Bob Dylan Unearths Early-’80s Outtakes In New ‘Bootleg Series’ Release

Released today (September 17th) is Bob Dylan – Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (1980-1985). The new five-disc collection features 57 rare Dylan recordings, 54 of them previously unreleased in any format. The tracks cover Dylan's sessions around the classic albums Shot Of Love (1981), Infidels (1983), and Empire Burlesque (1985).

The set is available in a deluxe five-CD box set, featuring a book, memorabilia, photos and more. Also available are double-CD and two-LP 12-inch vinyl highlight packages.

In the liner notes for the album, writer Damien Love sheds light on the period in Dylan's career: “That's the real story of this gloriously untrammeled collection. The songs. The songs stripped free of trappings, tampering, passing tastes, and judgments. The songs broken down to the sound of people really doing this, right now, acting on instinct. The songs rough and rowdy, bruised and tender, joking and crying, nagging and striving and yearning. The songs were always there, and here they are still, keeping pace with us.”

Bob Dylan explained that there are definitely fundamentals to songwriting that everyone needs to abide by: “Well there are certain rules and regulations to it. I mean, you just don't sit down and write a song, y'know what I mean? There's a certain amount of learning you have to, y'know, go through to get to that point and not only living experience, but, I mean, you have to also play an instrument and carry some kind of tune, I guess.”