Monday, December 06, 2004

Bob Dylan speaks!

For those who are interested, 60 Minutes has interviewed one of the centuries' greatest (and most reclusive) songsmiths. Here’s the transcript.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

wow, talk about a scary look'n guy! cheeze wiz, that's a face you don't want to see in a dark alley, my goodness!

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

for real, And to think he was the one who introduced the beatles to drugs, for shame. I surely don't think he's someone to look up to. but, you know what 'foolish knight', if you see some good in him, more power to ya.

Anonymous said...

hey now, I'm sure that bob dingleberry had some very good moments in his life and after all who's to say what makes someone talented anyway.

Anonymous said...

i have to say he is intreasting but in what way is he talented besides being orgnial?
(i herd he did some kinda or very raunchy adds recentlly)

Mat Brewster said...

Oh my gosh! Who are you people? Dylan wrote some of the most amazing music of the last 100 years. He has influenced generations of musicians spanning multiple genres. To trivialize him because of the way he looks or even because he introduced the Beatles to drugs is borderline insanity.

Anonymous said...

no i am not saying or even critizing him for how he looks
that i agree is trivial ,
and the beetles would have found drugs regaurdless...
but i did see a new comrical that he endorsed and snge for and posed for
that had to be turned off it got so raunchy and lustfull.
and i was just a little disapointed in him
if he is going to claime he is achristian then live like one
and bear fruits (faith hill)
but no i agree he was very importent to music.
just a little disapointed thats all...

Mat Brewster said...

Well, maybe you didn't criticize him for his looks ("talk about a scary look'n guy! cheeze wiz, that's a face you don't want to see in a dark alley") and drugs(And to think he was the one who introduced the beatles to drugs, for shame"), but someone did, and its all being posted by anonymous so its impossible to know who is saying what.

I understand your discouragement about Dylan singing in a Victorias Secret ad. That's just, well, scary. Why did he do it? Who knows? I hope they paid him barrels of cash and maybe he has a weakness for half naked women. But we're still knocking Dylan the person, and not Dylan the songwriter/musician.

This brings me back to a point I spoke on slightly in the Citizen Kane thread. That is to try to twist movies/music/novels (ART) or even the artists into our own view of religion/morality will often leave us with more problems than solutions. Often the makers of great ART are pretty immoral people. Most artists are not in anyway Christian and so to try to make them out to be or tsk tsk them when they act in a way that is unChristian is pretty futile. But ultimately we see so little of their actual lives and surely do not really know them, that to make any judgment on their persons is also futile. What we can then judge is their art.

To make the art fit our own version of religion is also pretty futile. Thats not to say you cannot be offended or make judgements about a particular piece of art due to your own morality. You can be offended at that particular Victorias Secret add. You can certainly turn off a movie that shows sex/nudity/violence/language that offends your morality. To go back to the original Citizen Kane article its author seemed offended by the ending of Halloween because in the end Michael Myers rises in life though we have just seen him being killed. And this movement suggests to the author the supernatural and to therefore to make assumptions about the Devil. But this is to read waaaaay to much into the film. The film is meant to scare you and that is all. Michael Myers resurection is more of a cliched twist ending meant for its shock effect and to allow the umpteenth sequels to exist. This is what I mean by applying our sense or morals to a movie. It doesn't always work with art that isn't aware of our moral view in the first place. Personally, I tend to keep on the movie, keep reading the book etc. even if some of my morals are offended. Often the art will have something I can find meaningful beyond what I am offended by. If nothing else the craft can be something to study. Just because I do not agree with the general thrust behind 2001 (the evolution of man) does not mean I do not enjoy the film, or cannot enjoy it for its technical brilliance or even ponder some of its meaning.

And by the way, last time I checked Dylan was back to being a Jew. He had a few brief years as a born again Christian, but my understanding is he gave it up and turned by to his Jewish roots.

Wow, that was long. Sorry FK, I didn't mean to ramble so. If anyone is still reading thanks for hearing me out.

Anonymous said...

I must say, I do not think you should put anyone down because of their looks. If that were the case a lot of us would be put down everyday of our life. And as far as 'introducing the Beatles to drus' they are the ones who did it. I am sure He did not force them to do anything. It was their choice.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

yes i agree he is a great muscian i dont contest
that, but what ever your belief in christiaty
a victoria's secret add is defanetlly not exetable
in any form of our belief.
you said something about we are talking about him not his work, but i believe that what he beileves and who he is will live through his work,
i just dont know if he is going to calme he is a christian if he can do that and expect no qustion or contest, there is an old dc talk song called waht if i stumble, and i know we are all prone to sin, but when he does that he does not just tanish his name and work, he tarnishs christians,
i think non christians must look at us sometimes and think how funny we are how we try to be alight to a dark world but we end up doing the very same things people with no moral convection do.
very intreasting person you are midnightcafe (a little yaoda for ya there.
(i only posted one anonymous post that was not all me, rashlly critzing someone is wromg we must have a reson for everything, just as christ our lord taught us. or actually paul. "Be ready to give an answer for everything"
your truly
-superman

Mat Brewster said...

Thanks for replying.

I do not believe Dylan has made any claims to Christianity in a very long time. To clarify an earlier point we have no idea who Dylan is in the everyday. He may be repenting of that Victorias Secret ad as we speak. The problem with that sort of endeaver is that it lasts much longer than the actual deed. Where most of our sins take place in private or at most in front of a few, Dylans fame causes many of his deeds to take place in front of millions.

After literally rewriting this thought three times I have finally decided what our differences our. If Dylan still claimed to be a Christian then I would tend to agree with you more. But as said, I believe he claims to be Jewish these days. If he is not a Christian any longer than trying to hold him up to Christian ideals fails. It's like criticizing Marilyn Manson for cursing to much. If someone has not become a Christian then expecting them to behave like one is a little foolish.

Andrew Price said...

Somebody here might find this link interesting:

http://notdarkyet.tripod.com/index.html

I think it might throw some light on the subject of Bob Dylan's spirituality.

Mat Brewster said...

Cool site! There is no doubt that Dylan is a spiritual man. A great many of his lyrics contain Biblical references and alusions. But this does not a Christian make. Of course when I saw Dylan in Indianapolis a couple of summers ago he sang his old anthem "Rainy Day Women" which, of course, repeats the line "Everybody must get stoned" To which a great many in the audience promptly did ;)

Some other links on Dylans spirituality:
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/culture/Music/AmericanJewishMusicTO/RockMusic/Dylan.htm

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/4758.htm

http://www.jewsweek.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Article%5El791&enVersion=0&

Mat Brewster said...

I add my apologies if this is annoying. Although I believe as administrator you have the right to delete all these comments :)

We're starting to veer into out and out doctrinal matters and I don't believe I want to go there at this time. I will agree that one shouldn't claim the name of Christ one day and shun it on the next day. I will also agree that the Jewish faith has some strict rules on behavior and that Dylan has probably not followed all of those rules.

I will try to wrap this conversation up (but make no promises) in saying that I prefer to listen to Bob Dylans music and not paying much mind to what the actual person does.

I have visited your blog, and will try to visit more often and post comments when appropriate. I've enjoyed our conversations as well.