Fact #39385
When:
Short story:
Bob Dylan performs triumphantly to 200,000 fans at Blackbushe airport in Hampshire, England, UK, Europe. Also on the bill are Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading, Graham Parker And The Rumour and others.
Full article:
Chalkie Davies (photographer) : In July of 1978 I had the craziest conflict of schedules, Wednesday the Rolling Stones in St Louis, Thursday and Friday the Stones at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Harvey Goldsmith had asked if, on the Saturday, I would be the official photographer for Bob Dylan at Blackbushe. How could I turn this down, I figured I could fly home early Friday morning, and do Dylan on Saturday.
I went straight to Blackbushe from the airport to check things out the day before the show, but I was feeling pretty knackered and I needed to rest up a bit. I saw a bunch of caravans lined up behind the stage and wandered over to them, to my surprise one of them contained nothing except a bed.
I figured nobody would mind if I rested up for an hour so I lay down. Then I was woken by a very large American Security man. "Who the fuck are you? And what are you doing in Bob's bed? You can't sleep there, that's his bed, in case he wants to lie down, get the fuck out of here."
Ah, so Bob Dylan has a bed backstage, nice, I guess when it all gets to much he has a little nap, well ain't that all fine and dandy.
Then, on the day of the show, Bob Dylan's coach arrived backstage, Bob was staring wistfully out of the window. I raised my camera to take a quick snap. The next thing I knew I was confronted by the security man from the previous day, "You again! What the fuck are you doing now?" I'm taking pictures of Bob, for Harvey. "No you ain't, you will not take any pictures of Bob Dylan." But, I'm the Official Photographer! "I don't give a shit, you will not take any photos."
This was bad news, I could have stayed in New Orleans. First I get into trouble for sleeping in the mighty one's bed, now I'm not allowed to take pictures of him. I was really frustrated, I looked for someone to tell my tale of woe to.
I spotted Graham Parker, he had just come offstage and I went over to talk to him, I poured out my frustrations, then from behind us we hear...
"Hey, man, I just want to say, man, that I really like your albums, man"
GP and I turn around and see Bob Dylan standing behind us.
Graham turns to Bob and says, "Thanks, do you know my Photographer, Chalkie?"
I offer my hand and get the lamest wet fish handshake ever, I ask to take a photo, Bob happily agrees, so I rattle off three frames and shake like a leaf.
GP and Bob then have a long, deep and meaningful conversation, can't remember how long it lasted as I was still in shock, Bob wanders off into the sunset, now what do I do?
I figure as he OK'd it then I'm in the clear, but I'm not taking any chances, I quickly rewind the roll of film and put it in my pocket, I put my cameras away, there is no point in keeping them out, I have the best picture possible, Bob Dylan and Graham Parker, why risk getting into more trouble?
When it comes time for Bob's set I get my cameras out and wander towards the stage, my new best friend, the Security Man comes running over, 'What are you doing? Where are you going? I told you no pictures.' You mean no live ones either? What’s the point of my being here then? 'There is no point, I already told you, no pictures.'
(Source : https://www.facebook.com/chalkie.davies, May 25, 2021)
Eric Clapton : God, I was drunk. So drunk. He called me on to play and I started walking from the back of the stage and I thought I was going to walk straight off the front. You know when you’re really drunk and once the forward motion has started there isn’t any stopping it? A real lurch. Funny night. I was sober when I played my own set but in the interim I think I drank a bottle of vodka.
Phil Sutcliffe (journalist) : I’d seen him not long before at Earl’s Court, but this felt like much more of an event. Despite the vast numbers and the distance some of us were from the stage, he succeeded in communicating and infusing us with the spirit he’d had in the 60s. Dylan was still the greatest living music hero, and he gave us everything he had.
(Source : not known)
Chalkie Davies : I slept in his bed, I shook his hand, I took a photo of him and GP, that was enough for me. I hitch a lift back into London in my friend’s Volkswagen Beetle, she makes me think of Annie Hall, even Woody Allen could not have made my story up.
(Source : https://www.facebook.com/chalkie.davies, May 25, 2021)
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Harvey Goldsmith had asked if, on the Saturday, I would be the official photographer for Bob Dylan at Blackbushe. How could I turn this down, I figured I could fly home early Friday morning, and do Dylan on Saturday.
I went straight to Blackbushe from the airport to check things out the day before the show, but I was feeling pretty knackered and I needed to rest up a bit. I saw a bunch of caravans lined up behind the stage and wandered over to them, to my surprise one of them contained nothing except a bed.
I figured nobody would mind if I rested up for an hour so I lay down. Then I was woken by a very large American Security man. "Who the fuck are you? And what are you doing in Bob's bed? You can't sleep there, that's his bed, in case he wants to lie down, get the fuck out of here."
Ah, so Bob Dylan has a bed backstage, nice, I guess when it all gets to much he has a little nap, well ain't that all fine and dandy.
Then, on the day of the show, Bob Dylan's coach arrived backstage, Bob was staring wistfully out of the window. I raised my camera to take a quick snap. The next thing I knew I was confronted by the security man from the previous day, "You again! What the fuck are you doing now?" I'm taking pictures of Bob, for Harvey. "No you ain't, you will not take any pictures of Bob Dylan." But, I'm the Official Photographer! "I don't give a shit, you will not take any photos."
This was bad news, I could have stayed in New Orleans. First I get into trouble for sleeping in the mighty one's bed, now I'm not allowed to take pictures of him. I was really frustrated, I looked for someone to tell my tale of woe to.
I spotted Graham Parker, he had just come offstage and I went over to talk to him, I poured out my frustrations, then from behind us we hear...
"Hey, man, I just want to say, man, that I really like your albums, man"
GP and I turn around and see Bob Dylan standing behind us.
Graham turns to Bob and says, "Thanks, do you know my Photographer, Chalkie?"
I offer my hand and get the lamest wet fish handshake ever, I ask to take a photo, Bob happily agrees, so I rattle off three frames and shake like a leaf.
GP and Bob then have a long, deep and meaningful conversation, can't remember how long it lasted as I was still in shock, Bob wanders off into the sunset, now what do I do?
I figure as he OK'd it then I'm in the clear, but I'm not taking any chances, I quickly rewind the roll of film and put it in my pocket, I put my cameras away, there is no point in keeping them out, I have the best picture possible, Bob Dylan and Graham Parker, why risk getting into more trouble?
When it comes time for Bob's set I get my cameras out and wander towards the stage, my new best friend, the Security Man comes running over, 'What are you doing? Where are you going? I told you no pictures.' You mean no live ones either? What’s the point of my being here then? 'There is no point, I already told you, no pictures.'
(Source : https://www.facebook.com/chalkie.davies, May 25, 2021)
Eric Clapton : God, I was drunk. So drunk. He called me on to play and I started walking from the back of the stage and I thought I was going to walk straight off the front. You know when you’re really drunk and once the forward motion has started there isn’t any stopping it? A real lurch. Funny night. I was sober when I played my own set but in the interim I think I drank a bottle of vodka.
Phil Sutcliffe (journalist) : I’d seen him not long before at Earl’s Court, but this felt like much more of an event. Despite the vast numbers and the distance some of us were from the stage, he succeeded in communicating and infusing us with the spirit he’d had in the 60s. Dylan was still the greatest living music hero, and he gave us everything he had.
(Source : not known)
Chalkie Davies : I slept in his bed, I shook his hand, I took a photo of him and GP, that was enough for me. I hitch a lift back into London in my friend’s Volkswagen Beetle, she makes me think of Annie Hall, even Woody Allen could not have made my story up.
(Source : https://www.facebook.com/chalkie.davies, May 25, 2021)