Dylan vs. Pynchon

[kelber at mindspring.com]

I'm obviously not a huge Dylan fan, though I love a lot of his music.  I'm kind of turned off by his adopted persona.  Also, I'm aware that this is totally below-the-belt, but my attitude towards Dylan was affected by something that happened to a friend when we were in high school in the 70's: 

 My friend's little brother was friends with Dylan's son.  My friend went to pick his brother up from Dylan's house (I think it was in Brooklyn Heights, though it might have been Manhattan) and was leaning on some kind of ornamental table while he was waiting for his brother, when Dylan came into the room and started yelling at him to get away from the table, because it was really expensive -- really chewed him out for it.  I believe it's unfair to judge an artist by his/her private behavior (we nobodies can be shit-heads with impunity), but it really soured my view of Dylan at the time, and I guess the feeling has lingered.

My husband borders on being a Dylan groupie.  He's travelled to other cities to go to Dylan concerts, and is contemplating borrowing a car and driving the hour and a half from Brooklyn to Wappinger's Falls tonight to see Dylan perform outdoors in the pouring rain, even though he was underwhelmed by the new CD.

None of my kids like Dylan very much.  My 13-year-old son is really into Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Marilyn Manson and Greenday.  My 16-year-old daughter listens to what her friends listen to.  My 18-year-old son is strictly into Wagner -- particularly the Ring Cycle.

Laura

-----Original Message-----
>From: Keith McMullen <keithsz at mac.com>
>Sent: Aug 31, 2006 11:13 PM
>To: The Whole Sick Crew <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>Subject: Re: Dylan vs. Pynchon
>
 
>can't share Sun Ra, Coltrane, Mingus, Don Cherry, Monk, Miles,  
>Hendrix, Joplin, etc etc etc with my children. I can share Dylan with  
>them. I already have, and I will continue to do so. With sublime  
>gratitude. I use Teflon skillets. And I love Bob Dylan.