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Bob Dylan Interview Tapes Reveal Singer's Heroin Addiction

Torsten Blackwood, AFP/Getty Images

Bob Dylan had to overcome a heroin habit in the early '60s, a previously unheard interview with the singer has revealed.

Dylan, who turns 70 on Tuesday, May 24, speaks candidly about becoming addicted to heroin whilst living in New York, BBC News reports. The singer confesses to his journalist friend Robert Shelton, "I kicked a heroin habit in New York City. I got very, very strung out for a while, I mean really, very strung out. And I kicked the habit. I had about a $25-a-day habit and I kicked it."

Recorded in March 1966 on board Dylan's private plane bound for Denver, Colo., Shelton describes the interview as a "kaleidoscopic monologue" and the interviewee as "twisting restlessly" throughout the flight.

Elsewhere on the tapes, the singer talks about how suicidal thoughts entered his thinking after being labelled a 'genius'. He says, "Death to me is nothing ... death to me means nothing as long as I can die fast. Many times I've known I could have been able to die fast, and I could have easily gone over and done it. I'll admit to having this suicidal thing ... but I came through this time."

Returning to the subject later in the interview, Dylan concludes, "I'm not the kind of cat that's going to cut off an ear if I can't do something. I'm the kind of cat that would just commit suicide. I'd shoot myself in the brain if things got bad. I'd jump from a window ... man, I would shoot myself. You know I can think about death, man, openly."

The tapes, which also include an interview once the pair arrived in Denver, are the subject of a film currently in production.

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fatoldfloyd

I got beat up really bad at a Dylan concert by a old hippy guy with a beard. It was uncalled for. Why would you guys do that to me?

June 04 2011 at 12:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ROBERT CAVANAUGH

Robpto5@aol I have seen Dylan twice -- no matter what my mood is ,he brings to a better place.

June 02 2011 at 9:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
madonna037

thats why there was so much controversey, because he spoke the truth, goverment didnt dig that. get hip or die.

May 31 2011 at 11:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
toivojr

dylan da dork

May 26 2011 at 9:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
papawinter460

zimmerman has turned 70 years old and i still don;t understand the **** coming out of his mouth but he is great

May 26 2011 at 5:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
judiwth

If you were there when it was happening, when the music was being made, you knew. It isn't possible to fault someone who is currently in their 20's for not understanding music that was made in the 1960's. But they should know that they do not understand, contextually, and hold their criticism.

May 26 2011 at 2:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bud

There is nothing more shocking he can do after his enterveiw and he admitted that He signed a Contract with Satan in order to gain his fame and that is why he still performs to do to uphold his end of the bargain..And he contridicts his "Im Not afraid to die" thing cause he is afraid to die..He said once he stops upholding his contract with Satan he will be taken and he does not want to die yet..Cause he knows he will be dragged to hell as soon as he stops serving Satan..people think it;s a game or a Joke..But the big musicians and movie star's are starting to talk..Katy Perry same thing..she said she try's being the Christian her parents are but she only received fame after selling her sould to the Devil..Lady Ga ga,same thing..Beyonce,Jay Z king & Queen of promoting hell and bringing other's to the pit..like James Labron,Kobe Bryant,and many other NBA players..notice every Game you will see one of them give tribute to the beast with the hand sign of 6..it is the ok sign upside down to make a six and the 3 fingers held up means times 3..better wake up people..we are in Revelation

May 26 2011 at 10:14 AM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
Harleyfool

i think you mean 1976?

May 25 2011 at 6:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
madonna037

i love him
his lyrics mean as much then as they do now; in other words, timeless; always true.

May 25 2011 at 3:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gp

I have always enjoyed enjoyed Bob Dylan's music. Herion and other drugs have allways been a large part of celebrity life. Bobs one of the lucky ones who managed to make it through. I am not sure why this needs to come out now. I guess Bob needs the attention or the BBC needs a story. It's a shame that we must glamorize drug use. Drugs do not help the creative process, they destroy it. Maybe if Dylan had not been all strung out in the 60's we might have been able to understand his lyric's. "ya gotta serve somebody" it must be the devil.

May 25 2011 at 1:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply