I look at this photo and I think two things: 1. I'll never, ever look this cool.
2. I bet I could sharpen a knife on his jawline.
There's been a general upswing in the level of Bobsession around these parts lately, most of it revolving around the imminent release of Martin Scorcese's documentary "No Direction Home" on DVD September 20, and on PBS on the 26th and 27th. The film chronicles Dylan's early days as the puckish Greenwich Village troubadour, through 1966, the latter 2 years being the period that saw the release of the three essential Dylan albums: "Bringing it all Back Home," "Highway 61 Revisited," and "Blonde On Blonde." It's in this epoch that Bob exhibited (in an almost casual fashion) the kind of shit-hot creativity and crackpot genius that even the three masterful songwriters in the Beatles couldn't match with their powers combined.
Already out this week is the film's soundtrack, which constitutes the 7th release in the essential "Bootleg Series" issued by Columbia Records. The dual CD set is startling not only because of its polished, crystalline sound, but because the musical quality of the tracks is so high. While it often seems the case that collections like these contain nonessential cast-offs and diehard-only material, this collection is most certainly an exception. Many of the performances therein are almost on par with the original releases, and some of them even surpass the originals. Take for instance, the rollin' and tumblin' version of "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat," and the jaunty "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again." The megaphone-timbre of Bob's voice on the live version of "Ballad of a Thin Man" alone is worth the $20 the collection will cost ya. Disc 2 ends with the performance of "Like a Rolling Stone" from The Most Famous Bootleg of All-Time - it's harrowing to hear an already bilious song infused with such rage.
Other interesting Bob-related goings on:
Starbucks has exclusive sales rights to an early '60s performance at the Gaslight Cafe for 15 bucks. I'd link to it, but chances are you're within spitting distance of a Starbucks right now.
The most recent issue of Uncut magazine comes with a free CD which is the entire "Highway 61" album redone by contemporary artists. The standouts are The Drive-By Truckers' version of "Like a Rolling Stone," and the Handsome Family's sad and beautiful "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues."
Also, Dylan's autobiography "Chronicles" is out in paperback this week.
Bob is untouchable. I hope they never make a film bio. as they've done of Johnny Cash. It can only 2-dimension-alize, you know? Then again, Dylan has such a mass of compounded mystique it would take an army (of revisionists) and a decade to locate the layers. Even then... well, whatever. It sounds like I'm saying that Bob Dylan is like a Gobstopper, but that's not what I mean. But wait... no... nevermind. Ok. anyway, Bring on the documentaries, though, I say!
Posted by
bnjmn |
4:08 PM
I like the idea of Dylan as a Gobstopper.
Bobstopper.
yeah.
Posted by
Brian |
1:11 AM
ok....but don't you think that the most famous anti-establishment folk singer of all time is kind of a sell-out? i mean.......starbucks? and victoria secret? his music/lyrics are one thing, but the man himself? what has he become?
Posted by
SN |
12:48 PM
Well, it might be true that Bob is the most famous protest or anti-establishment singer of all time, but I’m not sure that such a designation is the most fitting label we can apply to him. After all, he more or less gave up the “protest singer” persona around 1964, upon the release of “Another Side of Bob Dylan.” Since then, Bob has released somewheres in the neighborhood of 50 albums, none of which have an explicitly political bent, except for “Hurricane” on “Desire.” To then describe him as a protest singer is inaccurate, considering the bulk of his creative output.
Also, I’m not sure we can criticize him for allowing Starbucks to distribute one of his early recorded performances, either, because I’m not sure that he had a whole lot of say in the matter. Perhaps I’m mistaken, but I think it’s fair to assume that Columbia records probably holds the rights to the majority of Bob’s recorded work, and he therefore doesn’t have a whole lot influence in how and where the music is distributed. Perhaps he’s happy with Starbucks being the outlet for his music, but I can’t say that for sure. Given the way the music industry works, though, I think it’s safe to say that the decision was made by the marketing gurus at Columbia, rather than the bard himself.
As for the Victoria’s Secret advert, well, I have to admit that it was a little baffling to me too. But isn’t that what we should expect from him, especially when we take into account the manner in which he’s conducted his career? It seems that he’s always confounded expectations and moved in the direction that we least expected him to. I’m not saying that the VS ad was as brilliant as, say, “going electric” at Newport, but maybe it’s just another layer in the bizarre and inscrutable character he’s constructed over the past 40 years.
Sometimes I think that Bob sits back and laughs when he hears of people scrambling to interpret his latest bit of bizarre behavior. He probably gets a kick out of it.
Posted by
Brian |
2:54 AM
Hear hear. I suspect you were set up, Brian, possibly to hear what you think. Heh. And don't forget 'Political World' for political songs.
When a person becomes a massive 'cultural icon' like that, with all the millions circulating around what he's done, etc., it's pretty easy to look like this or that without doing anything yourself - if you're a celebrity, you'll be judged in relation to the productions that corporations make of your work, etc. and that's a strange thing, and that's of our society.
As for the Victoria's Secret ad - isn't Dylan the master of subversion?
Posted by
bnjmn |
4:39 AM
Hey Brain,
I never knew you were an American? ;-) At school your photo has been placed in the American students section.
Posted by
Carlos |
8:11 PM