My newfound respect for Bob Dylan

[George Christiansen]

Billy Joel doesn't belong in that list.

Nor does Van Morrison. He was the gateway drug that led me into jazz. One may or may not like the timbre of his voice (which changed quite often anyway), but he can play multiple instruments well and has a decent range both vocally and musically. He has gone to shit in his old age, but very few don't.

Dylan is a great poet and his voice works occasionally when the protagonist of his songs call for it, much like Tom Waits. The difference is Tom's music is great and innovative. Dylan's biggest contribution has been to give others great lyrics and mediocre music to turn into great covers.

[David Lee]

I saw a Henry Rollins interview a while back where he mentions how amazing he thinks Blonde on Blonde is, so Dylan's influence may be even broader than he gets credit for.

His voice sounds weird and out of tune most of the time, but I love the sound it. But I'm probably not the best judge; I enjoy things that sound weird--Neil Young, Tom Petty, Flaming Lips, Butthole Surfers...

[John Watson]

To his credit also, Dylan has created thousands of jobs himself, indirectly. If it wasn't for him lowering the bar on singing and musical talent, we would have never seen the likes of Van Morrison, Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffet, Lenny Kravitz, Jackson Browne, Bill Joel and countless others.

This is hilarious and mostly true, although Buffet's Margaritaville might be an exception.

I've noticed that after listening to Bach, Vivaldi, or other Baroque classical masters that most rock sounds like uneducated, trashy, hackery for a while, which it kind of is, as much as I love it.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I enjoy things that sound weird--Neil Young, Tom Petty, Flaming Lips, Butthole Surfers...

Young, Petty, and Dylan all sound like they were in need of a laxative when they sang. I haven't heard those other guys, which I suspect is probably a mercy.

[MPhelps]

Then again, I like Rush and nobody can argue that Geddy Lee has a nice voice. Or the death metal bands I listen to mostly. Or Frank Zappa. I guess I really don't have much of a taste for singing in general. I'm more into the instumental part of it. If Bill Joel or Van Morrison had lots of guitar solos and complex drumming, I could enjoy it.

[dpinsen]

An excellent point. He paved the way for Rap.

Steve Sailer suggested James Brown did that: http://takimag.com/article/get_on_up...#axzz3QqYZodK9

Although he also suggested there that Brown was something of a conservative/libertarian, so that might be a redeeming factor for you.

Then again, I like Rush and nobody can argue that Geddy Lee has a nice voice. Or the death metal bands I listen to mostly. Or Frank Zappa. I guess I really don't have much of a taste for singing in general. I'm more into the instumental part of it. If Bill Joel or Van Morrison had lots of guitar solos and complex drumming, I could enjoy it.

Lee's voice isn't too unpleasant when he sings in the lower part of his range.

This is hilarious and mostly true, although Buffet's Margaritaville might be an exception.

I've noticed that after listening to Bach, Vivaldi, or other Baroque classical masters that most rock sounds like uneducated, trashy, hackery for a while, which it kind of is, as much as I love it.

Beethoven anticipated some of the anger of metal with his Grosse Fugue. I had a CD with a Mahler arrangement of it for a full orchestra and I played it for a college roommate once. He said, "you can tell he'd gone deaf by the time he wrote this".