For a devout 56572 reader/Bob Dylan fan

Five reasons Bob Dylan is still cool

By Brian McCollum
Detroit Free Press, Thu, Nov 9, 2006



There's hip, there's trendy, there's stylish. And then there's cool. We're talking about timeless cool. At 65, the grizzled rock icon continues to operate at the vanguard of American culture, as relevant now as he was four decades ago. Cool isn't always easy over the long haul: While some peers have mutated into caricatures of their younger personas -- see: the Rolling Stones -- Dylan has aged gracefully, a master musician who retains a distinct sense of style as he calls his own shots. Countless volumes have been written analyzing Dylan and his music over the years. But there are just five things you need to know about Dylan's perpetual cool.

1. He's on a creative roll The Grammy-dominating "Time Out of Mind" in 1997 ushered in Dylan's latest career renaissance, a musical chapter that most recently produced his roots-blues masterpiece, "Modern Times." With 2001's "Love and Theft," they make up a musical stretch that has been widely hailed as among the best of Dylan's career. Raw, real and expertly crafted, the latter-day albums reveal an artist who appears personally rejuvenated --with music whose vitality leaves most classic-rock contemporaries in the dust. Melissa Behring of Royal Oak, Mich., is a 30-year-old fan who was drawn into Dylan's world by the new records. "We're still in need of someone saying down-to-earth things in a down-to-earth fashion, and he does that so well," says Behring, vocalist with the Detroit band 7 Million Jigawatts. "He's taking the oldest style of blues and making it so modern and vibrant."

2. He continues to mold a distinct mythology Few figures in popular culture understand the power of mystique better than Dylan, and perhaps none wields it more skillfully. Since his earliest days, he has proved to be a master of calculated aloofness, controlling his own story in an age when the media machinery prefers chewing up and spitting out personalities at its own pace. Whether micromanaging last year's Martin Scorsese documentary, "No Direction Home," or waiting until late in life to reveal the barest of personal details, as in his 2004 autobiography, Dylan has shown a deceptively sophisticated approach to image management. It would be too easy to say he prefers to let the music do the talking, though that purist approach to his art is certainly part of the equation. Perhaps more accurate is that the notoriously private Dylan is just smart enough to know that a little mystery can go a long way.

3. He's a maverick Even as his legacy grows bigger than ever, Dylan moves through the world as if oblivious to his own impact and status. It's the picture of poise, a mellow-rebel stance that's familiar across generational lines. In its glowing review of "Modern Times," the youth-driven Pitchfork magazine wrote that "maybe the heart-stopping appeal of Bob Dylan has less to do with his output -- which, tangentially, remains outstanding -- and more to do with his cowboy-boot saunter." Throw in a few left-field moves -- a Victoria's Secret commercial here, an iTunes ad there and you've got the mark of someone who knows he can get away with anything. Or, to put it another way: someone who is confident he's cooler than you.

4. He doesn't look like he's trying too hard That doesn't mean he comes off lazy. It means he makes it look effortless. "You risk your life to play music, if you're doing it the right way," Dylan told a Rolling Stone interviewer this year. Yet he shows no fear; with Dylan, the self-assurance seems second nature. Onstage, it's an engaging display of balance: He appears detached but deeply committed, spontaneous but in control, unpredictable but remarkably consistent. "When I see Bob Dylan, I see a level of experience and a level of history there. It's a vibe you only get with certain musicians," says lifelong fan Jake Tobias, 44, of Royal Oak. "He brings something to the stage that only seasoned people can bring."

5. He's all about now It's not just his penchant for embracing new music, as he's done with such acts as the White Stripes, Beck and tonight's opener, the Foo Fighters, or his name-check of Alicia Keys on "Modern Times." As a performer, Dylan is acutely aware that immediacy is the heart of rock music, recently remarking that the only fans who matter are the ones in front of him at a given moment. Though he immerses himself in a panoply of older musical styles, Dylan rarely comes off as a mere stylist; rather, he injects it all with fresh emotional blood. The result? He continues to matter. "With Bob Dylan," says fan Tobias, "it' s always history in the making."