Dylan, Dylan, everywhere…

It’s remarkable. The Dylan bandwagon just seems to pick up more and more speed. The man seems to be everywhere. In the space of 36 hours recently I had numerous public encounters with things Dylan:

* Dylan on Dylan, the new(ish) interviews collection, was being displayed, face out, at half price in Asda supermarket’s book section

* UNCUT’s Bob cover issue was still on sale at my (tardy) local newsagent

* the admirable Amy Winehouse, England’s hottest pop sensation, led the massed choir in a rousing version of The Mighty Quinn as the finale to Jools Holland’s New Year’s Eve rockpop show on TV

* Hard Rain (sung by someone I didn’t recognise) provided the soundtrack to a new TV ad for a rugged Mitsubishi commercial/hard man leisure vehicle. I know I didn’t dream it because reader Andy Miller saw it, too

* BBC 6 Music started its run of Theme Time Radio Hour with the baseball programme

* and the Sunday Times carried an ad for the April tour.

Blimey – what’s it going to be like when Dylan’s in the country in the spring? He’s never been so visible in England as he is at the moment.



Gerry Smith