72 LIFE BOB DYLAN
HE’S ABOUT TO REENTER THE GAME.
On August 28, 1969, Dylan relaxes by the
sea in England before his planned headline
appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival,
beginning two days hence. We invite you
to play “Where’s Waldo?” with the picture
below: In the concert audience are John
Lennon and Yoko Ono, George and Pattie
Harrison, Ringo and Maureen Starkey; one
point for each Beatle, two for each spouse.
Opposite: On the “Day of the Locusts,”
June 9, 1970, in spite of the fact that (as he
says in the song) “there was little to say,
there was no conversation,” Dylan chats with
Coretta Scott King after each receives an
honorary degree at Princeton University in
New Jersey. He’s becoming august.clear that the concert, at the very end of August, would draw
tens of thousands—in the event, 150,000. Of course, Dylan’s
backing musicians would be his recent cohorts, the Band, and
he and the group ensconced themselves at Foreland Farm
in Bembridge to rehearse. They were joined there briefly
by John Lennon and Ringo Starr (George Harrison and his
wife, Pattie Boyd, were already staying as Bob and Sara’s
house guests): royalty showing support to royalty. (And these
Beatles would be at the concert, as would Keith Richards and
Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Elton John
and, just by the way, Jane Fonda.) Dylan’s performance was
fine and went over well enough; nothing earth-shaking, but
considering the circumstances and what was at stake, a solid
win. He and his friends partied happily afterwards.
And now what?CUMMINGS ARCHIVES/REDFERNS/GETTY
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60-79 LIFE_Bob Dylan 2020 Retreat.indd 72 FINAL 1/13/20 4:28 PM