BOB DYLAN DEBUT

I was only nine years old when Dylan released his first album so it wasn't until my elder brother came home one day with a copy of 'The Times They are A'Changing' in 1964 that I became aware of the master poet songwriter and mercurial genius. It wasn't until that album came out and my brother having ordered it especially on import even buying it after discovering a tear in the album cover so I knew something was going on. By then I was eleven. It had a profound and somewhat disturbing affect upon me and I never quite recovered. Before this we were listening to The Beatles (of course) but it felt like we were listening to the Shadows, Petula Clark, Cilla Black hoakey boring old fashioned besuited bands like the Falling Leaves played locally, the music world was full of  show bands and crooners yet suddenly here was a different drum!  

I have been a fan ever since hearing that first rasping challenging haunted voice with moments where he left me cold or standing in confusion (the Born Again series of three albums in particular and Red Sky's 'Wiggle Wiggle' were beyond me for a while). But the songwriting on the 'Times. . .'  album struck me deeply and the guitar style and singing conviction of such songs never ever left me. 'With God On Our Side' said much the mattered to me. Boots of Spanish Leather remains a favourite song
So it took actually some later years for me to listen to the first album haunted as I was getting lost in The Freewheelin' for years before even paying any attention to this debut

On this day in music history: March 19, 1962 - “Bob Dylan”, the debut album by Bob Dylan is released. Produced by John H. Hammond, it is recorded at Columbia Records 30th Street Studios in New York City from November 20 - 22, 1961. Signed to Columbia Records by legendary A&R man John Hammond, he sees the young folk singer and musician at the apartment of fellow musician Carolyn Hester and her husband Richard Farina. Hammond is so impressed with Dylan that he immediately offers him a record contract. Dylan records his debut album made up of folk and blues standards and two original songs in just three days. Upon its release, the album receives very little notice, selling only 2500 copies initially, leading Dylan to be referred to as “Hammond’s Folly” by other Columbia executives. Though in the years that follow it receives greater acclaim and gains sales. The album is remastered and reissued on CD in 2005, also being reissued as a 180 gram vinyl LP in 2010. Audiophile label Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab release the title as a double 180 gram vinyl LP mastered at 45 RPM, and hybrid SACD in 2014. “Bob Dylan” does not chart on the Billboard Top 200.