A fanatic is a person filled with excessive
and single-minded zeal,
especially for an extreme religious or political cause. This can be applied to a hobby or a similar
pursuit.
A fan shows a strong and enthusiastic liking for their
chosen person, group, or thing.
I am aware of some Bob Dylan fanatics that I have
encountered, mostly from social media. To
protect the innocent, I will not give names. “S” has attended 359 concerts
since 1988 and 141 on the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour. She has certainly spent a lot of money chasing
Dylan around the world. “Z” made a special trip from Germany to Washington
state to see Dylan on his birthday. “Y" traveled from Chicago to see a preview of the film A Complete Unknown a few
weeks before its release. Other people
have seen the movie umpteen times.
There are also Bob Dylan scholars who have monetized their
enthusiasm by writing books and teaching courses about him. I consider them fanatics. Others have Dylan-related podcasts.
I consider myself a fan since I only see one Dylan concert a
year and would not travel outside the NYC area to see a concert. I do have an extensive collection of records,
tapes, CDs, and videos.
I doubt if Dylan appreciates the enthusiasm of his fans, scholars,
and fanatics. He never talks to the audience, nor does he give interviews. When I saw
him at Jones Beach, the video screens were off when he performed. The point of going to a concert is to see the
performer. He wore a hoodie, partially
hiding his face at other concerts.
