I wouldn’t say I dislike “Every Grain Of Sand” but it didn’t strike me as being something particularly new for him....I was nice to “When He Returns” though and most critics tore that one a new asshole.

By “inexplicable ode to an odious character” I was talking about “Joey,” which he got slammed for even in reviews back in the 1970s (and yes, I am reading the old RS reviews of Dylan–they’re friggin’ epic, they had their knives out for the guy every single time!)

If they’re really going to put out a 40 CD box set of the Christian Dylan years then that will be the most absurd release ever. I’d be more likely to buy the fucking Merzbox than that.