Understanding Dylan, Finally
I am reading Like a Rolling Stone by Greil Marcus, and he has this quote: “I’ve always admired people who know how to interview. The key is to not want to be liked. The key is to be an irritant, a smart aleck, a fool, a creep.”
I think he is essentially giving away the plot for Bob Dylan. That is how Bob acts. It is how he plays his music. It is how he treats his audience. It is that contemptful, living-right-on-the-edge thing. And after doing such a deep Dylan dive, this feels like the real essence. When you go back and listen, it is him on his tippy toes, peering out at the audience, daring them to not like it.
Nashville Skyline is a perfect example. He makes this beautiful Nashville record, but sings it in this ridiculous nasally honk — not honky as in cracker, but a literal honk — and you have to deal with it. The songs are great, but the delivery takes some getting used to.
It is like early AC/DC. Brian Johnson is easier on the ears, but the real meat and potatoes is that earlier wild Bon Scott era-ridiculous voice and all.
But with Dylan, the more you understand the less you understand. I’m sure it will be a mess in my mind within the week.