The Infidels Sessions

[twm]

Just as a test, I've scanned the first 5 issues of TWM that mention a "new" album, that is, up to the first mention of Mark Knopfler.

The way TWM worked was that every single item of news, rumour or whatever was numbered, not just every issue. This meant that, for example, TWM #89 (the one with the first mention of MK in this context) has three items of news or whatever. They are Item Numbers 429, 430 and 431, in a series that went back to Item No.1 in TWM #1. I did it this way to allow easier cross-referencing over the years. It sounds complicated but, in practice, is quite straightforward.

I noticed, as I glanced at other issues that there was a reference to Mark Knopfler going into the studio with Dylan in  Item Number 105 (TWM # 14, in April 1981).  So I scanned TWM # 14, too.

Anyway, I've done these 6 scans as an experiment. I do not know how to put them difrectly into this thread (or any thread) but I can send them as an attachment to an e-mail. If I did that, is anyone out there able to post them in this thread. Pottel?

I need your assurance that these will not be OCR'd. That is IMPORTANT to me.

[Pottel]

THE problem with that twm is that THE moment Things hit the www, they are out of our hands. So even if all of us stick to your wishes, it will happen somewhere.

[twm]

It's not that I'm unhappy with these being seen elsewhere. After all, the TWMs were made generally available but they were circulated a ta time when everything was done by photocopying. They were never written for, or intended for, worldwide circulation. I wrote them for a very specific audience, namely a circle of Dylan friends and their friends, so I was able to make assumptions about what they  would already know and which things, however obscure, would be interesting and new to them. In a similar way, they were written at a very specific time, when things were not so easily available through the internet, so that there was a certain "sense of wonder" about people sharing little snippets of knowledge from here and there and about building a picture from those disparate scraps of information.  I wouldn't want to lose that. Also, there were quite a few factual mistakes made over the years and views expressed that I no longer hold. These make it all a little difficult for me.

Perhaps I should limit it to the parts of any TWM that relate to MK and what became INFIDELS, rather than all the other stuff, which probably would be of much less intereste to AMIT readers anyway, especially those who will not be enthralled by the prospect of seeing Dylan's name so prominent on this site.

[Jules]

We are happy to read about Dylan, most of us when its related to everything he and MK did together, about what Bob did, do or will do alone, well, some people will be happy as they could be fans, but not everybody. 

However, feel free, we have specific threads to not related MK topics, and you can use them for everything you need, and of course, some bits here and there are welcome, just try to made links between the conversation and the bits about Dylan 

[twm]

... which is what I try to do.

And, actually, what I said was about the TWMs. I think it would sensible to limit things to the INFIDELS-related items. I'll see what I can manage.

[Jules]

... which is what I try to do.

And, actually, what I said was about the TWMs. I think it would sensible to limit things to the INFIDELS-related items. I'll see what I can manage.

Did you have anything about The Bootleg Series 1-3 and Down in the groove, where MK plays too?

[twm]

I actually wrote a 42-page booklet on BOOTLEG SERIES VOL.1-3 ("Back of the Tapestry") but it was a private project so not generally available, although it sold out (and that was several hundred copies).  However, it was about the whole box set in general, including a track-by-track commentary.

DOWN IN THE GROOVE was a bit of a hotch-potch in terms of its recording sources, so didn't really lend itself to the sort of coverage that INFIDELS got.

Thinking about INFIDELS, I rather favour limiting what I scan to just the bits about that album, not the whole of each issue of TWM, because the rest of the content will be "Dylan-heavy" and of much less interest to most AMIT-ers.  Once I've sorted out how I'm going to do that, I'll pass the material to jbaent to arrrange to post it here, if that's OK with him and everyone else.

[twm]

I've sent the first "episode" and await developments.

[Pottel]

am feverishly awaiting those scans..

[twm]

The first few are not necessarily the most interesting.  And .....

>>>> As a reader, you should not assume that everything in TWM was 100% accurate. The content was based not only on news reports but also rumour and, to a much lesser degree, speculation. Generally, the rumour and speculation had some basis in fact (the past accuracy of the source, Dylan's known way of doing things - even if occasionally wayward or "off the wall" - and how they fitted with "pointers" from those thought to be close to Dylan's circles) but they were just rumour and speculation.

>>>> This was all a very long time ago. Younger AMIT-ers in particular may need to adjust for the passage of time. There was no instant communication between fans. You simply could not turn on a device such as this computer and be intouch with others. It was all done by "snail mail", by telephone and by fax. There were no mobile (or cell) phones. There were almost no home photocopiers.

>>>> These early TWMs were all composed on a typewriter, so the opportunity to correct typing errors or to revise the text was very limited indeed.  When I read some of these early issues now, I wince inwardly.  And that's just the "technical side".

>>>> When I re-read them now, I am struck by some of  the attitudes expressed and views held. It is very instructive . "I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now".

Please treat me gently.

[Jules]

Hope this works Ok...

[Pottel]

it took a while (10 to 20 seconds) but then it shows and works just fine, thnx jbaent!

[Jackal]

Thanks TWM for doing this! I think it's interesting. It's written in a journalistic and ever-so enthusiastic style

Do I also detect a certain suspicion regarding Mark's involvement in the Infidels production? Hehe. I guess with the success of Dire Straits in those days, Mark Knopfler was the epitome of slick capitalism, a bit hard to swallow for 68ers and Dylan fans.

[twm]

There's more to come - quite a bit more, actually.

I'm not sure whether to take the "journalistic" tag as a compliment or the opposite. I am not a journalist by profession.

I guess I was a bit suspicious of MK's involvement but much less than I would have been, had Mr Bob gone for Frank Zappa or David Bowie. Elvis Costello, perhaps but the other two reeked of near-desperation to me. Or, knowing Dylan as I think I do, maybe he was simply looking for some radical shift in his musical perspective.

Most likely, my concern was about the possibility of "over-production" in the studio.  As a very broad generalisation (and the "Spector sound"  and the "Sgt Pepper era" Beatles sound notwithstanding), I generally prefer simpler production. That was harder to achieve in that period. Studios were becoming increasingly complex. Sometimes it seemed as though the technology determined what took place rather than the technology serving the artist. I had a feeling of uneasiness.

[Jackal]

Journalistic was meant in a positive way. Didn't say "journalese"

Know what you mean by "over-production". The most "produced" Dire Straits album was Love Over Gold, that came out not so long before Infidels, so your fears at the time were justified. Nevertheless, Dire Straits kept a pretty sparse production style overall through their time compared with a lot of other artists. I too prefer simpler production. Or, it can be complex, but not so polished. A few rough edges only add to the charm.