Q: In your new book, “Forget About Today,” you
describe Bob Dylan as a “role model.” Has he been a role model for you in your
own life, and if so, how?
A: Yes,
he has. He has been a writer who represented wit, compassion and style
in his work. He has showed how someone could start his career at the
bottom and go quickly to the top, all by himself. That's a role model in
my book.
Q:
You examine various choices he made during his
career (moving to New York, “going electric,” making other changes in his
musical styles). In addition to the positive lessons you found, did you also encounter
any negative lessons or cautionary tales?
A: Yes.
Dylan's reluctance to embrace videos in the early 1980s indicated that
his stubbornness could work against him -- a cautionary tale. I admire
Dylan for standing apart from the crowd, but sometimes you have to
recognize that time marches on -- and you can't ignore technology.
Q: Would you define your book as a self-help book? Why or
why not?
A: YES -- AND NO! I
hope folks will read it and see how Dylan went from nothing to great
success, armed only with his ability and dreams. And everyone should
have such grand ambitions in their lives. I don't think Dylan would take
the time to teach us anything, but we can learn from his example.
Q: Bob Dylan chose not to be interviewed for your book. Do you have any sense of his reaction to the book, or, if not, what do you imagine it might be?
A: Yes. Bob
has written in skywriting above the Pacific that this is the greatest
book he has ever heard of! Ha ha. I don't know what he thinks of my book
or if he has ever heard of it. I think he should feel flattered by the
attention, and my conclusions about him.
Q: What’s your favorite Dylan song, and why? Are there any
of his songs that you dislike?
A: I
have about 25 favorite Dylan songs! But since I took the book title
from a phrase in "Mr. Tambourine Man," I'll go with that gem as my No. 1
favorite. Right now. I do dislike a few of his songs -- especially from
the 1980s albums -- but his batting average is very high in total!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: I hope your readers enjoy
reading my book. It was a true labor of love for me to write. For any
more information, feel free to read my Bob Dylan/"Forget About
Today"-centric website, http://jonfriedman.net
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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