Well, here’s the thing, we’re hitting all the anniversaries over the next few years. And whilst it is true that Dylan’s Desire came out on the 5th of January 1976 there is another reason to mention it today. But we’ll get to that.
Desire was a groundbreaking album in many ways – the only album with so many co-writes with one person, in this case Jacques Levy who gets a credit on all but two songs. It’s got Dylan coping his look from John Phillips on the cover. It also featured members of the Rolling Thunder Revue band, perhaps most strikingly Scarlet Rivera who’s dramatic violin is all over the album creating one of Dylan’s most distinctive sounds of any of his albums. It also features one of the maestro’s most divisive songs, but that’s not Black Diamond Bay which is just perfection.
Oh, and the other reason for mentioning this? Well…breaking news for us (maybe not for all you true Bob Cats) is that there’s a celebration of the album featuring – get this – Scarlet Rivera and Rob Stoner (bass on the original album), alongside David Ford and Michelle “Magic Number” Stodart. It’s at Dingwalls. It’s Tonight. Told you it was breaking news…
