When I worked in Greenwich Village in NY in the coffee houses, Bob Dylan use to play for passing the basket. As a freelance waitress, I got to know the owners pretty well. (Even lived with one for a while) Dylan was not considered very good. When he was picked up by a major record company (Columbia, I think) everyone was totally shocked. I think his song "Positively 4th Street" was about the attitude in the Village about his singing. West 4th and MacDougal was the center of the village at the time.

Later, when I moved up to Woodstock, where his manager lived and Dylan hung out, I worked in a restaurant/coffee house called "The Expresso Cafe". Dylan would come in now and then, as he was friends with the owner, Bernard. His fame made him very obnoxious. Well, maybe he was always like that. I didn't know him very well in the village.

Now here comes a real shocker. Don't tell anyone, as I live in Jersey. I don't like Bruce Springsteen's voice for the same reason I didn't like Dylan's voice. Both wrote some good songs, but they were better done by someone else. (This is real blasphemy here in Jersey)

Has anyone ever heard Robin Williams do "I'm on Fire" like Elmer Fudd? "Fiiiwwer". I can't hear that song without thinking of Elmer doing it and laughing.

annap