Editor's Note:
Retroflection is a play on words, reflecting back to another time or place. Webster’s defines
retroflection as a bending back – well, close enough. Hell, if corporate America with all their
MBA’s can fucking redefine the English language – so can I.
Retroflection is a play on words, reflecting back to another time or place. Webster’s defines
retroflection as a bending back – well, close enough. Hell, if corporate America with all their
MBA’s can fucking redefine the English language – so can I.
| “In those days, artistic success was not dollar driven. It was a simpler time, it was more about if you had something to say. " Bobby Neuwirth |
No Direction Home
Looking Back on Genius
By D. E. Keith
Many times when I think of Martin Scorsese’s films,
I always remember his raw, violent New York street
themed movies. Recently while watching IFC, I was
reminded that is was Scorsese that produced The
Last Waltz – which is an excellent documentary of
The Band in concert. One could easily forget that
Scorsese has quite a gift as a music documentarian
and he proves this talent hands down with No
Direction Home.
With the help of film footage taken from D. A.
Pennebaker’s film “Bob Dylan - Don’t Look Back”,
still photos, and countless interviews with Dylan,
fellow folk musicians (i.e. Joan Baez, Peter Yarrow,
Pete Seger) and producers of that time, he captures
the pureness of the budding artistic genius of Bob
Dylan, as well as the times in which his songwriting
talent evolved. The focus of the film is from his
earliest beginnings in Minnesota to his much
publicized motorcycle accident in July 1966.
Looking Back on Genius
By D. E. Keith
Many times when I think of Martin Scorsese’s films,
I always remember his raw, violent New York street
themed movies. Recently while watching IFC, I was
reminded that is was Scorsese that produced The
Last Waltz – which is an excellent documentary of
The Band in concert. One could easily forget that
Scorsese has quite a gift as a music documentarian
and he proves this talent hands down with No
Direction Home.
With the help of film footage taken from D. A.
Pennebaker’s film “Bob Dylan - Don’t Look Back”,
still photos, and countless interviews with Dylan,
fellow folk musicians (i.e. Joan Baez, Peter Yarrow,
Pete Seger) and producers of that time, he captures
the pureness of the budding artistic genius of Bob
Dylan, as well as the times in which his songwriting
talent evolved. The focus of the film is from his
earliest beginnings in Minnesota to his much
publicized motorcycle accident in July 1966.
Many people today view established artists – legends like Dylan with a jaded eye believing
that they have always been pampered artists – No Direction Home proves otherwise. As
Bobby Neuwirth states in the film, “In those days, artistic success was not dollar driven. It
was a simpler time, it was more about if you had something to say. It was how people were
rated. Did they have something to say or not.” Relevance was artistic capital in the 60’s.
Starting the story in the iron mining town of Hibbing Minnesota where Dylan grew up, the film
captures the desolation of his birthplace and as he grew up, his growing desire to escape his
environment and reinvent himself. Learning guitar in his youth, his first goal was to emulate
folk hero, Woody Guthrie. After leaving Hibbing, Dylan kicked around playing various places
until arriving in New York City where he found the coffee house crowd that was propelling the
poetry and folk music scene. In time, Dylan started to build a following as he began to write
his own songs, finding his voice in the changing times and growing civil rights movement.
It was at this juncture when a well-respected Artist Rep. John Hammond convinced Columbia
Records to sign Dylan to a record contract. Columbia did it out of respect to Hammond, not
because they were convinced that Dylan had any talent. In time Hammond wisdom would
prove prophetic.
In the 60's protest songs and folk music played a vital role in influencing the changing times
in America and Dylan’s songs were cutting edge at defining those times. His songs were
moving a generation toward social activism. This movement was also helped along by other
folk artists covering his songs. Dylan - never content to stand still, grew restless with the
status quo of the folk scene. With his creative juices overflowing he began to move in other
artistic directions, namely into the realm of the dreaded electric rock genre.
Change isn’t something the masses - young or old embrace willingly. The film shows how
much shit was thrown at him from fans unwilling to accept that Dylan had moved on. The
constant booing and name calling at every concert – calling him a sell-out to folk music was
just incredible. But, like a true artist he stuck to his guns and played on – on his terms. He
continued to create the music he wanted while never completely understanding the level of
abuse from his fan base, but he rarely bitched about it either.
In watching this film you begin to fully realize the depth of his genius as a poet and as a song
writer. I came away with a new found respect for an artist unwilling to compromise his art. It
should also make us feel like assholes when, as an audience - we refuse to be open to new
songs or ideas from our established artists. We demand that they stand still, never changing
or growing, then we resent the fact that they feel compelled to play it safe. Lucinda Williams
once said to her audience in Anaheim CA, “you can’t have old songs without listening to new
ones.”
No Direction Home perfectly outlines Dylan’s artistic growth during a very turbulent time in his
career and in America. The film concludes in July 1966 just before his famous motorcycle
accident and the end of his live performances for the next eight years. Dylan would take this
time to evolve and redefine himself and his art - perhaps waiting for the rest of us to catch up.
To the indie artists and music fans out there, No Direction Home is a must see film and a
worthy edition to your DVD collection in 2006
that they have always been pampered artists – No Direction Home proves otherwise. As
Bobby Neuwirth states in the film, “In those days, artistic success was not dollar driven. It
was a simpler time, it was more about if you had something to say. It was how people were
rated. Did they have something to say or not.” Relevance was artistic capital in the 60’s.
Starting the story in the iron mining town of Hibbing Minnesota where Dylan grew up, the film
captures the desolation of his birthplace and as he grew up, his growing desire to escape his
environment and reinvent himself. Learning guitar in his youth, his first goal was to emulate
folk hero, Woody Guthrie. After leaving Hibbing, Dylan kicked around playing various places
until arriving in New York City where he found the coffee house crowd that was propelling the
poetry and folk music scene. In time, Dylan started to build a following as he began to write
his own songs, finding his voice in the changing times and growing civil rights movement.
It was at this juncture when a well-respected Artist Rep. John Hammond convinced Columbia
Records to sign Dylan to a record contract. Columbia did it out of respect to Hammond, not
because they were convinced that Dylan had any talent. In time Hammond wisdom would
prove prophetic.
In the 60's protest songs and folk music played a vital role in influencing the changing times
in America and Dylan’s songs were cutting edge at defining those times. His songs were
moving a generation toward social activism. This movement was also helped along by other
folk artists covering his songs. Dylan - never content to stand still, grew restless with the
status quo of the folk scene. With his creative juices overflowing he began to move in other
artistic directions, namely into the realm of the dreaded electric rock genre.
Change isn’t something the masses - young or old embrace willingly. The film shows how
much shit was thrown at him from fans unwilling to accept that Dylan had moved on. The
constant booing and name calling at every concert – calling him a sell-out to folk music was
just incredible. But, like a true artist he stuck to his guns and played on – on his terms. He
continued to create the music he wanted while never completely understanding the level of
abuse from his fan base, but he rarely bitched about it either.
In watching this film you begin to fully realize the depth of his genius as a poet and as a song
writer. I came away with a new found respect for an artist unwilling to compromise his art. It
should also make us feel like assholes when, as an audience - we refuse to be open to new
songs or ideas from our established artists. We demand that they stand still, never changing
or growing, then we resent the fact that they feel compelled to play it safe. Lucinda Williams
once said to her audience in Anaheim CA, “you can’t have old songs without listening to new
ones.”
No Direction Home perfectly outlines Dylan’s artistic growth during a very turbulent time in his
career and in America. The film concludes in July 1966 just before his famous motorcycle
accident and the end of his live performances for the next eight years. Dylan would take this
time to evolve and redefine himself and his art - perhaps waiting for the rest of us to catch up.
To the indie artists and music fans out there, No Direction Home is a must see film and a
worthy edition to your DVD collection in 2006
| ©Indietude.com 2006 |
| Retroflection |