Meta Description: Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French criticizes Bob Dylan’s live performances, calling them “indecipherably bad.” Learn more about his candid remarks on Dylan’s esoteric live shows.
Jay Jay French Calls Bob Dylan’s Live Performances “Indecipherably Bad”
Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French is known not only for his musical skills but also for his candid opinions. In a recent interview with Dean Delray, transcribed by Ultimate Guitar, French called Bob Dylan’s live performances “indecipherably bad.”
Jay Jay French on Bob Dylan’s Live Performances
French’s critique centers on Dylan’s tendency to perform his famous tracks differently from how they were recorded. He says, “Look, you go see Dylan. Dylan is indecipherably bad. You don’t even understand it. But if you’re a deep Dylan guy, and Dylan’s like so esoteric, you go, ‘He’s an interpretive artist! He does it the way he wants to!’”
He continues, “But you know what? The average person doesn’t give a shit. They want to hear ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ like ‘Blowin’ in the Wind.’ They want to hear ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ [sound like] ‘Like a Rolling Stone.’ They like to hear a song that sounds kind of like the record because that’s how they remember it. So, Dylan doesn’t do that game.”
French’s Previous Criticisms of Dylan
This isn’t the first time Jay Jay French has criticized Bob Dylan. In a 2021 interview with The Metal Voice, he described Dylan as “horrible live.” French recounted his experience seeing Dylan perform: “I went to see Dylan a couple of years ago with one of his producers because I heard he was so horrible live you couldn’t understand what he was singing. I wanted to be able to understand what he was singing because I’m a huge Dylan fan.”
French shared his disappointment, stating, “He [Bob] never turned around to the audience, he played with his back to the audience, never talked to the audience, and was indecipherable in his songs. It was almost comical, almost like he was saying, ‘Fuck you, you’re idiots, you’re just paying to see a god, and I don’t care.’”
The Divided Opinions on Dylan’s Performances
French noted that opinions on Dylan’s live performances are split: “Half the audience bought into it because he’s Bob Dylan. Hey, man, it’s an artistic statement, he doesn’t turn around, he doesn’t talk to you and you can’t understand what you’re singing, that’s great.’ And half the people went, ‘Are you fucking kidding me?! I can’t understand what he’s singing and he sucks.’”
Reflecting on Dylan’s career, French added, “Dylan didn’t always do this…although there are people who say he’s been terrible live for years. He didn’t always suck live. Watch [1978’s] ‘The Last Waltz,’ which is one of my favorite movies – one of the greatest concert movies ever made.”
Conclusion
Jay Jay French’s candid remarks on Bob Dylan’s live performances highlight a long-standing debate among music fans. While some appreciate Dylan’s esoteric approach, others, like French, find his live renditions lacking. As Dylan continues to perform, these divided opinions are likely to persist.
