Rolling Stone Bob Dylan Special Edition--Review by J.S. Bradford
Rated "G" by the Author.
Last
edited: Thursday, May 9, 2013
Posted: Thursday, May 9, 2013
40 Years of Rolling Stone Interviews with Bob Dylan
Blessed with an abundance of archival material, Rolling Stone has assembled a collection of interviews with Bob Dylan covering 40 years. The interviews were published in a special edition of Rolling Stone which came out May 16, 2013. It’s a remarkable reminiscent journey from the 1964 Newport Folk Festival to Bob’s Medal of Freedom award bestowed upon Bob by President Obama in 2012. As sidebars, friends of Bob—who also happen to be major recording artists—give us their assessments of Bob’s singular impact on audiences throughout the world. Bono nails it the best, offering piercing insights into Bob’s style and lyrical punch performed with an “unblinking eye.” There is also a list of Bob’s top 100 songs as selected by bona fide Dylanologists. But best of all—there’s Bob at your fingertips waxing profound. A notable quote is Bob’s take on the Sixties. “I own the Sixties—who’s going to argue with me? I’ll give ‘em to you if you want ‘em. You can have ‘em.” Only Bob could say that. One thing is undeniable. The Never Ending Tour has enough material to roll on forever.
Once on one of my many trips alone in the West, I happened on a radio station that played only Bob Dylan. I'd never heard most of the songs before, but was entranced by the way he sang them and the words. Bob Dylan truly deserves the title, poet laureate of the twentieth century.
Ron