That was fantastic. Thanks for putting this together. When the Bootleg session came out I could stop listening to License to Kill and then the YouTube clips were on repeat too. Great to get the inside story. Nice work.
You might say JJ was in the Plugz Extended Universe. He had played with Charlie in an earlier band called The 88s and was still friends with them. At the time he was in a band called Black Patti.
What a scoop, Ray! Awesome work tracking down the story behind this legendary but obscured chapter from Dylan world. Love these stories from Tony Marsico, and Dylan Archives-worthy materials to accompany the interview. You broke into the tomb and came out with the jewels, Ray. Nice!
That was a great interview! Being a big fan of The Plugz/Cruzados, it's great to learn all about all this. I also totally missed that Letterman show with Dylan back in the day. Wild. Thanks!
This is an incredible interview. The Letterman Plugz gig is one of my favorite Dylan performances, and so much of that is down to how great the band sounds.
The night of the 1984 Letterman show I was on a first date with a wonderful Israeli singer with a shaved head. I’d met her the week before when she did a nude gallery performance covered in white powder. She was very randy and sexy stuff started before we got to my place in the East Village. She got so angry that I wanted to watch Bob (I didn’t even have a VCR then) and complained how old fashioned he was playing a guitar. I kept being blown away by Mr D and the then unknown Plugz, and she was trying to orally service me. It was frustrating and fun. We went out for a few months. So grateful for the video.
I’ve always said that I do believe our 2nd gig would have been stellar. Ha! Of course we’ll never know that one. Kind of fun wondering about it though.
Again, thanks for your good work.
Please excuse me for accidentally deleting my previous comment. Thumbs. You caught it though.
This is so great Ray. I loved watching the interview they have in the little Plugz corner at the Bob Dylan Center but this takes it so much further. You are a terrific interviewer and what amazing stories.
That was fantastic. Thanks for putting this together. When the Bootleg session came out I could stop listening to License to Kill and then the YouTube clips were on repeat too. Great to get the inside story. Nice work.
Where did guitarist JJ come from if he wasn't a member of the Plugz?
Interesting to see that between soundcheck and show Bob and JJ switched instruments...
You might say JJ was in the Plugz Extended Universe. He had played with Charlie in an earlier band called The 88s and was still friends with them. At the time he was in a band called Black Patti.
What a scoop, Ray! Awesome work tracking down the story behind this legendary but obscured chapter from Dylan world. Love these stories from Tony Marsico, and Dylan Archives-worthy materials to accompany the interview. You broke into the tomb and came out with the jewels, Ray. Nice!
P.S. I just heard from Carla Olson who said, “All good but Olson is spelled thusly ie no “E.”” Cheers.
This story and the tapes should be in the museum exhibit!
So great, Ray - pure pleasure from end to end!
That was a great interview! Being a big fan of The Plugz/Cruzados, it's great to learn all about all this. I also totally missed that Letterman show with Dylan back in the day. Wild. Thanks!
https://exclaim.ca/amparticle/daniel_romanos_outfit_pays_homage_to_bob_dylan_and_the_plugz_on_new_album
That album is amazing - for my money, even better than Infidels!
Thanks for this, Kevin. That was a fun read.
I came to this from Kevin Alexander’s cross post. Enjoyed it a lot.
This is an incredible interview. The Letterman Plugz gig is one of my favorite Dylan performances, and so much of that is down to how great the band sounds.
Punk Dylan, love it, especially the hidden harmonica interlude!
The night of the 1984 Letterman show I was on a first date with a wonderful Israeli singer with a shaved head. I’d met her the week before when she did a nude gallery performance covered in white powder. She was very randy and sexy stuff started before we got to my place in the East Village. She got so angry that I wanted to watch Bob (I didn’t even have a VCR then) and complained how old fashioned he was playing a guitar. I kept being blown away by Mr D and the then unknown Plugz, and she was trying to orally service me. It was frustrating and fun. We went out for a few months. So grateful for the video.
I’ve always said that I do believe our 2nd gig would have been stellar. Ha! Of course we’ll never know that one. Kind of fun wondering about it though.
Again, thanks for your good work.
Please excuse me for accidentally deleting my previous comment. Thumbs. You caught it though.
~ xo JJ ( He of the … etc.)
This is so great Ray. I loved watching the interview they have in the little Plugz corner at the Bob Dylan Center but this takes it so much further. You are a terrific interviewer and what amazing stories.
Ray that was great. I felt like I was in the rehearsal studio. Can’t wait for your book!
One of the best interviews ever here, Ray! Hilarious and fascinating.