Hard rain fall

Couple of weeks ago, I talked to some young people about Bob Dylan and the new Searchlight Pictures movie A Complete Unknown. It was clear from the way they spoke that, even if they had heard of Dylan, they were not familiar with any of his music. Unlike (say) The Beatles, Bob Dylan was very much of his generation. Beatles songs continue because they have a sort of timelessness to them and have been widely emulated by the likes of Britpop band Oasis, among others. Dylan's music lived, and kinda died, with the hippy era of free love, peace and anti-war protest. Those young people who have never heard songs such as Like a Rolling Stone are going to hear a lot more of Dylan this year.

Having an interest in the entertainment and hospitality businesses brought me, by good fortune, into brief contact with the makers of the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. I managed to see some pre-release footage and was also able to listen to an interview with writer and director, James Mangold. Business confidentiality and common courtesy prevent me saying much more. The film has yet to be released in the UK (January 2025) but was released in the USA on Christmas Day, December 25.

What I will say is that, what I have seen of Timothée Chalamet's performance as the singer-songwriter is breathtaking, brilliant and totally convincing. Not only that, but his singing and playing soundtracks are almost on a par with that of the role he plays. Chalamet's musical recordings were not (as far as I am aware) intended to be an impersonation of Bob Dylan. That would be a crass thing for a film character actor to want to do. But it is evident from what James Mangold has said, as well as from Chalamet's performance, that Chalamet spent the best part of five years, between making other movies, learning to play the guitar and sing like Bob Dylan.

For this reason, if nothing else, I am looking forward to seeing the movie in full, as soon as it is released in the UK. I have also started to learn to play and sing Like a Rolling Stone as part of my ongoing journey into discovering the music of the guitar. You could say that my interest in this song, from which the title of the movie comes, was inspired by what I have so far seen and heard of Chalamet's musical performance in the movie.

Learning this song, I think, will help me with a stumbling block I have, which is to do with fluency and stamina when I play. The guitar chord sequence is not particularly difficult but the song is quite long. The way that Bob Dylan worded the lyrics and timed the vocalisation of the song against the rhythm of the backing music is also characteristic of the artist and emulating this approach will also help my musical growth.

At this point, I hasten to add that I have no particular interest in learning the folk music style of that era. My musical study, which began in earnest in 2022, is centred around classical forms, venturing into other disciplines only when it helps inform my efforts to improve technique, style and overall knowledge of the instrument. Oh yeah, and because it's fun to learn a wide range of popular styles around my core classical studies.

The lyrics of Like a Rolling Stone also have very much a poetic feel that appeals to my writerly instincts. All in all, I am grateful to Chalamet, Mangold, and the rest of the body of artists who made this movie, for the inspiration it has given me, even before I have got as far as to see the film in full.

Having a fleeting encounter with the makers of this movie, along with several others over the past few months, has re-kindled my interest in cinema. I have also been inspired by some of the film reviews written by fellow Vocal creator Rachel Robbins.

You can expect me to be seeing many more movies in 2025 than I have in recent years. Not to mention listening to songs from previous generation poets and songwriters like Bob Dylan. Some I may even review.

Thanks for reading.