Bob Dylan turns 85 today – the Dylan-Ginsberg connection
Randy Roark provides invaluable pages – here
and Steve Silberman, back in 2018, very kindly unearthed a 1977 conversation (a fourteen-page typed-transcript of an interview between Allen and Bob regarding Bob’s legendary Renaldo and Clara movie)
Allen eulogizing Bob – here and here – (“I think he is a very great poet, he’s a loveable genius, and I hope he lives to be a hundred”)
Allen and Bob at Jack Kerouac’s grave – see here and here
Allen and Bob were, of course, together in the Rolling Thunder Revue – see here
Bob was one of Allen’s “heroes”
Previous birthday greetings (there’s plenty of them) on The Allen Ginsberg Project:
Last year, for example, we discovered an unpublished Ginsberg-on-Dylan poem, the previous year, from Pat Thomas’ Material Wealth), Allen’s notes on Dylan’s “Idiot Wind”.
2022 (an Introduction to the newly-established Bob Dylan Center), 2021 (a major posting on Bob’s 80th birthday)), 2020 (links to more Ginsberg-Dylan links (including several more Dylan birthday postings))
Some great stories – Raymond Foye on the day Bob Dylan came to visit Allen and missed out on meeting Harry Smith
Michael McClure’s first-hand reporting on Bob’s genius – see here
A collection of markers –
Bob Dylan at 85 Forever Young ? – James T Keene in America (Jesuit Review)
Simon O’ Hagan – Bob Dylan at 85 and The Critical Appraisal He Deserves (Sceptered Dial)
John Nogowski – The Birthday Boy Turns 85
Danny Clifford – Bob Dylan at 85, the Man, the Myth, the Cigarettes
Charlie Reeksieck – Still Going Strong – Bob Dylan at 85 in The San Diego Troubadour
Ray Padgett – “An Oral History of Bob Dylan’s ‘Hard Rain’ Concert – Expanded (Flagging Down The Double E’s)
This was 50 years ago – yesterday!
For Bob Dylan’s 85th Birthday Seth Rogovoy an 85-minute Playlist (Daily Forward)
Today 8-2 WKCR Birthday Broadcast
And, per previous birthdays, a few posters, a scattering of announcements of Bob Dylan birthday celebrations:
New York City (The Bitter End)
HAPPY 85th BIRTHDAY, Bob !
Happy 85th birthday Mr Dylan may you continue on writing lyrics feather magical and truly means something to this world you are loved by billions and billions of people in the whole world
Saw him at Hollywood Bowl in ’63 or ’64 as a “surprise” guest to Joan Baez and many times since. I’m 78 and still enjoying Bob!
Gonna see him in Palm Desert next month
Happy, Happy Birthday Bobby….
i have loved you & your songs for so long now i can no longer recall what the name of my dinosaur was?
In this crazy messed up world, where we are told not to believe our five senses, and that 2+2= 5 you have given me the truth with your with,and sarcasm. Happy birthday Zimmy. Keep on rolling.
TRULY a Legend!!! And a Spirit-Shining Vessel! ONE WAY. YESHUA!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAN!!!
Since Pete Seeger introduced you I’ve never stopped listening..
Then my only son was born on your Birthday.
Your always welcome to share one more Cup of Coffee ☕️
Thanks for sharing your life’s ,music with us.
Sincerely
HAPPY,HEALTHY& MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS TO COME
IMAGINE 🌎 ✌🏼 💗 🎼 🎵 🎶
Enjoy your Birthday Bob.May God Bless You!
Happy Birthday Bob love you and your music all my life and may you stay forever young 💗 🎸🎸
Mazal Tov and Happy Birthday Robert! So glad I visited the Chelsea last year and saw where you wrote the songs from B.O.B. and I even wrote a series of albums about the others that had stayed there at The Chelsea too. As I wrote in my bio, ‘You were like the father that I never had’ as you guided me through life through your works. Through you I discovered and delved into the books of wisdom and read poets you referenced, and of course wrote some songs about them, like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and more.
Thank you Robert, and as we say in Hebrew, ‘Ad 120’ (may you live to 120) and like Moses, “may your eye remain undimmed and your vigor unabated”.
Thank you for so much. Happy Birthday Bob.
Happy Birthday Bob
Saw you for the first time on October 16th 1987…after a near hurricane hit London…aged 21…will be 60 this year.
Keep on travelling