MINSTREL BOY : An Introductory Video
Minstrel Boy:
This is the second volume in the series BOB DYLAN: PICASSO OF SONG. It consists of a close examination of Dylan’s work from 1967 to 1990.
Bob Dylan is one of the major cultural figures of the modern age, combining a reverence for the traditions of many forms of American music with a distinctly postmodern sensibility. It is no exaggeration to state that he has revolutionised the art of poetic songwriting. He is a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Pulitzer Prize and numerous other awards, as well as being arguably the most influential single artist in the history of rock music.
This book is the second volume of Bob Dylan: Picasso of Song, a highly comprehensive ‘trilogy in reverse’ which takes ‘deep dives’ into all of Dylan’s songs, while exploring the many ways in which he has used live performance to expand and deepen the effects of his art. Following on from Determined to Stand: The Reinvention of Bob Dylan, which covered his later years, Minstrel Boy focuses on the many artistic and personal metamorphoses he went through between 1967 and 1990 – what might be called his ‘years of struggle’. Dylan could easily have rested on the laurels of his early fame but he refused to be categorised or ‘boxed in’ by the intense personal pressures that were placed on him. Instead, he continued his restless quest to find new ways to present his songs to fans and followers, knowing that they would hang onto every word he said or sang.
Part One, Retreat, examines the period between 1967 and 1973, when he largely shunned public appearances and produced a series of laid back, country-influenced albums. Part Two, Return, looks at the years 1974 to 1978, when he released a number of highly acclaimed recordings and tours which fully restored his reputation as a poetic song writer. Part Three, Rebirth, considers the period between 1979 and 1990, when he underwent a religious conversion, followed by what was generally considered to be an artistic slump and then another surprising ‘upturn’ as he began to re-orientate his approach yet again.
MINSTREL BOY: AUTHOR PROFILE
Chris Gregory is a writer, lecturer and performer. He has been performing his unique style of poetry with musical backing for many years. He is also the author of several novels and a number of published works – Be Seeing You: Decoding The Prisoner (1997), a study of the revolutionary cult 1960s TV series, Star Trek: Parallel Narratives (2000) – an examination of psychological, political and social themes in this popular franchise. Who Could Ask For More: Reclaiming The Beatles (2009) is a radically new look at The Beatles in the context of the (not so-innocent) 1960s. For the last few years he has been working on Picasso of Song, a trilogy of very in depth critical studies of Bob Dylan, beginning with Determined to Stand: The Reinvention of Bob Dylan, which examines his work since 1990. Minstrel Boy: The Metamorphoses of Bob Dylan is concerned with the period from 1967, when he retreated from the public arena, through to his artistic triumphs of the mid 70s, followed by his religious conversion and its aftermath. The third volume will be a study of Dylan’s early years up to his decision to ‘go electric’ in 1966.
Chris has also gained a considerable regular following for his podcast Bob Dylan: A Headful of Ideas, which has been voted by and other sites as one of the Top Bob Dylan Podcasts on the Internet. The podcast can be found on youtube, spotify, audible, buzzsprout, podbean, Apple Podcasts and other online platforms.
Although Chris has worked as a college lecturer, and his books are suitable for study in universities, he writes in a highly accessible style, mixing in depth analysis with colloquial language and a fair degree of humour. The books on Dylan are intended to enhance fans’ appreciation of his songs rather than – as some Dylan authors do – categorising the songs as ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Picasso of Song is an attempt to create a detailed and definitive study of a figure who looms large in both literary and musical worlds. It attempts to do justice to a figure who has had an extraordinarily long career and who is still performing unique shows in his mid-80s. Dylan’s profile has been further enhanced by the recent release of the Oscar-nominated biopic A Complete Unknown, which has introduced him to a younger asudience.
Derek Barker, renowned Dylan expert and editor of ‘Isis’, the UK’s leading Bob Dylan magazine, stated in his review that: …Gregory’s writing is wonderful. He manages to be truly informative and explanatory as well as being really easy to read…
LINKS
STILL ON THE ROAD – ALL DYLAN’S GIGS
THE CAMBRIDGE BOB DYLAN SOCIETY
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