Dylan speaks his mind

[rgs2001uk]

I lost all respect for this guy when I watched the Bob Dylan cocert. Sinead o'Connor ripped up a picture of the pope on stage and said something like 'screw the pope'. As things turned out, this was about all the hidden and lied about paedophilia going on in the Catholic church and which she had been a victim of. Chris Christoffen, god bless him, went out to help her out emotionally and Dylan sullenly stayed very visibly in the background, not moving. He was probably thinking about his reputation or something. So, all though I liked some of his early stuff, I regard the guy with revulsion these days.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-sinead-oconnor-booed-offstage-at-bob-dylan-celebration-20131119

Wow, that is pretty amazing that you made a conclusion and a decision about the guy based on how he stood in the background. You must be much smarter than me to understand his reasoning and know precisely what he was thinking.

Granted, she has had a tough life. But in reading up on her, I see nothing to indicate any abuse was Catholic Church related. And the booing was because she had offended many with her Saturday Night Live performance. I am not saying it is right or wrong, but one must be prepared for the fall out.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinéad_O%27Connor

Good gawd, you must have been living in a cave for the last 20+ years, talk about denial.

[Jingthing]

Read between the lines. Anyone who claims they would detest Dylan based on that alone isn't being honest about the real reasons they detest Dylan.

[rgs2001uk]

Sinead deserved the boos.

Next ...

What a strange thing to say.

Why did she deserve the boos?

The woman deseves a sainthood, as noted by another poster, Kris Kristofferson (who I am no fan of) showed much more integrity.

Next.....

[Jingthing]

The topic is about Bob Dylan not the drama queen girl.

[cooked]

The topic is about Bob Dylan not the drama queen girl.

Great comment. As far as I am concerned, as I mentioned, BD's (un) spontaneous reaction in this potentially financially damaging situation was very much indicative of the character of this guy.

[Jingthing]

The topic is about Bob Dylan not the drama queen girl.

Great comment. As far as I am concerned, as I mentioned, BD's (un) spontaneous reaction in this potentially financially damaging situation was very much indicative of the character of this guy.

I'm sure he's very broken up that you don't like him. Anyway I said he was relevant historically ... now not much.

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[pgrahmm]

Historically yes....he's good at identifying trending possibly lucrative situations and writing sellable verse......to accompany the his other work....Joan Baez - who I have met a couple of times and was not impressed with her as a person was good at the same thing.....there are many different styles and people and we all appreciate something different.....

[Jingthing]

You make him sound like a marketing executive. He's deeper than that.

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[SpokaneAl]

Of everything I have read about how Bob Dylan wrote songs, refused deals and the decisions he made over the years, selling records seemed to be the last thing on his mind, if it was ever on his radar.

[pgrahmm]

Of course it was or he'd be singing on a street corner with an open guitar case for the most part ignored...Of course he marketed - it provided the later options....To think otherwise is unrealistic....he's not some holy man or demigod he's a poet musician that set out to sell a product......and was successful......

[Pinot]

Songwriter, maybe. Singer? Don't make me laugh.......

In this speech Dylan talked about people always being critical of his singing voice. He defends himself, Why me? he asks. Why don't they criticize Leonard Cohen? Tom Waits? Why me? He was making fun of himself. He's disincentive. Sometimes a great range.

Dylan's music catalog is over 700 songs. Beatles are in the 500's.

I just finished, The Ballad of Bob Dylan, a book out now. I wasn't a big fan. I mean I don't care what he's doing now.

As I read the book I realized how important old Mr. Zimmerman has been in my life. Hootenanny's Blowing in the Wind, Like A rolling Stone, is in my top three songs ever, All Along the Watchtower Hedricks, pick one from The Byrds, Mr. Tamborene Man. Then, I moved on till I heard the album Slow Train Running and the song Precious Angel . I wore that album out.

I've seen him a couple of times. I know now to walk away with disappointment in the song selection and appreciate just seeing him. He's going to perform for himself. Shows are always different, as they should be and god knows he got the material to change it up. Van Morrison concerts are the same.

I'm just beginning to discover Bob Dylan.

Check out The Wallflowers, Bob's son. 6th Avenue Heartache and The Three Marlenas. Great songs and a chip off the old block.

How about Tangled up in Blue? That voice and that song. It doesn't get any better. He's been doing it for 50 years!

[SpokaneAl]

Dylan's recent interview with the AARP was also an interesting read. http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/style-trends/info-2015/bob-dylan-aarp-magazine.html

[bannork]

People who write great tunes, chord progressions, choruses and/ or rhythms are remembered throughout time- Beethoven, Gershwin, The Beatles, Dylan, Floyd, etc.

Songs resonate primarily among contemporaries, I grew up with The Beatles, I first heard She Loves You, climbing a tree, aged 7, my friend and I were trying to climb higher than each other, we took turns shouting out the tune and words to each other in some bravado attempt to seem bolder!

I can't separate my memories of She Loves you from my schoolboy experience, it's indelible.

And so it is with later generations- New Wave, Punk, Alternative rock, whatever, for each generation, the music they grew up on meant something to them, entirely personal, an emotional bond that outsiders aren't privy to.

But I believe for music to survive, to have meaning for future generations, there must be melody to stir the heart and/or rhythm to inspire.

Great tunes survive, and Dylan wrote quite a few. His words are interesting too, challenging and thoughtful,, but primarily in another 50 years, people will pick up their guitars and be able to play on their own guitar one of his wonderful tunes.

[Frank James]

He's been at or near the top of his trade, and always talked about, since 1962. That's something. People have always had their own expectations of who he is, and how he should be, which is strange. They seem disappointed when he's not like they think.

I have seen him perform 4 times, in 4 decades. The first time was the best, 1964, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Two hours of Bob, solo on stage, with his acoustic guitars and harmonicas. He was doing the Times They are a Changin' songs. He didn't smiled or talk much, just played, and left.

A true original.

[AYJAYDEE]

People seem to be confusing the songs with the character of the singer. I dont find dylan to be a truly admirable character but that has nothing to do with my feelings about his music and lyrics. hell, I like Led Zep's stuff too but I'm not too excited about the fact that Jimmy Page is a paedophile.

[jacky54]

Bob Dylan's music will be just as vital and important centuries from now much like the great, classic composers who have never been surpassed. His musical masterpieces range from huge numbers of individual songs as well as many, many albums. His voice is amazing,

I don't think so, although some of his songs probably will survive but only with other people doing them (all along the watchtower) You can't really call a three chord folk song sung out of tune the work of a classic unsurpassed composer. Much of his output since the mid 60's is forgettable, his last decent album was blood on the tracks. Poor guitar player, bravely made the most of not having a voice and wrote a few great songs= over rated. he was also never an active supporter of equal rights unlike Baez, he was all talk and no action.

[AYJAYDEE]

Bob Dylan's music will be just as vital and important centuries from now much like the great, classic composers who have never been surpassed. His musical masterpieces range from huge numbers of individual songs as well as many, many albums. His voice is amazing,

I don't think so, although some of his songs probably will survive but only with other people doing them (all along the watchtower) You can't really call a three chord folk song sung out of tune the work of a classic unsurpassed composer. Much of his output since the mid 60's is forgettable, his last decent album was blood on the tracks. Poor guitar player, bravely made the most of not having a voice and wrote a few great songs= over rated. he was also never an active supporter of equal rights unlike Baez, he was all talk and no action.

his stuff is poetry set to music and will survive very well. why do you require a poet to be active in civil rights? do you demand the same of any the other categories of entertainers? and I can think of many simple traditional folk songs that have survived the ages.

[jacky54]

People claim that rap is poetry as well

[AYJAYDEE]

People claim that rap is poetry as well

whats your point?

Definition of poem in English: NOUN

A piece of writing in which the expression of feelings and ideas is given intensity by particularattention to diction (sometimes involving rhyme), rhythm, and imagery:

[lannarebirth]

Bob Dylan's music will be just as vital and important centuries from now much like the great, classic composers who have never been surpassed. His musical masterpieces range from huge numbers of individual songs as well as many, many albums. His voice is amazing,

I don't think so, although some of his songs probably will survive but only with other people doing them (all along the watchtower) You can't really call a three chord folk song sung out of tune the work of a classic unsurpassed composer. Much of his output since the mid 60's is forgettable, his last decent album was blood on the tracks. Poor guitar player, bravely made the most of not having a voice and wrote a few great songs= over rated. he was also never an active supporter of equal rights unlike Baez, he was all talk and no action.

Everybody's got an opinion but 1997's "Time Out Of Mind" won the Grammy for best album of the year and a few others too. I thought ""Infidels" was an overlooked album that was quite good. "I and I" being one of my favorite Dylan tunes.

[Jingthing]

I see him as a historic figure and icon. His music was a big part of the soundtrack of a cultural revolution of sorts. You could say similar perhaps about the Greatful Dead and others but their music didn't have a political message and Dylan's did.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Jingthing

[AYJAYDEE]

I see him as a historic figure and icon. His music was a big part of the soundtrack of a cultural revolution of sorts. You could say similar perhaps about the Greatful Dead and others but their music didn't have a political message and Dylan's did.

that changed in 1965

[Jingthing]

So he got older.

He's got his place in musical and cultural history regardless.

[Ulysses G.]

People claim that rap is poetry as well

It is. Lousy poetry.

[adammike]

someone's got it in for me they'd writing stories in the press,a lot of idiot wind in this thread.all along the watchtower and the rest of side 4 on the double live album

before the flood, turn it up to 11 listen and weep.à

[lannarebirth]

I see him as a historic figure and icon. His music was a big part of the soundtrack of a cultural revolution of sorts. You could say similar perhaps about the Greatful Dead and others but their music didn't have a political message and Dylan's did.

Dylan just hates those cultural icon and "voice of a generation" labels. It's terribly restricting to an artist who continuously puts out relevant commentary about the here and now.

He wasn't a big fan of Reagan:

A couple more from Infidels:

http://vimeo.com/86818433

[Jingthing]

It's not about what he likes or hates.

Face it ... that's his place in history.

And, yes, I've enjoyed his later stuff.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Jingthing

[jacky54]

Music for white middle class guilt ridden liberals, pales into insignificance compared to black American singer songwriters.

Edited February 12, 2015 by jacky54

[SpokaneAl]

Music for white middle class guilt ridden liberals, pales into insignificance compared to black American singer songwriters.

So what started out as a discussion of Bob Dylan's legacy turns into a simplistic solution - if you make music and you're not black you don't matter.

I wish I was as worldly and profound.

Edited February 12, 2015 by SpokaneAl

[Ulysses G.]

I much prefer music for white middle class, guilt ridden, liberals. Most of the "black" music I really like had a white audience in mind.