BOB DYLAN AND THE BRITISH SIXTIES - A CULTURAL HISTORY

‘Bob Dylan and the British Sixties’ is a 174-page paperback book written by Doctor Tudor Jones and published by Routledge. Essentially, Tudor's book focuses on a very specific period of Dylan’s career, during a time where he gradually evolved as an artist, which in turn, caused the society around him to likewise change. Want to know more? Then please check out the following interview I did with the man behind this book, Doctor Tudor Jones.


Bob Dylan and the British Sixties (Paperback)


1) Please tell us a little bit about yourself, Doctor Jones?   I’m a political historian and an honorary research fellow that specializes in the History of Political Thought, Coventry University, UK. I'm also a lecturer in Political History for the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford, UK.

2) What inspired you to create, ‘Dylan and the British Sixties’?   I’ve been an admirer of Bob Dylan ever since I first heard his initial, eponymous album in 1962. At the time, I was frequenting a small record shop near where I lived in Harrow, North-West London, which is where I also heard and bought his second album, 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan', a year or so later. 

3) After writing this book, what do you find is the most surprising fact featured in it?   The fact that Dylan deeply influenced so many British popular musicians in the sixties didn’t surprise me at all. But what did surprise me, is that Ray Davies, the lead singer / songwriter of The Kinks, wasn't at all much influenced by Dylan’s work.

4) Which of Dylan’s songs would you say best represents this piece and why?   Even though most of Dylan’s songs would be a pretty good fit, especially those featured on his second studio album, 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan', through to his eighth, in regards to a narrative arc, the songs on Dylan's fifth studio album, 'Bringing It All Back Home', are perhaps the most representative of that period since they combine his acoustic song material with his innovative new electric music.

5) Apart from the great man himself, if you could get a celebrity – either living or dead – to promote your wares, who would you choose, and why would you want to choose this particular person?   I would have to select the late, great, George Harrison and John Lennon, who were two former Beatles that were very influenced by Dylan's music and obviously appreciated the songs he produced. 

6) During your time in this field, what is the one thing that has kept you in good stead?   While writing my book, I was happy with the amount of support I received from the Bodleian Library, as well as the company I keep in both Oxford and London.

7) If you had a personal motto, what would it be?   ‘Don't look back too much with regret’, which I tend to do, ‘and keep going’. Also, in the words of Doctor Johnson, ‘Be not solitary, be not idle’.

And on that note, I’d like to thank Doctor Tudor Jones for telling us about his 174-page paperback book, ‘Bob Dylan and the British Sixties’, before encouraging you to pick up a copy via Amazon or Routledge.