A Journal Concerning Todd Haynes' Dylan Film (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} im_not_there) wrote,@ 2007-09-07 22:01:00 |
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Little Richard and Bob Dylan et al
The idea of Rock & Roll fame as destiny has always been part of the myth. As already mentioned, a line used in Velvet Goldmine that looms large in pop history is Bowie's declaration of "I want to be a pop idol," at his graduation from Bromley Polytechnical School. Similarly, in his High School yearbook, Dylan states his goal is "to join Little Richard."
Little Richard, born Richard Penniman, calls himself "The Originator" (aka The Architect of Rock and Roll, and The Georgia Peach). He brought together the bawdy elements of R&B, the dramatics of gospel, and the theatrics of traveling medicine shows along with his inner campy flamboyance to be a major influence on rock and roll. He is outspoken but not bitter in his belief that he has not been given enough credit in rock history. In Rolling Stone magazine's 50th Anniversary of Rock's list of most influential performers, Little Richard explains why. He makes his case when the others on the list who cite him as an influence ~ The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown ~ are ranked in the top ten of "the Immortals" ahead of him.
That Little Richard was the first rock and roll inspiration for Bowie and Dylan is somewhat surprising considering that their cooler, distanced approach to performing has little in common with his raucous piano pounding style. But certainly there was something in Richard's audacity that inspired them to want to be performers. It's as if he gave them permission to identify with their inner rock & roller. Another trait they share is that Little Richard, Dylan and Bowie have all faced more than the usual amount of resistance to their image than even an innovative performer might expect.
While in high school Bob Zimmerman played several local concerts in Hibbing with his band The Golden Chords, often causing an uproar by imitating Little Richard at the piano. Long before the Newport Folk Festival, there was a complaint of the amplifiers being so loud that the audience couldn't hear Dylan's voice.
An unlikely aspect that Little Richard and Dylan share is a vacillating relationship with born-again Christianity.
The idea of Rock & Roll fame as destiny has always been part of the myth. As already mentioned, a line used in Velvet Goldmine that looms large in pop history is Bowie's declaration of "I want to be a pop idol," at his graduation from Bromley Polytechnical School. Similarly, in his High School yearbook, Dylan states his goal is "to join Little Richard."
Little Richard, born Richard Penniman, calls himself "The Originator" (aka The Architect of Rock and Roll, and The Georgia Peach). He brought together the bawdy elements of R&B, the dramatics of gospel, and the theatrics of traveling medicine shows along with his inner campy flamboyance to be a major influence on rock and roll. He is outspoken but not bitter in his belief that he has not been given enough credit in rock history. In Rolling Stone magazine's 50th Anniversary of Rock's list of most influential performers, Little Richard explains why. He makes his case when the others on the list who cite him as an influence ~ The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and James Brown ~ are ranked in the top ten of "the Immortals" ahead of him.
That Little Richard was the first rock and roll inspiration for Bowie and Dylan is somewhat surprising considering that their cooler, distanced approach to performing has little in common with his raucous piano pounding style. But certainly there was something in Richard's audacity that inspired them to want to be performers. It's as if he gave them permission to identify with their inner rock & roller. Another trait they share is that Little Richard, Dylan and Bowie have all faced more than the usual amount of resistance to their image than even an innovative performer might expect.
While in high school Bob Zimmerman played several local concerts in Hibbing with his band The Golden Chords, often causing an uproar by imitating Little Richard at the piano. Long before the Newport Folk Festival, there was a complaint of the amplifiers being so loud that the audience couldn't hear Dylan's voice.
An unlikely aspect that Little Richard and Dylan share is a vacillating relationship with born-again Christianity.
