I saw Bob Dylan live two nights ago, and honestly, it was the biggest disappointment I've experienced in my life thus far. Despite everything that I've heard about his performances these days, I went expecting to be blown away - to finally see the man in the flesh, who not only changed my life, but has been changing lives for over 40 years. I've read every book written by and about him, seen every film, know every word to every song (up to the 80s), and this was supposed to be the greatest moment of my life.
...but it wasn't.
As soon as he started playing "Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat" like a really bad polka song out of a shitty musical, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to watch Bob Dylan's entire set. For the record, It isn't the fact that he's 68 years old, many people were still putting on amazing shows in their 70s, it's the fact that in the past 20 years, he's settled for making mediocre music, because he knows people are going to come to his shows. That's not the Bob Dylan that I love. It's not about how much I paid for my ticket or how long I had to drive to see him, it's more than that to me. And, while getting to see him in the flesh was a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity, I'd much rather re-live his legacy through records and nostalgia.
I painfully sat through it for an hour, left during "Highway 61 Revisited" and never looked back.
Oh, how I wish I would've grown up in his generation instead of this one.
Can't win em all.
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wow, i liked bob dylan until i read one of his autobiographies. i got 100 pages in and couldn't listen to him anymore. just... so... full of himself.
ReplyDeletei mean, the hits, the songs i love.... love, he was a womanizer. it was the 60s.
sorry about the live performance, where did you go to see him?
how do you feel about his son's music?
i wonder what kinda crap i'll be putting out in my 60's
psh.
I'm about to upload some pics from nashville/huntsville. awesome!
chad already posted some:
www.spideroctopus.blogspot.com
"Chronicles" was all right, I was impressed with it, I just wish he would've talked more about the whole span of his musical career instead of jumping from when he moved to new york in '61 to the 80's. He completely missed talking about the 20 years that defined his success.. But, it's Dylan, so I'm sure that was his point. He never wants to do what anyone but he wants to do. I sort of admire his arrogance, in a way. But, I've also read books about him by Joan Baez and Suze Rotolo, and man, was he a womanizer!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I saw him at the Wharf with Willie Nelson and John COUGAR Mellencamp, who both were fucking incredible live.
And, I'm sure if you still have enough passion in you in your 60's and a desire to make awesome music, you'll be doing just that :D