Still no song and dance from Dylan over Nobel prize

BOB DYLAN has been described as “impolite and arrogant” by a member of the Swedish Academy after the singer songwriter remained silent over its decision to award him the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Dylan’s refusal to even acknowledge the prize may not come as a surprise to his fans – they have often sat through concerts where he ignored them – but it seems to have upset the committee who bestowed him the title.

Per Wastberg said Dylan’s lack of reaction was predictable but then went on to describe it as disrespectful nonetheless. He told the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter yesterday: “One can say it is impolite and arrogant. We were aware that he can be difficult.”

Mr Wastberg said the academy hopes to communicate with the 75-year-old artist, whose award credits him with creating “new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”.

The prize was mentioned on Dylan’s official Twitter and Facebook accounts, although reference to it was later removed from his website.

It will be officially conferred on him in Stockholm on Dec 10, although it remains to be seen whether he will receive it in person. Mr Wastberg said that should Dylan fail to appear a ceremony marking his career will go ahead as planned.

Perhaps the Swedish Academy could have anticipated Dylan’s response. In 1965 he was asked at a San Francisco press conference whether he thought of himself as a singer or a poet. His reply? “Oh, I think of myself more as a song and dance man, y’know?”