Jann S. Wenner, 'Bob Dylan Talks' (Interview, Rolling Stone, 1969)

(..) 
There's a cat named Alan Weberman who writes in the East Village Other. He calls himself the world's leading Dylanologist. You know him? 

No . . . oh, yes, I did. Is this the guy who tears up all my songs? Well, he oughta take a rest. He's way off. I saw something he wrote about "All Along the Watchtower," and boy, let me tell you, this boy's off. Not only did he create some type of fantasy – he had Allen Ginsberg in there – he couldn't even hear the words to the song right. He didn't hear the song right. Can you believe that? I mean this fellow couldn't hear the words . . . or something. I bet he's a hard-working fellow, though. I bet he really does a good job if he could find something to do but it's too bad it's just my songs, 'cause I don't really know if there's enough material in my songs to sustain someone who is really out to do a big job. You understand what I mean? 
I mean a fellow like that would be much better off writing about Tolstoy, or Dostoevesky, or Freud . . . doing a really big analysis of somebody who has countless volumes of writings. But here's me, just a few records out. Somebody devoting so much time to those few records, when there's such a wealth of material that hasn't even been touched yet, or hasn't even been heard or read . . . that escapes me. Does it escape you? I understand putting time into it, but I read this, in this East Village Other; I read it . . . and it was clever. And I got a kick out of reading it [laughter] on some level, but I didn't want to think anybody was taking it too seriously. You follow me? 

He's just representative of thousands of people who do take it seriously. 

Well, that's their own business. Why don't I put it that way. That's their business and his business. But . . . I'm the source of that and I don't know if it's my business or not, but I'm the source of it. You understand? So I see it a little differently than all of them do. 

People in your audience, they obviously take it very seriously, and they look to you for something . . . 

Well, I wouldn't be where I am today without them. So, I owe them . . . my music, which I would be playing for them. 

Does the intensity of some of the response annoy you? 

No. No, I rather enjoy it. 
(..)



Complete story: here.