Infinity Goes Up On Trial

Bob Dylan, like the Grateful Dead, has a loyal and dedicated fanbase who follow his tours, exchange bootleg recordings, and analyze his lyrics and music. Called “Bobcats,” “Bobheads,” or “Dylanologists,” these Dylan fans have created a unique and supportive worldwide community who stay connected through various networks, meet up at shows, and share their love and appreciation for the art Dylan has created. In 2014, David Kinney chronicled the history and stories of some of the most passionate fans in his book The Dylanologists. In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Cantalamassa, professor, scholar, and Dylan fan, talks about her work and her experiences on tour with Dylan.

Elizabeth is a philosopher whose research focuses on the intersection of social philosophy, philosophy of language, and value theory. She is an Emerging Scholar with the Mark Twain Circle of America and was a Quarry Farm Fellow with the Center for Mark Twain Studies. Elizabeth has written and presented on Dylan, Taylor Swift, aesthetic vocabulary and disagreement, democratic deliberation, and copyright law. In August 2024, she will begin her tenure as an assistant professor in the philosophy department at St. Bonaventure University.

A Video Version of this Episode is Available at TheFM.Club

Links:

• Home | Elizabeth Cantalamessa
• Secondhand Thoughts | lizzybeth c | Substack
• S1E29 - Elizabeth Cantalamessa on Wyoming, Adjuncting, and Humor (philosophersnest.com)
• Interview with Elizabeth Cantalamessa (by Erin Callahan) (substack.com)

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Bob Dylan’s fluid and mercurial shifts in identity performance are a hallmark of his career. A closer investigation of his gender identity performance contextualizes how he conforms to and rebels against traditional constructs of masculinity. In this episode, Laura Tenschert, talented musician and creator and host of the Definitely Dylan podcast, discusses the essay on Dylan and heroes’ journeys she was preparing to present at the Bob Dylan: Questions on Masculinity conference in Odense, Denmark and themes of Dylan’s gender identity and performance in his life and work.

Definitely Dylan, her podcast about Dylan's work and the creative process, has established Laura as a leading voice in Dylan studies, as the episodes take the listener down various fascinating Dylan rabbit holes. Laura also serves on the boards of the Institute of Bob Dylan Studies at the University of Tulsa and the Dylan Review.

Links:

Definitely Dylan

X: https://twitter.com/defdylan

Instagram: Definitely Dylan (@defdylan) • Instagram photos and videos

Patreon: Definitely Dylan | creating a podcast with a fresh, modern take on Bob Dylan's art | Patreon

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In Chronicles, Dylan writes of a mid-1950’s encounter with Gorgeous George, “Suddenly, the doors burst open and in came Gorgeous George himself. He roared in like the storm, didn’t go through the backstage area, he came right through the lobby of the building and he seemed like forty men. It was Gorgeous George, in all his magnificent glory with all the lightening and vitality you’d expect” (44). Dylan describes the troupe accompanying Gorgeous George – the coterie of wrestlers, valets, women with roses – and seems impressed with the spectacle and energy of the scene. He continues, “He brushed by the makeshift stage and glanced towards the sound of the music. He didn’t break stride, but he looked at me, eyes flashing with moonshine. He winked and seemed to mouth, “You’re making it come alive” (44). Real, fabricated, or imagined, this encounter reveals something about Dylan’s approach to performance. In this episode, my good friend, Dylanologist, and fellow January baby, Henry Bernstein expands the reach of this show’s focus by discussing the parallels between Bob Dylan and professional wrestling. From babyfaces to heels to the spectacle of performance and Dylan’s influence on professional wrestlers, Henry combines two of his loves to illustrate the depth and breadth of Dylan’s social and cultural influence.

Henry Bernstein is the host of the fantastic new(ish) Dylan podcast Songs of Experience: A Bob Dylan Podcast, which I highly recommend (link below). Through his encyclopedic knowledge, his enthusiasm for all things Dylan, and generous interviews, Henry is deepening our understanding of Dylan’s work one song at a time. When he’s not talking, posting, and texting about Dylan, seeing Dylan, or generally obsessing about Dylan, Henry works in Operations and Logistics for a Jewish Day School in Chicago. In addition to Dylan and wrestling, Henry’s great loves are his family, the Chicago White Sox, Superman, Star Trek, and Taylor Swift.

A Video Version of this Episode is Available at TheFM.Club

Links:

• Bluesky: @hentrybernstein.bsky.social
• Songs Of Experience: https://www.youtube.com/@songsofbobdylan

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Since Robert Shelton’s New York Times review of Bob Dylan was published almost exactly 63 years ago, on September 29, 1961, Dylan has been the subject of intense critical focus. Journalists, academics, and fans have created an expansive catalog chronicling the minutiae of Dylan’s seven-decades in the public sphere. From studio releases and live performances, through books and films, to personal relationships and shifts in identity, every aspect of Dylan’s life and career has been scrutinized to gain a greater understanding of his oeuvre. In this episode, journalist and podcaster, Harold Lepidus, and I further expand the catalog as we discuss Dylan through the lens of Harold’s work, his fandom, and the expectations the sustained focus has created, and how Dylan has defied them.

Harold Lepidus is the author of Friends and Other Strangers - Bob Dylan Examined, an anthology of writings from the Bob Dylan online column he wrote for Examiner.com. He is a prolific content creator across his social media platforms, sharing his experience and insight on Dylan, the Beatles, Robyn Hitchcock, and music more broadly. His most recent review is VIETNAM, WATERGATE, AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE: Bob Dylan/The Band - The 1974 Live Recordings (Linked below).

A Video Version of this Episode is Available at TheFM.Club

Links:

• VIETNAM, WATERGATE, AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE: Bob Dylan/The Band - The 1974 Live Recordings.
• Friends and Other Strangers: Bob Dylan Examined - Kindle edition by Lepidus, Harold.
• Instagram: @hlepidus
• Twitter: @dylanexaminer

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• Infinity Goes Up On Trial - Episode Directory
• Search all of our podcasts by album, song, or topic.

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Drop us a note at [email protected].

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On May 23 and 24th, scholars gathered in Odense, Denmark to discuss Dylan’s gender performance at the Bob Dylan: Questions on Masculinity Conference. The keynotes included Anne-Marie Mai, Laura Tenschert, Sean Latham. Court Carney, and me. Other scholars including, Rebecca Slaman, Graley Herren, Paul Haney, and Andrew Ferhibach shared their research and insights on Dylan’s performance of masculinity and gender performance. In this episode, Court and I recap the conference, discussing the presentations, the event, and all the wonderful things we experienced.

Court is a cultural historian who writes on public memory. He is a full professor of history at Stephen F. Austin University where he teaches courses on Black history and American cultural history. He is the author of Cuttin Up: How Early Jazz Got America’s Ear and Reckoning with the Devil: Nathan Bedford Forrest in Myth and Memory will be released in September 2024. He is the co-editor of The Politics and Power of Bob Dylan’s Live Performances, a collection of essays on Bob Dylan’s setlists and a forthcoming collection of essays reconsidering Dylan’s work in the 1980s.

Links:

• Bob Dylan – Questions on Masculinity | The Event (sdu.dk)
• Court Carney, Ph.D.
• Instagram: @court_carney
• Substack: A Song and a Mood | Court Carney | Substack

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