Rosie Come Out Tonight

Joni Mitchell Raises Some Eyebrows

In an interview mostly about performance artist John Kelly's tribute show "Paved Paradise" that was published in the L.A. Times, Joni had this to say about Bob Dylan:


LAT: As well, you've had experience becoming a character outside
yourself [Mitchell caused controversy when she appeared as an African American male on the cover of her 1977 album, "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter"].The folk scene you came out of had fun creating personas. You were born Roberta Joan Anderson, and someone named Bobby Zimmerman
became Bob Dylan.

JM:  Bob is not authentic at all. He's a plagiarist, and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a deception. We are like night and day, he and I.


As for my name, my parents wanted a boy, so they called me Robert John; when I came out a girl, they just added two letter A's to that. Then I married Chuck Mitchell; I wanted to keep my maiden name — I had a bit of a following as Joni Anderson — but he wouldn't let me.


Art is deception.  Dylan is a master of deception and one of the greatest artists in history.  

IMHO, Joni would have been okay with her statement had she not said the last sentence.  I don't see the difference between her and Dylan, really.  Apparently she has always presented her audience  with only "authentic" work?  I'm not even sure what that means.


I've always loved Joni's work.  One of the concerts that I will always cherish was at Market Square Arena in the 1990s where Dave Alvin and Joni opened for Bob.  What a great night. 


No doubt Joni stepped in it and the press is having a great time with the statement.  Dylan has only had wonderful things to say about her on his radio show and in past interviews.  But they aren't without some history...  I remember some interesting things about Joni in "Rastso" Sloman's book "On The Road with Bob Dylan," extremely highly recommended, BTW.  Here's an excellent interview from 2006 with Joni about how she has had it with the music and is retiring.  Since this interview she has had a comeback of sorts recording again releasing "Shine." 


Joni has always been willing to stand up for her art and I guess this time is not exception.  I got to witness it first hand at the concert I mentioned before.  She stopped mid song and berated some fellows that were near front and center making quite a racket.  From my memory, saying something like "Bobby will be out in a little while so shut up and...etc."


Here are the setlists from Mitchell and Dylan from that unbelievable night of music:

Joni Mitchell

1. Big Yellow Taxi
2. Just Like This Train
3. Night Ride Home
4. Crazy Cries Of love
5. Free Man In Paris
6. Harry's House
7. Black Crow
8. Amelia
9. Hejira
10. Happiness Is The Best Facelift
11. Sex Kills
12. Magdalene Laundries
13. Trouble Man
14. Comes Love

Bob Dylan

1. Gotta Serve Somebody
2. I'll Remember You
3. Cold Irons Bound
4. Positively 4th Street
5. Watching The River Flow
6. Can't Wait
7. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
8. Desolation Row
9. Tangled Up In Blue
10. She Belongs To Me
11. Highway 61 Revisited
12. Love Sick
13. Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35
14. Blowin In The Wind
15. Like A Rolling Stone