Rating: 
Summary: I take issue with PETE
Review: I have written a review of this book earlier.
I take issue with "Pete" who clearly knows nothing about this
book or the way it was written.
It has nothing whatsoever to do with Shepard's Rolling Thunder
Revue, which I also have, and is mainly a picture book.
"Ratso" wrote a great book about the Rolling Thunder revue
and pay no attention to this idiot.
Rating: 
Summary: far more depth than most rock books
Review: i read a LOT of books on music, and though a solid Dylan fan, i wouldn't call myself a fanatic. This book really stands out in the level of detail it relates, and i would say it's as good as any writings about what it's actually like to be on a big rock tour. Sloman (also the ghostwriter of howard stern's 2 books) tape recorded 100s of hours of backstage chatter, so you do really get an accurate picture of the personalities here. Yes, its' slanted to the positive, since Ratso is certainly a superfan, but it's by no means a snow job. i'd compare it to "spanish tony" sanchez's book on the Stones insofar as you get far better insights to the players involved from this kind of account as you do a typical bio. i've read 5 or 6 other dylan bios and found this to be most enjoyable and insightful. The only reason i woudn't give it 5 stars is that you really have to be a pretty big fan of Dylan, folkies, or the rock touring world in general, because the level of depth here also means it's not for the more casual fan etc.
Rating:
Summary: far more depth than most rock books
Review: i read a LOT of books on music, and though a solid Dylan fan, i wouldn't call myself a fanatic. This book really stands out in the level of detail it relates, and i would say it's as good as any writings about what it's actually like to be on a big rock tour. Sloman (also the ghostwriter of howard stern's 2 books) tape recorded 100s of hours of backstage chatter, so you do really get an accurate picture of the personalities here. Yes, its' slanted to the positive, since Ratso is certainly a superfan, but it's by no means a snow job. i'd compare it to "spanish tony" sanchez's book on the Stones insofar as you get far better insights to the players involved from this kind of account as you do a typical bio. i've read 5 or 6 other dylan bios and found this to be most enjoyable and insightful. The only reason i woudn't give it 5 stars is that you really have to be a pretty big fan of Dylan, folkies, or the rock touring world in general, because the level of depth here also means it's not for the more casual fan etc.
Rating:
Summary: I've read them all...
Review: I've read all the Bob books that're worth reading and this one is far and away the best, as close to the honesty--warts and all--and humor and power of Fear and Loathing On The Campaign Trail '72 as any book I've read. The Bloomfield interview is a stone classic. The Bob quotes and descriptions are priceless. The verbatim interview/transcript approach puts the reader in the room with the speakers. Most any single page of this book gives you more than you'll find in Shelton's entire book. I finished this book and turned directly back to page one and started it again.
Rating:
Summary: Obviosuly Five Stars
Review: Sloman's rant cuts to the bone and shares more than enough scraps from the feast of Dylan's mid '70's rock n' roll circus. His gonzo inspired adventure and inside/outside perspective are essential to understanding the status system of the stars on tour and the underbelly of the music industry. He writes with passion, humour, and desire. To be sure, he seems a pathetic sycophant at times, often treated like a mascot by the musicians and promoters, but his honesty and sincerity in not shying away from a less-than-flattering portrait of his situation makes one believe all the more in the truth of his tale. Anyone who feels that the book needs more Dylan and less Sloman clearly misses the point. His descriptions of Dylan as mystery man, his cogent intuitions about Rubin Carter, and his revelations about Joni Mitchell's songwriting process are bang-on. This is decidedly NOT a biography of Dylan, it is a story of one man's journey ON THE ROAD with a Bob Dylan tour. Any attempt on Sloman's part to disguise his experience behind a false veil of objectivity would render the story mute and destroy its delightful spirit. Hat's off to Ratso for a brilliant rendering of the Rolling Thunder Review.
Rating:
Summary: Obviously Five Stars
Review: Sloman's rant cuts to the bone and shares more than scraps from the feast of Dylan's mid '70's rock n' roll circus. His gonzo inspired adventure and his inside/outside perspective are essential to understanding the status system of the stars on tour and the underbelly of the music industry - he writes with passion, humour, and desire - sure, he seems a pathetic sycophant at times, but his honesty and sincerity in not shying away from a less-than-flattering presentation of his situation makes one believe all the more in the truth of his tale. Anyone who feels that the book needs more Dylan and less Sloman clearly misses the point of the book. It is decidedly NOT a biography and any attempt on the part of the writer to disguise his experience behind a false veil of objectivity would render the story mute and destroy the spirit of the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Love Dylan, but Not That Much
Review: The whole thing seemed to be too much Dylan exultation for me. The concert was perfect, exactly the way it was supposed to be. Dylan was always so sage-like and untouchable. Get real! This is the story of Ratso following around a concert and he has a little more access than a fan who could follow the revue around. This seems like fiction not like "historic document" of a rock and roll tour.
Rating:
Summary: Love Dylan, but Not That Much
Review: This is a great book while it stays focused on Bob Dylan's legendary tour. And it's interesting when it diverges to cover the surrounding mania among fans, family and visiting musicians. But there's a point about halfway through, right about the time Joan Baez christens Sloman as Ratso, where the writer becomes deluded that his running feud with the tour manager and other personal tribulations are of equal interest to the efforts of Dylan and his merry band. And on this point, he is very wrong. Any doubters are invited to compare the "Dylan" and "Sloman" listings at this very website. If you're a Dylan fan, there is some really good stuff here, and the book earns its four stars. And occasionally even the Ratso antics are amusing. But there are way too many times when reading this book is like watching a great movie, only to have the camera turn and follow one of the extras, for no good reason.
Rating:
Summary: Great, when it's about Dylan
Review: This is a great book while it stays focused on Bob Dylan's legendary tour. And it's interesting when it diverges to cover the surrounding mania among fans, family and visiting musicians. But there's a point about halfway through, right about the time Joan Baez christens Sloman as Ratso, where the writer becomes deluded that his running feud with the tour manager and other personal tribulations are of equal interest to the efforts of Dylan and his merry band. And on this point, he is very wrong. Any doubters are invited to compare the "Dylan" and "Sloman" listings at this very website. If you're a Dylan fan, there is some really good stuff here, and the book earns its four stars. And occasionally even the Ratso antics are amusing. But there are way too many times when reading this book is like watching a great movie, only to have the camera turn and follow one of the extras, for no good reason.
Rating:
Summary: The ultimate Dylan/rock tour book
Review: This is without a doubt the best book on Bob Dylan and one of the best books on rock music, period. I read this when it first came out years ago, before Sloman worked with Howard Stern on his books. "On the Road with Bob Dylan" is a hilarious, compelling and poignant account of Bob's famous Rolling Thunder tour. But Sloman's genius is the way he covers both the famous musicians and the fans, groupies and shopping bag ladies that he encounters on the road along the tour. Great read, enhanced by a new fabulous introduction by Sloman's friend Kinky Friedman. Ratso rules!
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