colvin
Absolutely Sweet Marie – George Harrison
License To Kill – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Mr Tambourine Man – Roger McGuinn
It’s Alright, Ma – Bob Dylan
My Back Pages – Bob Dylan/Roger McGuinn/Tom Petty/Neil Young/Eric Clapton/George Harrison
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Everyone
Girl Of The North Country – Bob Dylan

DVD Bonus Tracks:
Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat – John Mellencamp
Boots Of Spanish Leather – Nancy Griffith with Carolyn Hester
Gotta Serve Somebody – Booker T. & The M.G.’s

DVD Bonus Features:

Behind The Scenes (40 minutes of previously unreleased rehearsal footage, interviews and more)

CD Audio bonus tracks:

Sinéad O’Connor – I Believe In You (from sound check – previously unreleased)
Eric Clapton – Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (from sound check – previously unreleased)

-– A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-

Watch: Official Video For Bob Dylan/George Harrison “Time Passes Slowly”

dylan

Not sure how long this has been online but in any case it’s cool. Some footage and still photos, some random, some spot on. All in all a nice collage of images that play well against this great alternative version of “Time Passes Slowly” with George Harrison on lead guitar and some vocals. This version is, of course, on Another Self Portrait.

— A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post —