Bob Dylan
The Never Ending Star
Published on 23. April 2013
320 pages
978-0-7456-7330-1 (ISBN)
Description
Bob Dylan's contribution to popular music is immeasurable.Venerated as rock's one true genius, Dylan is consideredresponsible for introducing a new range of topics and new lyricalcomplexity into popular music. Without Bob Dylan, rock critic DaveMarsh once claimed, there would be no popular music as weunderstand it today.
As such an exalted figure, Dylan has been the subject ofcountless books and intricate scholarship considering variousdimensions of both the man and his music. This book places newemphasis on Dylan as a rock star. Whatever else Dylan is, he is astar - iconic, charismatic, legendary, enigmatic. No one elsein popular music has maintained such star status for so long aperiod of time.
Showing how theories of stardom can help us understand both BobDylan and the history of rock music, Lee Marshall provides newinsight into how Dylan's songs acquire meaning and affectshis relationship with his fans, his critics and the recordingindustry. Marshall discusses Dylan's emergence as a star inthe folk revival (the "spokesman for a generation") andthe formative role that Dylan plays in creating a new type of music- rock - and a new type of star. Bringing the bookright up to date, he also sheds new light on how Dylan'slater career has been shaped by his earlier star image and howDylan repeatedly tried to throw off the limitations andresponsibilities of his stardom.
The book concludes by considering the revival of Dylan over thepast ten years and how Dylan's stardom has developed in a waythat contains, but is not overshadowed by, his achievements in the1960s.
As such an exalted figure, Dylan has been the subject ofcountless books and intricate scholarship considering variousdimensions of both the man and his music. This book places newemphasis on Dylan as a rock star. Whatever else Dylan is, he is astar - iconic, charismatic, legendary, enigmatic. No one elsein popular music has maintained such star status for so long aperiod of time.
Showing how theories of stardom can help us understand both BobDylan and the history of rock music, Lee Marshall provides newinsight into how Dylan's songs acquire meaning and affectshis relationship with his fans, his critics and the recordingindustry. Marshall discusses Dylan's emergence as a star inthe folk revival (the "spokesman for a generation") andthe formative role that Dylan plays in creating a new type of music- rock - and a new type of star. Bringing the bookright up to date, he also sheds new light on how Dylan'slater career has been shaped by his earlier star image and howDylan repeatedly tried to throw off the limitations andresponsibilities of his stardom.
The book concludes by considering the revival of Dylan over thepast ten years and how Dylan's stardom has developed in a waythat contains, but is not overshadowed by, his achievements in the1960s.
More details
Other editions
Person
Lee Marshall is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Bristol.
Content
Acknowledgements xi
The theoretical bit
Why looking at stardom is important for understanding Dylan.Different approaches to stardom, and the most important bits of thetheories. How we hear songs. Whether words or voice are mostimportant. How stardom affects the meaning of songs.
1 Introduction 1
2 Stardom, Authorship and the Meaning of Songs 14
Dylan's sixties stardom
Dylan's emergence in the folk revival and thecontradictions of being a 'folk star'. His move intorock, political individualism and the tensions between culture andcommerce. Dylan's withdrawal from the scene in the latesixties. His attempts to reclaim his stardom and their effect onthe rest of his career.
Snapshot: The man of the people 49
3 Folk Stardom: Star as Ordinary, Star as Special 52
Snapshot: The chameleon poet 85
4 Rock Stardom: Reconciling Culture and Commerce 88
Snapshot: The retiring father 115
5 Beyond Stardom: Rock History and Canonisation 118
Dylan's later stardom
Changing social values and Dylan's problems in the1980s. Dylan's attempt to reconstruct the relationship withhis audience. An overview of the Never Ending Tour and its keyfeatures. Debates about Dylan's later work. Time Out Of Mindand the changes in Dylan's stardom since 1997.
Snapshot: The rock legend 149
6 Declining Stardom: Nostalgia and the 'Death ofRock' 152
Snapshot: The wandering minstrel 183
7 Redefining Stardom: The Never Ending Tour 186
Snapshot: The soul of previous times 229
8 Never Ending Stardom: Dylan after Time Out Of Mind232
Notes 277
Bibliography 287
List of Interviews 295
Copyright Acknowledgements 299
Index 304
The theoretical bit
Why looking at stardom is important for understanding Dylan.Different approaches to stardom, and the most important bits of thetheories. How we hear songs. Whether words or voice are mostimportant. How stardom affects the meaning of songs.
1 Introduction 1
2 Stardom, Authorship and the Meaning of Songs 14
Dylan's sixties stardom
Dylan's emergence in the folk revival and thecontradictions of being a 'folk star'. His move intorock, political individualism and the tensions between culture andcommerce. Dylan's withdrawal from the scene in the latesixties. His attempts to reclaim his stardom and their effect onthe rest of his career.
Snapshot: The man of the people 49
3 Folk Stardom: Star as Ordinary, Star as Special 52
Snapshot: The chameleon poet 85
4 Rock Stardom: Reconciling Culture and Commerce 88
Snapshot: The retiring father 115
5 Beyond Stardom: Rock History and Canonisation 118
Dylan's later stardom
Changing social values and Dylan's problems in the1980s. Dylan's attempt to reconstruct the relationship withhis audience. An overview of the Never Ending Tour and its keyfeatures. Debates about Dylan's later work. Time Out Of Mindand the changes in Dylan's stardom since 1997.
Snapshot: The rock legend 149
6 Declining Stardom: Nostalgia and the 'Death ofRock' 152
Snapshot: The wandering minstrel 183
7 Redefining Stardom: The Never Ending Tour 186
Snapshot: The soul of previous times 229
8 Never Ending Stardom: Dylan after Time Out Of Mind232
Notes 277
Bibliography 287
List of Interviews 295
Copyright Acknowledgements 299
Index 304
