Did Kiss inspire one of Bob Dylan’s greatest moments?
Most songwriters will have Bob Dylan as an influence somewhere on their list of people who inspire them. His poetry, lyricism and commitment to craft was unlike anything the world had seen before or has seen since. Throughout his career, despite his success, Dylan has always been unwavering in his creativity, putting what he thinks right at the forefront of everything he does. The Rolling Thunder Revue is the perfect example of this.
In 1975, Bob Dylan was one of the most prominent artists in the world, so when he went on tour, it would have been easy for him to play at the most notable venues possible and enjoy the payout. This didn’t interest the bard, though, who had an affinity for smaller, more intimate places and was keen for his tour to take him to venues he might not have travelled to otherwise. Enter: The Rolling Thunder Revue.
The Rolling Thunder Revue was an eccentric show, part gig and part travelling circus. Dylan arranged a mass of performers to accompany him on the tour, including Joni Mitchell, Roger McGuinn and Joan Baez. It meant he could go to smaller venues and avoid the common pitfalls that usually burden the super-famous. A lot was happening at the show, and performances would vary from night to night, but one of the constants was Bob Dylan’s makeup.
When he came on stage, Dylan wore white face paint and a broad-rimmed hat topped with flowers. When asked about wearing the facepaint, Dylan said, “When somebody’s wearing a mask, he’s gonna tell you the truth. When he’s not wearing a mask, it’s highly unlikely.”
Also, according to Dylan, his makeup was inspired by the rock band Kiss. He said that he saw them perform in Queens, New York, and it gave him the idea for it. Whilst that explanation may seem plausible (albeit unusual), it isn’t likely true. This is because Dylan was taken to the gig by Scarlet Rivera, the violinist allegedly in a relationship with bassist Gene Simmons. Dylan didn’t meet Rivera until 1975, and the last time Kiss had done a gig in Queens was back in 1973.
The much more likely inspiration behind the face paint was the 1945 French film Children of Paradise and the character Baptiste Deburau, who wore face paint and a hat with flowers. Dylan was a fan of this movie, to the point that he even referenced it in the song ‘You’re a Big Girl Now,’ with the line “Love is so simple, to quote a phrase.” It also alleged that when Dylan hired filmmaker Howard Alk to assist with making the movie for Rolling Thunder Revue, he initially asked if Alk had seen Children of Paradise.
Despite the fact Dylan was probably poking fun when he said Kiss inspired him, there is no denying he was fascinated by the band. In the 2012 video for ‘Duquesne Whistle’, Dylan walks down the street with a man wearing Gene Simmons make-up. He also collaborated on a song with Simmons, who said, “Everybody buys lottery tickets, but what are their chances of winning? Not much, but so what? There is a chance you can win, and I’m like that. Throw caution to the wind, and dive into the deep end of the pool.”
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