John Harris of The Guardian wrote that the "contrast between Dylan and Seeger" is the "spine" of the book, and that it "both explains the huge array of subplots that fed into the Newport moment and undermines any idea that the story is clear-cut."[3] Timothy Farrington of The Wall Street Journal wrote that the book is about "the clash between cultural authenticity and commercial success."[4]
The book was part of the inspiration of the 2024 film A Complete Unknown;[5] the film's opening credits state that the film is "based on" the book.[2]
Summary
The book’s title is derived from Bob Dylan’s performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. In addition to recounting this event, the book also discusses Dylan’s early career; the early days of the Newport Folk Festival and the folk music scene; Pete Seeger and his interactions with Dylan; and other historical events of the early 1960s.
After introducing the figure of Pete Seeger and recounting the early days of his career, the book pivots to Dylan’s early life in Minnesota, his early performances, and his arrival at the New York City folk scene. Commentary on the 1960s folk revival is interpolated into Dylan’s backstory, with Wald detailing the rift between fans of “authentic” folk music and those of contemporary folk groups such as The Kingston Trio. During the early 1960s, Dylan experimented with different performance personae as he performed at different venues in New York.
The book also covers the origins and early years of the Newport Folk Festival, the formation of the folk festival’s foundation board, and the involvement of Alan Lomax and Albert Grossman. Detailed reports on the 1963, 1964, and 1965 festivals include performances by Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, The Chambers Brothers, Donovan, Mimi Fariña & Richard Fariña, and Seeger. Dylan first appeared at the festival in 1963 and returned for the following two festivals. According to Wald, the Newport ethos clashed with Dylan’s style as he shifted towards rock music with a new band. The Butterfield Band was actually the first act to “go electric” at Newport, but Dylan drew more attention due to the drastic change in his performance persona: he “was showing exactly who he was and what he was about.”[6]
A significant portion of the commentary is devoted to socio-cultural trends during the 1960s. Changes in the popular music scene during this decade included the rise of British rock and the growing prominence of singer-songwriters. Wald discusses the convergence between folk and rock styles and the changing folk scene alongside remarks about the Civil rights movement and the new drug culture. By the mid-1960s, other artists were covering Dylan’s music and emulating his songwriting. Dylan also had a significant impact on The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. The period after the 1965 Newport Folk Festival was marked by significant socio-cultural changes as the “optimism of the early 1960s was slipping away.”[7]
Throughout the book, Wald incorporates reviews of and reactions to Seeger’s and Dylan’s performances and recordings, including first-hand accounts of Dylan’s performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The book concludes with remarks on the legacies of Dylan, Seeger, and the Newport Folk Festival.
Wald based the book on a variety of first-hand accounts of the Electric Dylan controversy,[2] including those gathered through film and recorded tapes.[4]Dorian Lynskey[Wikidata] of The Spectator Australia wrote that the number of sources used was in the "dozens".[8] One source included an interview with a person who overhead a conversation between Pete Seeger and Charles Seeger immediately following the event. [9]
Mark Levine of Booklist wrote that the book discusses the "mythology" of the controversy.[1] Farrington describes the narrative style of the coverage of the Newport 1965 set as having "almost second by second" details.[4]
Janet Maslin stated that the book recorded varying points of view from different people about the controversy.[9] The book examines how many people attending the Newport concert had certain opinions about the controversy.[1]
According to Maslin, "oversimplifications" of people are a feature of the book, even though the author "tries his best to resist" them, and the author, according to Maslin, "acknowledges" how these features have "flaws".[9]
According to Maslin, author "does a fascinating job" showing how Seeger had to manage having an income and a career along with trying to maintain his "ideals".[9]
Poet David Kirby stated that the book shows that the controversy is about the complexity of narratives and "not so much about music".[10]
Lynskey wrote that the book does not "take sides" and that is the "real contribution to the" topic.[8]
Reception
Maslin described it as a "splendid, colorful work".[9]
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