Monday, February 21, 2005
Dylanology: Luc Sante weighs in.
I am just getting to the Mynah Birds period in Jimmy McDonough's Neil Young biography, "Shakey", and I am enjoying it a great deal. The Bard of Hibbing is a constant referent, as well he might be, but Young is in no way diminshed by this. Still, it is interesting to consider where Young fits in the pantheon: he is a quirky figure. Think about it: are there any great musicians that Young can claim to have "discovered"? (Nils Lofgren?) Who, besides everyone, has he influenced? How many great Neil Young covers are there? (Brian Ferry's "Like a Hurricane"? Nicolette Larson's "Lotta Love"?) And yet, there he is, one of the towering figures in this music, indisputably great, even though defining that greatness is a challenge. I expect I'll revisit this topic when I've finished the book-- I'm presently stuck in an airport, so that may be sooner than I'd planned.
I am just getting to the Mynah Birds period in Jimmy McDonough's Neil Young biography, "Shakey", and I am enjoying it a great deal. The Bard of Hibbing is a constant referent, as well he might be, but Young is in no way diminshed by this. Still, it is interesting to consider where Young fits in the pantheon: he is a quirky figure. Think about it: are there any great musicians that Young can claim to have "discovered"? (Nils Lofgren?) Who, besides everyone, has he influenced? How many great Neil Young covers are there? (Brian Ferry's "Like a Hurricane"? Nicolette Larson's "Lotta Love"?) And yet, there he is, one of the towering figures in this music, indisputably great, even though defining that greatness is a challenge. I expect I'll revisit this topic when I've finished the book-- I'm presently stuck in an airport, so that may be sooner than I'd planned.
// posted by Bill @ 2:43 PM 
Post a Comment