Writing on his site Neil Young Archives on Saturday (January 11), he said: “I love Bob Dylan and his music. Always have. He’s a great artist. Once he was on my bus and I didn’t recognize him and threw him off but that’s another story. This movie is a great tribute to his life and music. I think if you love Bob’s music you should see this great movie. I loved it.”
Young and Dylan’s paths have crossed numerous times over the years, first dating back to The Last Waltz in 1976, where they memorably shared the stage for a performance of “I Shall Be Released.” Most recently, Dylan made a surprise appearance at Young’s Farm Aid in 2023. Young is not featured in A Complete Unknown, as it chronicles Dylan’s early days in New York City in the 1960s leading up to his iconic performance at Newport Folk Fest in 1965.
It’s unclear whether Dylan himself has seen A Complete Unknown, though he did have a hand in the development of the film’s script, and has praised Timothée Chalamet’s performance.
Young and Dylan have been longtime mutual admirers, appearing alongside each other in Martin Scorsese’s seminal 1978 concert film The Last Waltz for a version of the latter’s ‘I Shall Be Released’.
The two artists also played a joint headline show at London’s Hyde Park in July 2019, which NME attended. “Here’s to these two icons doing exactly what the hell they want, whenever they want,” NME wrote in a four-star review. “Sometimes it sounds like we expect and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s always a thrill.”
