The Self Indulgent Bob Dylan Appreciation Thread
- Thread starter dylans
- Start date
chazegee
Number two.
I see it as a bit of a conceit, stringing loads of simpletons (not you obviously) along into thinking he was godlike in his mercurial nature, his essence so ephemeral that you could never quite pin him down, it's all a bit pompous and humourless isn't it.
Only a supremely vain man would allow other people to consider him that way.
And yes, of course, that being said, if we were talking about an Artist that I liked, I would see all of these traits as positives rather than negatives.
I'm sorry to wade in here with my shitty attitude. I just take it as a given that if you wanted an un-critical appraisal of Dylan, you would do it on one of his many fan Bulletin Boards. He's also a sacred cow that's been generating anger in me for some time for reasons unknown. Grrr.
Zabo
Well-Known Member
Hi Ska,
It's "Self Portrait".
More info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self_Portrait_(Bob_Dylan_album)
dylans
overlord of all acorns
I see it as a bit of a conceit, stringing loads of simpletons (not you obviously) along into thinking he was godlike in his mercurial nature, his essence so ephemeral that you could never quite pin him down, it's all a bit pompous and humourless isn't it.
Only a supremely vain man would allow other people to consider him that way.
.
That Bob is seen by many in these terms I don't doubt. I question however if it is fair to accuse Dylan of allowing or encouraging people to see him in this way.
Everything I know about his career has demonstrated the opposite, Dylan certainly believes in himself to be a great artist and in the artistic quality of his work. Is that arrogant or vain? Perhaps it is, but it is an arrogance and a vanity built on a pretty solid foundation of incredible artistic creativity.
However I dispute the claim that Dylan has deliberately tried to cultivate a godlike image or an image conducive to hero worship That he has deliberately created and projected a mysterious or mercurial persona in order to be seen in this way. This in essence is another angle on the Dylan as fake accusation that is often made
I don't see that in him at all. Throughout his entire career Dylan has insisted on letting his work speak for itself. Again and again he has defied and even angered his fans by following his own creative agenda often in the face of hostility to his musical direction.
Personally, I agree with Dylan, that he should be judged on his work and on his work alone. On those terms I do see him as an artistic genius whose music adds to the quality of my life in ways that no other musician does.
ska invita
back on the other side
ta very much
holteman
( . Y . )
The bloke even finds time to paint.
incredible lyricist crap painter dire singer
and i dont think i have gone a day in ten years without listening to at least one of his songs
chazegee
Number two.
I see it as a bit of a conceit, stringing loads of simpletons (not you obviously) along into thinking he was godlike in his mercurial nature, his essence so ephemeral that you could never quite pin him down, it's all a bit pompous and humourless isn't it.
Only a supremely vain man would allow other people to consider him that way.
And yes, of course, that being said, if we were talking about an Artist that I liked, I would see all of these traits as positives rather than negatives.
I'm sorry to wade in here with my shitty attitude. I just take it as a given that if you wanted an un-critical appraisal of Dylan, you would do it on one of his many fan Bulletin Boards. He's also a sacred cow that's been generating anger in me for some time for reasons unknown. Grrr.
Fuck me I'm a tosser, I'm going to get high, enjoy myself, and maybe even listen to Bob.
You can all gather round, and watch a man, as he falls apart.
dylans
overlord of all acorns
For me too. Simply superb. The best Dylan album of his career. Followed by Desire and Times they are a changing. 3 albums that have seen me through it all.
I even kept them with me in a 3rd world prison cell. Thanks Bob.
But I'll see you in the sky above,
In the tall grass,
In the ones I love.
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go.
dylans
overlord of all acorns
Thanks for that. That's a great performance of an iconic Dylan track.
Check out this live performance of Isis. From 1976. Dylan at his raggedy best
chazegee
Number two.
dylans
overlord of all acorns
I'm sober now, no fucking way, sorry.
Hahaha I don't know whether to love you or hate you. I love your turmoil though. Bob live is a bit of an acquired taste. Try the studio version on Desire for a less ragged version.
dylans
overlord of all acorns
From the same tour, a brilliant version of
That was great. I love the Bob on this tour. He's really enjoying himself. Shelter from the storm.
chazegee
Number two.
dylans
overlord of all acorns
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
quite innacurate i think.
in reverse order:
he's not a great singer, fer sure. And his voice now is very weak and each album must take an age to record. It is still highly expressive and filled with emotion. Generally he hits the note he means to, and is in key. That makes him, well, a much better singer than me, or Geri Halliwell at least.
Crap painter? tbh, if he was anyone else, and I saw one of his paintings on a market, or somewhere, I'd be tempted to pay a small amount for them. They're okay,nothing special, but have a charm and warmth that could look nice in the spare room. Okay, I'd have to have quite a lot more money than I actually do to hang a real painting in the spare room, but one can dream....He's a very average painter, no more nor less.
Incredible lyricist? Well, my only problem there is that it is not enough. He's an incredible song-writer, not mere lyricist. it is the way the words interact with the music that makes the songs so superb. Take Lily, rosemary & the Jack of Hearts. That could be made into such a weary number, but the music gives it a depth and vigor that many a lesser artist wouldn't be able to manage. So much of the early work especially has a playfullness that is often overloooked in Dylan, especially by his copyists who want to extract every last drop of 'meaning' (bleurgh) from every line of every song. y'know, the twats who'd argue 'Wriggle Wriggle' is an essay on bush's vacillation in the face of iraqi re-armament in the late eighties...
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Wry and I watched the biopic about him and concluded:
1. He's a cunt (which I long suspected)
2. Cate Blanchett was the best thing in it
Not a Dylan fan here...
1. He's a cunt (which I long suspected)
2. Cate Blanchett was the best thing in it
Not a Dylan fan here...
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
She was awesome, best 'version' if him in the film I reckon.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
I think this is about right.
Except for the paintings. I wouldn't pay money for one or hang it in my spare room, if I had one.
Actually I would pay money for one but only if I reckoned I could sell it on at a profit.
No, he really doesn't
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