Well, now I've seen everything. Or something like it.
In any case, please behold in breathless wonder a recently unearthed film, shot on the night of June 22, 1983, that documents the first annual Greenwich Village Bob Dylan Imitators Contest at a now-defunct club called the Speakeasy.
Friend of PowerPop Peter Spencer is the guy who wins "Best thank-you," incidentally.
I should add that I lived around the corner from the Speakeasy, and played there a couple of times, but never -- to my lasting regret -- got to see any of the Dylan imitators shows over the years. So this tape (which apparently aired sometime on Danish television) is a particular treat for me.
I should also add that one of the times I played the Speak, I looked out into the audience and seated directly in front of me was notorious New York City subway shooter Bernhard Goetz. To quote the old joke, I figured I had better be a hit that evening or I'd be hit tomorrow.
Two things I love about this video:
ReplyDelete1) Those 80's mustaches. Yikes
2) The parade of talent reminds me that NYC is chock full of great musicians.
Frank Christian, the big winner of the evening, and a thoroughly lovely guy as well as one of the aforementioned great musicians, passed away unexpectedly just a month or two ago.
ReplyDeleteVery sad...
A few years before this the LA radio show the Cool and the Crazy had a great running contest called Dyls Pills: The Best of the Dylan Imitators. Was quite hilarious and they promised to release an LP of the winners, but I guess they couldn't get the clearances. Tapes of the shows must exist somewhere.
ReplyDeleteAnd 4 Becks and 2 Michalobs? There's and indication of how tastes have changed in 30 years;>