Bob Dylan Nobel Prize

[TUPF]

Surprised WaveProf's head hasn't exploded.

[PeteRasche]

It may have. That would explain why he wasn't first to post it.

[Baywave1]

His current tour takes him to Baton Rouge on 10/26. You can see him and make a condolence visit to the pet memorial too. As always no one writes it better than Scott R.,

"There’s a tiger habitat on the LSU campus now, with no tiger to inhabit it."

http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/ ... ft_amplify

If LSU had been more patient, it could have held Mike's memorial service when Bob came to town. I'm sure the Nobel Prize winner would have written and performed an appropriately celebratory yet somber Pindaric ode. It looks like Scott even gave Bob the opening line. After all even the LSU pet deserves a bended knee from the greatest because well Mike and LSU are the greatest.

[sr]

Yeah, where is Prof ??

[PeteRasche]

[Baywave1]

I hear you sort of but basically I can't help it because the local media bombards us with this stuff assuming that's all its readers care about. Yesterday it was wall to wall stories and pictures with grown men crying about Mike's demise.......

Anyway Bob has three or four tour stops in the coming weeks within driving distance of New Orleans. Maybe it is time to start the healing process by hanging out with a Nobel Prize winner. Ticket for therapy will only cost $80 or so.

[GreenieBacker]

I heard someone say this morning that if you don't know what all the fuss is about regarding Dylan, to simply listen to two records: Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks. If you don't get it after that you're immune to the Dylan magic

[WaveProf]

Long overdue. A professor of mine from VMI had been on the committee to nominate him for over 20 years. I've published a couple of academic articles on Dylan, and I've been unabashed in seeing him as THE central figure of the American century This award almost happened several years in a row about a decade ago, everyone said it was "sure" to happen, and then it didn't. So they thought it wouldn't. Now it did.

Nobel for Literature is a silly award, but this will have a greater impact than normal. Dylan has been on about 40% of American Literature Survey syllabi for decades, much to the chagrin of the other 60%. Now that number will rise.

Most important American literary figure outside of Whitman (whom I don't particularly like, but whose influence is undeniable). And, in my opinion, the most important 20th century artistic figure outside of Picasso (also whom I'm not particularly obsessed with, but whose influence is undeniable).

My wife and son are on Fall break and Thursday's I work from home. So I slept in to 9 AM for the first time in a half year. And then I awoke to this.

So very happy. I don't even care if I'm a walking cliche today. I'm walking on cloud nine. Too bad my son doesn't even realize that the first name on his birth certificate is Dylan

[WaveProf]

[TUPF]

I heard someone say this morning that if you don't know what all the fuss is about regarding Dylan, to simply listen to two records: Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks. If you don't get it after that you're immune to the Dylan magic

My JYA year in Manchester, UK in 1976-77 whenever I was feeling a little homesick I would go to the university library and listen to the Blood on the Tracks album for hours. I still get a little wistful whenever I hear Shelter from the Storm.

[GreenieBacker]

hard to find a bad track on that album.

[BC Wave]

In mid November (the 15th perhaps), he will be performing at the Saenger in Mobile.

[GreenieBacker]

BC I went to see him when he played at Jazz Fest (in 2006?), he was a pale imitation of what he was.

[WaveProf]

Dylan concerts over the past 20 years are very hit and miss. Some are amazing, as good or better than ever (In a different way). Some are a complete waste of money.

2 rules

1) If you want the songs to sound like the originally did, don't go. Right wrong or indifferent he's never going to give that to you. He doesn't want to.

2) His voice is going, but more to the point he tries to play 180-200 concerts a year while his voice is going. One night he's got it, in a bluesy kind of way. The next night he doesn't. There isn't a lot of predicting it, but two things that sometiems help: a) see him the day after an off day (or two!) b) see him in a smaller, intimate venue (and by all means avoid outdoors)

[sr]

BC I went to see him when he played at Jazz Fest (in 2006?), he was a pale imitation of what he was.

He was the final performer at the ACL music festival in Austin a few years back and similar to GB's comment he was a softer version of the Dylan we grew up with.

[Baywave1]

How often do you get a chance to see a seminal artist? Will you recall fondly that 40 years from now that you saw Justin B or Beyonce at the top of their game or a Dylan past his peak?

Meanwhile I saw the Doors and Jim Morrison's last live performance which by chance was at the Warehouse. What do I remember? When did he start smashing equipment like the Who? (I had seen them do the real thing in concert and yes it was anarchic, enlivening and memorable.) Why was he trying to cover Bobby Blue Bland's "St. James Infirmary?" He wasn't really booed off the stage but most of us were not overly impressed. You didn't have to be Dr. Phil to recognize he was chemically out of control and on the way to the morgue. The concert just sorta petered out like Morrison did. (All puns intended.) Point is its only memorable because by some karmic coincidence I saw the last time he performed live. It was like witnessing live in Vegas an Evel Knievel failed stunt without Howard Cosell.

[WaveProf]

Fwiw I've seen Dylan at least 15 times. Jazz fest '06 was the worst I've ever seen him

And I'm with Baywave. I don't particularly dig Shakespeare, but if I had a chance to see him direct his own play I'd do it and wouldn't care if it wasn't one of his better plays.

[BC Wave]

BC I went to see him when he played at Jazz Fest (in 2006?), he was a pale imitation of what he was.

The year escapes me (maybe 2002)
But I saw him at Lakefront arena and his voice was gnarled and crackled but his band was killer.
Also he was very creative in how he wove unknown to me musical segments into his iconic songs.

One of the best concerts I have seen (and I don't hand out accolades at the drop of a hat)

Then Again it was 14 years ago.

[PeteRasche]

How often do you get a chance to see a seminal artist? Will you recall fondly that 40 years from now that you saw Justin B or Beyonce at the top of their game or a Dylan past his peak?

Well, if you're a white guy of a certain age, clearly Bob Dylan, but if you're an African-American (or under, say, age 35 and into pop music), you are far more likely to value having seen Beyonce. And Justin Bieber has sold more records than either of them (which makes me gag a little, but numbers are numbers). Who is to say who becomes "seminal"? Views are all skewed by the times you live in and the way you look back at eras. Obviously Dylan came into prominence in the political turmoil of the 1960s.... well, Beyonce's right in the middle of the "Black Lives Matter" turmoil and who's to say how people will look back at that in 40-50 years?

I saw Simon and Garfunkel at Jazzfest in 2010. Art was struggling mightily, nearly losing his voice. I'm glad I saw them, but it was hard to watch/hear. But if you gave me a chance to see that show or, say, U2 in concert, I'd probably opt for the latter.

To be clear, I'm not a fan of Beyonce or Bieber, but I'm not necessarily anti-them either. They're probably not winning Nobel Prizes either, and clearly Dylan is (at least right now, likely forever) more "influential" than them. My point is just that I think your statement is a very subjective view of a demographic that isn't necessarily the majority of today's world.

[TUPF]

How often do you get a chance to see a seminal artist? Will you recall fondly that 40 years from now that you saw Justin B or Beyonce at the top of their game or a Dylan past his peak?

Well, if you're a white guy of a certain age, clearly Bob Dylan, but if you're an African-American (or under, say, age 35 and into pop music), you are far more likely to value having seen Beyonce. And Justin Bieber has sold more records than either of them (which makes me gag a little, but numbers are numbers). Who is to say who becomes "seminal"? Views are all skewed by the times you live in and the way you look back at eras. Obviously Dylan came into prominence in the political turmoil of the 1960s.... well, Beyonce's right in the middle of the "Black Lives Matter" turmoil and who's to say how people will look back at that in 40-50 years?

I saw Simon and Garfunkel at Jazzfest in 2010. Art was struggling mightily, nearly losing his voice. I'm glad I saw them, but it was hard to watch/hear. But if you gave me a chance to see that show or, say, U2 in concert, I'd probably opt for the latter.

To be clear, I'm not a fan of Beyonce or Bieber, but I'm not necessarily anti-them either. They're probably not winning Nobel Prizes either, and clearly Dylan is (at least right now, likely forever) more "influential" than them. My point is just that I think your statement is a very subjective view of a demographic that isn't necessarily the majority of today's world.

Interesting take, Pete and not a lot there for me to disagree with. I just have to keep in mind who the age group is that are current Nobel voters. Maybe in 30 years the Nobel call will come to a very well preserved Beyoncé or a still ridiculous Bieber long after we here are taking dirt naps.

[PeteRasche]

I just have to keep in mind who the age group is that are current Nobel voters.

And Oscars, and Emmys, and Grammys, and.....

[Baywave1]

Pete, All interesting observations. I posted the Morrison story because at least to some he is a "seminal" artist (however loosely you want to define it) and I saw him at his end (unknowingly) and his worst. The concert was not even a nothing burger because his performance was so addled by apparent intoxication. (Sort of like the Gilda Radner "Candy Slice" parodies on SNL.) Perhaps I should have typed it in pink.

Elvis was a seminal artist but I wouldn't have paid a nickel to see the blimp in Vegas (TWO SHOWS PER NIGHT!!) performing in an Al Davis white leather jump suit while sporting a WWE title-like belt buckle.

I saw Paul Simon at JF 2016. He was game with a great backup band but mostly uninteresting.

Perhaps Johnny Cash got it right. At the end, go as spare instrumentally as you can even though you may have lost 80%+ of your musical chops, you still have most/all of your artistic ones. Take advantage of modern acoustical and microphone technology and you get a world class performance like "Hurt." Who would have thought a 71 year old could do a cover like that of a Nine Inch Nails song?

I wish Justin B and Beyonce well. I have no idea if I'll be interested in them in 2056. I suspect though they may be on one of those PBS Retrospective shows used during telethons where again ironically the begging heads are more interesting than the singing ones the fund raising is built around.

Meanwhile I would pay to see Dylan at Oldchella and take my chances. Just my too long and probably boring view.

[sr]

It's tough to gage just how an aged musician or group is going to preform from year to year. A couple of years ago the Eagles, with all the players, came to town and my wife and I went. They didn't miss a note or vocal. With Glenn Frey's passing they aren't scheduled to tour again. There is some talk of having Frey's son join and tour once again as a tribute to his Dad.

[WaveProf]

Saw Simon and Garfunkle at Jazz Fast in 2010 too. It is one of my top 5 musical moments, and I'm not even "that" into them. It was the last time they ever performed together. Probably will remain that way. Garfunkle sat out half the set he was supposed to sing on because he couldn't rouse his voice. Simon did a great job covering. Then Garfunkle appeared for Bridge Over Troubled Water and Simon massaged Garfunkle's shoulder as he tried to coax him through the chorus. All that time, all those fights, all that bickering, and in the end it was one man cheering the other one through physically. I wept. It was a great, great day.

[WaveProf]

Perhaps Johnny Cash got it right. At the end, go as spare instrumentally as you can even though you may have lost 80%+ of your musical chops, you still have most/all of your artistic ones. Take advantage of modern acoustical and microphone technology and you get a world class performance like "Hurt." Who would have thought a 71 year old could do a cover like that of a Nine Inch Nails song?

This isn't that different from how Dylan has used a return to the old, old blues on his last 4 or 5 studio albums......which are some of the best albums of his career. He and Cash, in different ways, have taken the same appraoch. The problem with him live is that he plays so many shows a year his voice can't even keep pace with what he's now able to do in studio. It's very telling that he takes 3 months off tour before he even STARTS to record a studio album (and thats why he takes several years to do them). His voice needs rest