Bob Dylan's first recording of Blowin' in the Wind since 1962, produced by T Bone Burnett, will be auctioned at Christie's in London on a new vinyl/CD hybrid called Ionic Originals.
Would you pay £1 million for a new Bob Dylan recording in a format little is known about? The Ionic Originals are, apparently, lacquer painted on an aluminum disc, which somehow looks like a LaserDisc that can be played with a DVD player (so analog music on a 12" CD-like disc), but Burnett He said that each Ionic Original contains "a spiral etched into it by the music...which can be heard by putting a stylus on the spiral and spinning it", so we can't tell. We're sure.
The thing is, I still find it desirable, because love it or hate it (I'm on the old side, obviously) it's a first in music history: a unique piece of music in a physical format where you might be the only person . ever possess.
And that's not all ! This is the first recording to use Burnett's multiple Grammy Award-winning proprietary technology. Burnett notes that the technology used to create an Ionic Original disc "advances the art of recorded audio and marks the first breakthrough in analog sound reproduction in over 70 years, achieving dramatic improvements in listening experience and sustainability."
So July 7th is the big day: in Bob Dylan's impressive 60th anniversary year as a recording artist, this historic lot presents a unique opportunity for international collectors, music fans, historians, hobbyists and audiophiles to own something truly unique. special.
Do you want to hear it before you make your best and last offer? Me too, we can be friends. Exclusive in-person listening experiences of the Blowin' in the Wind Ionic Original will take place ahead of the auction: by appointment in Los Angeles (June 8) and New York (June 15) and as part of the public pre-sale showing in London (July 2-7).
Opinion: The Real, Physical, Tangible Music Format Is Still Very Important
I almost didn't write this article because the current cost of living crisis can make a mockery of such events; some of us choose to heat or eat and here I am, waxing around €1 million lyrical formats, some of us may not have the equipment to actually play?
But that would have been gross negligence on my part, and not just because if you head into listening sessions, you'll be able to hear it on a high-end McIntosh audio system that includes an MT5 Precision turntable (also known as one of the best turntables around). that exist). , and proof that it sounds like a record!), an MP1100 phono preamp (also see the MA6300 integrated amplifier), and an MHA200 headphone amp, sure to connect to some of the best on-ear headphones available, all without having to buy said sound system.
No, the reason we have to shout this out is because it's one of the most important songs written in the last century, and now, 60 years after Dylan first wrote it and recorded the album, he offers us a new recording. of the song; one that is profoundly relevant to our time and deeply resonates with me, and I'm sure I'm not alone here.
It's also a reminder of what can be accomplished from humble beginnings: Dylan first sang it on the small stage of Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village in April 1962, but today it's firmly woven into the fabric of American culture. and will soon be auctioned. off by huge fees.
I'm not the only one who thinks that analog and tangible music should be preserved and improved. Otherwise, why would vinyl have had such an incredible resurgence in recent years? The fact that Burnett does this is commendable, albeit at a prohibitive cost. But don't you remember how expensive turntables used to be? Now we can buy a terrace for the price of a good meal, or at Ikea.
For now, close your eyes and imagine Dylan's unmistakable, soulful, soft tones. How many paths does a man have to travel before you call him a man? Yes, and how many times must cannonballs fly before they are banned forever? The answer, my friend, is blown by the wind. The answer flies in the wind. (She can call her bank manager about the possibility of a loan later).