I’m sure you’ve all seen the story by now about Bob Dylan getting arrested in Long Branch, New Jersey, the other day, when he was wandering around in a neighborhood there before his concert, and was suspected of vagrancy by a young police officer unfamiliar with his legend. A lot of the news reports about the incident have already checked in with appropriate phrases and puns from Dylan’s songs — “only a hobo,” “like a complete unknown,” etc. — so I want to get my two cents in too, before the next news cycle. Personally I bet Zimmie (who reportedly readily cooperated with the out-of-the-loop cop) was pleasantly surprised not to be recognised, after nearly half-a-century of him playing his Nothing-is-revealed games with the press and public. So I hope you enjoyed your 15 minutes of anonymity, Bob, maybe you’re not a big fish in pop music any longer, but “only a prawn in their game!”
4 Responses to Because the Vandals Stole (His) Handle . . .
Poor Bob. He does look quite scruffy sometimes – I remember him falling asleep during the ceremony when he was receiving an honorary award from a Scottish university.
I happened into Duke’s coffee shop in the Tropicana Motel one late morning back in 1973. At the time Duke’s was a very good coffee shop in a rather shabby motel on Santa Monica.
I think I’d just met Rodney Bingenheimer the night before, when he waved me over to his table where he was sitting with a fellow I was sure was homeless and old. I briefly hesitated.
Turned out to be Tom Waits.
Truly a man out of time… “the oldest young guy I ever met,” according to the great Shelly Manne (who drummed on SMALL CHANGE)
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