LIKE A ROLLING STONE: BOB DYLAN AT THE CROSSROADS PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Greil Marcus | 304 pages | 06 Jul 2006 | FABER & FABER | 9780571223862 | English | London, United Kingdom Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads PDF Book Instead of research, he remembers. Just as intriguing as the taped interviews up for sale are four letters Dylan wrote to Glover between and , with frank discussion of his early career and musical influences. Mar 13, C. Open Preview See a Problem? Repetitive, over the top, meandering, thin, pompous--but despite all that, it just grew on me. How Does it Feel? Bradley: Should I ask who you made the bargain with? They were just like little babies. It was shitty , is what it was. His writing is amusing in the best way of "providing interesting and enjoyable occupation," and there seem to be no limits to his curiosity or erudition. However, the literary value of the lyrics and the exactitude of the musical performance have never determined the ultimate impact of a popular song. Keeping it all over there and just going straight ahead. He went on to discuss other tidbits about his songwriting inspirations. Marcus is frequently accused of pretentiousness, and this is an accusation with which I won't argue—it's the height of artistic pretentiousness to insist, without irony or artifice, that a single song can really represent the turning point for an entire culture. Marcus is always entertaining but maybe best suited to the editorial limitations of the magazine format. I had been on a binge my whole life, you could say. Nobody ever taught you how to live out on the street. He never quite comes to the part where he satisfyingly resolves all the mounting, swelling, grandly played generalizations that link Elvis, The Sex Pistols and Cabaret Voltaire as sources of insight geared to undermine an oppressive regime, but the reader has fun along the way. Refresh and try again. Wilson was known for taking an extremely hands-off approach with his artists, at times sitting in the back of the studio reading the newspaper as the sessions were rolling. Share this: Facebook Email Pinterest Print. Logging out But what a legend it is. Still, that's part of the fun. But to me, it was just one of those things. View 2 comments. At the same time, in "Like A Rolling Stone," being invisible is not pure oppression. Parts of it I enjoyed especially the epilogue, which is basically an overview of the recording process for the song, take by take , but other parts felt rambling - and Marcus had a habit of jumping from one decade to the next. Kooper was joined by two members of what would soon be known has The Band , Levon Helm on drums and Robbie Robertson on guitar. All three had consequential careers as musicians in the Twin Cities and beyond. I don't regret that too much, because that was great music, and, besides, Dylan was my doorway to Baudelaire and Ginsberg and Howling Wolf and Hank Williams. I was high on that feeling for a long time. The closest I can come is that the song somehow captures a certain sentiment that everybody can relate to in some way. When he came back, he was doing Woody and he was doing Van Ronk and he was fingerpicking, he was playing cross harp, and this is a matter of a couple of months. Is Bobby Gregg's snare drum open the greatest open in music history? This is the Greil Marcus book you were always afraid he might write. Aug 07, Clayton Faulkner rated it really liked it. My whole life had been one big, long binge. If any song deserves it, "Like A Rolling Stone" is the one. She lived extravagantly, with little self-control, eventually falling into a long period of drug addiction and psychological problems. Whatever it is, Like a Rolling Stone has it in spades. This is NOT a book for those with a casual interest. The "you" in the song once looked pityingly at people like this, who took themselves too seriously. Think we got a ride from Madison all the way from two young New Yorkers. But on the day of the show, CBS lawyers demanded he abandon the song, in fear it would incite a defamation suit from the John Birch Society. Though the ability to put it down and walk away probably leads to a large portion of the readership never returning, this is not a book that should be read in one go. Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads Writer Dec 12, Brendan rated it it was amazing. On March 18th, , Bob Dylan sat down in his Manhattan office, put his feet up on a table, strummed a guitar, and opened up like he rarely, if ever, had before. Though the ability to put it down and walk away probably leads to a large portion of the readership never returning, this is not a book that should be read in one go. Dylan gives a chilling answer regarding a bargain he made with an invisible spiritual entity that he feels he must keep: Dylan: Well, it goes back to that destiny thing. Interested in song-writing, the recording process, Dylan, or America's on-going cultural hiccoughs and storms, this is a worthwhile read. Read more One of her brothers committed suicide and another had severe psychological problems. To Dylan, this was corroboration of how rotten some reporters were. No one else really meant anything as much as [Guthrie] did. Your email address will not be published. Vietnam—the society we're talking about, and you realize, as you become aware, drug aware, socially aware, the disasters of commercial society" Greil Marcus, Like A Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan At the Crossroads , p. Why are there entire bookshelves devoted to this man and so few about other poets? It's light and spends a lot of time rambling and flailing with Dylan adoration, but there are some gems among the essays. I just wish it were more organized. Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Jun 16, Matt rated it liked it Shelves: lit-crit , america-fuck-yeah , musique. For those who share his passion, his works are a whole lot of fun. He can say what he means, say nothing at all, and do both at the same time. Instead, Marcus, in keeping with his usual method, writes for PhD's who live in record stores, delivering a rambling metaphysical analysi Greil Marcus returns to one of his favorite subjects, Bob Dylan. Glover wondered whether that experience contributed to a newfound vitriol in the lyrics of Highway 61 Revisited, recorded during the same period. But what a legend it is. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Originally published on the 40th anniversary of its release and recording, Greil Marcus's extraordinary book reconstructs the context in which the song first appeared, in terms of Dylan's own career his controversial transformation from folk singer into rock 'n' roll singer and the world at large Vietnam, the Watts Riots, the burgeoning counter- culture of the time. W hy's T his F unny? The lyrics, given to Glover, read:. This is NOT a book for those with a casual interest. Greil Marcus has made his name as rock critic by insisting that the tide of History is directly mirrored by the pop music of the period. After the session started, Wilson moved Paul Griffin from the organ to the piano. A binge of what, Glover wondered, nonstop travel or drug overdose or depleted constitution? Between this book and Invisible Republic alone he's added some of the most virile work yet to the flabby canon that is Dylan writing. Is Bobby Gregg's snare drum open the greatest open in music history? In the process he makes connections between the song and all manner of cultural events throughout history, some obscure, some less so. Dylan side-kick Bobby Neuwirth said Sedgwick came to meet them in a limousine her prefer mode of transportation at the Kettle of Fish , a renown folkie bar in Greenwich Village. On this whole thing? Even as a huge fan of both Dylan and music op eds, this book was way too all over the place for me! Logging out…. Dylan also made a confession about his motorcycle accident. He went on to discuss other tidbits about his songwriting inspirations. Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads Reviews Mostly he comes off the rails when he compares it to other songs in terms o Marcus does something unique in 'Like a Rolling Stone'. At some Acid Test, and some weirdo comes up to you, with a beard, a top hat—you stare into the vacuum of his eyes, and ask him, do you want to make a deal. At the same time, in "Like A Rolling Stone," being invisible is not pure oppression. Boy, does this guy how knows how to turn a sentence, even one with a clause in the middle of it that contains its own sentence, or two: "Singing in a voice as clear as wa One of the few subjects less interesting to me than the history of rock and roll would be the history of one particular rock and roll song. The fiercely loyal Glover, who died in , safeguarded the tapes and transcripts along with four letters and a treasure trove of other memorabilia he amassed from Dylan over the years.