“That’s what I like about books . . .”

"there's no noise in it"- Bob Dylan Rolling Stone interview, RS 1008

Looks like Bob Dylan's affection for books lies in the exact same reason I can't, for the life of me, finish a book. There's NO NOISE!

In the last two years I've started several books. In fact they're still under the "books" portion of "About Dr. Sickness." Technically I'm "reading" about Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, the onset of Rockabilly and Tori Amos (I gave up on that one a long time ago, it makes me seem super sensitive and uber-hip to have it on my profile though).

I like magazines and anyone who knows me is privy to my six magazine subscriptions. While I don't like to have my intelligence insulted (no matter how deservingly so) by magazines like MAXIM that print meaningless methods to chill a six-pack or imbecilic comparisons of picking up girls to football strategy, I also like my information in small doses.

Like this mildly expansive Dylan interview that will probably take me at least another two weeks to finish. But Dylan is effortlessly inspiring and it's interesting to hear the author's history with Dylan: "Eighties Dylan was my Dylan. . ."

So, I thought I'd share my initial exposure to Dylan for two reasons- 1) Nineties/Aught Dylan is my Dylan and 2) that's what blogging is for (I know you were wondering what I was thinking just now. Now you know.)

I'll admit; I thought Peter, Paul & Mary were the first to do "Blowin' In the Wind." This isn't my fault. I saw a live performance by PP&M on PBS as a kid. "Blowin' in the Wind" was overwrought with gaudy strings and choir, but the emotion level was high as I remember, probably due to the first Iraq war ensuing at the time.

I looked over at my dad just as he wiped a tear from his eye. That was probably when I realized the power of a song, though I was oblivious to who had actually written the song. It was years later before I was informed, and subsequently ridiculed, that it was indeed his Bobness who penned the song. And it was written long before any Bush took office yet carried as much weight then, and still today, as it did at inception.


My first knowing exposure to Dylan was in 10th grade home-room when my friend Jesse (who would go on to become lead singer in our band, Mr. Beauchamps, by 12th grade) said "Have you heard the new Bob Dylan CD?"

I hadn't, at that time, heard any Dylan CD, much less his newest album which was at the time 1997's "Time Out of Mind."

"It's not dark yet," Jesse sang in a deep Dylan-esque voice, "But iiiiiiiiiiiiiiits gettin' they-ah." ("Not Dark Yet"-great song)

The song was included in the soundtrack to "Wonder Boys" (great movie) but was NOT sung by Garth Brooks, like "To Make You Feel My Love" from the same album ("Hope Floats"-haven't seen it).

Jesse let me borrow his copy of "Time Out of Mind," which would later be called his return to grace after some questionable mid-eighties material (that's according to said RS article, not my opinion, I don't have any of those records).

The music was pretty far over my head, but I look back on that CD as a maturing period for my musical tastes. I knew Dylan was a SONGWRITER, not a singer or a guitarist or a dancer, but first and foremost a songwriter.

It gave me great perspective to differentiate between a "Song" as a form and a "song" as a three minute ditty played on the radio between commercials. A great song can have an impact even when delivered by a terrible singer, Dylan being the most prolific example of this.

The most profound things Dylan wrote were, indeed, his early to mid-sixties stuff, of which my exposure to was due completely to my college guitar teacher, Dr. Robert Trent.

After wasting away an entire hour-long guitar lesson waxing on war and government (two things I’m mostly uninformed about, two things which Dr. Trent vehemently questioned), Dr. Trent handed me his copy of “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and told me to listen to “With God On Our Side,” a song that, while forty-some years old, perhaps rings truer under modern administration than ever.

But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

This might as well be posted on the main entrance to the White House. In yesterday’s UN discussions, and elsewhere, the phrase “Peaceful Nuclear Program” was uttered in defending Iran’s current source of dissention with the United States. I’d like you to ponder that phrase . . . “Peaceful Nuclear Program.”

How the hell can someone develop nuclear weapons with peace in mind? I guess if “Fire them we’re forced to/ Then Fire them we must,” is becoming more and more likely then, rest assured, if Bush pushes the button, it will be lobbied as a weapon used with massive intentions of peace. If you believe that, then you probably believe you can get an actual date with one of those girls in MAXIM magazine.

CURRENT LISTENING: Chris Thile- "How To Grow A Woman From The Ground"- Sugar Hill Records