Gregg Sutton’s Unforgettable Ride with Bob Dylan 1984

The music world recently mourned the passing of Gregg Sutton, a versatile bassist known for his work with artists like Lone Justice and his unique connection to comedian Andy Kaufman. Sutton, who died at 74, left behind a rich legacy, including a memorable stint as the bassist for Bob Dylan 1984 European tour, captured partially on the Real Live album. Just weeks before his death, Sutton shared vivid, humorous, and insightful stories about that pivotal summer in an extensive interview, offering a unique glimpse into life on the road with a musical icon. This account serves as a tribute, preserving his firsthand experiences from that significant year in Dylan’s career.

Sutton wasn’t just a hired hand; he was a lifelong Dylan devotee, a fact his British bandmates—Mick Taylor, Ian McLagan, and Colin Allen—teased him about. “Bob was my idol,” Sutton recalled. “I’d been following him since 1963… I knew all his shit.” This deep knowledge and passion likely contributed to his landing the coveted gig, differentiating him from other technically proficient bassists. Dylan seemed to appreciate Sutton’s fandom, engaging with his questions about obscure lyrics, like a line from “Visions of Johanna.”

Landing the Dylan Gig

Sutton’s journey into Dylan’s band began unexpectedly. Recommended by drummer Charlie “Chalo” Quintana of The Plugz, Sutton attended an initial audition at Dylan’s Point Dume property. “It was me, Charlie, Mick Taylor, and Bob,” Sutton remembered. Despite playing Dylan’s songs and feeling a connection, he didn’t hear back immediately. Weeks later, he was recalled, only to find a completely revamped lineup alongside Taylor: Ian McLagan on keys and Colin Allen on drums. This time, he secured the position.

His first interaction with Dylan was memorable. “Bob himself answered the door,” Sutton said. “He and I happened to be dressed identically… We looked each other up and down, like that Marx Brothers movie.” Dylan’s understated “Hi, I’m Bob” and characteristic “fish handshake” followed. Sutton emphasized Dylan’s hands-off approach in rehearsals: “He never said, ‘Hey, why don’t you play this?’… He hired people for the way they played his songs.”

Rehearsals and Finding Their Groove

Initial rehearsals took place at Dylan’s house before moving to the larger, rented-out Beverly Theatre. Sutton recounted a near-disaster during the early days involving Mick Taylor and potent heroin Sutton had shared, mistaking it for cocaine. A loud thud from the bathroom momentarily convinced Sutton he’d killed the legendary guitarist on his second day. Thankfully, Taylor emerged unharmed, albeit surprised. “He goes, ‘Gregg, this isn’t coke.’ I said, ‘You’re Mick Taylor! You’re a famous junkie.’… He thought that was funny,” Sutton laughed, relieved.

Bob Dylan 1984 band members Gregg Sutton, Colin Allen, Ian McLagan, Mick Taylor posing during rehearsals

Despite the talent assembled, the band struggled initially on the bigger stage and during the first few tour dates. Sutton attributed this to Dylan holding back vocally during rehearsals, not giving the band the full intensity they’d face live. Listening back to rehearsal tapes confirmed this: “We were sort of half-stepping… Bob always out-and-out performed. He sang the shit like he was gonna sing it. And he didn’t really do that with us.” He cited early versions of “Jokerman” and a “horrible” rendition of “Shelter from the Storm” as examples of arrangements that needed work, acknowledging Dylan’s constant artistic reinvention sometimes led to missteps.

Bob Dylan and band including Gregg Sutton rehearsing at the Beverly Theatre in 1984

The band members, all with high standards, recognized the initial shortcomings. Sutton recalled Dutch journalists, friends of Taylor, expressing disappointment after the first show, with one commenting on the immense pressure of audience expectations on Dylan. However, Sutton noted, “by the second or third show, we were totally happening.” A casual check-in with Dylan a few shows later resulted in a reassuringly dismissive, “Ooh, I hadn’t noticed,” regarding Sutton’s bass playing—a positive sign indicating no problems.

Navigating Dylan’s World On Stage

Playing bass for Dylan, especially on iconic tracks like “Maggie’s Farm” or “Highway 61,” involved respecting the original feel while injecting energy. “We played it like the record, only with a little bit more energy,” Sutton explained about “Maggie’s Farm.” His philosophy was to understand the entire composition and support the song, staying out of the way when necessary.

Dylan’s penchant for spontaneity kept the band on its toes. Sutton recalled playing “Just Like a Woman” on stage unrehearsed, relying solely on recognizing the harmonica intro. Dylan might also ask for the key of a song mid-set or even start one in the wrong key, like “Maggie’s Farm,” requiring an on-the-fly key change initiated by Sutton after Dylan realized his harmonica didn’t match. “It was very childlike,” Sutton observed.

A unique aspect of the Bob Dylan 1984 tour was Sutton’s solo vocal spot each night. Just before the first show, Dylan casually asked him to sing a song while he prepared for the acoustic set. Sutton obliged, initially performing “I Got My Mojo Working” in G to accommodate Taylor’s slide guitar preference, later switching to Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination,” a song he knew well from his time playing with its co-writer, Barry Goldberg. Dylan often introduced Sutton’s cover song with humorous, fabricated backstories, like claiming Sutton wrote it in the limo on the way over.

Encounters and Anecdotes

The tour featured Carlos Santana as a frequent guest, often joining for encores alongside Taylor and sometimes Eric Clapton. Sutton found Santana friendly but slightly distant, amusingly noting Santana never seemed to learn his first name, always opting for “Hey, man.” Joan Baez also appeared on the early leg of the tour. Sutton recounted her somewhat imperious announcement to the band that she might walk on stage unannounced at any time, a moment diffused by Sutton’s deadpan Jack Benny-esque response, “Joan, that’s ridiculous,” which broke the ice and fostered a friendship. He later shared a moment where Baez expressed shared frustration with Dylan’s enigmatic nature.

A memorable encounter involved promoter Bill Graham. Sutton reminded Graham of a time years earlier when Graham had physically ejected a young, “neighborhood trash”-looking Sutton from the Fillmore East. Mortified, Graham couldn’t do enough for Sutton for the remainder of the tour.

Sutton highlighted the Newcastle show as particularly strong. “By that time, we were like a well-oiled machine… big and boisterous,” he said, comparing their sound to Dylan backed by the Rolling Stones. Playing “Highway 61” to the first English-speaking crowd in a while felt like a “karmic moment,” making him feel “proud to be an American” alongside Dylan. The London Wembley Stadium show was another standout, notable for its star-studded backstage area and Pete Townshend watching from the royal box.

Andy Kaufman and a Difficult Loss

The tour was also marked by personal tragedy for Sutton. His best friend since childhood, comedian Andy Kaufman, passed away from lung cancer while Sutton was on the road. Sutton had served as Kaufman’s musical director, including for his legendary Carnegie Hall show. Learning of Kaufman’s death from a People magazine cover in an Italian hotel lobby was devastating. “I just couldn’t control myself,” he recalled, crying in the lobby. Dylan, showing empathy, invited Sutton to ride in his limo that day and expressed admiration for Kaufman’s “bizarre aspects” and unconventional artistry.

The Slane Castle Finale and Real Live

The tour concluded at Slane Castle in Ireland, an event marked by an early riot over a Guinness shortage and a remarkable finale jam. Van Morrison, present backstage and surprisingly chummy with Dylan, joined the band for “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” The final song, “Blowin’ In The Wind,” featured various guest singers taking verses. Bono, then relatively new on the scene, took the last turn and proceeded to improvise his own lyrics for multiple verses, refusing to relinquish the microphone even as other musicians, including a disgusted Mick Taylor who dramatically dropped his guitar, began leaving the stage.

Gregg Sutton playing bass alongside Bob Dylan and Carlos Santana during the 1984 tour finale at Slane Castle

“It’s like a Nazi rally at this point,” Sutton described the scene with just the core rhythm section backing Bono’s extended performance. Later, Dylan’s reaction was ambiguously delivered: “Hey Gregg, that Bono blew me away.” Sutton interpreted it as both sarcastic and acknowledging Bono’s forceful stage presence.

Bob Dylan playing guitar alongside bassist Gregg Sutton and U2 singer Bono during the 1984 Slane Castle concert finale

Reflecting on the Real Live album, recorded towards the end of the tour with producer Glyn Johns, Sutton had mixed feelings. While defending Johns’ production against critics and agreeing with Townshend’s “Dylan playing with the Rolling Stones” assessment, he felt the song selection could have been broader and didn’t fully capture highlights like Mick Taylor’s “exquisite solos,” particularly his unique harmonic slide bending technique.

Sutton also cherished watching Dylan’s solo acoustic sets nightly, a practice none of his bandmates shared. He witnessed firsthand the debut of the radically rewritten “Tangled Up In Blue,” marveling at the transformation. “It’s a total rewrite,” he noted, recalling the hushed awe he shared with Dylan’s head of security as they listened.

Bob Dylan performing acoustic during the 1984 tour, watched by bassist Gregg Sutton

A Sour Note and Lasting Legacy

The tour relationship soured near the end when Sutton, feeling underpaid relative to the nightly cash earnings he witnessed, asked Dylan for a raise—a move he later regretted. “First of all, he’s not the one to ask, and second of all, I would’ve paid him,” Sutton reflected ruefully. The request led to a dressing-down from Dylan’s associates and effectively ended his tenure with the band, despite claims he might have been kept on otherwise (which Sutton dismissed as unlikely given the subsequent Heartbreakers collaboration).

Conclusion

Gregg Sutton’s time with Bob Dylan 1984 was a whirlwind of musical highs, surreal encounters, personal challenges, and the unique experience of playing alongside—and being a devoted fan of—a living legend. His candid recollections paint a vivid picture of Dylan’s creative process, his enigmatic personality, and the dynamics of a high-profile rock tour during that era. Though the professional relationship ended abruptly, Sutton’s stories underscore the profound impact of that summer, preserving a valuable perspective on a distinct chapter in Bob Dylan’s ongoing musical journey. His insights, shared shortly before his passing, stand as a fitting testament to a life lived deeply in music.