From entertainer to preacher. Bob Dylan again proved his uncanny power to change persona. Completely ignoring that punk was the latest thing, he took to the road with a new show, with a big band and backup singers and a bunch of new songs. In fact it was as if all the songs were new, as the old ones were re-dressed, sometimes as reggae, sometimes as rock. Of course it was a failure in the reviewers' eyes and of course the fans loved it! Then Bob Dylan, the preacher appeared. This must clearly be one of the most unexpected changes of career, persona, life-style ever to have happened in the entertainment business. A Jew becoming new-born Christian. As a result he not only wrote some of the most heartfelt and moving gospel songs ever, he set up a gospel tour and played these songs night after night, never even once giving in to the demands for the "old songs". Instead he started preaching to the audience, more and more as the tour wore on, telling that the end of times were near and that Jesus would soon return and set up his kingdom in Jerusalem for a thousand years. |
