My POV

Wow. It feels so strange to be typing this, like I'm treading on sacred ground. I was raised with Dylan, but primarily the "hits". My mom's a Dylan junkie, and I cannot thank her enough. But in my household, he was to be respected, revered and adored - plain and simple. My mom was too young to be a part of the history shaped by his music (or shaped by events and accompanied by his music, whichever you prefer) - in fact, she was born after he'd released four albums, I believe. I just thought it was only fair to disclose where I'm coming from. Other pertinent information - I have several musician friends who have also shared/spurred my interest in Bob Dylan, I've seen him once in concert, a few years ago with Willie Nelson - it was almost an absurdly fantastic experience. Moment I use as a microcosm for the whole experience - looking to my right, and seeing an older couple, easily 65+, swaying with their arms around each other, smoking a joint to Blowin' in the Wind - looking to my left, and seeing a pair of 16 year old girls rocking out to All Along the Watchtower, as into it as anyone there. I was 21 at the time, I'm 23 now.

The exploration goes in chronological order. But, as I have been raised with Dylan and not living under a rock, I've heard a lot before (not to mention his use in movies and television - The Sopranos will get brought up later on) and so while many of the tracks listened to were unfamiliar to me, many of them were not. For example, I purchased Blonde on Blonde, and even Modern Times, way before his first album (in terms of my life, so a couple years constitutes "way before"). So basically, I know a little about where this story is heading.

Also, I've read the autobiography, Chronicles (from which I'm sure there will be selected paragraphs inserted into the blog), I've seen exhibits at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I've seen his photograph up in City Lights Bookstore (also note: I live in San Francisco), in short, I knew some things about his life, colleagues, influences (I also have a copy of Dust Bowl Ballads sitting over yonder, though I need more), etc. before I started.

That's where I'm coming from. Where are you?