Tuesday, February 09, 2010

The Torch Has Been Passed to a New Generation of Americans

Apropos of absolutely nothing, I though I'd share this lovely moment from a story in the January issue of MOJO I just chanced upon.

November 2007: The Foo Fighters are in Canada, supporting Bob Dylan on the latter's Modern Times tour. [Head Foo and former Nirvana drummer] Dave Grohl is in his dressing room when he gets a message that Mr. Dylan wants to see him.

"So I walk out," says Grohl, "and he's standing like a silhouette in a dark corner -- black leather boots, black leather pants, black leather jacket. He said 'What's that song you got, the one that says "The only thing I ever ask of you is you gotta promise not to stop when I say when"?' I said, oh yeah, 'Everlong.' He said, 'Man, that's a great song, I should learn that song."


Grohl laughs loudly. "So I don't give a fuck what anybody else thinks. Bob Dylan likes one of my songs. That right there is enough for me."

Well, obviously, Bob's right -- "Everlong" is a great song. But I gotta say, that story is just so cool on so many levels...

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dylan will always be our man of mystery.

Just when you think you've got him figured out he slips away.


ROTP(lumber)

steves said...

Hee...hee...seems the only thing that Bob never bullshits about is good music.

Great story

steves said...

P.S. Just wanted to add that I think I like the acoustic version of this song (played on the Howard Stern show I think) even better.

Gummo said...

Back in '07 Dylan was playing in Detroit when he had Jack White join him for an encore. Instead of the expected Dylan number, they did Jack's song, "Ball and Biscuit."

I can't imagine what it's like to be a younger musician and not only have Bob Dylan invite you to join him onstage, but to have him say, let's do that song of yours....

Wendy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wendy said...

Okay, since I'm woman enough to admit I watched "Rock Star: INXS", here's another take on "Everlong".

Who Am Us Anyway? said...

Very cool, very cool. One of the reasons so many potentially prickly musicians love working with Bob, he's got such a great ear and such a good heart for music wherever it comes from.

Brother Howe said...

That IS a great story. Love Dave Grohl and love Bob Dylan (what a selfless performer to play other people's songs instead of his own). I heard Dave tell it on VH1 Storytellers too I think. (I've got the link on my website). I found this doing a search for Dave Grohl for fodder for my own website. Nice job!

steve simels said...

Brother -- that's an, er, interesting website you've got there.

Blue Ash Fan said...

I'm friends with the band The Yayhoos (Dan Baird, Terry Anderson, Eric Ambel, Keith Christopher). When Dylan had his radio show, he played the band's "Bottle and a Bible" on the show, but only after giving the song a lengthy introduction. The 'Hoos posted audio of Dylan introducing the song on their website and I'd be willing to bet that they're still jacked over that one. I know that they were blown away and that Bob couldn't have been cooler about the whole thing.