Expecting Rain

... but it hit me earlier on that the NET started about half way through Dylan's career. In 1988, twenty six years in and he was seen as a dinosaur THEN.

Twenty four years later, he's still bloody going. Dinosaur squared.

Rock stars didn't use to get old, definitely not on stage. Bob quasi invented dignified aging in rock music.

That and he has gotten better year after year.

So true.. making the way for springsteen and the mellencamps of the world to realize they don't have to stop!

Yup

Yeah, even stranger is that his career was considered finished when it started, but he managed to create some his best and most loved songs and performances during it's run. Bravo, Mr. Bob.

^ As the announcement says, "was written off as a has been by the end of the 80s"...

which, by the way, has always been a puzzle to me... Some good stuff he released in the '80s. But yes, just when he was written off, the NET begins and his entire career now exists within its glorious and majestic shadow.

Its enough to make one's jaw drop in awe!

Following the leads of so many Bluesmen and Bluegrass performers before him...

Here ya go Bobby - listen to this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW4qx3iCrcg

I'm with Untrodden, Arthur. Lots of good stuff ahead of us.

To me, the title itself is strange - "Strange - Longevity of the NET"

Huh? We are talking about one of the foremost artists of the 20th century, are we not? Some would say THE


So we are surprised he has staying power?


Huh? He who hurls his words with a force and grace unseen before, with music? We are surprised he keeps hurling?


I think the best question is - why did you doubt him???????????

I didn't doubt him, it was more to do with my awareness of time, and that the NET is far from the final part of Dylan's "career" but rather 50% of it.

Sorry about that chauncey. Please do not be offended. I got caught up in the flow of what I was thinking. No harm intended. Any thread about the longevity of Bob Dylan is about as good as it gets, right? Thank you. We all know that.

No offence taken

When i first discovered bob in 1988, people used to say to me "has he done anything since the 60's ?" or " isn't he dead ?" that was 24 years ago ! since then we've had some real career highlights, oh mercy, time out of mind, love and theft, bootleg series and some absolute brilliant shows that are up there with his best. I see the end of the NET in sight and its been one hell of a ride

People have been saying that for years. The ones that are concentrating on the ride, instead of speculating about the end, are those that appear to be having the most fun with it.

I'm sorry to hear you haven't been doing well... the Never Ending Tour is... well.. never ending... meaning Bob and His Band will be playing throughout eternity in that great gig in the sky... its merely a change of venues, that's all. And those of us who are deemed worthy and righteous will be basking in the glow of the NET forever.

it was looking pretty hopeless when he began the NET. I went to a June 1988 show and it was terrific, but Down in the Groove was the current release, all 32 minutes of it, and it really felt like the end. The 1989 show I saw had another fine acoustic set but this was all old stuff. 1990 seemed vaguely comical, most memorable for sartorial splendor, although when I heard the tape the Red Sky stuff sounded really good. I heard he put on quite a show in late 1992 and was surprised to be told that. Then I heard a couple tunes from the Woodstock performance in 1994 and they were interesting enough to risk $15 to see him at the state fair. And that was a great show; I don't think I've been to a better Dylan show since, although 1996 came close.

I remember thinking how nice it would be if he surprised everybody and made one more good record. And I wasn't that charmed by Oh Mercy. But TOOM did the job. I think Dylan saved a decade worth of bile for that record.

Hey mjeff! I just noticed you're from Joliet. Bob played there once with The Dead and Joan Osborne. I don't know exactly what year, maybe 2003ish? There was a storm the night/morning prior to the show. Some sound towers blew down or they had to take them down. The stage and instruments were covered in white plastic 'mountains' as Robert Hunter opened solo with 'Mountains of the Moon'. Bob and his band, including Freddie Koella, did 'Joey' that night, without the Dead. (The first time I had seen him do 'Joey' was with Jerry and the Dead in '87.) Then Bob joined the Dead for 3 tunes. Fun show, but the Dead weren't as impressive as they had been the year or two before when they performed as 'The Other One's' with Susan Tedeschi. Way more info than you needed, mjeff! Really was just wondering if you were there at that raceway show or any of the shows leading to or away from it.