White hair chronicles - My Back Pages/Knocking on Heaven's Door (The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration)

It's been so long since Bob Dylan's 30th anniversary concert celebration that it itself had its own 20th anniversary last week. In the video above, the greatest assembly of rock legends sing "My Back Pages" and "Knocking on Heaven's Door".

This white hair chronicler finds "My Back Pages" enigmatically ironic. Dylan wrote the song while in his 20's but he talked somehow of losing his romantic idealism. The song might have meant more to the group that sang it in the 30th anniversary as many were pushing 50's or so then. Now the pack probably is "Knocking on Heaven's Door". In fact some of the performers in the concert are now playing their great gig in the sky, Johnny Cash, George Harrison, and some members of The Band.

Whatever doubts Bob Dylan had in his ideals, I'm sure he found them back. He never really lost them, his Victoria's Secret MTV notwithstanding. It just shows he always has his mojo. Bob Dylan and company is timeless. They always "(I) Shall Be Released" and they will stay "Forever Young".

Bob Dylan's Christmas in the Heart

Bob Dylan recently released an album of Christmas songs. How does it sound? It sounds like somebody is making fun of the songs. It sounds like only hardcore Bob Dylan fans will like it.

But the man is far from being irreverent. He is being himself. That's the way he does songs. The album has to be treated as a novelty despite the traditional songs. Imagine the ear-grating gravelly drunk-like voice singing a Christmas song then blend (?) in Ray Coniff type back up singers and you've got this album.

Hey they say this is for charity. Proceeds will go to some charitable cause. My advice for non-Dylan fans is to give your money straight to that charity and spare your ears. No need to pop up this album for your holiday mood.

The front and back covers (the sleigh ride and the three kings scene) evoke traditional Christmas spirit. But with the inside cover he can once again be accused of irreverence. Reminds you of his Victoria's Secret MTV with Adriana Lima.

But I'm A Bob Dylan fan. To me he gets away with this.

White Hair Chronicles VI

In addition to the moon landing, we also mark this year the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. My son Vito teases me about being in grade II when both events happened. He needles me "ang tanda mo na talaga Itay!". I chide him back "My generation has seen the moon landing, Woodstock, martial law, and the EDSA revolution - what have you done?".

I read the news today oh boy, and just as if to remind us how long ago the Woodstock era was, someone very famous and influential from that era, my idol Bob Dylan, was treated like a complete unknown by police when he was accosted by authorities last month. A 24-year-old police officer was unaware of who Dylan is. The rock legend, who was on tour, was just walking around looking at houses to pass some time before that night's show.

A second officer, also in his 20s, who assisted the first officer was also unfamiliar with Dylan, now 68. The singer of such anthems of my generation like the "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Blowin' in the Wind" said that he didn't have any ID with him. The officers took him back to the resort where he was staying. Once there, tour staff vouched for Dylan.

Actually, rock's poet laureate did not perform at Woodstock although he was already an icon and legend at that time. Today, the 20-something generation do not know the man. Maybe now he can write a song answering his rhetorical rantings in his famous song.

How does it feel

How does it feel

To be on your own

With no direction home

Like a complete unknown

Like a rolling stone?

Sport lang!

The Miami Heat and the Magnolia Beverage Masters, my favorite basketball teams, are both having such nightmarish times that not even Michael Fajatin can amuse me. Then the Fed (the tennis champ not the post-Greenspan board) lost to the Joke. That means it will take a while before he catches up Sampras' Grand Slam record. Rafa also lost, to Tsonga (who he?). New and younger talents indeed. Pete's record will be safe for a while as the younger ones crowd out the top players. Looks like a bad weekend for my sports watching.

The big upside that negates the lows is the all-goddess finals in the Australian Open Tennis Championships. That's enough to make my weekend. Tennis fans can't ask for more. Ana Ivanovic faces Maria Sharapova. Maria won eventually but fans do not care who wins. It is a sight to behold. Lithesome Maria versus shapely Ana. Gone are the Williams sisters, one of which has a body like Lebron James and the other looks like Blakdyak. Never mind if Maria grunts louder than Monica (Seles, not Lewinsky).

Then I caught on HBO the Kevin Costner-starrer "For Love of the Game", one of my top 5 favorite movies. I don't know why this movie clicked with me. I've seen it like a dozen times, I have a copy, but I still spend two hours watching it again on cable. It is both a love story and a sports movie (Costner's 3rd baseball movie?). IMHO, this is Sam Raimi's best work, the same director who gave us Spiderman and the Evil Dead movies. Kelly Preston makes John Travolta a very lucky guy. Good song selections with Bob Seger's "Against the Wind" and Bob Dylan's "I Threw it All Away" capture the drama and emotions.

Not a bad sports weekend after all. The men's tennis finals may prove to be a good weekend capper. I go for the Joke on this one.