Who is the Bob Dylan of the Electronic Music world?

The Lounge General Discussion
#335

The flashbulb seems pretty sonically Elliot Smith. Good at his craft but eventually imploding into some sappy introspective musical landscape

1 Like
#336

Animal Collective

1 Like
#337

Also not a fan of Dylan. At least Dylan doing Dylan. I prefer his songs being performed by someone else.

3 Likes
#338

Why is that great? Genuine question. I vaguely remember from my teen years, identifying by what I didn’t like, but it seems kinda weird now.

#339

Dylan is the voice of boomers

#340

I dunno.
When you spend your days surrounded by people who seem to pretty much universally think that the nasal blues rip-off folk sniffer was the greatest thing that ever happened to music, I guess it’s nice to come across someone who doesn’t.

I don’t think either of us would base our identities on not liking Dylan. Speaking for myself, I base my identity on not liking much more than that.

3 Likes
#341

I’m genuinely surprised when people of a more anti-conformity disposition so passionately rag on Dylan: his plugging in was one of the biggest - and arguably first - Fuck Yous in the history of modern music. Bringing Michael Bloomfield to Newport Folk? I mean, good lord. How little a shit could your give about you audience; trends? Punk af. It really comes as no surprise that people like Reed and Bowie were so influenced by him.

1 Like
#342

Cranky :smiley:

2 Likes
#343

I love Dylan, but there is room in my heart for you too :heart:

2 Likes
#344

Its gotta be technohead

Actually, Id prefer to say the KLF.

1 Like
#345

When I think of non-conformity in music, I’m thinking more along the lines of Little Richard turning up in a frock to play in parts of the world where Lynching was still common or Al Namrood’s continued ability to not only exist in a country that outlaws heavy metal but rock the fuck out at the same time.

Upsetting a few people at a folk festival doesn’t really seem that big a deal to me. It’s not like he was risking anything other than his own career.

Whatever though.

4 Likes
#346

Now you’re talking

2 Likes
#347

I couldn’t find a droney, boring, horrible squelchy vocal electronic artist to compare him to. Maybe a droning modular synth on autopilot with a bit of lfo applied?

2 Likes
#348

There is no question Little Richard was a true original (even Dylan will say as much) and wrote the book on how to be an outsized star.

My point is that reducing Dylan’s whole Electric period to

is just that reductive and doesn’t do the scope of its ripples justice.

Dylan is one great thing to happen to music, and he and Little Richard can exist simultaneously as greats.

1 Like
#349

I think you’re right - the whole “Person A is not groundbreaking because Person B did something else before them” isn’t much cop. Originality is just iteration in another context.

Personally I think Dylan is a great lyricist, fairly standard in terms of melody and has a horrible, horrible voice.

BUT - I can not like him, and still appreciate his importance, and place in history, and accept that people love him.

3 Likes
#350

Right. There is a huge difference between “Not my thing” and “He sucks.”

I think people too often mistake their subjective taste for objective fact.

For example: Prodigy. I have my feelings, but they were undeniably a huge influence on lots of other people. Same goes for Kanye and Enya and whoever else.

It’s a weird position imo.

1 Like
#351

I’ve spent half a lifetime listening to Dylan and Beatles fans lecturing other people about “proper music” and shit. There’s a certain snobbery that comes with it that I dislike even more than their music.

There’s an orthodoxy at play in western culture that confuses popularity/commercial success with innovation. Dylan was a good businessman, that’s why you all love him. He was one of the first musicians to really understand the importance of creating a brand. People didn’t follow in Dylan’s footsteps because of his bravery, they did so because of his success. They saw someone succeeding and jumped on the bandwagon. All fair enough, that’s how culture works, but I’ve spent so long watching people think that listening to Dylan or the Beatles gives them some sort of cultural authority over others I don’t think it could like them even if they weren’t shit.

4 Likes
#352

I absolutely don’t agree but I’m not really interested in engaging with such a cynical take that ignores so many aspects atm.

I will say however that I’m sorry people can suck. There is no such thing as proper music, whatever the Bernsteins of the world claim.

1 Like
#353

Bob Dylan embodies the “angry young white man is a genius because he was talented enough to rip authentic folk music and package it so less talented angry white dudes wouldnt find it threatening” type of auteur the 20th century loved. Boomers, specifically. White guys tried to do that to rap music, but they failed because the younger generations are smarter than their parents were.

#354

Maybe it’s time to regain control of your own feelings? Seems like you’ve let the people you’ve met, that you like the least, control at least some of them for you. I say that in a positive spirit :+1: