A Nod to Bob

The music news is full of tributes to Bob Dylan as he turns 70 on this very day and with a current catalogue of over 500 songs, and 34 albums we have a lot of great songs to be thankful for over his 70 years.

You may not like his voice, or some of his live performances, but I am confident everyone will have a favourite Dylan song, if not sung by the man himself, a cover version by one of the thousands of artist who have interpreted his songs over the years.

One of my own favourite cover versions is by Eliza Gilkyson singing Love Minus Zero/No Limits and With God on Our Side, sung in French by Hart-Rouge both outstanding examples of the power of the Dylan cover song and both found on the Nod to Bob 60th Birthday tribute album. (A Nod to Bob 2 the 70th Tribute album is just out)

Whilst his songs are often attributed to a moment in time e.g 'Blowin in The Wind'  'The Times They Are a-Changing' they more often than not transcend time and can be equally poignant across the decades. This for me is what makes a great song.

I suspect it's every songwriter's dream to write a song that lasts forever (it is mine), and Bob Dylan certainly has given us fair number of those, now i just wonder what he wants for his birthday?

I'll be drammed

                                 

On Monday night a friend and I were trying to find a bar to go to where we could sit and exchange some ideas on songs in the comfort of a nice pub. Our first choice Lauries, was ruled out as we discovered it was now closed on Monday nights, and then it came to me, Uisge Beatha -  a place where I've done that sort of thing before and always welcomes a jam session, so of we went to give that a go.

Upon entering we politely asked the barman in Dram (formerly Uisge Beatha) if we could sit quietly in the empty room and tinkle on our guitars exchanging some ideas. However, the barman pointed out that there was still 10minutes left of The Game on the multitude of flat screen tvs and hinted that it wouldn't be suitable for the handful of people that were in the bar to be distracted - non of whom appeared to be in the least bit interested in the football.

This new incarnation of Uisge Beatha seems a flat screen shadow of its much loved former rustic self,  with its 'made to look old' decor, the bar famous for its music  sessions, and thoroughly ancient decor seems to have lost what made it a great place to be in the first place.

ah well, off we went and were welcomed into the bustling Bon Accord where we enjoyed a beer and some chat about great songs and occasional non offensive (honest) light picking on the geetars.