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JUDAS!: From Forest Hills to The Free Trade Hall, A Historical View of The Big Boo
‘Judas, the most hated name in human history! If you think you’ve been called a bad name, try to work your way out from under that. Yeah, and for what? For playing an electric guitar?’ – Bob Dylan
In 1966 There Was… the sell-out tour to end all tours. Bob Dylan and the Hawks found themselves at the epicentre of a storm of controversy. Their response? To unleash a cavalcade of ferocity from Melbourne to Manchester, from Forest Hills to the Free Trade Hall. For the first time, the full story can now be told from eye-witnesses galore; from timely reports, both mile wide and spot on; and from the participants themselves. And what better tour guide than Clinton Heylin, the esteemed Dylan biographer and one of the world’s leading rock historians. The price of admission? Thirty pieces of silver. The password? Play f***ing loud.
'The definitive written account of Dylan’s historic and pivotal 1965-66 world tours.'
– Bobdylan.com
'British writer-historian Heylin is perhaps the world’s authority on all things Dylan.'
– Rolling Stone
In 1966 There Was… the sell-out tour to end all tours. Bob Dylan and the Hawks found themselves at the epicentre of a storm of controversy. Their response? To unleash a cavalcade of ferocity from Melbourne to Manchester, from Forest Hills to the Free Trade Hall. For the first time, the full story can now be told from eye-witnesses galore; from timely reports, both mile wide and spot on; and from the participants themselves. And what better tour guide than Clinton Heylin, the esteemed Dylan biographer and one of the world’s leading rock historians. The price of admission? Thirty pieces of silver. The password? Play f***ing loud.
'The definitive written account of Dylan’s historic and pivotal 1965-66 world tours.'
– Bobdylan.com
'British writer-historian Heylin is perhaps the world’s authority on all things Dylan.'
– Rolling Stone
- GenresMusicNonfiction
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 27, 2017
Really a 3.5. Heylin really nerds out on this one, and drove me crazy with his "witty" allusions to Dylan lyrics in his own narrative. At times, he's almost as dim and overreaching as the square reporters Dylan tormented. But--the son of a gun is an indefatigable researcher, and I mostly enjoyed the book. For fans only, though.
November 26, 2016
Makes for a great companion to the big 36-CD boxed set of all extant recordings of Dylan's remarkable 1966 tour of Australia and Europe with the Band. Heylin tells the story with some choice quotes from interviews, but also does great job of mining press reviews from the time. It's a brisk book, but alas, and not the book's fault, as the press reviews are tedious cases of writers repeating what they read in other articles, yet still seemingly surprised when they go to the actual shows. The tour itself was brilliant as is shown from the actual recordings. Heylin does a good job of describing the shows, too, which is not surprising as he wrote the liner notes for the CD set. A good read, and a must read if you have the huge CD set.
Interestingly, I remember a conversation I had with Heylin at a Dylan show in San Francisco at the Warfield in the early 90s. We were talking about Dylan's 1979 Christian shows, which were also very contentious, and Heylin told me that the would rather have been at some of those shows than the 1966 concerts. At least in 1979 the sound was very good.
Interestingly, I remember a conversation I had with Heylin at a Dylan show in San Francisco at the Warfield in the early 90s. We were talking about Dylan's 1979 Christian shows, which were also very contentious, and Heylin told me that the would rather have been at some of those shows than the 1966 concerts. At least in 1979 the sound was very good.
January 25, 2018
This is a great read but caution... you gotta be a fairly serious Dylan-phile to enjoy it.
As Dylan evolved from a folk hero--with all the bizarre adulation that came with it--to an artist who played with an electric band, the reaction from his folk fans was bizarre and intense. Their savior had betrayed them, thus the book's title. This is the inside, day by day story of an important artist who was trying to survive cruxification by those fans who worshipped his folk songs and thought he sold them out by plugging in his guitar. It was close, as the book illustrates. He did survive but being a fan for most of his career, the dynamic caught by the year in his life that this book covers explains much about Dylan's arm's length relationship with both the media and his fans. It also offers great insight into the lyrics of many of his songs, not the least of which are the cuts on Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, both produced during this turbulent period of his life. It's hard to step down from idolatry and stay alive. I for one am happy that he made it.
As Dylan evolved from a folk hero--with all the bizarre adulation that came with it--to an artist who played with an electric band, the reaction from his folk fans was bizarre and intense. Their savior had betrayed them, thus the book's title. This is the inside, day by day story of an important artist who was trying to survive cruxification by those fans who worshipped his folk songs and thought he sold them out by plugging in his guitar. It was close, as the book illustrates. He did survive but being a fan for most of his career, the dynamic caught by the year in his life that this book covers explains much about Dylan's arm's length relationship with both the media and his fans. It also offers great insight into the lyrics of many of his songs, not the least of which are the cuts on Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, both produced during this turbulent period of his life. It's hard to step down from idolatry and stay alive. I for one am happy that he made it.
August 29, 2017
Forensic, Repetitive and Misses the Boat
Clinton Heylin is one determined, obsessive journalist. His account of the fabled 1965-1966 Dylan transition is full of heat but not enough light. While he obsessively notes every event from first person sources, he seems to only skate the surface, or leave to others, what was so alarming about the change from folk singer of protest and other songs to the self examining, poetic genius - or why others could not see or understand it. He reminds us of the journalists he excoriates - they don't understand what Dylan was about, and so lost in the trees is poor Clinton, so he does not seem to understand Dylan very well either.
While some of the book is interesting, it is event driven, not content driven. Why does Dylan reject his earlier work, or at least, want to move on? Rock and roll, sure, but why else? What journey is he on, not what did he eat in Australia on March 22? His lack of knowledge about the material, how it was recorded, why he was so different, is frankly astonishing to me. Dylan was not only digging deeper into his own feelings, he was rejecting the artificiality of recording every time he went into a studio. He is the anti-Beatles - no George Martin overdubbing, no orchestras, no screwing around with his live performance. He wants to capture his wild, mercury sound. The sound of American music, written by him, played by his band mates or great Nashville session players (he has a relationship with Robertson only at this point) - this is what he is after. He gets that Dylan is worshipped, he understands the surface of the music (it's too loud, OK?) but he doesn't get the hybrid Dylan constructed that was so unique. Yes, it ain't folk rock, but what is it? Why is it so important to Dylan that he does a million live takes, but no manipulation?
For me, the ridiculous way Heylin ends sentences with lifts from Dylan songs - he does this a lot in the beginning but seems to weary of it - gets in the way of the story. History is not events, dear boy - it ain't just one thing after another. Spend more time on why, not what happened. Screw the OCD detail, show me the forest.
Only for completists in my view.
Clinton Heylin is one determined, obsessive journalist. His account of the fabled 1965-1966 Dylan transition is full of heat but not enough light. While he obsessively notes every event from first person sources, he seems to only skate the surface, or leave to others, what was so alarming about the change from folk singer of protest and other songs to the self examining, poetic genius - or why others could not see or understand it. He reminds us of the journalists he excoriates - they don't understand what Dylan was about, and so lost in the trees is poor Clinton, so he does not seem to understand Dylan very well either.
While some of the book is interesting, it is event driven, not content driven. Why does Dylan reject his earlier work, or at least, want to move on? Rock and roll, sure, but why else? What journey is he on, not what did he eat in Australia on March 22? His lack of knowledge about the material, how it was recorded, why he was so different, is frankly astonishing to me. Dylan was not only digging deeper into his own feelings, he was rejecting the artificiality of recording every time he went into a studio. He is the anti-Beatles - no George Martin overdubbing, no orchestras, no screwing around with his live performance. He wants to capture his wild, mercury sound. The sound of American music, written by him, played by his band mates or great Nashville session players (he has a relationship with Robertson only at this point) - this is what he is after. He gets that Dylan is worshipped, he understands the surface of the music (it's too loud, OK?) but he doesn't get the hybrid Dylan constructed that was so unique. Yes, it ain't folk rock, but what is it? Why is it so important to Dylan that he does a million live takes, but no manipulation?
For me, the ridiculous way Heylin ends sentences with lifts from Dylan songs - he does this a lot in the beginning but seems to weary of it - gets in the way of the story. History is not events, dear boy - it ain't just one thing after another. Spend more time on why, not what happened. Screw the OCD detail, show me the forest.
Only for completists in my view.
February 25, 2018
I’d recommend that this book is read in tandem with Heylin’s follow up- “Trouble in mind “ which covers Dylan’s gospel years.
Both books link with significant Columbia releases from the archives. With Judas the soundtrack is the 1966 concert tour-all known recordings of which are now available on official release
Each book charts Dylan’s progress in challenging his audience with songs and attitudes that some of them at least didn’t want to hear. With Judas it was Dylan’s adoption of electricity coupled with ear splitting volume that made disgruntled folkies walk out -albeit in probably smaller numbers than you’d think
I left the book reflecting that it may have been the sheer volume of Dylan’s delivery which was what people were reacting against because people simply couldn’t hear the words rather than any sense of his so called betrayal of folk sensibilities
What I found most interesting was that in the first period that Heylin covers Dylan was castigated as Judas - the betrayer of Christ , and in the second Its Dylan’s conversion to Christianity that folk had a problem with
Ahh Bob- our minds are your playthings.
Both books have contemporaneous reporting from eye witnesses and press reviews. If you like Dylan you’ll love this book and “Trouble in Mind”
Both books link with significant Columbia releases from the archives. With Judas the soundtrack is the 1966 concert tour-all known recordings of which are now available on official release
Each book charts Dylan’s progress in challenging his audience with songs and attitudes that some of them at least didn’t want to hear. With Judas it was Dylan’s adoption of electricity coupled with ear splitting volume that made disgruntled folkies walk out -albeit in probably smaller numbers than you’d think
I left the book reflecting that it may have been the sheer volume of Dylan’s delivery which was what people were reacting against because people simply couldn’t hear the words rather than any sense of his so called betrayal of folk sensibilities
What I found most interesting was that in the first period that Heylin covers Dylan was castigated as Judas - the betrayer of Christ , and in the second Its Dylan’s conversion to Christianity that folk had a problem with
Ahh Bob- our minds are your playthings.
Both books have contemporaneous reporting from eye witnesses and press reviews. If you like Dylan you’ll love this book and “Trouble in Mind”
July 18, 2019
The ever dependable Mr Heylin provides an entertaining overview of Dylan's legendary 1965-1966 tours with the electric backing of the nascent Band.
The detail that such a study requires provides a level of nuance that a straight biography won't necessaril contain so this is still a good read for the most widely-read followers of Dylan books.
And all available to be read alongside the box set which issued all the available sources from the tour. The music is every bit as good as legend has it.
The detail that such a study requires provides a level of nuance that a straight biography won't necessaril contain so this is still a good read for the most widely-read followers of Dylan books.
And all available to be read alongside the box set which issued all the available sources from the tour. The music is every bit as good as legend has it.
June 20, 2017
Very detailed (too much so?) look at a specific time in rock history.
February 8, 2021
Very comprehensive
The most accurate account of the most (in)famous tour in rock and roll history. A perfect accompaniment to the 1966 36CD boxset.
The most accurate account of the most (in)famous tour in rock and roll history. A perfect accompaniment to the 1966 36CD boxset.
March 21, 2025
i was genuinely upset when this ended bc it was so good, well researched, and beautifully written
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews