Bob Dylan - Changing Times

Original version

6 Music

BBC 6

6 Music Artist Collection

Music

Celebrating the music and career of artists and exploring their influences.

Celebrating the music and career of artists and exploring their influences and those they have in turn inspired.

6 Music Artist Collection: Bob Dylan: Episode 2: 1979 - Slow Train Coming

Episode 2: 1979 - Slow Train Coming

Bob Dylan

BBC Radio 6 Music - 6 Music Artist Collection, Bob Dylan, Episode 2: 1979 - Slow Train Coming

John Wilson looks back to 79 when Dylan embraced Christianity & released a Gospel album

John Wilson looks back at 1979 when Dylan embraced Christianity, released a Gospel album and refused to perform his old material live. 


John Wilson looks back to 1979 when once again Bob Dylan marked the end of a decade by making some major changes in his life and career. He embraced Christianity, spent several months in Bible School and recorded a Gospel album, Slow Train Coming. When he tried to evangelize Jerry Wexler in the studio, the wily producer replied 'Bob, you're dealing with a sixty-two-year-old confirmed Jewish atheist. I'm hopeless. Let's just make an album'.

To the frustration of some of his fans, subsequent concerts were all-Gospel events. Dylan refused to play any of his old material, tended to give sermons between songs - even dismissing hecklers who demanded rock-n-roll with the words. 'You wanna rock-n-roll you can go down and rock-n-roll. You can go see Kiss and you rock-n-roll all your way down to the pit.'

 


6 Music Artist Collection: Bob Dylan

BBC Radio 6 Music

Classic concerts & sessions from the BBC's vast music store. It's your musical heritage.

BBC 6 Music brings together the cutting edge music of today, the iconic and groundbreaking music of the past 40 years and unlimited access

Celebrating the music and career of Bob Dylan.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

6 Music Artist Collection

Bob Dylan

Episode 2: 1979 - Slow Train Coming

Genres

Brand

Series

6 Music

About BBC Radio 6 Music