weberman dylan interview 1970
TRANSCRIPT
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 1/12
.. • j g;:_ ~ - _ ......
)
DYLAN I< EETS \'IEBERJvJAN
a Dylan interview condmcted bya j weberman, dylanologist
PREPACE
- ·- ~ - - . ----.--
The follo11ing :l.nterview. i s ac tua l ly a serj_s of convers.:iltj_ons I had with_Dylan in ea r ly Jan. 1 9 7 ~ Since D wouldnt l e t me record them I had to re -[ construe t them thr>u my reco l l ec t ions . When I sz0ee1 showed Bob v1ha t I had come t
~ u p H ith he sa id 11 There .1 s l i e s in there _that 1 s snea {y sh i t t l kin to a cat, ,then i•ll itting about i t \ le cor ' rected my. e r ro r s over the p:10ne D gave me s o m ~dir-ect quotes Q: recorded the p}rS:N cal l ;& have includeEl par t s of itpx: :.t:M:: :NI th ink I caur;:1c the leap of D's bound to some extent .
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 2/12
·
a Dtlan interview o n d u t ~ d byAJ \·/EEEHf ];i.N, D;Jlanolog:i.st rHn i s t e r
of Defense, DJlan Libera t ion Fn
'
. I vras r ea l l y fuclzing hast led the day I meet Dylan. Pigs. Heavy.shi t .
r
l vras go:i.n f'ucJ{in crazy. I made :i t to the D d.ass t ha t l teach each Vl281. a t
'- then sa id- ' l ' o n j . e ~ h t 1 s the f iel .d tdp to
the Alternate u gave a short rap.• . . f . . .
t o \ ' @ _ l Z . ~ ~ ~ - : i _ u : < : : ~ J l g a l l s t . 'l hen. weD 1 s pad. 11 _About 50 of us headed down 6 th fw
got to Lith St . I jJo;\.ntea· ou.t·:,tl\e pad D l ived
. . h
in from 6 ;:-64 a·nd .tr;i.ed; to. ' e):ptain
. : i t reJ a ted to D 1 s s 1 n g l ~ - POSITIVELY FOURTH STREE'r. tm t th1s drunk woulnt l e t
me ge t a word 5.n edgel' lise. \'le contJ.nued to march plcl{ed-up a couple of str-eet
kids alonG the way (J;hats ·.the dangerous par t about do:Lng something l i ke t h i s -
l ike I could t r u s t the people in my c lass but these ¥.J.ds were f u l l of · un-
d i rec ted violence) S ~ o n we were a l l s tanding i n f r on t of D1
s . I began to ye l l
HEY BOBBY .pLEI;.S : CRA\· L 0Url1 YOUR 1/JINDO':l. Someone ls screamed-OPEN THE DOOR
EOJJIW. The l i gh t s s t a r t e d to go on and off and one o f D1s kids came to the
window & s t a r t e d playing with h i s blocks on the sill bui ld ing s o r t of a wal l
aga:j.nst us, . t - l e ~ stopped ye l l i ng . ~ L i m i i t e d the class· ' intiJ,.D.":.3· ' lobby in order
to shO .·I them ·,·rhere D "came down to the lol;Jby to make. a small ca.J.lciu::t" ou t by
th5.s t ime the class had s jbl i t in to 2 groups-;- the hardcore Dylan Li'oerationd.sts. . _.
\'Jere v:ith rne in the ha l l , v;hile the peop le with grouple t e ~ d e n c j _ e s ' r,.;ere stand-- ·
1np; acr>oss the s t r ee t . Then . E r ; L c - ~ H l l i < U i l s ~ (DLF), s a ~ d - H e y man, I sa'.'l someone
l>ook':.out·from on. top of . the . · . s ta i rs for a f lash Dylan was home
\'IP went outs1de I decieded to go th ru D 1 s gar>bage wi:th the c lass so
they formed a c i r c l e around me. David Peel (DLF) poin ted ou t t h a t h i s garbage
bags were green, l ik h i s money. i1yI' . fl .·Garbage .Art icle had a l ready come out so
the re was nothine; of inter>est .to be found ou t we dld the thin::; anyr,·ray ThEm ol
·o f the s t r e e t kj.ds de'cieded he was gonna enter; D 1 s t h ru 2. · ·,·rindor,'[_ I 0a s 'ekj)la.. • r f.:' ' . . \ . ......
1ns fihat':.\{,jttfdo . . t · o . : J - d . r ~ l - , i f · he ti:.ied - i - b · · . - ~ ~ I ·v·.raspt ready for an ille ;Ell .demo-ye. . '' . .
v:hen Sharon DLF-groupie tendencies) come G oYer a·nd · s a y s - ~ r:Thcre1
s someone s t:3
i n ~ , ; across- t ~ e s t r : : : : e J ~ NhO looks JUST LIKE ·DYLAN
Holy sh i t
1 thought r r ~ . · J h a t,_
,----·-
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 3/12
the .CL'tc.k am I going to do? D 1 s e3.ught· :a8 rec1--hanc1ed goin;:-; thru. hJs' .
garbage. He'
·gonna.be p ~ s s e d ~ o f f . . . he may .get v i o l c n ~ . I m ~ y h ~ v e to ·beat the gh i t out_of
tha t sl:Lrncy bootl ickGr here and no\'r'. I lool<ed up and s ~ w Bob stand:Lt;g di rec t ly
acr9ss the s t .reet from me- he vms dr·essed in del'\i 'H/' wearing_ r imless g lasses &
it loolced l i ke srnolw ~ 1 a s coming_ ou t of his hea.d. I, j u s t stood t he re . David Peel
came over and pushed me foi· ard. It was l i ke High Noon. Do not forsake oh my·
Dylanolog;y" I eventua l ly walked over to D;v1ho looked 1 ~ . 1 - : e a cross between some
one in his ' cur ren t bat:;' and a •ralmudical Scholalj and said H011. a re you, man?"
"Turin of'f the tape recorder ( I had one with me & I did) Then D sa5.d "Al, l'lhY ·c
ye br ing a l l these people around my house for?"- I t ' s a field. t r i p for my Dylar
c lass man ... but ac tua l ly it s a demonstrat ion aga ins t you and a l l youve cor.1e tc
rep resen t in rock music 11 "Alan, let s go t a l k about thj . s" and he took c1e by thE
1· arm ( I 1me\•i tha t very i n s t an t he mearit to do me har·m) & he s t a r t ed pu t t ing .on
the pres sure and I had no o ther choice except but for to t ~ O . · "Cool :i t man" I
· y e l l ed . that £uckin hurts n o v i o l e n ~ e u n i e s s you want to f i gh t it out here
an d noH" "Al, did you ever vrrite anything about my Karate? Ever wr·ite anythin(\u {{ t\ \1 t: · i. t . ~ ; ~ \ : _ ; , ~ { . ?
about my ra.Celt 11 11 1 knev.J you t o ~ k Karate but I never wrote anything about it . . .
your race ... ? \'lha t race are you, Alan ?-;:-"The . hUiiia'n- race - ~ A l 1 d - , ; ;hatrace- we·re
. yer paren t s "l'lell they considered themse·l·res Jewish, I guess" . You .sure you .
never wrote anything about my r;ace?" No man i;t; a in t yer rac·e I ob jec t to , i t s
. yer pol i t j . cs and l i fes t ; r l e " 'dell , I d idn t _thin}( yc 1_ w ~ u l c i , Al" . "Hey Bob v1hat
do.
do i·ii th aJ.J. moneyn · I t a l l to K1bbutzim Israelyou your goes in and Far
Rocl-:away" n ut you ,,,ere one of' the f i r s t Jevis to put down I srae ln
11
\ lhere.?
11
"I t 1 ' t t "l 'Tu"'R. SIDE o-, D" D t ' . ' In -11e lner no ·es o A1 li ..u.J... j 11 on remem.oer you <no•:J AlJ youve
been in the c i ty too long, the c i ty does something to your. th inking - I knot:l
hOt .r it i SH
ri pat dmm on tT1.is stoop a fe1·1 block f'rom h i s pad and we continueEi. the
c o n v e r s a t i o n - ' \ /hat about your cb Bobby?" He denied it and l l id something t ha t
would make many people bel:5.eve he was t e l l ing the t ru th . But not A.J . Like he
S·av<:'·- 111,·,·e,_l;J. -rly over the: o c e c ~ J - . · · ~ , , ~ · tl · L rrh • ~ w o ~ as ~ y SUSp8CG (11 Fly over ocean 11 1s a
',,. .·
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 4/12
i
I .I
II
.•
.
raetap:·wr fo r D's c b fro rl ot:'1er contcx tf.;) La t 2r on :1c to l d me -11
EVCPyon'2 1 S b ee n
a s c i. n[; n)e a bout yo..:..r \'ll.,i t :Lnc 11 •rrm HUf.IOIL ' ''.l'h e r:1an in Dyl a n V ould c1o nea r ly
nny ta s :< i•/hen as ke c1 for
my 'J.'OES up to '{ n l L'., Imy r • • · ::>
t · ,... ,1 · u J' t ' s t ·· e h ·, r 'O :':lp CD-:>3. ] .;,n , ., , . : A ::,•• • -- h:Ls cur·ren t bas .
IH£; Vlha t I mean .
Scbr;J.e•: h2. t t aken aback: by D's L l l i n ~ to coope ra te I to ld b:Lm-· 1i.8.n t.>ut
ther e 1 s a l l th i s evidence in your p oetl':y - I could s tand here fo r hours and
hour s runnin g it a l l down . . . ~ d then t he r e ' s a l l t he .sonss wri t t en to yo u ~ yothe r poe t s in yer own l a n.:.:;uage put t in g you dOi'm f or y.om, cb AlJ you've g o t
to keep in
ke years
· So we ta lked . ·n sa id ~ e d i dnt dig the P a n t ~ e r s because o f the i r p o s ~ t i o n.1'
on i'·1ld eas t s i tuab.on- nL i t t l e I s r ~ ve r s us a l l t i - l ~ s e . . ... '' I s ta rted to
exp la in to D how ti1.e Panthers bel ieved tha t eve r• ;:;rone ha s a r i zht to J c ; ·T
A "ahs t.ND Palasten:Lan r efu..:;ees ·,,ihen th i s · k:Ld f r ma n ~ y c la ss c o:,1cs ove r and sa y
he wants to tall< to D. I t o ld h im tha t was c oo l but to wait un t i l we got done
. . . . I ha d s o t i . 1 i n g impor-'c.:;.nt to sa y to Bob & I d i cln t k :l i f I 1 d ever see h2.r:
a,:;aj.n , ( I ~ - v a s ..s e i zlns the t j_me ) So th e p unk s a ys - Yo u :re fu l l of s hj_t and so
s Dylano l 06Y " . so I grah bed him by the col la r & screamed SPLIT ASSHOLE :rre
l e f t but as he vTa s soin.z he ye lle d out i n g;r ade -sc ho o l in'cin.a t i o n ~ l E B E R f L..l.N 1 S
BOO'l'LEGGING TA. :RANTULA (D ' s supre ssed nov e l ) Dy l an sa id I only had ha l f of t h· , jJ ; ,, 1
b k J ' 1 , l f . , r; f l" -1 • • , &· oo · · - c:-1e ot1er na . v1as · l ~ n n .oo.,:. .J;:p;.G.G ·A - hat I shou ld never v1orry about
runnins out of th in6s to in te rp re t . He sa id he was gonna i nv i te me up to ·V/ood ·
. .
ock a couple of mohths a:::;e . I asked ".Eo;" come you d i dn .t J how c·ooe I had to
ve a demonstrat.ion in f ront of yer house to ee t you to n ~ g o t i a t e you kne\·J
... · ho i·I dedicated 1 am & how ITe ll I knovt ye r work. ':I kno \·l Al , a nd one day \ e ' 11
go for a r id e t o s e t h e ~ and I ' 11 i n t e rp re t a l l ffi;'/ poems for ya II11 \Ve a i n t rc.-o in
. r ,-t ·r , '· . . ?
do •:m by th e docksJ are v-re?" ".No • . .yoy scar ed rriy 0 ~ : t > ; ~ i r i i i - g i ; t ~ tha t : < 1 ' _f t CJ(,. f;. · · · .
Sorry man , I didu ·c mean t drag yer : : ; int:P it o t " : i t i m h u n . 1 7 - t h . e m , . . . ~ - , : _, - , ........ ..........__n. - .. 4 - : " ' " - ~ · "
. .
~
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 5/12
.-··:w • · I. tolcl tl1c·1n 1'/·.,.,er·e yo•t •.·J•"re a t they.r rchives ,, - - ' w
thcn .1sht a.bou t. t r a e i ~ n : : . ; your
<::j\t:{•,vl 0jf1/'if,"f · 5 :P.plo.ce but. i to la them DOl'l'l' DO I l . . . . :i. t a: .nt f aj_r to t ; t : £ ~ ~ 'Al , I l:no1·1 a.
,: · J 1 af'tc.r th.a'c 1 Garbage_. Y t h i n ~ , · -J.o'c of' people who want to hur c you, espc;c:J.a .. . Y .. ~ •
\ · to n1y p; >r'_,-,a.,_.·e '· •·c;'·e s·o·Jll·e .·.or j_ tb ~ c k
toyou Jmo;:l a.l l t.hese college .dds come ~ .. --
theh; dorms _ you •:JOuJ.dnt l:Llce these ldds. e i ther · . : ·,G_et a gm;bar;e c;n1pacter
and I' J.l ·eome around and pj_elc j_t. up onee a vreek 1' • . "I dont l:Lke n a ~ h i n e ; s . . no
• • · 11 J.d ,-t • c- rne o ~ r c - d •,•1.ould you?11·_
11
You·scared?11
t h a t ' s not t rue Bob you wou. n _ ~ a v L ,
' +-h · u hare t · n ~ 11•.orr-- -po•,·rex·· r n i11 Sure I am, t i s i s an ·ol ie;arcny > v. e more money YO ' r.. .
. . ; ; :... '1·wouldAdO iG, n_ J
dont v1.orry, it s too- l a t e anyvray" :'.'I Oidilt·othinl{ so raan,
:it:.:vTi:llJ.J.r;\ :be ·.J.ike :Glft.:of'finr; Nader, but if you do, you BEETER do ·a . good job.
11
seem
;r: went on gave D_ a·. rap ' against Imperial ism, Rs.cism Sexism (he didnt
lH:e .he vras J . is tening) and then I t o l d him tha t HAS JITILLE SKYLHill sucked
'1·1hile SELF PORTRAIT was a storied r ip -oBf since many people bought it, played. . .
i t o n c e , and-stuck it on the i r she l f . Ne:i.ther album ' r-elated to objec t ive
i r ea l i t y . DyJ.an re spondee\. quie t ly- 1,/ell·, _there ·wer-e 2 good songs on S. P. , DAYS
I
I
. OF FORTY NINE and KOPPER KETTLE . . . and without those 2 lps. they 1 d be no NE\>1
NORNIHG, anyway I 'm _ j u s t s t a r t i ng to get back on my f ee t as f a r as my music
goes . . . Al do you use Amphe'cemine" "No man, the r-eason I have so much·energy i s
heq_a.use I •m tuned j_n to the l i f e foree t ha t1s t r y to ~ a s e r ' c i t s e l f here_ o ~ :
ea r t h - ni ALIVE Jv AN" 11 \'lhy v10rry so· much a bout ea r th vrhen there 1s . . . .11
nHha t do
. you v,ran c rue to worry about_, if mars invades ue.? 11 u-vlhat drugs d.o yoU u s ~ J -Al?11
. '
caff ine yo1}:• No drugs" BULLS I T ) ~ . . . . . . . - riLff J 1.. f >{V_S {-/tOI l\1Just r ee fe r &
:iHIJf]Y.S to L-oMif /J- 1 - - b t t i • l t i - ~ i a u t w ~ r c-v&r\-rn,..v::: 11Ji. t1t (.
you'rE an in ter : s t ing fel low, see you in a few weeks" I gave him the power handshake
& he sp l i t . ..•· )
. rt i···· : .'\•Then I got home i was ~ f u c k i n g was tea._ I \'las Hf',R-I·c i
rapping wi thjl8: r 'lawyer friancl
v1hen the phc.:J.e rang:: ' . 'Hello Al > t h i s · · · ·. : f: · · ·, 2s Bob Suddenly the telephone-began tor
' look l i ke my record player . "Hant to . . t , ·. \1
,.
;
iL
come over and. VlSl me t o : ~ r r ? J . o r r o w ? 0
nTha t. .
l i k e askinc; a strune;-_out junkie if he ·wants 2 f ixthank-;:/ou
for heJ.ping me se l l a lo t f ·o. records - you ' re ar t i c l eR ~ a v e ' 1 ·- ne peel. to )Seep it
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 6/12
[.... ~ · · · · · ·. . - ~ · · ·
6)
-·'.
\._____./
e;oj_n£1 "Yeah t ha t ' s on'" aspect of D,vlanolOi :Y I dont d:i.r; . . but I may cancel 1 t
·out soon" "P.l do yo1 have a· dr'1vers l1crJence?" "No, never learned t drive. .
"'l'oo bad I know of th1s chauffer job tha t 1s open" "Are yen tr&t:i.ng to buy me
out man? srr P RIGHT HEHE. I t s j . n ~ f u c k i n g . ~ p o s s i b l e n NoJ no I waBnt trying t o
buy you ·out, I just ' v1anted you · to see l i f e from another ' ;eat, youve benn on the
s t ree t s too· long" "ney Bob, you know tha t song CHAMPAGNE, ILLONIS you v1rote.
gave to C=.rl Perk1ns" "Yeah I f1gured Cal needed a song" "He. needed someth1ng,
anyvJay why not Vlr1 te a song ca l led C A R B O N D . ~ . L E IT L ca1.J.Se . that Is \'/here the pigs
' jus t murdered th1s l ; l l a c ~ m a n v1ho was gpnna t e s t i fy agaj .nst them . . '':·:Dylan remainE
s i l e n t "You there?" "Call ye tornmorrow" I hung-up.The· next day he ca l led me ; to ld me to come ~ v r to h1s midtovm studio
vlith a tape deck & an ampl i f i e r i f I wanted to hear some ra re D t apes cause
a l l he had a t the studj.o was a record player . l. ly old . lady' · Ahri., ·helped· me
take the s tu f f uptovm then s p l i t cause D sa id he vmnted to see me alone .
·Dbegan- I ' ve seen you around a l o t , Al" "Bob, l e t ' s se t up the equipment,
.o.kay_ I wei1t. over to the speaker and asked him to disconnect it he s t a r t ed
umfrewing the te rminal with no l ead on it "Let me do it man" I did the
t h ing . ( 'chis l i t t l e b i t of play ac t ing a.nd the f l i ff about not having a tape
· recorder in his s tudio was a clever ploy designed to conv1nce m.e D wasnt J:nto·- ·
recording conversat ions but I d:idnt go fo r it ma:i.ntaine·d. my cool when it
came to_ saying se l f -incriminating things.
1·/e began- 1·/hat do you th ink of Tim Leary" Dylan asked I thinK he1s
..-
grea t - l i ke he was in to revo lu t ion a l l along but f e l t he could a t t r a c t a l o t
of the mj_ddle class by t a lk ing about it 1n mystj .cal ter)<lS. He's a na t iona l
hero o f T;foodstock Nation. Hhat do you th:i.nk?" I dont. fol low p o l i t t c s Hovr cc
:I: found newspapers in yer garbage every day?" I t ' s not my garbage ev. e '· 3 .,;-o· ~- .. ;
in my b u i l d i n g - we mix a l l the· garbage togetl).er" "Sure ye d o ~ . . hey man, :fiilr
t e l l you something about yer po l i t i c s - they 1 re fucking genoc.tdal - cause I taJ
to a l o t of people whenI 'm
out on the s t ree t s se l l ing TARANTUVl . and mostof
'
. ·._.
•
'
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 7/12
... ' . . . , . : . . ~: · . - - - - ~ · - - - - i ~
, ( ~ )__ v
· the paople I tall{ 'co ro;ot the ir .1pression fror.1 tha t SHTCT OU'r j_ntorv:LG\'1 tha t
.
yoi.l \
.
iii
\
1·1ouldnt leave me alone & J.et we cl.o my thine; up in V oocl.stoclc - eve.ry f ive minute:
support the war in Vietnam I only cUd 'chat to get. back a t the free ·:<' who
there 1·;as someone a 'c my door . I mean th i s fame th:Lng ·got out of hand. · I never
. .
expected to become t h i s fan\ous. I DON'l' DIG I'l'. E v e r y v 1 h e ~ e I go - rrian even· i f
1 go to su:o1e small tovm so,newhere - a bunch of freelcs alvmys ·manac;e }b f:i.nd
me and .then they r.t,o apesh:Lt. Get a lonc;-haired Vlig, theY d never recosnize
you "';lhy dont you buy me one Al. •.·. ;:_ : 'He:y.i:inqn.':.h6vr__:.come .you ~ s s o c , i a t e d your sell;
: VIi th Cash - t ha t lackey was SO conserva t ive at . h ~ . : ~ ; m e :;>,ou :did thin:::;s t o g e t l i . ~ r· still
; that · Ni;.;:on· l a t e r ' i iw i ted h:Un ··to s ing . ak the \•lhi e h o i J . s ~ ~ & c a _ ~ ~ ~ _ s ~ e .. ; : : t ~ - ~ r · ~ i s~ ; a y . to pra i se : Hixon 1 s genolfidal: polic;j,es a;c · .hi s··ci:'n'lcerts . . . -- ___ :[_ · :
.- f.:.._:\i. I v 1 a s a kid . . . I ov-e him. ;i' Bob .0•er so fucki-ng c o n ~ ~ r ' v - 1 t i ~ : ~ : ~ ~ ~ Y : a ~ ~ m ; ~ ~ ~ \J ~ J\ r i s ed Nixon didnt inv i t e you to sing f e r him I am too man h ' a : - . ~
.... \ n l ~ a ~ alr,;ost. a l l the othe r o o c k - ~ ~ ~ · ; ; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ { , - ~ : ~ . ~ - ~ = ; ~ - ~ · - ~Ol·' ' lan U 'e f ' J · t · " "'"h . . . : . . . . ~ · ..vr' . , ~ . ·• P - r . . ~
, . . . _ 6 - -0 :-- or_ : ,er po _-l : ~ . c s . .ey ' r e j u s t using my p h r Q . E f . i : r r G / ' \ - ' " N D " ' " T t f D - ~ .-.c . _ : r - , ~ y D.nders'c:nd • o l ~ a t you' r_e saying the sa.me i•Jay I cJ.o· ...: fr·om stu.dy:i.ng yer p ~ e t r : i
"Vlhy dont you .ask. them about i t ~ - - ; , · : ~ • ~ a : ~ ~ ~ ~ - ; ; ~ : · ~ : ~ ; : : ~ : ~ ~ ~ : ~ H ' s a
l. S G : ~ x s e ~ r e t ~ a n s u a g e & zaR cause of the contraversial- -na tu re .ofy o u r cbw h ~ c l _ 1 tne:;- S:Lng a b o u t - anyway it s poetrv- & i t s up to the 1· t · ·
c r l t:Lc to ~ i ~ .· '· t 11 I . • - . lS ener OD:sure l c ou . . deny l t ' s happenj_ng and so do the,..11
Hey D'•lman>, a l l of JOU can deny ;,·our asses off but as lono- as ya dont come u jat:'anotner system t ha t ' s more · Q t t k "' · ' P nNO"·. conulS en , ma .es more sense e tc . MINE STANDS, DIG?
- -- ----- --________ . . : : : . . . . = . = = = . . . : : . : : = = = = = = : : : : : . . : . = : : : : . = : : : . : t : : : : : : . : : : : : . . . = : . ~ ~ . .I - ~ c · - - , - - ---- ~ ....
. ./\t•l 0 , m<m, if you r ea l l y bel ieve in yer cb,ahd want tp .cont inue to . r _ e ~ a i n in; _ _ _ _ _ _. ________
it, hOVJ come. you copped-out on yourse l f in your_ poetry' ; Anci the p ~ e t r y i s . tind ica t ive ·of a cont :a-
i'' .
Ii'
s imple enough tha t many people unqerstand it. I sn t tha t
I .; dic t ion in yer personalj_ty 1 Nov1 I had Dylan going. e suddenly be came very
· depress0d and dj_dnt say a n y : : \ ~ l i i n g . He looked hur t . I almost f e l t sorl Y Tor hini..'
Hey Bob you okay man? Lilce a l o t of these cats e.re fu l l ' o f shit- put t ing you
do\·rn for not doins anythj_ns v hen t.he::;. . dont do shit themselves·.11 11
Hemember At:
1 1m n o t ~ · l : : U ~ e them . . . not fresh out of C8llei;e . . . . n ni\ 1an, you've been te l l j .ng
everyone my interpr.etat.:1.ons are ~ ' 1 a ~ r of f1
••• • l e t1
s hear yo t intpret one of
your sbn3s then I l l - in te r p r e t i t and vre 1 l l . see whose interpretat ion i ~ better
c . L J . . _e clnCt.... T h 1 - . o ~ · , r my t icks t. OlJ.t th-3 ~ · r i n d ow . . . so vre •nere clo•.-1 .1 l .n 1lro s · ~ ~ r ~ · J l _
the
traj_n was
one:::· sj.nc
lea_vinG ancl I. dicJ.nt 1·1ant to co so I said . . . rr Hey man) didn.t you
t ·ro•\ loanrl ·i11 -:;t .... ll"""' n 0 nCl - t- ...... ... - ... .. - - · ~ j
at a conc·:=rt.in E n ~ ; l a n c 1 r ? 0 Yeahr1.
11 So doesnt ticke)J
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 8/12
..mo n ::-.:J'? 11
'-'A t:Lcl.:ct :i.fi a n y t h : " L n ~ y ou ,:li.ln t :i.t to b e 11 11YOLJ. mea n you r u o l l . :i. s nt.
j cons ls t0nt? "rt. •s as cons i s t en t as me" "So l s n t J.t mone;;? " i t could be D;i l f '
then chans0 d t he subj ec t -11You s u r e you d i dn t v-r r J te any l e t t e r s a bou t uy r a c e ? •
11No rua_n hoH 1n :my t ime s cl.o I ha ve t o t e ll you ... l ik e eve r y l e t te r I t:Iy e r 1:1rote
t o you 1m s on Dyla n Archi ves · s ta t iona Py- wa s tha t?11 11 Yes . I got it r: i.ch t he r e "
( '\ .
He couldnt f:i.nd ity ·~ r ~ J ~
- - ~ ~ ( s i n '1 t-'- ' , 1 · 11 11 - ••
., . ' , _. _ c e e.._ ve r s ._yr:;oo 1ze s a r t ic l e in D 1 s rnbo l 03;J he ma ·,,- :1ave~ ~ r f e r 1 n ~ o pa r ._ of m;{ EV ?_ ' ga r baz e a r t.i.c l e 1, <'lhe r e , a f t e r f i nd i;1o; ca rd s
.... n a n k ~ o u note s f r om D's f a m1lly , I wr ote - · ·aood to s ee Dvl a n i s s ~ ~ l r\
m m ~ r m a n 11Hha I ~ a n ~ by . t ha t Has "Good to see D s.t:L l l a ~ s . . o c c t : a t e s t . . . ~ i th amiddl .,
a.ss , lame s l1lce rns s t r a l r ·ht r e l e t ives I t was a r i f f' i n th L , n1\j A. OHIO & J 1 L •• o _ · ,., • · e enn .,t Druc e
_ _ o 111 eano:n don t be liev e in Z1n1rnerma n •• t r ad i t :i.on & not ant isennetic )
11Did y·ou eve r wri t e a s on 2,; to rne?
11 11Absolute l y no t •• "How about Dea r Landlord
\
or wa s t ha t to Gro ssr:an ?11
••aro.ssma n wasnt in my mind whe n I wr<D te it . Only l a t ~l a t e r v..rhen. peop le P?1nte d out x ~ the s on ;:; ma y have been wri t ten for IH Qe-p .tGvo.I though t 1 t could nave bee n . . . 1 t ' s an abs t r ac t song . . sure as h e ll wasntwri t t en f'or J OU . . I wasnt awa r e of you th e n 11
"Does Albe r t still a c t inf "NO '• .our beLa l
? J ·- ·· - - - - ·· • - .. · ~ - : ; . . . . - ~ - - - - . - - ·· n , ; :-1 · ,._ . _ _ 1'~ . u . D : L ~ t o t , L E f C : J : i l . ; t D Y o n ~ ~ . - _ m ; . : . : . . . , . A . b s o . u t i l i l ~ : : . - : - ~ g ·'_\-
. ~ Q 9 ~ t P R ~ : ; ; - ~ ~ ~ i D L O R I J ~ . . . . i I t - : ; . . ~ · m . . e . . .. q _ ' o s s ~ l t . . n H l i . e ~ ~ t ; ; ~ t 6 p ~ : ~: : : . ; _ : : . - ; ~ . . , . • • • • • • 0 - .
(.,. • . . , ~ fl r
. "1"'18 . "tj • sn n · t \ ·
l.:
I,
·_ Thr<? '---Ghon t o r c onv 2rs3.t ion t_he ph illne r a n g con st-an t ly & a t on e p oin t
~ o m e o n came to the doo r ~ ha nde d D a f a n ·l e tte r & a book of p o ~ : . 1 He re ad
t he f a n l e tte r r.igh t .;the n and thPre .& hande dJ me the booT\:- "Take a l o o k ~ a t it
t¢11 me viliat you th ink- advis e me - you ' r e a knowl e dgeab l e ca t & I could us e
some advic ;;; - ev en ·on p oli j.c s . •• nBulJ. shi t •• I 1s h o iJ.l _d h o.v e a .boo]·:.. of' ·my_ p 9 e1:1S
out in 2 years & a bool( c o n t i n i n ~ a l l my s on:;s shou l d be out- soon & I ' m
· pJ.a nnin.s to r e t hat s ong you ha ve a r a r e tap e of - SHE 1 S YOUR I..OVER NQl.·i-
as a s i n : ~ l 11Bui l sh i t ......wh a t do ' y ou th:tnk about my -v;orlc m:m? " "Yo u r
app .:'o2. c 1 is s:tnce r e11
"You lmm·r· if I l iv ed in anothe r age I migh t h ave be er). a
Talmud:i.c scho la r11
SO '.'iOUld I II I gue SS so - you sa y .. ~ m .. - s inc e r e·' .1.Uhy _did 1t. .
~ o u say ._ tha t in the _Roll ing ·Stone in t8rview i n s tead,: ._ ,.
of ~ a y i n g i wa s w ~ y - o f f. . - 1 : ; .
l l.m ·· · · · .. - ~ - - ~ · - · · - ' • . . : ; -. ~ . . . . . . . I I th . t ' .L l . I1h ., 1. ; i _ ~ ; : ; : . ; i ~ · . •..:.:..::... :;·--:.C.· v· · ;J_:.:;_J.o.. m .ru 'i'T:l ·n :r;;;.;::m... e on y r ea son I g a v e the m an in te. .
v i e 'i'T \· as be ca use th ey h ou nde d me for yea rs . "Do you fo l l 01.·; th e r ock c r1 t i c ism
sc en e c·l ose l y ?"11 NO" 11 How .c ome I :fou.nd a l l t ho s e rock pa p e r s in ye r ga r bai;e ? "
I only r ea d t h e r :·Ih en Al Kooper br ings t h em ov e r ... 'ra nna f:lea r a t a p e ? 11 He
pla yed on e cut - it was D sj_ng i ng DONl1 YE TELL HENRY a song the ba nd ·o f te n
d ocs a t con c e r t s t h i s 'l en t suppor t to m ~ the ory th3.t D Bh os t s for the ba nd ...
. I11He t;o t a b ~ t t e r f id e i i ve rs i on o f t h:ls t a pe ha c - j_n th e Ar c.h i v e s n Thel) D._, .. j
I
s it in on r e c ord ing sess ion s ) h e h in t e d I cou ld ca l l him up & ge t in fo on h i s
ne;·1 r e cords t hvs l y ma k j_n g my r ev iel.lf 1 s t ra i gh t f r om t h e hors e s mou' th 1 s o t o
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 9/12
;
I -
'.
\ . '.·: , · I
speak. I ~ i n d of got the fee l ing tha t I ' d ge t a l l t h 6 s e ~ p r i v l ~ g e s if I behaved.
FUCK 'rHA'r SHI'r. "l· ant to see the r e s t of the s t;udio?" i:le walked j_nto th:i.s room
f i l l ed 1·1ith the band's instJ:•uements and D_ s pa in t ings . T.hey were these , impress-
ion i s t i c abyss- l ike th ings ."'i hat do· you thinlc of my paint inc;s?" "S·b.ck to
c . \
poet ry" I pa:i.nt 1·1hat s on my mind" nYeah, empt:;c" :For the f i r s t t ime J . laughed
- IT T A l i l i : : . A · · _ ; L O T ~ t o ~ m a k e ; _ ; D y l a n : : . : : A u G H ·bu t he could relat :Je to emptynes·s. Then. . . . . ·
I decided to l ay it on the l ine-"Dylan you've got to l ive JlP to your respon- .
\
s i b i l i t y as a cul ture here - y o u ' r e DYLAN man, every f reek has a sof,,t spot\
in t h e i r hea r t for y<:J, -the·ylove Y'E , ·you ' re DYLAN DYLAN, DYL-AN" "I 'm nQ.t Dylan,.
y ~ ~ - r e Dylan" I mow, you ' re some other man, r igh t? vi went back _into the . :
f ~ o n t of the s tudio- "Hant some records , Al?_" i'No, . I ge t them for free· from
:1 • tf
the rec_orcc companJ.es "1,:Jant a pare. pic"cure of me?" "I to ld you we got a l l ' ;
t ha t s h i t back . in the Ar-chives: . . ge t t ing back to . the subject a t hand, cUd
you ever t h ink that maybe your weal th ha.s corrupted. you - y'ou .·once sa id . t ~ a t
,·
.:bhed'nore of a s teak you have in the system the more conservatj_ve one becomes:...
"Relai ~ n s h i p s
of ovmersliip they whj_sper i n the wj_ngs e tc And man<. you used
the s t ruggle of b lack people :f.or·a decent l i f e to ma.Jce you :famous, remeub_er
BLO':.JIN IN THE HIND and you : :'ipped the blacks for t h e ~ r music - YOU 0'1/E Tl".cE >l.--..
QUI'rE P I l iT- any t r u th to what I ' m saying man?" "Goul,O.· be",Then I ber;an to
t e l l Ilob why I fee l the vJay I do about 3rd 1:/orld Lj_berat:i,on vrent in to ·a
r i : f f about my v i s i t 1·1ith a very poor ca t in l ~ e x i c o . Let ' s wr i te a. song to
gether about your t r i p we' l l sp l i t the royalt t i .es" "Snnd my cut to Ceaser
Chavez man" "So you jus t t e l l me who. t happened to you and I.' 11 do the wri t t ing
I was dmm in Progresso, in the Yucatan I stayed w i t h t h i s l aborer , a typic.·
third v.rorld s?ene _ povert:,• famine-'. disease ~ ~ i k e : ~ b 2 · i n t : ; 'born into a n i ter.1c.re-
;·I prolonsed c l e a t ~ agon:;:- any\-HY the ca t b e c a m e _ : : a . ~ o r a c e r o (t;tiu;rant farm worlc8r)
s ~ t 1.a t he vrouldnt star.ve to d e ~ th n Br2.cero r h y 1 ~ e s with sombrero f And th i s
Cat t 1ou.ght the c o i ~ l m u n i s t s :1ere l i t t l e people 1- he Nas braint·Ja.sheci. - his p ~ c 1\·ras ne::zt to a g r b ~ e dump. ·T ~ · T e got to convince Ameri1 ::a.ns 1
th:r·u th is c . o n ~ ; -
: :
t
t'·
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 10/12
L
t ha t they should suppor:t \•JarrJ of na t i ona l J.:i.bera'don." Dylan came up •:T:L ch a
..'II
song tha t v1en'c l i l te ' this--ni)own :'ui Proo;esso ·a. bracrh·o l:i.ved in a so_mbrere fu l l
of expresso" 11Hhat the fuclf. i s t h i s man? 'Noonc i s ever gonna be convinced of
aBything v1hen you wri te tha t abs t rac t ly "'['hat1 s my th:i.nr>;, Al'-
. 'Eno1·J anything about the other books, being ' ' I r i t ten ·2.bout nie?" "Hell. Robert. . . ' . '
She.J:ton'. Toney Scadui;o and Toby Thompson are doing books. I knqw 'l;ony. He. _;: .:
says lie 1s goin arounct" tal lcin to ? l l _ : ~ y e r old frienc1s (Jaclc El l io t , the <lcKenzies. .
_ e t c ~ ) and yer ~ l d lovers(Suzj_e Rot te i lo , Joan: .e Baez etc) collectj_nG 'inform.:._
atj_on 1 a])OU'c you - he SaiCl 'he VIO';l-li'l nave f)tUched. yer 'J .yr icS but he knew he1 - -· .
'C0Ulc1nt ge t per;niSSiOl1 tO repr:i.nt them. II
That ' s ncit the r e a s o n - he could
·have never f igured them out - he 111 only corrle up v1i'ch rumors" "He did a pre t t y
through joh_, tho11 ·· :
"Nan I th ink you 'r•e a .fiJ.cltinE; react:i.onary. You dont use your in f luence
to save l i ve s . Han look a t a l l the death around us. Look \'- hat jus t_happened
in Pakastan - i;hat was a re su l t of capitalj .srn :: the people v1ere so poor they
· couldnt cope v1ith a natura l d i sa s t e r .11
I wonder v1hy, the· good lo rd .wanted a l l- '
. . . .
do l l a r s 'to - sa ve lives:;,;:.., I dont have\ ~ ~ t . : \ \ : - i>. J'( ~ · u v i ( \ ' L ' \;.(,C.
you. milJ. ionare PIG l \ And you never do
. f
those people to c1:1.e? 11 "You dont . . . " I do . . "But hoN about \'liTH GOD ON-0UR\li-0 1 1\ t' ,( ul t ·/.·l ' ·" ' ' ~ ~ - \ e . 00 ·.·. ·. · · :
SIDE.p," I ~ ~ . \ i i i ; ; , ( . W i t ~ l : ; i { , ; " then . , \ . "Ho1·1 about usin( ; some of your 5 rnill6,on
tha t m u ~ c h . "Buljsh:Lt, I go<t{inside i ; f or f \ ~ f , - t r - r \ { 1 - \ \ ; ( J l\\\U \0 1 /;r ../.. \t J 6):• ·
any benef i t s Then there 1 s You 1 re a · p o l i i ; ~
lyr:i.cs everyone > -1ho heard NASHVILLE SKYLIHE s;:;.id- 'Dylan 1 s in a me}lovl heacl5
he 1 s sinc;ing about love . You cut your hai r , you only· help apol i i c a l rock : :.
j people 1·rith thej_r career5- you ' re a punl' and me and the DLF arce goj_ng to do 2.
'number on you,. \·le got some sh i t planned t ha t gonna blow yo_·ur·mind. Not only
fJe :s ;:
t ha t but everyone :i,n rock with a po l i t c a l c o n s c i o u s ~ o i s ;:;;onna come down on you.
Lennon has s ta r t ed already by ca l l ing you. Zirru;u:,er:; an, r- cGuinn j u s t put you
_ _ t.. ; r::: _ _ _ s .:flnS you. ~ · r r o e r J _ : . . l . ~ J . . . . . . I ; J . D :r R D : : ttdo '.-'.'11Tl IT.•j'_<o • • ~ ~ : : : I < ; J . ll 11 T n ":r:P- '.1. 11 1 - [ o · - - - r ~ . f l p,-_. - • t ~ T T D a ~ E'S ' ' I l · ~ ~
,. :: :
---------- _,--.
'
. ' .·
-·
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 11/12
iI
I\'l
;
i
I
al l you zot to do i s
· - - - - - - - r ~ - - . . ; . ; , _ ; _ ~ ~ ~ - · - - - - - · - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - .
sho;·J up and plunk youP gui ta r 2. l i t t l e and a hunctJ:'ed
t.honsand f.'ree1.::s \' illout of the ir 'pads ~ n r : r;·o 1_...,.,,-,Ar':ipr•r •.ro;' a; or.>
11 11 orcy··c ' ~ '-- . < ::> - ~ - l . . . , · ·· . . . . · • •
'--'
Al I can t do it B u ~ I w i l l write a s o n ~ ~ b ~ l t ~ o l j t i c a l p r j s o ~ e r s o ~ ~
J u i J ~ I O N NOV . . See Bob, you se t t.he trends in. rock c.nd j_f you becor;Le like a h:u.man
b e _ i q . ~ a l· )t of other p e : ; ; ~ f o r r , 1 e r s w i l l go along . . .
l
Al, a l o t of the things you do arent on the up and up. You ' t ap ' phones,
and ya go thru garbage l ike a pign But I didnt se l l the garbage to Lili'E
MAGEZINE You must get money for your a r t i c le s11
1m not lil<e you manJ I send
em a l l out fer- fr·ee . . . everything should b ~ fr·ee. , . money equals slavery .. 'm
proud I do i t No reason not ' t be , buL-A), il gonna write a song aboutyou
I could use the publ ic i ty That 's one r-eason why I wouldnt . . but I got a
godd song cal led PIG I cant take tha t ser iously coming from you, a mult i
milliona:ii're you hoards his bread. Now matter how you cut i t , when yq,u.have al1
tha t bread and most ·people in the wor1d have shi t , you're t.he enemy-THE P-IG.
. Bobby, ;p9.a;,: you're jus t another cap i ta l i s t ; but instead of producing cars,
guns e tc you produce cul ture . That 's soinething, ~ ; ; 1 ' 1 Sure t i s . . 'Bluemoori
you l e f t me standing alone . . . Al, i f I i aS a kid growing / ¥' up I ' d have· t
J.ook ' out for you . . . I ' d keep for ya-Id make whatC f¥ my eyes open sure ever
s t ree t I went down I ' d have t stand on the other side of the s t ree t when you
came down man. Al, v1hy dont you get a gui ta r and put some of· th i s energy t
'good use? But the re ' s a need for someone l:i.ke myself- rio one else i s doing
the thing But yer- so extreme . . Thanl{S Off on one end - there 's no one
balancfi:ng the other end . . HOI'/ about lame rock c r i t i c s . . . They're in the
middle . . . Hey Bob, they al1 say I 'm fu l l of' shi t , Griel Mucus, Richie
Goldstien, J ? ~ : i Chis'cgau . . they ' re a l l CORRUPT.
8/13/2019 Weberman Dylan Interview 1970
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/weberman-dylan-interview-1970 12/12
'.
i :
@'l 'he sun 1ad se t _ Dylan 1 s wj_fe he,c1 ca l l ed him fo r cUnner on the
p:1one
tj_mes. Bobl'l:is phone nnm<:rBr and asl,ed me to
' ' . . '
tn the r.e.dio;
lof
c a l l him
me1 ·1hen I m on the ra.dio or i ~ s o r : ~ thin·g comes up._ T Ever hear
Bob?"11Jus t a couple of tj_mes on Alex Benne t t ' s Sho,•l - I due; .j_t when h·= asked
you j_f.you had any persona). messages fo r me. Hhat do you thin\{ of Bob Fass?"
· He1s a revoJ.v.tj_onar;; bro ther but he dont cUg j_t when I a t tack you "·ca·use you
T ln-·c-n'- "8.l'n 3 SO"l- lo 6 . v •
.---=----- ....
'' <>re ~ n old fr···,_ enc<. of 1'·,l·s" 11'•Tell Al, so lon- and ne m tl. ·_ cc __ _ . , c,, . o ·' . r ~ l ng -
,,
going to getin to ray }if 'e" J Y ~ ~ I f you do
-------oDyJ.an '.'laS
l i ke ta.lld.ng toa
ghost . The old Dylan. f:J.ll of. ideas
Talkj_ngand s t o r i e s was gone, replaced 'Hith a s ' : lel l . t \'/HS also lj.lce t a l k ing to a
con-man Hho was r ea l l y connin::; h:i.mseJ.f. I knovr D's still j_nto hj_s cb & he ;·;as
tryint; t.o
\'(t.1Jw[TO
N-1
. .
. . . . . p
cooJ. ro1.e out _bY u s ~ z hj.s char:t.sma & offerj .ns me hj_s f r j . r : m d s h i p ~Co of \ '\'E. '-r T t · i ~ \ . } ; . . . ~ j ( l " f - ~ ~ ~ ? i ; . t , j ~ ~ ' f ~ + \ ' 1 " ' " o - 'fit..-c;-(;.Jf_
fi'Gt-L G o ~ s t > Y t . - · · ~ 4 ~ Jt uvN:..-f..:c. ··ro 'T'.-{t. lt-o )l../.f: