Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas: The Two Dylans

There are so many strange and wonderful connections and coincidences; shared passions and associations that tie these two cultural icons - Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas together. This provides a rich tapestry - from the ancient Welsh folk tales of the Mabinogion to the poems of the Beat Generation; from Stravinsky to John Cale; from Johnnie Ray to Charlie Chaplin. Rimbaud and Lorca, Sgt. Pepper's and 'The Bells of Rhymney', Nelson Algren and Tennessee Williams and much more. And the wonderful connections between authors K G Miles and Jeff Towns makes it the perfect partnership to write this book. Fifty-two years ago, author Jeff Towns opened his first bookstore in Swansea - he called it Dylan's Bookshop - a youthful homage to the poet Dylan Thomas born and raised in Swansea, an author he admired. Eight years before that, in 1962, (when he had never really heard of Dylan Thomas), he had bought his first ever LP record, Bob Dylan's first ever LP release called Bob Dylan with a track list; In My Time of Dyin', Fixin' to Die, See That My Grave is Kept Clean and so on; baker's dozen of powerful songs. Jeff read that his new hero had been born Robert Zimmerman but had changed his name to Bob Dylan, a homage to a Welsh poet named Dylan Thomas. From that moment on the two Dylans became a constant part of and backdrop to his life. And the two Dylans kept on giving - they were both on the cover of the Beatles Sgt Pepper album. Peter Blake who fashioned the cover of Pepper, was a huge fan on Dylan Thomas' radio play Under Milk Wood. Jeff went to see Peter, they became friends and still are. Peter gave permission to use his wonderful Tiny Tina image for the cover of this book.