Now, I'm all for healthy adulation here and there, when deserved, but Ric Kangas has surely taken this one a little too far. Up for sale: a tape of him and Bob Dylan, then schoolyard buddies back in the Midwest, playing four songs of their own composition. Three feature Dylan's voice, while Kangas sings the other, backed by Dylan's astringent guitar accompaniment.
This tape was floor auctioned on October 6-7, while online bidding finished a day earlier. It was expected to fetch at least $50,000 at conservative estimates, though many experts suggested it would be nearer the $100K mark. Seems a little bit over the odds for a taped recording of a living man, even if it is Dylan. Still, what do I know? I'm still high from sliding down the tubes at the Tate Modern.
However, in a spectacular twist, the tape apparently didn't sell. According to the Heritage Auction Galleries website, the emporium responsible for this irresponsible raping of Dylan's still-forming legacy, the item "did not sell at auction because it did not receive bids equal to or greater than the reserve (minimum bid) amount set by the consignor." In other words, it didn't fetch as much as everyone expected!
I don't know what the next step is in this whole sordid affair, but I'll keep you posted.
