Keith Richards was 1 when he was evacuated from suburban London to avoid German buzz bombs. What are the odds that a pioneer of rock and roll's loud sound would have first become conscious of the world during a time of loud explosions and great excitement?
Bob Dylan (credits? blames?) the atom bomb for rock and roll. He said,
I know [the atom bomb] gave rise to the music we were playing. If you look a ll these early performers, they were atom-bombed fueled. Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran ...
How were they atom-bomb fueled?
They were fast and furious, their songs were all on the edge. Lyrically, you had the blues singers, but Ma Rainey wasn't singing about the stuff that Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee were singing about, nobody was singing with that type of fire and destruction.
With that as background, here is the inimitable genius David Byrne (I'm fairly certain that Jane Fonda got the idea for the aerobics craze from a Talking Heads concert).
R World (Ron Davison muses aloud)
Showing posts with label bob dylan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bob dylan. Show all posts
17 September 2008
22 April 2007
Bob Dylan on Change and Facts
Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone recently interviewed Bob Dylan for the magazine's 40th anniversary. Here are excerpts:
Jann Wenner: ... you've changed from outrage to acceptance.
Bob Dylan: I think as we get older, we all come to that feeling, one way or another. We've seen enough happening to know that things are a certain way, and even if they're changed, they're still going to be that certain way.
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Asked about his tendency to perform songs so differently from how he recorded them, or even from how he's performed them previously.
Jann Wenner: Do you think your performance of it in this way gives it [It's All Over Now Baby Blue] a different meaning? Originally it was lost and sad; now it's assertive.
Bob Dylan: Yeah. Astrologically, you're dealing with a different day every day of the week. Every day is a different color, a different planet rules it. You could say the same thing, you could feel the same way, you could write the same thing, but if it's on a Tuesday, it's going to be different than if it comes out on Friday. That's just a fact. You can ask any astrologer.
Jann Wenner: ... you've changed from outrage to acceptance.
Bob Dylan: I think as we get older, we all come to that feeling, one way or another. We've seen enough happening to know that things are a certain way, and even if they're changed, they're still going to be that certain way.
--------------------
Asked about his tendency to perform songs so differently from how he recorded them, or even from how he's performed them previously.
Jann Wenner: Do you think your performance of it in this way gives it [It's All Over Now Baby Blue] a different meaning? Originally it was lost and sad; now it's assertive.
Bob Dylan: Yeah. Astrologically, you're dealing with a different day every day of the week. Every day is a different color, a different planet rules it. You could say the same thing, you could feel the same way, you could write the same thing, but if it's on a Tuesday, it's going to be different than if it comes out on Friday. That's just a fact. You can ask any astrologer.
09 March 2007
Pope Benedict as Music Critic
The pope has decided that Bob Dylan is "the wrong kind of prophet." This has me concerned. I can only assume that folks like Springsteen and Van Morrison are now tarred with the same brush. Maybe it's because I'm a bit panicked by this news, but now I can only think of one safe strategy: listen exclusively to artists who have never been accused of profundity, much less prophecy. I'm headed off to the store to pick up the latest from Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson. This is going to be an adjustment.
I wonder if Rolling Stone might sign on the pope as music critic. It could be interesting if only it wouldn't be so repetitive. "Once again, I feel compelled to give a thumbs down to this new release. It encourages the wrong kind of mindless conformity among today's youth. Plus these bands wear such funny costumes," said the pope as he bobbed his mitre along with the song.
I wonder if Rolling Stone might sign on the pope as music critic. It could be interesting if only it wouldn't be so repetitive. "Once again, I feel compelled to give a thumbs down to this new release. It encourages the wrong kind of mindless conformity among today's youth. Plus these bands wear such funny costumes," said the pope as he bobbed his mitre along with the song.
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