I thought this was pretty cool. Seems Bob Dylan has a new show on XM Radio. Each week he’ll be presenting songs with a certain theme. This week it’s weather.

According to friends who have seen the master in concert, he’s a bore. But listening to the show, it’s really great. Bob is relaxed and his voice is soothing. He starts the show with ‘Blow wind blow’ by Muddy Waters, continues with ‘Please Don’t take my sunshine away’ and it’s brilliant. Along the way he tells little tales about the songs and somehow when Bob tell them, they sound more like gospel than stories.

He didn’t play my favourite weather song though, Crowded House’s ‘Weather with you’, instead he stuck mainly to old favourites including Dean Martin and the Beach Boys. I am confused with one thing about this press release, what exactly is his connection with Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel (both of whom I find incredibly annoying by the way)? Anyway, if you have xmradio, I suggest tuning it. From the preview of the first show I got, it sounds like great stuff.

From the press release:
Washington, D.C., April 19, 2006 – Bob Dylan’s much anticipated XM Satellite Radio music show, “Theme Time Radio Hour with Your Host Bob Dylan” will make its world premiere on May 3, it was announced today. Each weekly show will feature an eclectic mix of music based around a theme, and host Bob Dylan will offer stories about the music and topics of interest. Dylan also will read and answer select emails sent in by fans. In addition, “Theme Time Radio Hour” will feature contributions from special guests, including Elvis Costello, Charlie Sheen, Penn Jillette, Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel.

The first episode of “Theme Time Radio Hour with Your Host Bob Dylan” will be devoted to the theme of “weather,” with a song list that spans “A Place in the Sun” sung in Italian by Stevie Wonder, “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix and “Keep on the Sunny Side” by The Carter Family, among many others. Song lists for future episodes will be built around themes such as “cars,” “dance,” “police,” and “whiskey.” Complete track lists from each “Theme Time Radio Hour” show will be posted on a dedicated Bob Dylan page on XM Satellite Radio’s website (http://www.xmradio.com/bobdylan) that will also include a link for users to purchase select songs heard on Bob Dylan’s show through Napster, XM’s digital music partner, as well as photos and information on encore broadcasts. Fans also can e-mail their questions and music requests directly to Bob Dylan at bobdylan@xmradio.com.

“With ‘Theme Time Radio Hour’ Bob redefines ‘cool radio’ by combining a sense of intellect with edginess in a way that hasn’t been on radio before,” said Lee Abrams, chief creative programming officer, XM Satellite Radio. “Bob has put a lot of work into his XM show and it’s clear that he’s having a good time behind the mic.”

“Theme Time Radio Hour with Your Host Bob Dylan” will debut Wednesday, May 3 on XM’s deep album rock channel, Deep Tracks (XM channel 40), at its regular weekly timeslot, 10 a.m. ET. Encore broadcasts of “Theme Time Radio Hour” will air throughout the week on Deep Tracks and XM’s folk music channel, The Village (XM channel 15). Complete scheduling information is available online at http://www.xmradio.com/bobdylan.