Monday Book review by Jack Beck

Bob Dylan, Performing Artist, 1960-1973, The Early Years. Paul Williams (1990 Omnibus Press)

Regular readers of this blog will already know that I’m a big fan of Dylan and his music.

This book is both interesting and frustrating. It’s well written and researched and Williams gives due credit to other writers who have covered the same subject and time period. But the more I read, the more it seemed to be as much about the author as about Bob Dylan.

It wasn’t until I got almost to the end that I discovered that Williams had been a rookie cub reporter on a local newspaper in the early 1970s and was able to interview Dylan. He says that Bob was relaxed and straightforward and not doing his usual enigmatic and obscure stuff. That’s fine, but I’m not sure it necessarily gives you any special insights!

At various points Williams puts Dylan on a level with Shakespeare, James Joyce, Beethoven and Picasso. I think that might just be over-egging things a bit.

The book is written chronologically as the title suggests and Williams has certainly covered the period in depth, including both commercial and bootleg recordings as well as un-recorded live performances. But it’s in between this valuable information that he lets loose with his personal and (I think) overblown analysis.

Despite all the careful research I did discover one surprising omission. Williams spend a fair bit of time on Dylan’s 1966 world tour which ended in the UK. He lists the various concerts around the country but misses Edinburgh. I know it’s missing because I was there and have an excellent recording of that night!

So – a bit of a mixed bag, but for died in the wool fans well worth a read!