Is It Rolling, Bob? Talking Dylan24 Jan 2021

John Niven

Novelist John Niven loves up Dylan's Neighbourhood Bully: “I have a soft spot for Heritage Rock acts trying to do Punk in the late 70’s and early 80’s” before summing up the Dont Look Back days: “When you’re in your 20’s, you’re all about the cruelty”. His response to attending a New York screening of Eat The Document? “An absolute pile of heroin-addled lunacy”.

But Niven has immense respect for the man and his work: “Listening to Dylan is like reading James Joyce. It can take 20 or 30 years to see the whole picture”. The author of the must-read novella Music From Big Pink references John Updike, Joe Strummer, Jez Butterworth and... Rolf Harris before advising how to deal with awful Q & A sessions.

John Niven was born in Ayrshire and graduated from the University Of Glasgow with first class honours. He has written for The Times, The Independent, Word, Q and FHM. His novella Music From Big Pink explored the 60’s Woodstock scene from the point of view of The Band’s fictional drug dealer. John’s bestselling novels include Kill Your Friends, The Amateurs, The Second Coming, Cold Hands, Straight White Male, The Sunshine Cruise Company, Kill ‘Em All and his latest, The F*ck-It List. His screenplays include Kill Your Friends and How To Build A Girl.

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Recorded 12th November 2020

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