Bob Dylan a shadow of his former self

By Jennifer Munoz
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer

Bob Dylan is a legend in the folk music scene. He emerged in the '60s with his guitar, harmonica and unique voice. Dylan’s music played a huge role in the popular culture of the '60s and '70s with songs such as "The Times They Are A Changin" and "Mr. Tambourine Man," playing on thousands of record players. I began listening to Dylan two years ago and fell in love with his music.

After waiting in anticipation for Dylan to make a Southland appearance, on Oct. 20 I had the opportunity to see Dylan live at the UC Irvine Bren Events Center. I was excited to see my idol on stage performing his greatest songs, but my bubble quickly burst when Dylan came out with a band and walked straight to the keyboard without saying a word to the crowd. He opened his mouth and I could have just died.

There stood this senior citizen, holding himself up by a keyboard slurring every word. Dylan was at the top of his game when people were able to understand what he was singing. He was understood by his fans, even when he himself was one of the most misunderstood artists of his generation, but this is no longer true.

At the concert Dylan did not even pick up a guitar. He only acknowledged the crowd at the opening of his encore when he finally introduced his band members and thanked the crowd. Why didn’t he pick up the acoustic guitar that sat collecting dust on the side of the stage? Why didn’t he try to slow down and lead the band instead of having the band lead him with the up-tempo music they supplied? Why didn’t he acknowledge the crowd, many of whom had waited years to attend his concert in Southern California? All of these thoughts have been running through my head since the day I saw the new and displeasing Dylan.

Dylan is no longer the folk legend he was. I still love and respect his live performances on VHS or DVD but the spectacle he has become is a completely different story.
He is now completely self-absorbed but perhaps worse, he may not even care. Plenty of his fans were disappointed by his performance and some were shouting in protest, "Forty f****** bucks Bob!" and "play something we know and can understand!"

Where has the tambourine man gone? He now hides behind a black cowboy hat and allows a country band to overshadow his previous blend of folk and country. He tours with a complete country ensemble, and while they may be great musically, my ticket said I was paying for a Bob Dylan concert.

How could someone who used to be involved with the crowd and dedicated to his music become so different? Age might be a factor; Dylan has been performing for over 40 years now and plays over 200 times a year — most people his age can’t do anything near that. All of Dylan’s songs are done to different beats, so different that with the aged condition of his voice, many of the songs are unrecognizable until a famous line is heard in the chorus.

Although many fans are aware of the wide ranges of music that have influenced Dylan, he has always been able to attain a broad range of fan interest because he has not favored one genre over another. With such a drastic change in his music, it’s no wonder why he keeps making greatest hits CDs — his new stuff would not sell to most of his vintage folk fans.

Dylan has done a complete 180, not only with his music, but also his attitude and way of thinking. He has gone from a recluse to writing his three-volume biography and recently appeared in a Victoria’s Secret commercial.

Hopefully all the bad reviews and crowd protests will help bring back the Dylan we knew, but until then, "Bobby is in the alley, he ain’t got no tunes."