Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas: The Two Dylans

BOB DYLAN and DYLAN THOMAS are two cultural icons connected by shared passions and associations, from the ancient Welsh folk tales of the Mabinogion to the poems of the Beat Generation. Jeff Towns opened his first bookstore in Swansea in 1962, called Dylans Bookshop, a youthful homage to the poet Dylan Thomas. Peter Blake, who fashioned the cover of Pepper, was a huge fan of Dylan Thomas's radio play Under Milk Wood. K G Miles has been inspired by BOB DYLAN since being an awestruck child at Bob's Isle of Wight Festival in 1969 and is now the co-curator of the Dylan Room at London's Troubadour Club.

Format: Paperback / softback
Publication date: 18 August 2022
Publisher: McNidder & Grace

There are countless fascinating and remarkable connections and coincidences that bind these two cultural giants, BOB DYLAN and DYLAN THOMAS, together. This creates a rich tapestry, spanning from the ancient Welsh folk tales of the Mabinogion to the poems of the Beat Generation, from Stravinsky to John Cale, from Johnnie Ray to Charlie Chaplin. Rimbaud and Lorca, Sgt. Pepper's and The Bells of Rhymney, Nelson Algren and Tennessee Williams, and countless other connections abound. Furthermore, the wonderful connection between authors K G Miles and Jeff Towns makes it the perfect partnership to write this book.

Fifty-two years ago, author Jeff Towns opened his first bookstore in Swansea, a youthful homage to the poet Dylan Thomas, born and raised in Swansea, an author he admired. Eight years before that, in 1962, when he had never really heard of Dylan Thomas, he had bought his first-ever LP record, Bob Dylan's first-ever LP release called Bob Dylan, with a track list that included In My Time of Dyin', Fixin' to Die, See That My Grave is Kept Clean, and so on; baker's dozen of powerful songs. Jeff read that his new hero had been born Robert Zimmerman but had changed his name to BOB DYLAN, a homage to a Welsh poet named DYLAN THOMAS. From that moment on, THE TWO DYLANS became a constant part and backdrop to his life. And the two Dylans kept on giving; they were both on the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album. Peter Blake, who fashioned the cover of Pepper, was a huge fan of Dylan Thomas' radio play Under Milk Wood. Jeff went to see Peter, and they became friends, and they still are. Peter gave permission to use his wonderful Tiny Tina image for the cover of this book.

London co-author K G Miles has been inspired by BOB DYLAN since being an awestruck child at Bob's Isle of Wight.

Weight: 215g
Dimension: 198 x 130 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780857162328