Bob Dylan Once Engaged in a Physical Confrontation With an Obsessed Fan
via Antonio Aury de Macêdo Torquato (Antonio Aury) / YouTube
A Fan’s Obsession Grows Too Far
In 2006, a documentary came out telling the strange story of AJ Weberman, a Bob Dylan superfan who took things much further than most. Calling himself a garbologist, Weberman claimed to be an expert in “Dylanology,” having written books about Dylan and studied his every move. But what made him stand out was how he got his information.
Weberman’s method was strange: he searched through Dylan’s garbage to learn about him. He believed that what Dylan threw away would reveal his thoughts, habits, and ideas. At the same time, Weberman followed Dylan closely, examining his lyrics and appearances. During the 1960s, when Dylan was already a major star, Weberman became obsessed with his songs and the meanings behind them.
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Harassment and the Dylan Liberation Front
Weberman wasn’t content with just studying Dylan from afar. He began to harass him near his home. Sometimes he’d bring students from his Dylanology classes and stage protests under the name “Dylan Liberation Front.” While some believe Dylan tolerated Weberman for a time because he was different from his usual fans, the constant pressure eventually crossed a line.
In the 1970s, Weberman and Dylan had several phone conversations that were later released on an LP titled Bob Dylan vs AJ Weberman. According to Dangerous Minds, Weberman had interviewed Dylan before becoming overly fixated. This obsession would finally lead to a surprising and violent face-to-face encounter.
The Physical Altercation With Dylan
Weberman later spoke to Rolling Stone about the moment things boiled over. “I’d agreed not to hassle Dylan anymore, but I was a publicity-hungry motherf—er … I went to MacDougal Street, and Dylan’s wife comes out and starts screaming about me going through the garbage,” he recalled.
“Dylan said if I ever f—ed with his wife, he’d beat the s–t out of me. A couple of days later, I’m on Elizabeth Street and someone jumps me, starts punching me,” Weberman said. “I turn around and it’s like—Dylan. I’m thinking, ‘Can you believe this? I’m getting the crap beat out of me by Bob Dylan!’”
Weberman continued, “I said, ‘Hey, man, how you doin’?’ But he keeps knocking my head against the sidewalk. He’s little, but he’s strong. He works out. I wouldn’t fight back, you know, because I knew I was wrong. He gets up, rips off my ‘Free Bob Dylan’ button, and walks away. Never says a word.”
He ended the story saying, “I guess you got to hand it to Dylan, coming over himself, not sending some f—ing lawyer.”
