Classic Bob Dylan 1962-69

More than any other artist, Bob Dylan defined a generation. Even the Beatles hung on Dylan's every word - he was the one whose lyrical density inspired John Lennon, the one whose artistic ambition inspired them to their greatest work. Dylan was a painfully honest songwriter, whether reflecting upon the charged political situation of the time, or upon his own turbulent personal life. Through such songs as "Like a Rolling Stone," "Desolation Row," "The Times they are A-Changing" and "Maggie's Farm," he sent coded messages to his fans, who eagerly attempted to decipher them for clues as to his intentions and character. In this book, Andy Gill assesses the circumstances behind Dylan's most famous songs, tracing the artist's progress from young folkie to acclaimed protest singer, and through the subsequent changes which saw him invent folk-rock and transform rock'n'roll with symbolist poetry, before experimenting with country-rock just as his followers were beginning to tune in to the explosion of psychedelia in the late sixties. Always one step ahead of the crowd, always pushing himself to extend the boundaries of his art, the Dylan of the sixties remains a beacon of integrity to which fans and fellow musicians keep returning.