See Dylan Rock?

I read a lot of mixed reviews of Martin Scoreses Dylan bio, so I was not sure what to expect. And from a sense of a coherent documentary it was rather jumbled. As a chance to see Dylan rock, wow. Or the Band (then known as the Hawks). The Royal Albert Hall footage was as good as always presented, especially when Dylan sits down at the piano and starts banging away at Ballad of a Thin Man. I look forward to part two.

It is also especially interesting that Dylan was "discovered" by John Hammond. Man that guy has ears. Still, what was most interesting was how rapid Dylan rose to fame. I mean compare to the Beatles who had to hone their craft for several years in places like Hamburg before they sprung on the scene. Dylan seemed to go from high school graduate to sensation in an instance.

What was left totally unexplained is how or why he went electric. We learn that he was a rock and roll listener as a kid (with a nice raw clip of Gene Vincent), but as of last night, the jump is a mystery.

Like I say, the Band was great and I pined for more scenes of them. Garth Hudson, for instance plays some awesome organ lines. I would have loved to see a shot or two of him.

Who knew Bobby Dylan could speak so clearly??!!!??

Vital Information wrote:Like I say, the Band was great and I pined for more scenes of them. Garth Hudson, for instance plays some awesome organ lines. I would have loved to see a shot or two of him.

I think Scorsese used up all his energy on The Band in "The Last Waltz" (my all time favorite concert-documentary).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077838/

This would make a fine double-feature with the Dylan piece.

Best,
Michael

Vital Information wrote:It is also especially interesting that Dylan was "discovered" by John Hammond. Man that guy has ears...

Don't you mean David Hammond?

A

Antonius wrote:Don't you mean David Hammond?
A

I thought he discovered Janis Joplin.

sazerac wrote:

Antonius wrote:Don't you mean David Hammond?
A

I thought he discovered Janis Joplin.

I thought Janis discovered him.

nr706 wrote:

sazerac wrote:

Antonius wrote:Don't you mean David Hammond?
A

I thought he discovered Indiana

In the quiet morning...

...Hammond killed this thread

Vital Information wrote:I read a lot of mixed reviews of Martin Scoreses Dylan bio, so I was not sure what to expect. And from a sense of a coherent documentary it was rather jumbled. As a chance to see Dylan rock, wow. Or the Band (then known as the Hawks). The Royal Albert Hall footage was as good as always presented, especially when Dylan sits down at the piano and starts banging away at Ballad of a Thin Man. I look forward to part two.

I noticed an interesting textural variation in the opening lines of the Albert Hall Thin Man: "You walk into the room, with your pencil in your hand" (rather than, "pants on your head," as in the "standard" version). I feel this may have been a slam at the reporters who dogged him in England to an incredible degree.

Overall, I was shocked at the wave of negativity that followed the London performances (I now have a better grasp of the meaning of "Rainy Day Women").

Vital Information wrote: What was left totally unexplained is how or why he went electric. We learn that he was a rock and roll listener as a kid (with a nice raw clip of Gene Vincent), but as of last night, the jump is a mystery.

Everyone is always ticked at Dylan for changing. Folkies, as we all know, hated the electrification; after the accident, we were all set back by "John Wesley Hardy"; later, a brief flirtation with Christianity spawned the wierdness that was "Planet Waves," -- most recently, my jaw dropped when he furnished the vocals for a Victoria's Secret commercial.

There may be no clear reason "why" he made any of these changes -- as he told Baez, he had no idea "what the fu*k" his songs meant...but we know they're important.

David Hammond, Approximately