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When Bob Dylan was asked on American radio if he had been surprised by the success of Blood on the Tracks, he said, after a pause, that he didn't know how people got so much pleasure from so much pain.
-- Adam Phillips,
On Balance
Bob Dylan ... mooches around backstage without too much fuss, friendly and quiet. I did four shows with him in 2001. We swapped gifts after the last show in Sydney. I gave him Peter Carey's True History of the Kelly Gang and he gave me a big brass belt buckle -- western-style, embossed with the words THE STATE OF TEXAS 1836, which I like to wear once in a while.
-- Paul Kelly,
How To Make Gravy
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8 comments:
how brilliant is paul kelly? Really, has that man ever uttered a sentence which didn't give you goose bumps?
The book is really, really wonderful. Very original in its structure, and full of stories like that. I hope the publishers enter it for every nonfiction prize going, and I hope it wins them -- it's an astonishing memoir/autobiography, written in between the song lyrics.
The actual quote comes from a 1975 radio interview with Mary Travers (of Peter Paul and Mary). Travers said (from what I remember) that she enjoyed Blood On The Tracks, which lead to Dylan's comment. Travers then clarified her statement.
Just picked up Paul Kelly's book the other day at his book signing in Adelaide and couldn't agree with you more about the book.
It really is a beautiful read peppered with phrases that approach his best song lyrics. My favourite so far(and I'm only a couple of chapters in):
"that would be enough to hollow a face"
Referring to his grandmother (I think) whose baby had died early in life.
It really is a wonderful read.
And if I may add a link, here's the editor's account:
http://wheelercentre.com/dailies/post/a758066876
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God, I just re-read my opening para in my previous comment. Any way that can be modified? Remove one or two of the "books" perhaps?
I didn't even notice until you pointed it out -- I was enjoying your enthusiasm too much. I'll remove the comment if you ask me to, but then it will make your second comment look silly and I'll have to take that out as well. In the great grand scheme of things I don't think any repetition of the word 'book' is a hanging offence, especially these days.
NB: this blog does actually give you a chance to preview your comment (the blue button) before you send it, unlike some. I've learned the hard way to use the Preview section whenever there is one.
Thanks for the offer Kerryn; I'll live with it but resolve to use the preview function in future.
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