Michael Gray is een vooraanstaand criticus, schrijver en omroepfiguur die wordt erkend als een wereldautoriteit op het gebied van het werk van Bob Dylan. Zijn expertise strekt zich diep uit tot de rock-'n-rollgeschiedenis, met een bijzondere interesse in pre-oorlogse blues en reisverhalen. Gray's benadering is analytisch en richt zich op de artistieke ontwikkeling, thematische zorgen en stilistische innovaties binnen de muziek die hij bestudeert. Hij biedt diepgaande inzichten in het vakmanschap en de culturele betekenis van muzikanten, en levert een academisch maar toegankelijk onderzoek van hun creatieve output.
1st edn (Special edition 287 of 550). 8vo. Original gilt lettered black cloth (Fine), dustwrapper (Fine in protective cover, not price clipped). Pp. 351, illus with b&w photos (previous owner's neat annotation on title page).
"The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia is the culmination of over thirty years of dedicated research and scholarship by Michael Gray." "Inside these pages, you'll find a world of ideas, facts, and opinions. It's a world in which Baudelaire flows on from the Basement Tapes and A.S. Byatt looks out at the Byrds: in which Far from the Madding Crowd follows Ezekiel and Bob Geldof introduced Jean Genet: and in which Hank and William Carlos Williams stand side by side while J.R.R. Tolkien trails Titanic. Most of all, of course, it's a world in which everyone and everything interconnects with one of our greatest living artists: Bob Dylan."--Jacket
Provides a definitive retrospective appraisal of almost 40 years of work by one of the 20th centuries most significant artists. The author provides in this new edition fresh material and analysis. The material both updates the book through 1999 and offers major new studies of Dylan's entire oeuvre.
Bob Dylan stands as the most significant and contentious figure in rock music, consistently leading rather than following trends. His artistic journey is ongoing, defying the notion of a singular definitive album. Michael Gray posits that Dylan's work should be evaluated as a cohesive and evolving body of art, comparable to the finest poets and writers in English literature. Through extensive song quotations, Gray illustrates how Dylan has harnessed contemporary American idioms, folk, blues, literature, and rock to forge a groundbreaking musical awareness, effectively "unchaining public taste" and elevating pop to art. The text offers an insightful introduction to Dylan's oeuvre from 1962 to 1990, exploring his linguistic and musical evolution, from Protest Singer to Born Again Christian, while highlighting recurring themes and motifs. Ultimately, it is a celebration of the art of listening to Dylan and a deep appreciation of his artistry. A previous edition garnered critical acclaim in both the U.S. and U.K. Michael Gray, a seasoned music writer for various prominent publications, has also worked in the music industry, giving him a unique perspective on Dylan's impact. He resides in England.
When Frank Zappa died of cancer in 1993, the world lost a talent with a memorably irreverent, intelligent personality. Here Michael Gray follows the trajectory of Zappa’s career, documenting his move to California and the formation of The Mothers of Invention. The short but remarkable life of one of rock’s most un-compromising figures is updated here to include a reassessment of Zappa’s continued influence on a new generation of artists and fans. 60 black-and-white photographs are included.