Bob Dylan "Sickened" By Death Of George Floyd

Songwriter speaks out...

*Bob Dylan* has given his first press interview in a decade.

The legendary songwriter returns with new album 'Rough And Rowdy Ways' on June 19th, his first LP of original material since 2012.

Agreeing to speak to the *New York Times*, Bob Dylan opened up, discussing the death of George Floyd, his respect for Little Richard, and much more besides.

Here's a few choice excerpts - find the full thing *HERE.*

*On George Floyd...*

It sickened me no end to see George tortured to death like that. It was beyond ugly. Let’s hope that justice comes swift for the Floyd family and for the nation.

*On why Little Richard's gospel recordings don't get the respect they deserve... *

Probably because gospel music is the music of good news and in these days there just isn’t any. Good news in today’s world is like a fugitive, treated like a hoodlum and put on the run. Castigated.

All we see is good-for-nothing news. And we have to thank the media industry for that. It stirs people up. Gossip and dirty laundry. Dark news that depresses and horrifies you.

*On being inspired by jazz... *

Ella Fitzgerald as a singer inspires me. Oscar Peterson as a piano player, absolutely. Has any of it inspired me as a songwriter? Yeah, 'Ruby, My Dear' by Monk. That song set me off in some direction to do something along those lines. I remember listening to that over and over.

*On mentioning Anne Frank on his new album... *

Her story means a lot. It’s profound. And hard to articulate or paraphrase, especially in modern culture. Everybody’s got such a short attention span.

*On the COVID-19 pandemic... *

I think it’s a forerunner of something else to come. It’s an invasion for sure, and it’s widespread, but biblical? You mean like some kind of warning sign for people to repent of their wrongdoings? That would imply that the world is in line for some sort of divine punishment.

Extreme arrogance can have some disastrous penalties. Maybe we are on the eve of destruction. There are numerous ways you can think about this virus. I think you just have to let it run its course.

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'Rough And Rowdy Ways' will be released on June 19th.

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