writing, not drowning

Roll up, roll up - great Bob Dylan draw

I thought I'd round off the Bob Dylan posts with a gesture of - er - unbelieveable Bob-related generosity. In other words, instead of the book draw (which is coming, promise), it's a CD draw - a brand new copy of Dylan's Love and Theft. Unplayed and still in its case and unopened, pristine wrapper. (I was given two copies but even a Dylan fan like me really needs only one).

So, if you'd like your name to go into the draw, just leave a comment below or, if you prefer, email me via the link under the boots photo (top right). CDs don't weigh much so I'm happy to send anywhere in the world. I 'll ask a friend, who'll be visiting next week, to do the draw on Monday - just to ensure that all's fair in Love and Theft, as it were.

It's a 12-track album, released in 2001, so expect mature Dylan rather than earnest young troubador. Don't all rush at once . . .

Jakob Dylan - on not stepping into his father's shoes

Spooky, eh? Yes, Dylan fils is looking increasingly like his father as a young man.

So - the totally unplanned Dylan weekend continues with an article by Richard Clayton, in today's Sunday Times, on Jakob Dylan, son of Bob. Jakob, an accomplished singer, musician and songwriter, has spent a long time carving out his own particular musical niche, which can't be easy when the world wants nothing more than to make comparisons.

Dylan the Younger's PR people - or more likely those of his record label - must be working hard schmoozing the people at News International, as it's just a few weeks since sister paper, The Times, carried a parallel interview by Sophie Headwood.

His debut solo album, Seeing Things, is out now and UK audiences will be able to make up their own minds about his music when he tours this autumn. I'd post a clip from YouTube but most are such poor quality that you would not be able to draw any sensible conclusions about his musical prowess.

One of Bob Dylan's five children from his marriage to Sara, Jakob is himself the father of four sons. I still haven't got my head round the thought of a bunch of youngsters legitimately calling Bob Dylan grandad.

More Mamma Mia - the real stuff

Having a bad day already? This might help. At work? Just turn down the sound and lip-synch the words.

Song lyrics | Mamma Mia lyrics

Patti Boyd - what a coincidence

It turns out that Patti Boyd is all over the media at the moment - passed me by completely - as her autobiography (written with the 'help' of Penny Junor . . .) is being published on August 23. Well whaddya know?

Needless to say, it has been serialised in the Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=473174&in_page_id=1879 and it's full of titbits about George, John, Paul, Ringo, Eric, Ronnie, Pete etc etc and who slept with whose wives - or husbands - and when. Maybe it's in the sub-editing but it's very much of the 'and then he did something awful and then I did something awful and then someone else did something awful and we were all stoned or drunk most of the time'. If they weren't all famous or dead or both, it would be a bit of a boring read. Still, I mention it here in case you like this sort of thing. To be honest, George Harrison was always my favourite Beatle (you had to have a favourite) and I felt like I shouldn't be reading this stuff; another bit of the magic evaporates before my eyes. Rock stars are human beings too, just like us. Discuss.

And, no, I'm not posting any more pics of '60s rock chick icons, either the way they were or 40+ years and a touch of Botox later. Far too depressing.

We’re rooting for you Marianne

It seems like only yesterday that the papers were full of that notorious police drugs raid involving the Rolling Stones and Marianne Faithfull. The press went to town, vilified Marianne - and a completely fictitous story about a Mars bar continued to circulate for decades. (To find out just how fictitious, read Marianne’s excellent autobiography.)

But times have changed and now the papers are a little gentler - because Marianne Faithfull has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite the fact that this disease affects millions of women every year, it’s still a shock to hear that someone in the public eye is now having to come to terms with this particularly unwelcome diagnosis.

For my generation – and I’m the same age as Marianne – this woman has always been something of an icon. She’s feisty, fabulous and painfully honest. And she has absolutely none of the delusions of grandeur that seem to go hand in hand with being a star. If you haven’t read Faithfull: An Autobiography, get hold of a copy ASAP and you’ll see what I mean.

Marianne, we wish you well and may gutsiness and good medical care see you through. We want you around for a long time to come.