Fan or Foe

Unraveling Obsession: Bob Dylan’s Influence and His Nemesis

From Fan to Foe

Mr. A.J. Weberman was the most famous nemesis to my beloved Bob Dylan, and therefore, a

nemesis of mine. It’s only been a few months since the beginning of my infatuation with the

creative genius and musical legend, Bob Dylan. I blame and thank the movie, A Complete

Unknown, for my obsession with the man, the music, the ‘60s, and the power and influence of

certain people.

The movie opened a door for me to explore the relationships between Bob and his girlfriend,

Suze, his fellow musicians, his music, and his fans. I am fascinated with the dynamics of being a

creative person, developing that talent, building a career and having millions of adoring fans.

Then at the peak of popularity, and the flip of an electrical switch, he lost more than half of them.

He was at first considered an acoustic guitar folk singing icon, a lyrical and political hero for the

socially conscious. But when he added the electric guitar and rock genre to his repertoire, half of

his fans turned on him, one shouted “JUDAS” at his concert in England.

Creating music, art, poetry, or writing of any kind is deeply personal, and putting it out in public

is risky, brave, and unpredictable. A true artist doesn’t create for other people, they create

because they can’t not do it. The place where inspiration and creativity come from is

unexplainable. One can’t conjure an artistic creation into existence as if pulling it out of the

ground. It comes to the artist, as a gift, origin unknown. I find inspiration everywhere and

sometimes in the strange and serendipitous. They aren’t scheduled or cajoled or plucked from a

creative pantry. My best writing has come from life’s dark moments and odd circumstances and

being open to the moment, whatever and wherever that may be.

I believe artists follow where the spirit leads. Bob’s first album was mostly covers of other

people’s music. He was strongly influenced by folk musicians, but he also loved rock’n roll,

blues, and country. The album that thrusted him into stardom was Freewheelin’ in 1963. It was

all his own music and includes ballads, love songs, quirky ones, and political ones too. But I

don’t understand how such a prolific musician who wrote all kinds of music got pigeonholed as

“the political hero” and ostracized for not being political enough with his music and power.

Recently, Mr. A. J. Weberman has surfaced on my social media feed and I learned he was, and

still is, Bob Dylan’s nemesis. Back in the ‘60s he began as one of Dylan’s biggest fans, but then

he turned on him, and turned on him hard, when Dylan didn’t develop into a major political

musician activist. At least that is Weberman’s reasoning for criticizing Dylan from every possible

angle.

Since Weberman likes labels so much, let’s put him in the “foe” file. He felt Dylan was

neglectful of “the movement.” A view shared by others too, but none at this man’s level. I would

consider Weberman a stalker by today’s standards. He went through Dylan’s garbage, showed up

on Dylan’s front door, brought university students to Dylan’s private home, and organized a

massive birthday party. This last event included thousands of people outside Dylan’s townhouse

to the point where police had to close the streets. And he never stopped hammering Dylan, even

to this day, for not using his musical talent for political statements and change.

Its hard for me to comprehend having the talent and passion to create music, have millions of

fans adore the work, and then because you don’t create what they want from you, they heap hate

on you. My heart breaks for Dylan, who at the height of his popularity had many fans, and fellow

folk musicians, turn against him for not doing what they felt he should do.

Throughout Dylan’s sixty year musical career, Weberman lurked like a heavy storm cloud and

even turned his obsessive angst toward Dylan’s son Jakob. I wonder how one person can be so

concerned and expend so much negative energy toward another human for six decades and

counting? Good for Bob though, he got some great inspiration and unforgettable songs from

writing about it, although not substantiated, “Positively 4 th Street.” Where he sings, “I wish for

that just one time you could stand inside my shoes, you’d know what a drag it is to see you.”

Which further fueled Webermans’ spleen. Many artists have taken aim on their nemesis’ and

created some of the best music. Consider, Dolly Parton’s Jolene, Miley Cyrus’ Flowers, Nancy

Sinatra’s These Boots, and the queen of making music out of those who have wronged her,

Taylor Swift.

I work with and know people firsthand who are overly concerned about what other people are

doing according to their own standards and expectations. To them I say, “Mind your own

business.” Besides, our lives, and Dylan’s music, are more about love and life than politics.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized a Weberman lives in my own head. I question if

I am doing what I should be doing or am I just trying to please other people. I set unrealistic

expectations of myself, I ask more and more of myself and almost always do what others think I

should. I am never satisfied with what I am doing or have done, it’s never good enough, it’s

never enough. I give that judgmental and critical Weberman voice too much power.

I wonder how many other people have a Weberman in their life, by their own doing or through a

parent, sibling, spouse, or boss. I’m afraid there are too many Webermans in this world, that dark

negative sense always questioning, never satisfied, constantly expecting something else from

someone else. Just thinking about it, wears on me like a backpack full of bricks.