VIDEO INTERVIEW INSIDE …
LA film-maker Bob Mori and journalist Leigh G Banks discuss a book that, on the surface, is a bit of a Malibu-boohoo. But in reality, just like Dylan’s Point Dume home, it could be a real hidden gem.
A few weeks ago I was asked to review a new Dylan book focusing on Bob’s life in Malibu inside the grand folly he built on Birdview Avenue, overlooking the Pacific.
Because we were on the road, I had the book delivered to an address in the UK. It was the simplest thing to do.
Two thousand miles and many days later I picked up Bob Dylan’s Malibu from the small detached 1930s house in the suburbs of Manchester, my home town.
Then we headed out to Shropshire and settled into our rented oak beamed cottage.
It was there I pealed back the books glossy cover with its stark rear-view image.
And I have to say I was disappointed.
Dylan’s Malibu is a large print volume of Martin Newman’s experiences with Bob in the 1970s. Martin describes himself as a US historian, designer, craftsman and collector. Good credentials, but what I thought would be fascinating and revealing was actually perfunctory, under-written and, yep, frustrating.
On a first read it just didn’t get to the point, it seemed doomed from page one. Point Doomed, so to speak
It just didn’t give the insights I wanted about a time when Bob’s career was trundling along like an old gypsy caravan.
It was also about the time his marriage to Sara was already going 90 miles an hour down a dead end street.
One of the world’s most glamorous couples appeared to spending money hand-over-fist creating an extravagant dream home that was rumoured to be becoming a nightmare.
I had to put Martin’s book down for a while, unsure what to do with it. I didn’t want to insult Martin. But I really didn’t want to review either.
***
Four days later I picked up again. And I immediately saw what is wrong with it.
But I also saw why it should be taken seriously by us Dylan fans.
It is truly an unusual insight into a Dylan creative storm on top of a ‘cliffside’ with the Pacific undulating beneath it.
I realised Martin’s book is actually like time and the bride… it runs backwards. Sadly, not by design but by default.
The editorial ‘cure’ is simple though: Just move the last few chapters to the beginning of the book and it works.
For these are the chapters that are full of gold, hand-made tiles and crazy door knobs. These chapters are the access to Dylan’s glorious edifice of folly, imagination, his grand, probably stoned, design.
And here you have a magical book. Up front!
In this way all the little snippets – like Bob’s two dollar thrift shop fedora and his yellow tour jet nicknamed the Banana – suddenly fall in to place and become fascinating.
Right now Dylan’s Malibu is Edlis Cafe Series own folly.
It lacks relevant pictures, only one or two of Bob and of Martin himself and others that carry little weight because they are photos of ‘something similar.
This all said, it really is a Dylan book worthy of any fan’s shelves and head space.
So buy it, forgive it and enjoy it.
And it read it back to front.
JP BRADY Just read your critique on the Bob Malibu book,I enjoyed what you said, I’d had a quick look over it and thought it wasn’t for me, I’ve decided to give it another chance, thanks for that,I didn’t leave a message still for some reason it won’t accept it,I think that it’s the fact I don’t have a website of my own, hope you’re well love Jean ❤️ xx
As a Dylan fan I read the book to find out more about Bob. I felt that I read more about the skills of the writer – not just in his creative design world but in his pedestrian style of writing. With respect, it didn’t inspire me. The review was spot on – enjoyed that.
No mention of the painting at the heart of the book? Previously unseen by the public the book reproduces a very early Bob Dylan painting of a San Francisco poet. And it may be the most Norman Raeben influenced painting he ever did?
That was my favourite part…
Malibu remains Bob’s family home.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6795861/Folk-legend-Bob-Dylan-77-makes-youthful-updates-Malibu-compound.html
“purchased the home for just $105,000 in 1979.”
The Daily Mail article is astonishingly inaccurate, why would Bob Dylan purchase his own house in 1979 when he had owned it for years, the years covered in the book Bob Dylan’s Malibu. Shows the value of the book compared with what journalists write, information unchecked, asking no one who knows…
Why are you discussing a Daily Mail article and dissing journalists? I just don’t get the point … it is a review of a book which we have highly recommended and made a short video about which is circulating in good places … the book is not well edited and yet i say people should buy it and add to their collection. Andrew has a right to say what he thinks – i would be celebrating the interest you are getting from LA and using it to market your product!
The comment was about the Cheyenne Rowntree article in the link. Some people might think Bob Dylan bought the house in 1979! That is what the linked article stated.
There was no disagreement with anything Andrew Brel said. And the linked article is on topic.
A journalist, journalists, your leg does not pull well. 😉
Don’t get the leg-pull mate … but let’s be positive and sell the book… it has its weaknesses but it’s wortH owning. i’ve been a professional editor for decades and can see what it needs … and i can see a lot of publicity opportunities, good background stories. Bob Dylan’s Malibu could be made to sail in newspapers, local tv, radio … but this is what i do for a living, others don’t spot them …at some stage i’d like to write about Edlis, i’m already doing a piece on Hibbing
Cheers
Leigh
Eduardo Ricardo from Eldis
Thanks for the review of Marty’s book!
Inspired idea to have Bob Mori in the video, his work for Dylan is most impressive.
I was the story editor for this book. There was a reason we saved the best stories for last. We started telling them one by one on Facebook, trying to gauge the reaction from the Dylan camp knowing that the best we could expect was benign indifference. We were not sure that Bob Dylan would remember Marty, the author, because these events happened more than 40 years ago, and there has been no communication since that time. If we had received negative feedback from the Dylan’s office, there would not have been a book. This year was a milestone for both men, being Dylan’s 80th year and Marty’s 70th, and it was now or never. Marty also wanted to reveal the wonderful painting Bob gave him so the public could see it for the first time, as it represents a pivotal time in Bob’s musical career as well as his development as an artist.
Nancy Cobb