The one musician Bob Dylan called “the definition of cool”
Following an adolescent attachment to 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, Bob Dylan became increasingly aware of a more word-dense and expressive musical style. After modelling his early material on the folk tradition, as handed down by Woody Guthrie, Dylan branched out to pioneer his distinctive form of folk rock, first exhibited in his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home.
Much to the dissatisfaction of folk purists at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, Dylan “went electric” during his most inspired run of the mid-60s and continued to dance to his own tune for many years to come. As a musical innovator, Dylan drew inspiration from an array of genres past and present and, for many years, opted to maintain a contemporary sound.
Granted, you’re unlikely to hear Dylan spitting bars over a drum machine beat and a synth loop, but he’s always been admirably fashion-conscious. During an interview with the Wall Street Journal towards the end of 2022, an 81-year-old Dylan outlined his hip taste in modern music.
Among his diverse list were the unlikely rap artists Eminem and Wu-Tang Clan, both of whom Dylan said he is “a fan of”. He praised both for their “feeling for words and language” and added that he enjoys “anybody whose vision parallels mine”. Also included in that praise was Royal Blood, Celeste, Leonard Cohen, Rag’ n’ Bone Man and Nick Cave.
“Some I’ve seen live,” he added. “The Oasis [Gallagher] brothers, I like them both, Julian Casablanca, the Klaxons, Grace Potter. I’ve seen Metallica twice. I’ve made special efforts to see Jack White and Alex Turner. Zac Deputy, I’ve discovered him lately. He’s a one-man show like Ed Sheeran, but he sits down when he plays.”
It’s clear that Dylan has maintained a good sense of what’s “cool”. For many years, his fashion choices and music have informed subsequent generations. I wager, for instance, that Dylan’s taste in eyewear has done Ray Ban a few favours over the past six decades.
“I started out with Batman and Robin-type sunglasses,” Dylan told Scott Cohen in 1985. “I always thought the best kind of sunglasses are the motorcycle helmets with the black plastic masks on them. That way, nobody can recognise the back of your head either. With sunglasses, you buy them off the rack, if they fit, and put them on. Shoes are tougher. You go into a store, try this pair on, that pair on. I feel I have to buy something if I put it on. What I’m looking for is a pair of glasses that can see through walls, whether they’re sunglasses or not.”
Later in his conversation with Cohen, Dylan revealed his definition of “cool”. In a touching slice of endorsement, from one sunshade advocate to another, Dylan singled out the legendary jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis.
“Miles Davis is my definition of cool,” Dylan told Cohen. “I loved to see him in the small clubs playing his solo, turn his back on the crowd, put down his horn and walk off the stage, let the band keep playing, and then come back and play a few notes at the end. I did that at a couple of shows. The audience thought I was sick or something.”
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