Rare photos of Bob Dylan's epic Rolling Thunder tour
"Rolling Thunder: Photographs by Ken Regan," published by Ormand Yard Press, showcases the intimate behind-the-scenes moments of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue, forty years later in a Limited Edition book, containing many never seen before photos, to be published March 2016.
Regan had an illustrious career photographing music, sports, Hollywood and political greats. Notorious for his discretion, he won Dylan's trust through the simple act of not publishing photos taken at a concert of the musician's mother.
Regan was the sole photographer on the tour, which included music greats Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and T-Bone Burnett. Poet Allen Ginsberg and actor Sam Shepard were part of the entourage. Regan once explained, "Bob had given me free rein to shoot it all--onstage, offstage, dressing rooms, parties, trailers, whatever was going on," with just one caveat that any photos of Dylan's family couldn't be released publicly.
Dylan and the band warm up, during Ken's first shoot in October 1975, documenting a day of rehearsal sessions in New York.
By CBSNews.com Senior Photo Editor Radhika Chalasani
Bob Dylan & Patti Smith
Party in Greenwich Village where Ken Regan takes a famous series of photographs of Patti Smith and Bob Dylan in animated discussion on the stairs.
Patti Smith was invited on tour, but didn't go. Smith recalls Phil Ochs pouring a bucket of beer over her at this party, echoing an earlier incident where singer Bette Midler throws beer in her face.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
The Rolling Thunder Revue began Oct. 30, 1975 in Plymouth, MA.
"I was just sitting outside my house one day thinking about a name for this tour, when all of a sudden, I looked into the sky and I heard a boom," Dylan told Larry Sloman for the book "One the Road with Bob Dylan," "Then, boom, boom, boom, boom, rolling from west to east. So I figured that should be the name."
A day at Mama Frasca's Dream Away Lodge, in Becket, Massachusetts. The owner, the larger-than-life Mama, is a huge Joan Baez fan, and takes the dungaree-clad Joan upstairs and gives her a present--her wedding dress. It fits like a glove. They shoot scenes for Renaldo & Clara with Joan in the dress, and eat home cooked food.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
In White face, backstage portrait with cup and bucket.
"I want the people way in the back to be able to see my eyes." Regan recalls Bob Dylan explaining.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
Bob Dylan in fur hat at Gordon Lightfoot's house in Toronto, with Gordon Lightfoot (left) and Roger McGuinn (right).
Rolling Thunder Revue
The Rolling Thunder Revue, live.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
Durham, New Hampshire, where Regan takes close up portraits of Dylan in whiteface.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
The Night of the Hurricane benefit concert on December 8, 1975 at Madison Square Garden, where Muhammad Ali visits Bob Dylan backstage, and gives him a gift--a huge boxing glove.
The all-star benefit was in support of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, wrongfully imprisoned for murder for 19 years before the convictions were set aside in 1985.
The Madison Square Garden concert showcased Dylan's new song "Hurricane," which publicized the boxer's ordeal and the alleged racial motivations behind it.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
New Haven, Connecticut, where Regan photographs Dylan in his dressing room, without the whiteface makeup, wearing the now iconic hat adorned with flowers, and a scarf over his left shoulder. "He turned around and looked right at me. I caught his eye and asked him to hold it for a minute. It was more like thirty seconds." recalled Regan.
Bob Dylan declares this to be the best photograph anyone has ever taken of him. After holding the image back for twenty seven years, it is used in 2002 on the front cover of The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
The Rolling Thunder Revue, live. The Revue gets up close to the audience.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
Bob Dylan performing
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"v
Dylan standing in a dressing room doorway.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
Plymouth, Massachusetts, visiting The Mayflower II and Plymouth Rock.
It is here that Regan takes the photograph of Dylan in the fur collared technicolor coat that would appear on the cover of the album "Desire." Regan later picks "Desire" as his favorite Dylan album.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
The Rolling Thunder Revue, view from above and behind.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
Lowell, Massachusetts, where Ken photographs Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg visiting Jack Kerouac's grave.
Bob Dylan - "Rolling Thunder"
Bob Dylan in the wings, with trademark hat, whiteface make-up. Venue unknown.
CBS News article: Rare photos offer intimate look at music icon Bob Dylan
"Rolling Thunder: Photographs by Ken Regan" will be published by Ormond Yard Press March 2016 and available for pre-order Feb. 1 as a Limited Edition of 750 individually numbered copies. Retail price on publication £395 ($563).