Welcome to issue 12, the first of 2005.
I wish you all a happy and Bob-filled new year. To kick it off here
is an issue full of delights for you; including John Hinchey on Planet
Waves, Pádraig Hanratty tracing Dylan and Elvis connections,
while our regular column from the philosophical perspective of Martin
van Hees has ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ as its subject.
Also, we have a collection of writers, Alan Davis, Clinton Heylin, Antonio
J. Iriarte and Stephen Scobie reviewing Chronicles. So positive
was the response on Chronicles that some later offers had to
be politely declined or postponed to appear in another format later.
I had originally begun a review of my own, too, concentrating on how
struck I was by the warmth and humour of the book but above all by the
sheer quality of the writing. This is clear especially in the descriptive
passages concerning places and people – particularly those who
are not famous or even known in their own right. I imagine this is partly
why a number of ‘non-Dylan-centric’ readers have told me
how impressed they are with the book. I was going to mention, too, that
the ‘generosity of genius’ (as I called my first review
of Love & Theft) is evidenced again in these memoirs when
Dylan brilliantly illuminates how he is inspired and how he creates
his magic. The story of a rock star’s day to day life might have
been a diverting tale for gossip addicts but this tale of an artist’s
creative life is infinitely more valuable.
If I may turn away from Judas! for a moment, I would like to
inform you that, sadly, the publication of the second – updated
– edition of my Never Ending Tour book, Razor’s Edge,
has been put back to July rather than Easter due to a delay in publishing
schedules. More on this as the publication date eventually arrives.
Back to matters at hand now – we apologise for some promised updates
not going on to the subscriber area of our website. After difficulties
with the site-hosters we have rebuilt it without ‘a subscribers’
only’ area. All the main material is still there and I would recommend
you pay it a visit and then keep your eye on it because every now and
again we will be adding to what is already there.
Looking ahead to future issues we have a fascinating interview with
artist Claude-Angèle Boni concentrating on her inspiration by,
and meetings with, Dylan. Plus an article version of the talk I gave
at Strathclyde University, aided and abetted now by supporting quotes
from Chronicles I am proud to report. In addition there are
articles from a couple of surprising sources and expected contributions
from Michael Gray and Peter Doggett as well as the return of Manuel
Vardavas’s bootleg column. So don’t forget to re-subscribe!
Still, that is for the future and, exciting though that is, there’s
much to be read here first.
