Mancrush Friday – Bob Dylan.

Oh hear this Robert Zimmerman I wrote a blog for you.
First person to get that reference wins a prize.

I should probably clarify this by saying that I am mostly talking ’60s Dylan when I say I fancy him a bit – puppy faced troubadour haired folk singer to wire haired purveyor of psychedelia, that was his golden time, and it shows in his music. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with Dylan’s recent outputs, I enjoyed Modern Times and Together Through Life but it’s a world away from the power and the wonder of Blonde On Blonde, Freewheelin’ or Highway 61.

I think what I love most about Dylan is his ability to change when nobody else wanted him to, he wasn’t happy being labelled a protest singer, or as a revolutionary and he saw what The Beatles were doing having grown up listening to American rock n roll records and thought to himself ‘I’m bringing that back home’ – hence the album title.

He worked with so many incredible talents over the years and has released an incredible amount of records (not even taking into account the live and bootleg albums) but he has full support and adoration and is respected for his art. That’s a very difficult thing to accomplish, to be revered.

I know he is not to everyone’s liking, I’ve tried to get countless people into his work, starting with the most accessible hits but it just doesn’t stick. Once you’re on Dylan though, you’re stuck.