Laura and Rebecca discuss the new Bob Dylan Patreon, AI, and eventually answer a question.
Send us your question to bobdylanhotline@gmail.com
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Bob Dylan Hotline #1
A new podcast segment, in which Laura and Rebecca answer your questions about all things Bob.
This one's about movie soundtracks, collaborations, and Geese!
Send us your question to bobdylanhotline@gmail.com
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Bob Dylan as Filmmaker (with Michael Glover Smith)
In this episode I talk to Chicago-based filmmaker, author, and college professor Michael Glover Smith about Bob Dylan the filmmaker, specifically his work on Eat the Document (1972), Renaldo & Clara (1978), and Masked & Anonymous (2003).
Michael’s new book Bob Dylan as Filmmaker: No Time to Think is published by McNidder & Grace on 2nd of March. If you’re in the Chicago area and interested in attending the book launch and screening of Masked & Anonymous on 35mm, you can get your tickets here.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Photo by Paolo Brillo
Can Bob Dylan be trusted? (with Elizabeth Cantalamessa)
Being a Bob Dylan fan is a spectrum –whether you identify as a casual enjoyer if his music or a die-hard Bobcat, the umbrella is large and leaves room for multitudes.
Over the past year, many Definitely Dylan episodes have circled around the relationship between artist and audience, how Bob Dylan presents himself and how he is perceived. In the final conversation of 2025 (which you’re hearing in early 2026), we’re approaching this topic from a new angle.
My guest is Elizabeth Cantalamessa, an honest to god philosopher and one of the most fun people you can run into at a Bob Dylan show. We talk about Bob Dylan as the villain and trickster, selling out, and art as spiritual labour.
You can download the C. Thi Nguyen essay “Trust and Sincerity in Art” here.
Tiny correction:
The “Is there anything more American than America” wasn’t a Cadillac but a Chrysler commercial (watch it here). And btw, I’m burying this in the show notes because I’m not sure, but since we’re mentioning Lucy Sante at some point in this episode, I wanted to add that in her preface to Six Sermons for Bob Dylan (the book of sermons she wrote for the Trouble No More film), she mentions that she wrote a “Buick commercial” for him. As far as I’m aware, Dylan has never done a Buick commercial, unless you count the song “From a Buick 6”, so I’m wondering if she was maybe referring to this Chrysler commercial.
Bob Dylan and Santana - Toy Guns clip
Bob Dylan and Neil Young - “More of the same”
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You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Theme music by Robert Chaney
Bob Dylan vs. The Fans (with Rebecca Slaman)
Recently the founder of The Daily Dylan was asked to leave a Bob Dylan concert, apparently for having shared illegally recorded concert videos.
Today we’re talking about the relationship between Bob Dylan and his fans, particularly their ideas of how his music should be engaged with are at odds with the artist’s own.
Find more Rebecca Slaman on her Substack and Twitter. Book a Walking Tour of Bob Dylan’s NYC with Ramblin’ Tours and follow them on Instagram.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
"Like a Complete Unknown": Bob Dylan the Stranger
Bob Dylan – the man, the myth, the legend – the enigma? He has the reputation as an elusive and mysterious artist that often puzzles his fans and critics, and in this episode Laura talks about the songs in which Bob refers to himself as a stranger.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Photo by Gary Miller
Bob Dylan at Farm Aid 2025 (with Rebecca Slaman and Britt Eisnor)
Just over a week after I published a whole episode about how Bob Dylan doesn’t want to be filmed or photographed, he appeared as part of the 40th Farm Aid benefit concert, which was broadcast and live streamed, giving us rare good quality footage of a present day Bob Dylan set!
I invited friends of the pod Rebecca Slaman and Britt Eisnor to discuss the occasion with me. The discussion of the actual Farm Aid set begins at 31:07.
Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Substack, and Britt on Instagram, Twitter or Substack.
Watch Bob Dylan’s set at Farm Aid here.
Donate to Farm Aid here.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
"I'm Not There": Why is Bob Dylan Hiding? (also, a new Bootleg Series!)
At the most recent Outlaw shows, Bob Dylan has been shielding himself from view and it’s become a pretty popular talking point last week. I’ve been thinking about that as well as the upcoming Bootleg Series, filtered it through a 90 year old essay on art and technology and this is the result. 🧡
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Bob Dylan the Gemini
An episode about twins, doubles & duality from the radio archives.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Bob Dylan's iPod (with Tim Swaddling)
Legend has it that Bob Dylan once left his iPod behind and someone copied the contents.
With Canadian musician and songwriter (and future Bob Dylan podcaster) Tim Swaddling).
Find the Spotify playlist “Bob Dylan’s iPod” here.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Songs in this episode:
“Let Me Play With Your Poodle” - Hank Penny (Theme Time Radio Hour ep. Thanksgiving Leftovers. CORRECTION: Bob actually played the version by Tampa Red & Big Maceo, but he played several other songs by Hank Penny on the show)
“Smoking in the Boys Room” - Brownsville Station (Theme Time Radio Hour ep. Smoking)
“Mansion on the Hill” - Vernon Oxford
“You Hit Me Like an Atomic Bomb” - Fay Simmons
“Jumping at the Record Shop” - Slim Gaillard
“Whatcha Gonna Do” - George Jones
“It’s a Great, Great Pleasure” - Louis Jordan
“Dragnet For Jesus” - Sister Wynona Carr
“When I Stop Dreaming” - Louvin Brothers
“Killer Joe” - Toots Thielman
"April is the cruelest month": Shipwrecks, Heartbreak & TS Eliot
Laura revisits a radio episode from the archives about April anniversaries, some good, many disastrous. And there’s a little side quest about Bob Dylan and Modernist poetry.
One note – I forgot to mention that the performance of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” is by Betty Carter.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN II with Rebecca Slaman and Britt Eisnor
Laura is joined by Britt and Rebecca to talk about A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic directed by James Mangold, starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, and Monica Barbaro.
We talk about letting go of the pressure to be chill about the film, biopics as acts of translation, and the sexual tension between Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.
Rebecca would like to add that she realised that it was Al Kooper and not Bobby Neuwirth who put on Bob’s “clown shirt” at Newport.
You can watch our conversation here.
Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Britt on Instagram or Twitter.
Get your Definitely Dylan baseball cap here.
You can buy Rebecca’s “Twink” shirt here.
Theme music by Robert Chaney
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN with Michael Glover Smith
It’s taken over five years, but the new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet) is finally hitting cinemas. So… is it good?
I called up Chicago-based filmmaker Michael Glover Smith to talk about the film, what it gets right, what it gets wrong, and how it compares to other films like I’m Not There.
You can watch Michael’s short film Handle With Care here. He’s also on Twitter.
If you are considering gifting a Patreon subscription to a friend, you can do that over here.
Theme music by Robert Chaney
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Bob Dylan’s Tweets (with Rebecca Slaman and Britt Eisnor)
Bob Dylan has been tweeting and it’s high time we talk about it. In this conversation with Rebecca and Britt we cover what’s been going on the World of Bob, including his social media presence and the TWO biopics he’s involved in this year!
Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Britt on Instagram or Twitter.
Theme music by Robert Chaney
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Photo by Paolo Brillo
"Slow coming home": Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour Finale (with Ray Padgett)
Ray and I sit down in the garden of the Troubadour to talk about the final shows of Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour (2021-24) at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Subscribe to Ray’s Substack, Flagging Down the Double E (but get the paid membership if you can), and buy his book Pledging My Time: Conversations with Bob Dylan Band Members.
Music that appears in this episode:
All Along the Watchtower (London 12/11/24)
Desolation Row (London, 12/11/24)
Watching the River Flow (London, 14/11/24)
Every Grain of Sand (London, 12/11/24)
It’s All Over Now Baby Blue (London, 12/11/24)
I Contain Multitudes (Paris, 24/10/24)
My Own Version of You (London, 12/11/24)
My Own Version of You (London, 14/11/24)
Key West (Philosopher Pirate) (London, 14/11/24)
All Along the Watchtower (London, 14/11/24)
I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You (London, 14/11/24)
Theme music by Robert Chaney
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Post Bob Dylan Giddiness with Ren Harvieu (Royal Albert Hall 13/11/24)
A conversation with Ren Harvieu after seeing night two of Bob Dylan’s three night stay at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Ren Harvieu is on Patreon, Instagram, and her music is available on all streaming platforms.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Bob Dylan and the Truth
In this episode, Laura revisits a radio episode from September of 2018, all about Bob Dylan's relationship to the truth, and his different attempts to define, grasp, or circumscribe it.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Outlaw Festival Recap with Britt Eisnor
A conversation with Britt Eisnor about the recent Outlaw Festival shows and more.
Follow Britt on Instagram.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
Songs that appear in the episode:
“Desolation Row” (Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)
“Love Sick” (Mountain View, CA, 3 August, 2024)
“Cold, Cold Heart” (Hank Williams cover, Alpharetta, GA, 21 June, 2024)
“Shooting Star” (George, WA, 10 August, 2024)
“Ballad of a Thin Man” (Mickey Raphael on harp, St Louis, 8 September, 2024)
“Stella Blue” (Grateful Dead cover, Mountain View, CA, 3 August, 2024)
“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” (Inglewood, CA, 14 February, 1974)
“Dirt Road Blues” (Time Out of Mind, 1997)
“Fire and Brimstone” - Link Wray (Link Wray, 1971)
“Simple Twist of Fate” (with Mickey Raphael on harp, Bethel, NY, 6 July, 2024)
“Little Queenie” (Chuck Berry cover, Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)
“A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” (Somerset, WI, 6 September, 2024)
“Silvio” (Somerset, WI, 6 September, 2024)
“All Along the Watchtower” (Buffalo, NY, 17 September, 2024)
Theme music by Robert Chaney
The Female Bob Dylan
A new podcast reconsiders the legacy of female singer songwriters that have all at one point been dubbed “the Female Bob Dylan”. Laura talks to its creators, Sophie Abramowitz, Sarah Bachman, and Emily Hilliard.
Find The Female Bob Dylan on the podcast app of your choice, and follow them on Instagram and Twitter/X.
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.
"Just to think that it all began": Beginnings, Births, and Rebirths [from the Radio Archives]
This is a slightly updated version of the first ever Definitely Dylan episode, which aired on Resonance.FM in January of 2018.
You can find a version with the full length songs over on Patreon, where I will also be revisiting other radio episodes in the future, so follow along if you're interested in hearing more!
In this episode:
1. Forever Young
2. Subterranean Homesick Blues
3. It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
4. Simple Twist Of Fate
5. Shelter From The Storm
6. Born In Time (Oh Mercy Outtake)
7. What Can I Do For You? (Live, 19 April, 1980, Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada)
8. Rise Again (Rehearsal, with Clydie King)
9. Saved (live, 12 January, Portland, OR)
10. Forever Young (demo)
Additional music by Robert Chaney
You can support Definitely Dylan on Patreon or with a one-off donation at buymeacoffee.com/definitelydylan.