Two of the books I read this summer were the autobiographies of Ray Charles ("Brother Ray") and Bob Dylan ("Chronicles Vol. 1"). I've never been much into the music of either, but the stories intrigued me.
The movie Ray, with Jamie Foxx, was a little disappointing. Although Foxx definitely earned his Oscar with the amazing performance, the movie otherwise seemed too straightforward, linear, unimaginative, like a docu-drama you'd see on VH1. So I hoped the book would provide more insight, more heart, more soul. I recall the book caused some controversy back in the 70's when in came out. Now I see why: Ray is very up-front and unapologetic about a lifetime of drug use (though he kicks the hard stuff) and wild sex (we're talking Wilt Chamberlain numbers here, while still married). Suffice it say he had a very addictive personality, and rationalizes it all throughout the book. The passion for music comes across a little clearer in the book, but basically you can see the movie was directly adapted from it.
I've never understood why Bob Dylan was such a phenomenon. Don't get me wrong: there's a few of his songs I like, and clearly his lyrics went light-years beyond anyone else's but his popularity as a generational icon baffles me. I guess it baffled him too: he talks about what became essentially a entire second career attempting to destroy the image of his first career. And then a third career trying to recapture the ambition of the first. The book goes back and forth along these arcs, touching down to certain places and times with a seemingly eidetic memory, while all the rest is haze and shadow. He's very clear about this moments of great focus where ambition crystallizes and career directions are set, but beyond a few thoughts about his hometown, the intervening decades are blurred over. Maybe he'll fill them in when subsequent volumes come out.
Both of these guys popularized changes in their chosen genres, Dylan with folk and rock and R.C. with blues and gospel. These changes seemed radical to everyone outside of their points of view. To them, they were just doing what came naturally. It's the mark of genius, to make significant advances look easy....
