Bob Dylan pulls a Bono!

[EL the Famous]

As for the similarity to Bono. If Dylan was making music that I liked as little as Bono's then I'd probably be a bit more bothered. When you can say, "at least his album's good," it's a little easier to forgive (forgive not being the right word, but I can't think of another one at the moment).

 

The question is, if U2 'sold out' by doing an iPod ad...does the same rule apply to Bob? Plain and simple. Personally, I don't think either 'sold out'...marketing your album, especially when it's so easy to get it for free and your an artist who may be a little 'long in the tooth', is a neccesary evil.

 

As far as the 'new album day' thing, I don't have the ability to really take advantage of site like Oink. If somebody hooks me up w/ something early, i'll listen to it...and then go out and buy it to support the artist. Honestly though, I do miss the whole 'ditch out of work to go to the record store over lunch' thing...I had iTunes gift cert $ to use on the new Roots, but I would have rather gone and bought it.

[solace]

I'm not really sure about that. Dylan has got some major college pull, if only for the reason that it's cool to listen to Bob Dylan. However I can promise that not a lot of college kids are going to be buying Modern Times except for true fans. I guess what i'm trying to say is that all of those in the main Ipod demographic know Dylan as an icon of cool, but consider "The Best of Bob Dylan" as a complete collection.

 

.... it'll sell ipods, but not new dylan albums.

not saying he doesn't have a lot of fans in the iPod generation, but his core fanbase is 40 and older, just go to his shows if you don't believe me

[Sir Stewart]

I like this ad better

[Synthesizer Patel]

The question is, if U2 'sold out' by doing an iPod ad...does the same rule apply to Bob? Plain and simple. Personally, I don't think either 'sold out'...marketing your album, especially when it's so easy to get it for free and your an artist who may be a little 'long in the tooth', is a neccesary evil.

 

If I were to ever refer to U2's iPod ad, I would be coming at it from the point of view that they never had anything to sell out in the first place because I personally view them as a fallacy, rightly or wrongly. I think Dylan has sold out, if you want to put it in those terms, he could have made another ad like this one for Love and Theft which uses the same medium, but is actually good.

[jhh4321]

I like this ad better

 

Haha I like that one. Also, I too thought it was awesome to see Bob on the guitar. Lets just hope he'll whip it out for a tune or two on this tour.

[Sir Stewart]

I loved the Vertigo ad.

[IamJacksName]

You know, we should've seen that Victoria's Secret ad coming. Doesn't anybody remember that Dylan said in an interview in '65 or '66 that he imagined the only thing that could convince him to break down and do a commercial for someone was ladies' underwear. Downright prophetic.

 

Course, I didn't really see the iPod one coming, but oh well. Good to see him with a guitar again.

 

And with that said . . . halfway done with Modern Times now. It's so good.

[EL the Famous]

the only difference to me is that the Dylan ad is enjoyable, while U2 performed 'Vertigo' with Bono's needlessly-sunglassed-mug bouncing to and fro my tv screen, mute wasn't even an option, it required a channel change.

 

that's all a matter of opinion. flip that for me. I know he's a legend and all, but I have zero interest in anything he's released in the past 10 years or longer. I did enjoy his duet w/ Soy Bomb, however.

[Sir Stewart]

The Vertigo ad got me through the first 3 games of the 2004 ALCS.

[OOO]

Just so everyone's clear, U2 was F***ing awesome in their heyday.

[MattZ]

why prolong the agony? For me, nothing approaches the kind of glee I get from finally being surprised by a new album when it leaks a few months/weeks/days in advance of the official release.

 

Its just different strokes for different folks. I have a sort of ritual that I like to go through ... getting home, ripping open the CD (usually before my jacket is off) and popping in the CD. Then sitting down on the couch with the liner notes while I have my first listen. Its always the whole album straight through to get an overall feel for the album as a whole. Then I go back to pick out individual songs or listen more closely to lyrics.

 

Not to mention there is something fun about having the album burning a hole in my bag on the way home. Or the way I walk into the record store with one mission -- a direct line to the new releases. There is no normal lollygagging and browsing. I am all biz. Then, picking it off the shelf like its got an unreleased energy to it... Like I dont know what is on that disc, but I have a feeling its something that will be with me for a very long time. The artifact itself and the music burned onto it.

 

Its just a ritual that I've had since I was a kid. I think that listening pre-release would deprive me of these things... And you have to think that I wont have many more chances to run out at lunchtime (like I just did) with a skip in my step knowing that I am going to get Bob Dylan's new album. Its already burning a hole in my bag.

[P Dub]

So like, yeah, when was the last time we saw Bob on guitar.

 

New Orleans Jazz Fest 4/25-26/2003, I think...

[Sir Stewart]

Thanks, P Dub.

[Atticus]

Its just different strokes for different folks. I have a sort of ritual that I like to go through ... getting home, ripping open the CD (usually before my jacket is off) and popping in the CD. Then sitting down on the couch with the liner notes while I have my first listen. Its always the whole album straight through to get an overall feel for the album as a whole. Then I go back to pick out individual songs or listen more closely to lyrics.

 

Not to mention there is something fun about having the album burning a hole in my bag on the way home. Or the way I walk into the record store with one mission -- a direct line to the new releases. There is no normal lollygagging and browsing. I am all biz. Then, picking it off the shelf like its got an unreleased energy to it... Like I dont know what is on that disc, but I have a feeling its something that will be with me for a very long time. The artifact itself and the music burned onto it.

 

Its just a ritual that I've had since I was a kid. I think that listening pre-release would deprive me of these things... And you have to think that I wont have many more chances to run out at lunchtime (like I just did) with a skip in my step knowing that I am going to get Bob Dylan's new album. Its already burning a hole in my bag.

 

 

wow. that induced many a flashback. great post. sad that a whole generation probably has no idea what you're talking about...

[LouieB]

funny thing is, the iPod isn't exactly geared towards Dylan's main demographic, which is one of the reasons it's pretty damn cool

What't that mean?? That older people don't have i-pods (they do) or that younger people aren't crazy about him too and going to make Modern Times a huge seller?? (From the buzz around here everyone is viewing MT as a masterpeice, which it well may be.)

 

I was going to start a thread on the Rolling Stone articles (both the interview and the album review.) Interesting stuff.

 

LouieB

[Sir Stewart]

Whenever I'm excited about a new release, I end up a little embarrased about it, to the point that when I pick up something the day it comes out, I play it "cool" and scan the other new releases, too. As if I'm not a superfan who's been dying to get my mitts on the new album for weeks and weeks. Nerdtastic.

[LouieB]

yea me too....Rolling Stone gave it 5 stars as expected.

 

The only thing stopping me from buying it is I am not in Chicago.

 

I did learn one new thing from the Dylan interview and associated articles. I had not realized that a remixed Street Legal had been released a few years back. Gotta get me that.

 

LouieB

[Sir Stewart]

I did learn one new thing from the Dylan interview and associated articles. I had not realized that a remixed Street Legal had been released a few years back. Gotta get me that.

That remaster has a pretty bad reputation. I bet someone else here can go into detail about it.

[MattZ]

Whenever I'm excited about a new release, I end up a little embarrased about it, to the point that when I pick up something the day it comes out, I play it "cool" and scan the other new releases, too. As if I'm not a superfan who's been dying to get my mitts on the new album for weeks and weeks. Nerdtastic.

 

I hear ya. I feel like a tool that I do it. And now I feel like a bigger tool that I posted about it. I usually dont talk about these things.

[LouieB]

That remaster has a pretty bad reputation. I bet someone else here can go into detail about it.

Yea, someone tell me. I have always liked Street Legal alot the way it was, but then I have the original LP. RS said that the remix was lots better. Not at the top of my list to buy.

 

LouieB

[Sir Stewart]

I hear ya. I feel like a tool that I do it. And now I feel like a bigger tool that I posted about it. I usually dont talk about these things.

I bet record store clerks have a name for people like us. Closet-geeks or something.

[Analogman]

It's 15 bucks here - which means I am not buying it today. When Ms. Viatroy and I were in Woodstock the other day, cds were 18/19 bucks.

[MattZ]

I bet record store clerks have a name for people like us. Closet-geeks or something.

 

The funniest thing may be that when I walk up to the counter I cant help but think that the clerk there and I have some unspoken bond. Like he knows and I know what is happening right then. But then invariably something happens to make me realize the dude back there doesnt care what the hell I am buying and he is just jonesing for his next smoke break in 5 mins so he can go talk to his buddy Pete that works on the 2nd floor.

 

Closet-geek seems pretty accurate.

[P Dub]

Whenever I'm excited about a new release, I end up a little embarrased about it, to the point that when I pick up something the day it comes out, I play it "cool" and scan the other new releases, too. As if I'm not a superfan who's been dying to get my mitts on the new album for weeks and weeks. Nerdtastic.

 

LOL! I wish you had posted this yesterday! I must have looked like a fool last night at midnight at Vintage Vinyl in my 30th anniversary celebration t-shirt...Shit!

[JesusEtc]

Plus, and I know its a lame rationalization by a Dylan fanatic, but when he does stuff like this (or Victorias Secret), I think of it as another case of Dylan keeping everyone guessing and doing whatever he can that is the opposite of what you'd think.

 

Dylan is doing this to be enigmatic. He knows he is, and he loves to play on it. He knows that no ones seen him with a guitar in 100 years and it would be completely baffling to show up in a commercial playing one. Thus a whole thread on it.

 

And is it me, or do the advertisers for Apple have the most appealing, sleek, advertisments out there? I mean as far as big commercial companies go. The minimalistic appeal of their advertisments (and products) are unparallel to other advertisments. (or maybe I haven't seen many...)