The end of the year is traditionally a time of reflection and retrospection. This is especially true when the end of the year coincides with the end of the decade. On the last episode of Definitely Dylan before the holidays, Robert and I decided to look back on the past ten years, and see what they might signify in the context of Bob Dylan’s career.
Doing this in only one hour was perhaps a bit ambitious, there are many more things worth mentioning, such as Dylan’s Nobel Prize win in 2016 and acceptance speech, his MusiCares speech , his visual art (if you want to hear some of my thoughts on that, check out the episode on the Mondo Scripto exhibition in London last year), projects like the Scorsese film Rolling Thunder: A Bob Dylan Story, and other commercial forays, such as Heaven’s Door Whiskey. I’m sure there’s more…
But Robert and I are hoping that we’re starting a conversation that can be continued in the comments or on social media. So please let us know what your thoughts are on the last ten years of Dylan’s career! What were your highlights and low points? Does Tempest rank among your favourites or not? Did you enjoy the albums of standards? What are your thoughts on his live performances and the Bootleg Series? Lastly, tell us your predictions for the future! Do you believe there’s an album of new material waiting in the wings?
The Twitter post that I’ve mentioned on air is here, check out the comments for some links to excellent performances from the past ten years, and feel free to add your own!
Here’s the performance of Twelve Gates To The City that was mentioned, which is also well worth checking out.
Thank you so much to all of you who have tuned in to Definitely Dylan this year, and to those who have joined the conversation. In its second year Definitely Dylan has evolved, in no small part thanks to the involvement of Robert Chaney, who has enriched the show with his insights and sense of humour.
I truly truly love doing this show, and I want to thank Resonance FM for continuing to give me the platform to nerd out on a weekly basis. If you’d like to give them some support in return, please donate at ResnonanceFM.com/donate.
And lastly, I want to thank Bob Dylan for being such a continuously inspiring artist. It is testament to Dylan’s multifaceted work that I can’t ever see myself running out of things to talk about. I’m excited to see what the future holds!
Playlist:
Hark The Herald’s Angels Sing
He’s Funny That Way
Long And Wasted Years
Pretty Saro
The Best Is Yet To Come