Television's "American Idol" may have captured viewers across the nation during the past few weeks, but on Monday a former Purdue University professor compared the lives of two true American music idols.
Larry David Smith spoke about the lives of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen in front of about 25 Ball State students and faculty. Smith has written about the pop icons' lives in a book titled "Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen: The American Song," which was released in October.
After graduating from Ohio State University, Smith began studying the storytelling of politics. Even though Smith said he heard some great stories during the Reagan administration, he wanted to move out of the political realm.
It was then that he decided to study art.
Smith made it clear that he did not aim to study musicians, but rather the musicians' art of storytelling. He said celebrities are often too complex to study.
"In my work I focus on the art, because I can get a handle of the art," he said.
Smith has written two books, one on The Who's Pete Townsend, the other on Dylan and Springsteen. He called his method of study "narrative synthesis." Using this method, he takes a body of works by an artist and looks for the characters, values and plots that recur throughout the discourse.
Dylan, for example, was labeled by many in the 1960s as the voice of his generation. Through talking with and studying Dylan, though, Smith said the artist found that label laughable. Smith said Dylan's lyrics and his disregard for singing them are clearly signs of that.
"He was not concerned with his audience," Smith said. "He writes for himself."
Springsteen, on the other hand, refers to himself as a "postman," Smith said. Springsteen's primary concern is that the audience gets the message.
Attendees said they found the presentation informative, even if it wasn't exactly what they expected.
"I was expecting more of a comparison between the two," sophomore Tyson Runkle said. "Not, 'here's Springsteen, here's Dylan.'"
Even though his book's focus is on folk music, Smith said he listens to all genres, from bluegrass to rap. He says he doesn't let his love for music get in the way of his analysis, though.
"To me it's a subject," Smith said. "I try to be as much of a casual listener as I can."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
