est way to find a particular out-of-print or rare item is to latch onto a discussion of that item, or to bring up the topic yourself. Most Bob Dylan fans are quite willing to share their addiction with others... A few pointers for those just starting out in tape trading: Always use CrO2 (or better) cassettes - Maxell XLII is a good standard, since its availability and quality standards are known worldwide. TDK SA seems to have been accepted as an equal. (Digital Audio Tape recorders are best, but not everyone can afford DAT...) Be sure to indicate whether or not you want to use Dolby Noise Reduction - many tapers prefer no Dolby at all, but Dolby-C has developed a sizable following... Few novices record at the correct level on CrO2 cassettes - don't be frightened of the red, it takes massively high levels to distort with a good machine. Record too low and the tape hiss generation by generation in a tape tree becomes intolerable. Restart from the beginning any final track which is unfinished on the first side of a tape. Most trades are done on a one tape for one tape basis - if you discover that you can't fit all the items requested onto the number of tapes allotted, don't just send an incomplete recording! And do make sure you have actually taped the FULL recording. It is all too easy to accidentally clip the end of a song witout noticing. Stay in touch with your trading partner to avoid disappointment on both ends. Above all, don't be afraid to ask questions if you become confused! Agree with your trader if they want blank tape left blank, filler inserted, or the source restarted to fill the tape with repeated material. Also determine the prefered method of shipment and whether or not you will be mailing the tapes in their plastic boxes. If you are mailing overseas, be sure to indicate that the package is a 'gift' on the customs form; and use a low value when estimating the worth of the package contents. Many countries levy considerable customs fees for valuable packages, which the recipient will have to pay... THE BOB DYLAN BOOT DATA BASE (BDBDB) EDLIS now maintains a database of collectors who have registered ownership of particular Dylan boots. The purposes of this service are to disseminate information about boots (playlists, times, quality, etc.) and to promote networking between collectors. Periodically, a post to rec.music.dylan will be made under the subject "EDLIS - Who Has Which Boot..." describing how to access the service and how to contribute your collection list. Questions posted to the newsgroup at-large are also relayed to the agency. As with EDLIS' lyric service, the Who Has Which Boot database depends on the generosity of collectors who send in their listings and volunteer to provide information. No collection is too large or too small, and your participation is strongly encouraged! 6. Has Bob Dylan appeared in any movies or film documentaries? ============================================================== D.A. Pennebaker filmed "Don't Look Back," a documentary of Dylan's 1965 tour of England (it would be his last stand as a strictly 'folk' performer). "Don't Look Back" is available on videocassette and features footage of concerts, press-conferences and back-stage activity. This is Dylan at his most playful/caustic, getting his digs at the press, a hapless college student who wants to interview him and Donovan, among others... Essential for the Dylan enthusiast. The movie "Festival" covers several of the Newport Folk Festivals of the 1960's, and features Dylan infamous first 'electric' performance, with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. "Eat the Document" is a one-hour film shot by D.A. Pennebaker during the landmark 1966 'electric' tour of England and later edited by Howard Alk and Dylan himself. This rather bizarre anti-documentary film was shown at a few theaters in 1971, and has had a rare television airing or two since, but is not in print. A short tape of outtakes from the movie was assembled by Pennebaker and circulates on videotape. "The Concert for Bangladesh," available on both videocassette and compact disc, is George Harrison's fundraising benefit filmed at Madison Square Gardens in 1971. Dylan makes a rare early 1970's concert guest appearance and steals the show! "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" is a Sam Peckinpah western tale of the familiar outlaw. Bob Dylan wrote the soundtrack (includes "Knockin' on Heaven's Door") and appears as "Alias," a bit part with a few amusing scenes. The movie exists in the original release form, and a 'directors' cut'. Both include some soundtrack music that is not on the soundtrack album. "The Last Waltz" documents the 'farewell' concert by The Band in 1976, and features Dylan as well as a bevy of other performers in what has been hailed as one of the best rock-documentaries made. "Renaldo and Clara" - this four-hour movie by Bob Dylan (and a two-hour, edited version) was shown at a few theaters in 1978, received generally dismal reviews, and disappeared from sight. It will probably not be given official release on any format any time in the near future. It does, however, contain some great live footage from the 1975 Rolling Thunder tour, during which this movie was recorded. Circulating videotape copies probably originated from a mid-1980's late-night television broadcast of this movie in Britain. The Hard Rain television special - filmed in concert in Fort Collins, Colorado, May 1976, this footage was broadcast on NBC, but has not seen official release on videocassette. Some, but not all, of the performances from this set are on the live album _Hard Rain_... There is an 'alternate' version of the Hard Rain special, with a very different song selection, from Clearwater, Florida, April 1976 that was never broadcast but also circulates in the underground. Bob Dylan also appears in the movie "Hearts of Fire," filmed in 1985, playing the part of an aging rock star. The script of this movie is pretty hackneyed stuff, and received poor reviews. Still, Dylan fans will find some moments of interest. "Hard to Handle" is a concert videotape from the 1986 tour of Australia with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. "The Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Tribute" videotapes document Columbia Records' massive Dylan tribute show at Madison Square Gardens in 1992. Dylan himself appears only briefly, but a host of other performers play songs here that Dylan rarely or never airs... (end part 2 of 2) ************************************************************************