Bob Dylan, the most influential artist in history, turns 70.

Natalia Rangel_247 - Bad-tempered, cynical, a liar, self-serving, ambitious, selfish, and manipulative. Everything has already been said about Robert Allen Zimmerman, the rebellious American boy who traded his family name for that of his favorite poet (the American Dylan Thomas) and the musician who charmed a generation of hippies and country and folk fans only to "stab them in the back" by bringing a distorted, noisy – rock-oriented – guitar to his melodies harmonized with harmonica and acoustic guitar. In the 1960s, Dylan was the man who made no concessions. He sarcastically lambasted the pompous columnists of Time magazine, and didn't try to compromise when, during a show at Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1966, in a break between songs, someone from the country section of the audience shouted: Judas (because of the use of guitars). And Dylan replied, "I don't believe you. You're a liar." He turned to the band and shouted, “Play it fucking loud,” and thus introduced the next song on the setlist: Like a Rolling Stone, to the delight of the audience – at least part of it. A 21-year-old boy left complaining and was interviewed. He said: “Any pop group could produce better garbage than this. It’s a disgrace. He’s a traitor” (this incident is documented on the DVD Live 1966: The Royal Albert Hall Concert, released in 1998).

The raspy voice of discord never faded. And therein lies one of Dylan's most fascinating contradictions, as he turns 70 this Tuesday, the 24th: in half a century of career, he has elevated his work to a universal level. It is interpreted by a diverse range of musicians, from pop singer Sheryl Crowe to the popular Zé Ramalho, from Bob Marley's reggae to the Rolling Stones' rock or Caetano Veloso's MPB (in addition to the Minas Gerais band Skank, which did a version of Dylan's song "I Want You" entitled "Tanto"). His music is interpreted by delicate voices like Gal Costa and Joan Baez, and also works perfectly well in rock versions by bands like the Byrds, Guns N' Roses, or Neil Young. The universality of his music can also be observed through reading the definitive biography of the artist written by journalist Robert Shelton, which is being released for the first time in Brazil: "No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob Dylan" (Larousse). The book focuses on the musician's career and showcases his skill in building strong social networks with artists he admired, fostering a fruitful exchange of compositions and lyrics. This celebrated circle of friends includes John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Allen Ginsberg, and many others.

The biographer was responsible for the first newspaper article about Dylan, when the artist, described as "folk," told many lies about his work with famous artists of the time and lied about his trajectory, family, life—everything. Always with the goal of appearing a little "cooler" than he actually was at that point. Shelton gave him great support and financed all the young artist's conversations. Shortly after this article (New York Times), he signed his first contract with Columbia. The friendship between biographer and subject guaranteed exclusive access to many sources. The book even lent its title to the biopic directed by Martin Scorsese in 2005. Amidst the various tributes to the artist, the BBC takes the opportunity to publish for the first time an unpublished interview given by Dylan in 1966 in which he addresses topics that were more than taboo for the time.

This was the only time to date that Dylan spoke openly about his use of drugs like heroin. In March of that year, during a flight between Lincoln and Denver, Bob Dylan gave a nearly two-hour interview to his friend Robert Shelton. The content of the conversation was eventually revealed by the broadcaster. In the released material, Dylan, then 24 years old, admits to his heroin addiction. “I got into heroin in New York. I was spending about $25 a day on the habit. I was very, very addicted for a while, I mean really addicted. And I got rid of the habit.” He also acknowledges that he thought about suicide: “I would shoot myself in the brain if things got bad. I would jump out of a window, man. I would kill myself. You know I think about death, man, openly.” A second interview, lasting an hour and forty minutes, was also recorded by Shelton the following day. According to the BBC, a film is being produced from the material of these two tapes.

Watch some videos of this great artist's classics, performed by names like Guns N' Roses, Caetano Veloso, the Rolling Stones, Gal Costa, and Jimi Hendrix: