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SHADES of the mindless consumerism of the hedonistic Sixties have hit the virtual streets of Dylan’s latest anniversary.
Yep, a cyber-world ‘toy’ is our modern times equivalent of flesh-coloured Christs that glow in the dark…
In his dotage Bob has faced up to the dawning of the New Age and flicked the switch on downloads and streaming. And he’s definitely no toothless grandpa sitting on the stoop grinning out of the falling shadows as he zoom his grand-kids.
No, Bob still has one eye on the future as he writes, welds gates, paints his masterpieces, sells his history, auditions new voices and grins like a mock Mephistopheles as he continues to tour endlessly.
His creativity is still the song and dance man on his own endless highway.
Yet, somebody somewhere – at Columbia – came up with this cucumber-sandwich-and-a-nice-cup-of-tea virtual reality idea … 10 seconds to act surprised as you slip into a non-existent pair of Ray Bans and pose as Bob.
Maybe Columbia’s Eye Tea department came up with it – let’s give ol’ Bob some ‘specs appeal’ they may have thought!
The shades are, as far as I’m concerned of course, part of a rather perfunctory celebration of Bob’s art. I might be wrong however, so let me know what you think!
But would you like standing inside Dylan’s shades for just 10 secs? Would it be a drag to see you?
And what about the video that accompanies the shades of blue? Well, it’s very good, very nice indeed thank you.
But was it really worth the effort – particularly when Bob has re-invented himself yet again for all our futures.
To mark Bob Dylan’s 60th anniversary as a recording artist the new music video, “Subterranean Homesick Blues 2022”, has been launched. It pays homage to D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Back, with new lyric card visuals created by artists, filmmakers, musicians and graphic designers including Patti Smith, Wim Wenders, Bruce Springsteen, Jim Jarmusch, Bobby Gillespie and Jonathan Barnbrook.
Food on ‘em! But surely they could have all done better for Bob? And is Subterranean Homesick Blues the one to choose? I love it! But it’s not my favourite. It is a bright, chunky Chuck Berry sound-alike – but is it the best thing he’s ever recorded.
In fact is it all a little bit more pedestrian than the golden chair they stock outside Hibbing high school as a tribute to Bob recently?
There’s a microsite where you can catch up with all this ‘fun’ stuff.
Meanwhile, The Bob Dylan Center opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earlier.
Perhaps that’s worth a visit – cyberly or in reality – rather than the Dylan60 | 60 Years Of Bob Dylan On Columbia Records website…
Tell us what you think?
Cheers
Leigh
