McTELL, ELVIS & ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK

In mentioning the forthcoming paperback of The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia the other day, I forgot to say that unfortunately the UK paperback of Hand Me My Travelin' Shoes: In Search Of Blind Willie McTell will not now be published in July as originally mooted but on October 6 this year instead (by Bloomsbury). There is no reason for this delay beyond its theoretical sales and marketing advantage.

Meanwhile not only is today the day on which Elvis Presley would become 73 years old, but I've just learnt that, by a neat coincidence, he shares his birthday with the co-writer of 'Rock Around The Clock', songwriter Max Freedman. And if Elvis' theoretical age of 73 makes you feel old, consider this: 'Rock Around The Clock' was co-written by a man born in 1893!!