As a result of E.U. public domain laws, so-called "copyright extension" collections have been proliferating for the past number of years for such top-tier artists as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and the remarkable Motown roster.  Bob Dylan has been no exception.  Each year since 2012, Sony has released a "copyright collection" for Dylan to assert the label's rights to previously unreleased recordings that would otherwise fall into the public domain.  But unlike some of the readily-available copyright collections (most released digitally), the Dylan releases have been highly coveted.  Only 100 original copies are reported to exist of the 1962 collection on 4 CD-Rs.  A six-LP set followed for 1963 and a nine-LP set for 1964.  Purchasers of the 18-disc, commercially-available edition of The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 (collating all of Dylan's studio performances from those years) were gifted a further 208 live tracks in digital form, all from 1965.  Then Dylan's 1966 live shows were rounded up as The 1966 Live Recordings, a 36-CD, general-release box.  On July 27, Sony's Legacy Recordings division will collect 29 of those rare tracks on a 2-CD set.

Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances from the Copyright Collections draws on those previously issued volumes to offer a sampler of Dylan onstage, from a pair of songs recorded on April 16, 1962 at Gerdes Folk City in New York ("Blowin' in the Wind" and "Corrina, Corrina") to "Ballad of a Thin Man" from May 20, 1966 at Edinburgh's ABC Theatre.  Many of his most famous songs are heard here including "Mr. Tambourine Man." "It Ain't Me, Babe," "The Times They Are A-Changin'," and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue."

A Japanese edition is being released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Dylan's first visit to that country in 1978; he landed in Tokyo on February 17 and played his first concert three evenings later on February 20 at Nippon Budo Hall.  The Japanese edition will be issued in the Blu-spec CD2 format (playable on all CD players), and will include one bonus track: "Like a Rolling Stone" from the infamous "Judas!" concert at Manchester Free Trade Hall on May 17, 1966.  (Those not in Japan shouldn't despair; this track has been previously released on CD way back in 1998 as the fourth installment of The Bootleg Series and again on the 1966 live box set.)

Look for this 2-CD or digital collection from Columbia and Legacy on July 27!  Pre-order links are available below.

Bob Dylan, Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances from the Copyright Collections (Columbia/Legacy, 2018) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Blowin' in the Wind (Gerdes Folk City - April 16, 1962)
2. Corinna, Corrina (Gerdes Folk City - April 16, 1962)
3. John Brown (New York Town Hall - April 12, 1963)
4. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (New York Town Hall - April 12, 1963)
5. Bob Dylan's Dream (New York Town Hall - April 12, 1963)
6. Seven Curses (New York Town Hall - April 12, 1963)
7. Boots of Spanish Leather (New York Town Hall - April 12, 1963)
8. Masters of War (Carnegie Hall - October 26, 1963)
9. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Carnegie Hall - October 26, 1963)
10. When the Ship Comes In (March on Washington - August 28, 1963)
11. The Times They Are A-Changin' (Royal Festival Hall - May 17, 1964)
12. Girl From the North Country (Royal Festival Hall - May 17, 1964)
13. Mr. Tambourine Man (Royal Festival Hall - May 17, 1964)
14. It Ain't Me, Babe (Royal Festival Hall - May 17, 1964)
15. To Ramona (Newport Folk Festival - July 26, 1964)
16. Chimes of Freedom (Royal Festival Hall - May 17, 1964)

CD2: 1965-1966

1. One Too Many Mornings (BBC TV - June 1, 1965)
2. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (City Hall, Sheffield, England - April 30, 1965)**
3. Love Minus Zero/No Limit (Liverpool Odeon, England - May 1, 1965)
4. Gates of Eden (Manchester Free Trade Hall, England - May 7, 1965)
5. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Liverpool Odeon, England - May 1, 1965)
6. She Belongs to Me (Royal Albert Hall, London, England - May 10, 1965)
7. Maggie's Farm (Hollywood Bowl - September 3, 1965)
8. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Newport Folk Festival - July 25, 1965)
9. Desolation Row (Sydney Stadium, Australia - 13, 1966)
10. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Wales - May 11, 1966)
11. I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) (Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, Wales - May 11, 1966)
12. Ballad of a Thin Man (Odeon Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland - May 20, 1966)
13. Visions of Johanna (ABC, Belfast, N. Ireland - May 6, 1966)
14. Like a Rolling Stone (Manchester Free Trade Hall, England - May 17, 1966) (*)

(*) Japan-only bonus track