On the topic of plagiarism, Bob Dylan speaks candidly.
“Wussies and pussies complain about that stuff,” the singer told Rolling Stone in an interview for the latest issue. “It's an old thing – it's part of the tradition. It goes way back. These are the same people that tried to pin the name Judas on me. Judas, the most hated name in human history!”
He continued: “If you think you've been called a bad name, try to work your way out from under that. Yeah, and for what? For playing an electric guitar? As if that is in some kind of way equitable to betraying our Lord and delivering him up to be crucified. All those evil motherfuckers can rot in hell.”
Also: 40 Years Later, Detroit's Bob Dylan Is Discovered in 'Sugar Man'
News peg: The salty, tangent-laced interview comes on the heels of Jonah Lehrer’s Dylan-quote scandal, but it’s unclear whether or not Dylan is an apologist for Lehrer.
On criticism of his occasionally borrowed lyrics, Dylan opined:
“I'm working within my art form. It's that simple. I work within the rules and limitations of it. There are authoritarian figures that can explain that kind of art form better to you than I can. It's called songwriting. It has to do with melody and rhythm, and then after that, anything goes. You make everything yours. We all do it."
