Just in: Bob Dylan won’t attend Nobel ceremony

Just in: Bob Dylan won’t attend Nobel ceremony

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norman lebrecht

November 16, 2016

‘We look forward to Bob Dylan’s Nobel lecture, which he must give – it is the only requirement – within six months counting from December 10, 2016,’ said the Prize committee, wiping egg from pale faces with very tight lips.

Will he bother?

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 13: Musician Bob Dylan performs onstage during The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on February 13, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Bob Dylan

Comments

  • V.Lind says:

    If he doesn’t give a lecture, the award is withdrawn?

  • Robin Worth says:

    Serves them right

    Yes, he was an original voice in the 1960s ( I was there) but did he have more to say than Lennon?

    And will he be anything more than a footnote in the history of our times, like Pearl S Buck?

    • Daniel F. says:

      The Nobel committee gave the literature award to a great many “footnotes” over the years, while ignoring Tolstoy (still alive for the first ten awards), Joyce, Proust, and Conrad (among many others). Pretty hard to take this award seriously with a track record like that.

  • Simon S. says:

    Trustworthy sources confirm that Dylan really tried hard, but his dentist was unable to reschedule the appointment.

    • Sue says:

      Yep, this is what happened with Carlos Kleiber; he cancelled in New York because he had to take his son to the dentist. Apparently Stanka Kleiber couldn’t do it (which explains a lot, actually!).

  • Stereo says:

    What a pain in the axx he is but what is wrong with their awards committee?

  • Pianofortissimo says:

    He should just send a video: ‘Thank you Sweden! This song is from my latest album (sings), thank you again.’

  • Jansumi says:

    Truly irritating how people are so insistent on making Dylan’s response something entirely different than his own: namely, that he was stunned & gratified by the award & very sorry he has other commitments (which my guess would be honouring people who shelled out a lot of money to see him perform).

  • Saxon Broken says:

    I don’t see how anyone can complain about his response to receiving the award when he didn’t actually ask for it.

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