John Doe - Pressing On (Bob Dylan cover)

then and now

Oh, I do LOVE John Doe. He's been one of my biggest crushes since 1980 when I moved to Los Angeles and he and Exene were fronting X, the greatest of the LA punk bands. I was waitressing at the now long defunct Starwood, seeing bands like Fear, Black Flag, the Circle Jerks, the Blasters, the Gun Club and the Minutemen all the time, but X were always in a league of their own.

Now of course Doe is one of our best contemporary folk singers (not to mention a fine actor). I am excited to be seeing him in August at a VERY intimate show in Freehold (capacity 55). The next afternoon he will be playing a free gig with the Knitters (most of X and some of the Blasters playing acoustic folk/alt-country) at Damrosch Park, NYC, as part of Lincoln's Center's Roots of American Music series. Patti Smith will also be appearing.

While watching I'm Not There I was thrilled to hear Doe doing the singing for the Christian Bale character (Dylan in his evangelical phase). Doe mentioned in a recent interview that covering the song required some acting on his part, since he is not a believer.

MP3 John Doe - Pressing On (from the original soundtrack to I'm Not There, original released by Bob Dylan on 1980's Saved)