Bob Dylan Interview: 20/20 with Bob Brown (1985)

I remember watching this 20/20 interview when it first aired in 1985. I was so excited to see it. Bob Dylan was at the peak of one of his most creative periods, in my opinion. Others will disagree, but I thought Infidels and Empire Burlesque showcased the height of the songwriter's skills. Others have talked about how they did not care for his music from the 1980s, but to me he was at the top of his game. Of course, the recording artist has had a number of high points in his career. The 1960s protest era when he was dubbed "the voice of a generation," for his work as a folk artist. Then he set new standards for rock with albums like Blonde on Blonde and  Blood on the Tracks. Later he would shock his fans and introduce himself to a new audience and a new generation with his "born again" religious themes in Slow Train Coming and Saved. 

At the time of the 20/20 interview he had yet to produce another masterpiece that would emerge in a few years with Oh Mercy which capped off his very productive 1980s period. There would be other Grammy-winning recordings in the decades ahead with Time Out of Mind  in 1997, Love and Theft in 2001, and Modern Times  in 2006.

(Next post: an interview in Australia from 1986)

(Update, 9/21/13: Apparently the 20/20 interview is no longer available on You Tube. I did find a transcript of the interview at  http://www.rightwingbob.com/weblog/bob-dylans-1985-interview-on-the-abc-tv-show-2020 )

Newer update: Here is the interview, back on YouTube,

*    *    *    *