"the dust of rumors covers me."

EDLIS FILE - The Myths and Legends of Bob Dylan

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                      "Good car to drive, after a war."

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Several years ago I received thin wild radio transmissions comissioning me to wield a white-gloved finger at the dust of rumor and myth that surrounds Bob Dylan, the fall out of contemplatives who have long proffered rumor and speculation in attempt to make sense of this funny man that keeps rolling along. This file is an attempt to pierce the dust with an arrow straight and slick.

And so, the following is thrown to the wind for you edification, merriment and comment. Some may be fact, some surely wild speculation; all are gathered from the bandwidth of rec.music.dylan and the world at large, as are the refutations and facts presented. Please send me mail with any comments or offerings for this page.

Future plans of the EDLIS Myths and Legends agency might include a file of Dylan's own thoughts on his mythic status, with examples of his own contributions (detractions/foils/abstractions) to the smoke and mirrors nature of the overarching "Myth of Dylan." While apparently fostering certain tall tales regarding his youth as he sought a career as a singer and performer in the early sixties, the deification by the press and the public that followed his success appeared to unnerve him (read: took over his life). Perhaps an overdose of his own medicine?

In the years since he has seemed alternately intrigued/sorry/resentful/tired of the Dylan-myth enterprise. But is he really sorry? Has he continued to foster the myth? Has he disowned it? Is it solely perpetuated by ardent fans trying to understand and get closer to a man who has affected their lives in some mythic way. Does Mr. Dylan need the Myth of Dylan to survive? You tell me.

As an aside, isn't it often a fine line between the myth (rumored or apocryphal events in Dylan's life) and the stories known to be true but that in some way contribute to the general mythos of Dylan's life as a performing artist? I for one get a great kick from the fact that the man may regularly enjoy a nice bicycle ride before a gig--seems too funny to be true, but delightfully appears to be an established fact. Part of what makes him DYLAN, for me.

And then, of course, there is endless analysis to be made of the mythic allusions and strategies in his songs. Perhaps there is already something like this somewhere? Anyone? Links to come.

Here we go:

Myths of the 50's:

Young Robert Zimmerman sometimes took twelve showers a day.
Bob Dylan grew up in Gallup, New Mexico, hung out with Native Americans there, and traveled with carnivals every year from the time he was 13 to 19. [several 1961 interviews.]
Played with any number of 'old blues guys' when he was 15.
When Bob's parents return home early one evening, Bob is forced to sneak a girlfriend out his second-floor bedroom window. She breaks her leg, or something. ("Can you please crawl out MY window?")

Myths of the 60's:

On _Bob Dylan_, the eponymous first album, all songs were recorded in one take each. [1961]
Bob stole the lyrics to 'Blowin' in the Wind' from a high-school kid.
Half-hour long version of 'Like a Rolling Stone' performed. [1966]
Dylan is pictured in drag on the inner fold of the original sleeve for Blonde on Blonde. (Also as the woman on the cover of Bringing It All Back Home )
June 1966 motorcycle accident:
- It was a very serious accident and Bob almost died.
- It was not particularly serious, but it scared the shit out of him.
- Did he really break his neck or did he just need to lay low for awhile?

Myths of the 70's:

Dylan was a dope fiend, strung out on smack at Woodstock. Not that he hadn't tried smack back in the 60's, or course.
The venues for the Rolling Thunder Review did not actually know that Dylan & Co. were the act they had booked. [Untrue in all cases, but widely believed by fans.]
Following The Last Waltz concert, Dylan danced until dawnÐindeed, until breakfast was served. And not dancing with anyone else -- but alone.

Myths of the 80's:

Dylan is often refused backstage entrance at his own shows because security at the door do not recognize him.

Myths of the 90's:

Bob's acoustic albums _Good As I Been to You_ and _World Gone Wrong_ were recorded at home on a portable cassette player and delivered to Sony offices in a shoe box.
In early 1993, Rolling Stone reported that Bob was working on a movie in which he would co-star with Robin Williams in some kind of Back to the Future type thing involving the 60's.
Dylan is reported to be bethrothed to a young traveling companion named Polly. - The Facts.

That's it, so far. Just a start. Comments and contributions are welcomed.

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