Re: Salinger and Dylan
Robert Morris (winboog@gis.net)
Mon, 07 Sep 1998 20:16:48 -0400
> Now I've got another fun idea: with all this talk of Bob Dylan, I
> couldn't help but see some parallels between this "folk icon" and our
> beloved "man-of-the-hour" Salinger. I mean, both are geniuses at
> story-telling. They create unforgettable characters that you begin to
> know on an intimate level. They both make comments on society through
> their work. War plays a big part in their writing (Salinger, WWII;
> Dylan,Vietnam). And they are both extremely reclusive and at times
> downright rude! Dylan has only granted a handful of interviews in his
> entire 30+ year career and has been very outspoken in his hatred of
> journalists who ask dumb "pop star" questions. Finally, both seem
> compelled to continue with their art even at the risk of their much-
> needed privacy. Salinger can't seem to STOP writing, even though he
> must know one day his work will probably be published, with or without
> his permission. Dylan seems to hate the spotlight, yet he continues
> to tour.
>
I'm just wondering what you mean by hating the spotlight? Objecting to
someone poring over the garbage outside your house? Stalking your kids on
their way to school? Or are you referring to his never ending tour that has
been going essentially since 1989? It seems to me that Dylan loves to
perform for folks, he just doesn't desire to live his life for those folks.
I hardly think he shuns the spotlight. Bob is very aware of who he is in
the greater context. He embraces those parts which appeal to him. There was
a People magazine piece done on Bob in the early seventies about his new
house. This house was so spectacular it was gaining a fair amount of
notoriety from the Architectural community. The writer asked Bob if he
thought the house would be a landmark in a hundred years. Bob replied, " I
don't think that what I'll be remembered for in a hundred years is my
house. " ( i don't have the ability to write in italics, but they should be
there on the word house.)
Please refrain from calling Bob Dylan reclusive or comparing him to JD
Salinger. The man has put out about a record a year for the last thirty
five years, and done about a thousand gigs in the last five. If your
concern is why he isn't on the cover of US magazine this week, there's
probably a forum for that elsewhere. If you want to understand why it is
Bob doesn't give too many interviews these days you may want to take a look
at Don't Look Back or read some interviews with him in the sixties to see
the kind of asinine bullshit people asked him about. I read a lot of
interviews with "modern" " alternative " pop stars complaining about what a
drag it is to do interviews. At least Bob doesn't do interviews. This makes
a lot more sense to me, than whining about it.
" Mostly, I'm a delightful person." -Bob Dylan