Bob Dylan has his own radio show!?

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than 5 million subscribers, today announced that Bob Dylan will host a new music show exclusively for XM, marking the first time the music legend has hosted a radio show. The weekly hour-long music show will feature an eclectic mix of music hand-selected by Dylan. In addition, Dylan will offer regular commentary on music and other topics, host and interview special guests including other artists and will take emails from XM subscribers. The show will debut in March 2006 on XM's deep album rock channel Deep Tracks (XM channel 40).

"Songs and music have always inspired me. A lot of my own songs have been played on the radio, but this is the first time I've ever been on the other side of the mic," said Dylan.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

he's gonna play all ghostface, all the time

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

I'm still waiting for him to host his game show: Throwing Horses Off A Cliff.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

"A lot of my own songs have been played on the radio," he explained, "
but this is the first time I've ever been on the other side of the mic, well, in a DJ way. Obviously, I've stood behind mikes onstage, you know" said Dylan.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

"Well actually, come to think of it, I've been interviewed on the radio before," he continued, "and in fact in the early days I sometimes would share a mic with a dj when the station was real small and crappy."

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

XM radio is so lame -"DEEP TRACKS"-- ugh.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

What does "Deep Tracks" even mean? Is it like the album tracks that never get played on singles-oriented radio?

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

It's a double entendre, because the non-singles tracks also have deep meanings, and they were often favourites of railroad engineers.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:20 (nineteen years ago)

If it turns out to be good or interestingly bad, it'll be a nice perk for DirecTV subscribers...

― I do feel guilty for getting any perverse amusement out of it (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:32 (nineteen years ago)

What does "Deep Tracks" even mean? Is it like the album tracks that never get played on singles-oriented radio?

You've nailed it. FWIW, Chicago's WDRV has a fantastic Internet-only Deep Tracks station.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:37 (nineteen years ago)

I like the term though I know it as "deep cuts"

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

...I mean, as a guy who really enjoys albums, one of my favorite things is getting around to really focusing on songs that didn't jump out the first few listenings, trying to think about how they fit in, and so forth

I know, I am a total relic in this, but for me & I think for some others that's part of the fun

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

I like 'deep cuts' as much as the next guy, I'm just complaining. XM just compartmentalizes in an even stricter way than terrestrial radio! Seems like such a waste of technology to me. Probably not even fair to bring up on the thread. I love Dylan.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 17:31 (nineteen years ago)

"A lot of my own songs have been played on the radio," he explained, "but this is the first time I've ever been on the other side of the mic, well, in a DJ way." yadda yadda me. fucking die already.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

oh go on and talk about your bob dylan!!! i won't bother you!

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

...what? Do you not like him?

― !!!22@:, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

http://cache.eonline.com/Gossip/Answer/Images/210.leno.jay.033105.jpg

"Didja, didja, didja hear that Bob Dylan has his own radio show now? Yeah, it's gonna be the first time that a radio show will be broadcast with subtitles!"

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

Only one hour per week? Anyways I have DirecTV, so this is a great added bonus!

― BeeOK (boo radley), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, hearing him play songs he likes and explain why he likes them will be great.

― No more monies plzz, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

What's the DirectTV thing?

Also, I would love it if Bob Dylan took my emails.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

What's the DirectTV thing?

http://www.directv.com/see/pdf/XM_channel_lineup.pdf

― BeeOK (boo radley), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

Alice Cooper's a hard act to follow.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:50 (nineteen years ago)

I am deeply curious to see what he does w/this

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:55 (nineteen years ago)

"Hi, this is Bob Dylan and you're listening to XM Satellite Radio."

45 minutes of Nashville country and mainstream classic rock

"Hi, this is Bob Dylan and you're listening to XM Satellite Radio."

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:09 (nineteen years ago)

yeah I'd bet lots of money that whatever the music turns out to be, his "talk" will be willfully, monumentally dull and cursory. It's all about the music after all. dickhead.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:15 (nineteen years ago)

Lot of astute comments on other people's music in Chronicles Vol.1

― don, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:20 (nineteen years ago)

45 minutes of Nashville country and mainstream classic rock

not fucking hardly, as anyone who's read Chronicles could tell you. and if you saw No Direction Home it's kind of difficult to imagine that his talk will be dull or cursory or anything of the sort.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:28 (nineteen years ago)

I guess you have greater confidence in his actual involvement in this thing than I do.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:30 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, I watched No Direction Home, I have the 5-CD Basement Tapes, and yeah, a radio version of that would be cool. But the other side of my brain thinks XM subscribers are gonna get the Victoria's-Secret-advertising, corporate-party-playing Bob Dylan.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:31 (nineteen years ago)

Your logic is impeccable here, Phil

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:32 (nineteen years ago)

Well, what precedents are there? On the one hand, you've got Johnny Cash's old TV show; on the other, you've got those Starbucks CD compilations the Rolling Stones or Sheryl Crow slap their names on.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:35 (nineteen years ago)

"Lot of astute comments on other people's music" --- just like a vampire sniffing out the livings' veins!!!! oi. sorry!

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:38 (nineteen years ago)

i'm just bored. carry on!

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:38 (nineteen years ago)

Matos --well I'm secretly thinking that he'll concentrate on being engaging, open, and having fun(read=also appearing to have fun) just to spite pronouncements like mine, which must become ubiquitous for my plan to work.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:39 (nineteen years ago)

i can see this going both ways, but it could be good. i think that Chronicles/Love & Theft both prove that Dylan is a lot sharper in his old age than most people give him credit for. And he seems to have pretty wide ranging musical interests...I can see him segueing from, say Skip James to the Clash to Hank Snow to Grandmaster Flash. That would be a best-case scenario, I guess.

Somewhat off topic, but I just read that Dylan gave Neil Young that Dust To Digital Goodbye Babylon box set last Christmas.

― Tyler Wilcox (tylerw), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:39 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if he'll play the Wallflowers.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:41 (nineteen years ago)

I think a lot of people give Dylan credit for being sharp in his old age! The volume of praise (most of it well deserved) for the flurry of Dylan product in the past half-decade is obvious evidence of that. As far as his tastes, iTunes has some insane playlist someone made of all the songs/artists Dylan mentions in Chronicles, which I'm trying to find right now.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:43 (nineteen years ago)

I actually think a radio show of his would be pretty interesting -mostly b/c of the vampire issue. But I'll still probably be stabbing myself in the leg to get through his talking.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:45 (nineteen years ago)

Found it. 242 songs, all over the place. Random sampling: Webb Pierce, Blind Gary Davis, Mississippi Jook Band, Donny Osmond & Marie Osmond, Phil Phillips, Kitty Wells, Irma Thomas, Johnny Cash, Kurtis Blow, Ice T, Public Enemy, N.W.A., Neil Sedaka, Dirk Powell, Marvin Gaster, Merle Travis, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Andrews Sisters. All old, which you'd expect, but the range is pretty wide.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:49 (nineteen years ago)

Susan, what are you on?

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:58 (nineteen years ago)

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:04 (nineteen years ago)

In interviews, he's also mentioned liking John Doe,X, Lou Reed, Velvets, Johnnie Ray, Link Wray, Percy Mayfield, Charlie Rich, Sir Douglas (those last three from a 60s interview, in which he also said the Animals version of "House Of The Rising Sun" convinced him it was time to go electric[he got it from Van Ronk, and some people then though Dave was playing a Dylan cover, and then when the Animals did it, some thought Dylan was doing an Animals cover--and DVR greatly enjoyed repeating Dylan's comments about this, on the No Direction Home DVD)Good comments about Jimmie Rodgers in the booklet of the Tribute To Jimmie Rodgers comp,and very idiosyncratic (and very readable) comments about the Delta songs he's covering in the booklet of World Gone Wrong. But whether he'll talk or read comments this good for the radio show, on a regular basis, remains to be seen. Still, he's probably onstage somewhere right now, so not like he minds regular work as much as some supahstahs.

― don, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 00:47 (nineteen years ago)

wheres the interview where he talks about velvets?

― stonewall leffts, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 07:59 (nineteen years ago)

XM subscribers are gonna get the Victoria's-Secret-advertising, corporate-party-playing Bob Dylan.

which is bad because... ?

bob is a very entertaining sellout! maybe he just wants to have some fun in his old age. get over yourselves; stop being like those newport people.

― Penis, NV (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe he'll play some John Jacob Niles.

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe Pete Seeger will cut the transmission!

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

pdf, how is that 5CD Basement set? I was curious about that.

― Brakhage (brakhage), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:59 (nineteen years ago)

four months pass...

A review of Dylan's new radio show:

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1759477,00.html

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

This article has the playlist:

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/&articleid=269871

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

"breaking news"

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:19 (nineteen years ago)

It sounds like it would be fun to listen to. Though I doubt it will convince me to spring for XM radio.

xpost- well the playlist is breaking news, isn't it?

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:20 (nineteen years ago)

Here it is, for those who don't want to click through:

Bob's playlist choices
Blow, Wind, Blow -- Muddy Waters
You Are My Sunshine -- Jimmie Davis
California Sun -- Joe Jones
Just Walking in the Rain -- The Prisonaires
After the Clouds Roll Away -- The Consolers
Let the Four Winds Blow -- Fats Domino
Raining in my Heart -- Slim Harpo
Summer Wind -- Frank Sinatra
The Wind Cries Mary -- Jimi Hendrix
Come Rain or Come Shine -- Judy Garland
It's Raining -- Irma Thomas
Stormy Weather -- The Spaniels
Jamaica Hurricane -- Lord Beginner
A Place in the Sun -- Stevie Wonder (Italian version)
Uncloudy Day -- The Staple Singers
I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine -- Dean Martin
Keep on the Sunny Side -- The Carter Family

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:20 (nineteen years ago)

The show is called "Theme Time Radio Hour". In this case the theme, obviously, is weather.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:22 (nineteen years ago)

Later, introducing 'After the Clouds Roll Away', he muses: 'I don't know what kind of clouds might be rolling away, but they're probably the alto-cirrus or the alto-stratus ...'

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

Does he ever play that famous Egyptian woman singer he likes?

― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

Sade?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

he seems to need such things to keep himself amused. look at the passwords for his tour

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

aren't those all the names of the Travelling Wilburys? Wasn't Tom Petty "Merlot Wilbury"?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

That playlist didn't include one song he played:

Didn't It Rain - Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Oh, and a program ID from Sarah Silverman and a snippet from Taxi Driver.
Pretty good listen.

― Roy Kasten (Roy Kasten), Thursday, 27 April 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

Future shows will be built around themes such as "cars", "dance", "police" and "whisky" and also feature special guests including songwriter Elvis Costello, film star Charlie Sheen...

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Thursday, 27 April 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

They met at Fleiss's.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 27 April 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't someone going to get on his case for not playing any reggaeton or Ashlee Simpson or MIA? You disappoint me, ILX.

― shookout (shookout), Thursday, 27 April 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know- I think it looks like a pretty good playlist. The names I recognize are all ones I like. I wouldn't mind if every radio show ended with the Carter Family.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 27 April 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

DirecTV moved the channel this is going to be on from 829 to 840 -- I thought for a few minutes they'd dropped it entirely, since the new channel was called "To Be Announced" yesterday.

― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 27 April 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

Did anybody listen to this today?

― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

I heard it last week. Really entertaining, and MAN that Irma Thomas song is good. I like his bizarrely affected between-song chatter, too.

― Douglas (Douglas), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

Hey, here it is:

http://tinyurl.com/qeyh8

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, the between song patter was hilarious: "Judy Garland—like Prince!—from Minnesotaaaaaah!" Seems like he's (unsurprisingly, I guess) going for a weird 50s-style DJ persona. And the song selection was fun—I wonder how long he'll keep the show going? Does he have a contract for X amount of shows or something?

― Tyler W (tylerw), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks for the link. I liked how he made a point of twice saying "Slim Harpo, with his harp in a rack."

― brianiast (briania), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

two years pass...

With news that Dylan' may be leaving the show (here), I thought this would be a good time to revive this thread. I've heard far too few of these shows, but I love the ones I have (including the "friends and neighbor" episode included on the upcoming CD.) Hopefully, these will be offered as podcasts at some point.
Anyone have any favorite episodes?

― Jazzbo, Friday, 24 April 2009 15:44 (sixteen years ago)

Together Through Life includes a podcast of one of his shows. A treat.

― I'm crossing over into enterprise (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 24 April 2009 15:54 (sixteen years ago)

have only listened to a fraction of these, but: http://croz.fm/pages/ttrh.html
fun show!

― tylerw, Friday, 24 April 2009 16:06 (sixteen years ago)

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