Bob Dylan Interviewed Hotel George V PARIS May 23rd 1966 - meet Monsieur Finian!

 Bob Dylan Interviewed

Such a great story. Not quite as brilliant as the classic tormenting the press interviews of the time but heck this one's close! Ha ha ha ha ha . . . . . . . 

From Route Online

On this day in 1966, Bob Dylan held a press conference at the George V Hotel in Paris.

French journalist Jean-Marc Pascal had been in Dylan's inner circle since Sheffield on 16th May. On the plane to Paris on the 22nd, Dylan asked Pascal, ‘What sort of questions will they ask me at the press conference?’ Pascal told him, ‘Nothing original, you can be assured. What do you think about the Vietnam war? Why you’ve changed your style of music, what do you think about long hair? That’s about it.’

On the morning of the 23rd May, Dylan went to a flea market with Barry Feinstein and picked up a prop for that afternoon’s press conference, a ventriloquist’s puppet which he called ‘Finian’. (He also picked up ‘the biggest US flag he could find’, which would be used as the backdrop at the show on the 24th.)

The puppet was obviously brought up at the press conference. Barry Feinstein said, 'Every time one of the journalists asked him a question, he put his ear to the puppet’s mouth and pretended to listen to the answer. Then he would tell the press. It drove them nuts. They didn’t understand him.’

Q: Why do you have a puppet by your side?

A: It’s the puppet that follows me everywhere.

Q: What does it represent? A symbol? A fetish? A mascot?

A: It’s a religion, of tears and mourning.

Q: What are your pleasures?

A: Smoking and eating.

Q: Smoking what?

A: Anything.

Q: Do you think that narcotics can inspire?

A: Do you yourself take drugs?

Q: Sometimes.

A: Then you ought to know!

Q: Do you have a special way of sleeping?

A: One hand under my leg, the other one on my ear. [He demonstrates.]

Q: What gave you the idea of singing folk songs?

A: In 1959, there were adverts everywhere—‘sing folk songs’.

Q: Do you always live like a beatnik?

A: What do you mean by ‘beatnik’?

Q: Someone who has no desire for money or honours, who travels when he wants to.

A: In that case, thanks for calling me a beatnik.

Q: Is there anything about which you are certain?

A: I’m certain of the existence of ashtrays, of doorknobs, of windowpanes.

 

It was to be Bob’s last press conference for quite some time. #Dylan66 #JUDAS

Read more about the whole tour in JUDAS! by Clinton Heylin: http://www.route-online.com/all-books/judas.html