just a few points about part 1 of "no direction home," the scorsese documentary about bob that just aired on PBS. i must hurry before my nyquil-induced coma kicks in.1. i haven't heard bob speak so succinctly or with such ease since, well, ever. instead of coming off bitchy, annoyed, intentionally cryptic, or unintentionally incoherent, he just seemed like a nice, laid-back, cool guy, telling his story. he somehow continues to look better and healthier all the time. must be all that clean livin'.
2. i can't believe they got suze rotolo for the film. wow!
3. the scene from the 1966 tour when there was a threat that someone was going to shoot him was interesting, because i don't think i've read about that before. and i've read a LOT of bob books. as if constantly booing someone and calling him "judas" for evolving musically and playing electric (which he had been doing on 2 previous albums and his about-to-be-released "blonde on blonde," so why was it such a shock?!) isn't enough. someone wanted to kill him for rockin' out. fools. i hope those people who were interviewed after those shows in england were watching it tonight and feel horribly embarrassed for being so obviously misinformed.
4. i love seeing him and joan baez together. i also like seeing her talk about him. you can tell part of her still loves him, even now... she always has that far-away look in her eye...even though he treated her like total crap. he spoke well of her in the film, as he did in "chronicles." but only musically, not so much personally. hmmm. oh well, like he's the type to talk about his relationships anyway. not quite. and she looked great, by the way.
5. the little snippet of johnny cash at the newport folk festival. i love johnny almost as much as i love bob. when i see or hear him anywhere, i am hypnotized. i even got a tattoo for the man when he died. i love him so.
i can't wait until tomorrow night for part 2, when the fame gets crazy (and he gets crazy). i mean, i love "folk" bob, don't get me wrong...but my favorite bob is 1964-1966, when his lyrics just got out of control ...along with his hair. i wonder what will be said about albert grossman turning him into an overworked machine intended to crank out product, thus driving him to fake serious injury in that motorcycle accident and barely show his face outside of woodstock, ny for years? i can't wait!
it's hard to believe there are 4 full hours dedicated to him, and yet there are 40 more years to cover after 1966, where the film ends. amazing. and i'm proud to have been able to be in the same room with that man 14 times (and counting).
2 comments:
whore away, my friend!!!
I hardly ever go to live shows (too expensive; other, infathomable personal reasons). But I saw Bob play in Toronto at the now defunct Maple Leaf Gardens (I think it might be a grocery store now).
It was his Time Out of Mind tour, and I couldn't make out a word he said. Joni Mitchell opened, and came out on stage barefoot in a sixties looking--but elegant--oriental gown. Her ex-hubby was playing base or something like that. Speaks volumnes, I think, when you still get allong well enough with your ex to play music together.
Anyways, Bob was shorter than I had imagined, and he walked around the stage like Howard the Duck. He didn't play "Rolling Stone" as I had hoped. Earlier that night I had heard the song in a convenience store. The song I remeber best from the show was Highway 61.
Was I disappointed by the experience? No. It was cool to see a legend in the flesh. Still, I prefer communing with his amazing music privately, in the comfort of my own kitchen.
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