![Bob Dylan, 'Blood on the Tracks' (1975). - [Image Courtesy Columbia/Sony/bobdylan.com]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/5/17/660x290/b_502x220x82/bob-dylan-blood-on-the-tracks-1975-courtesy-columbiasonybobdylancom_1995063.jpg "Bob Dylan, 'Blood on the Tracks' (1975). - [Image Courtesy Columbia/Sony/bobdylan.com]")
Archival recordings by both Bob Dylan and The Band are rumored to be released in the near future. Dylan’s October 1962 recordings at the Gaslight in Greenwich Village, the long-delayed box set of his 1974 “Blood on the Tracks” sessions in New York and Minneapolis, and a 50th-anniversary version of the Band’s “Music From Big Pink,” are all reportedly being prepped for release later this year.
'Pristine sonic glory'
Richard Alderson, Dylan’s former sound engineer, commented about the two Dylan releases in a recent Facebook post. According to Alderson, “My original recordings of Bob from the Gaslight in October 1962 will be released on Sony in the near future… very, very few have heard them in their pristine sonic glory.
Soon (to) come with the correct provenance and my story about recording them.” Separately, Alderson confirmed, “‘Blood On The Tracks’ (is) being reissued soon with all the NYC recordings, as a box set.”
The Gaslight recordings have been heavily bootlegged, and a 10-song version was officially released by Sony in 2005, initially through an exclusive 18-month deal with Starbucks. The “Blood on the Tracks” box set was originally scheduled to be volume 10 of Dylan’s “Bootleg Series” in 2013, and an alternative, uncirculated take of “Meet Me in the Morning” (embedded below) was added as the b-side of a 7” version of “Duquesne Whistle,” as a promotional tool. Surprisingly, “Another Self Portrait” was released instead.
The most recent “Bootleg Series,” “Volume 13 - Trouble No More 1979-1981,” was released last November.
The original acetate of “Blood on the Tracks” featured 10 songs recorded in September 1974 at A&R Studios in New York City. That version was scrapped, and Dylan re-recorded half of the album at Sound 80 Studio in Minneapolis at the end of the year, using local musicians.
Alternate takes have already been officially released on "Biograph," "Bootleg Series (Rare & Unreleased 1961-1991)," and the soundtrack to "Jerry Maguire."
'Music From Big Pink'
The Band’s guitarist and main songwriter, Robbie Robertson, has hinted on social media that a 50th-anniversary version of their 1968 masterpiece, “Music From Big Pink,” will be released later this year, probably in late summer.
On March 1, Robertson tweeted, “Been listening to multi tracks of big pink [sic].” When asked if a re-release was in the works, and if he was still in contact with keyboardist Garth Hudson, Robertson replied “Yes” to both questions. He also confirmed the original recordings were done on four-track tapes. Today, on Twitter, Robertson acknowledged, "this july music from big pink turns 50 [sic]."
Additionally, last July, Robertson posted the following on Twitter, “New album progressing nicely.” On March 10, he shared the following on his Facebook page, “Lovely day in the studio with Glen Hansard,” along with a picture of the two of them together.
