I suppose it is a compliment to the man that he has such a pedestal in the first place. As time goes on, those of us who met him, let alone knew him tend to be asked about him from new generations of people who wish to get underneath the singer, songwriter, collector, playwright etc and find what makes a genius tick.

I have to say, he remains my best example of "never meet your heroes". A complicated man who put complicated things over in an uncomplicated prose. People who knew him well probably got beyond the persona he put out but the rest of us can only judge him by either the man we met on occasion or for many now, the historical figure we read about.

Don't forget, those who he was critical over, especially in song, may not share the adulation. Anyone with political views dissimilar to his (99% of the western world I reckon) may listen to a jibe of his and think "fuck you too." Not many Stalinists with Castro worshipping ideals in your average audience, even a folk club one.