Chronicles, Vol. 1 by Bob Dylan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Chronicles Vol. 1 has a few moments of insight concerning Dylan’s musical influences and non-linear remembrances from his past, small vignettes that are often unrevealing in regards to the overall scope of the enigmatic artist’s life. This is not an autobiography, and those wishing for a tell-all of the life of one of the most celebrated singer/songwriters in history won’t find much to work with here.
Dylan does ramble at length about the difficulties of fame, his stalkers, and his unwillingness to be a “spokesperson” for anything. That much feels very real and reveals a softer, family oriented Dylan we don’t often see. There are other moments in his writing that fall apart quite spectacularly, especially as Dylan drones on endlessly about some new mathematical algorithm that freed him musically in the mid-80’s, but which he mindlessly doesn’t incorporate into his recollections of performances or in his recordings. He merely explains this new musical epiphany(rather abstractly and without clarity), stops himself short and then skips to some other unrelated period of his life. It’s just one of many hiccups that occur throughout the text, revisiting why Dylan’s previous works, Tarantula most notably, was critically denounced decades ago.
Chronicles Vol. 1 is book-ended by recollections of his early days in New York and his start with Columbia Records. In between is a focus on New Morning (a relatively unessential album) and a painfully long exposition on the frustrating process of recording Oh Mercy. Both these sections show just how difficult it is to write at length about the vagaries of the creative process, something even Dylan can’t do with any real clarity.
Scattered throughout are some interesting moments from Dylan’s past, advice given to him along the way, and friends who lent couches to crash on. It is these small fragments which are the most entertaining, but you have to sift through a lot of nonsense to get to it. Fortunately, the language is not overwhelming and true Dylan aficionados will blaze through the 300 odd pages rather quickly, despite its rather erratic assembly. If you are someone obsessed by Dylan, then surely have a look at Chronicles Vol. 1, otherwise steer yourself to some of the better “unauthorized” biographies out there.