I called Dylan Judas and created rock 'n' roll history
* 02/02/99
Birmingham Post
Mirror Regional Newspapers
(Copyright 1999)
A former Midland student has been revealed as the heckler who
experts believe changed the course of pop history when he cried
"Judas!" during a Bob Dylan concert.
Mr Keith Butler was in his second year at Keele University,
Staffordshire, when he lost his cool during a performance by Dylan
and The Hawks at The Free Trade Hall in Manchester on May 17, 1966.
His taunts have since been held largely responsible for inciting
one of the most famous rock concerts in history.
"If he had not shouted what he shouted, you would not have had the
seething resentment, the anger, the contempt, that was Dylan as he
pitched into the final song," said broadcaster Andy Kershaw.
"Judas's timing couldn't have been better. What it unleashed from
Dylan was something so subversive, so angry and contemptuous, that
what followed was punk rock, ten years before Johnny Rotten, rather
better played. To me, the recording was a kind ofHoly Grail."
Kershaw was so moved by the effect of Mr Butler's outburst, he
vowed to track him down.
And more than 32 years later and half-way round the world, he did.
Last October Mr Butler, who now lives in Toronto, suffered an
asthma attack and took a stroll to an all-night doughnut shop.
It was there he came across a local newspaper article about the
concert.
"It was like something out of The X-Files," Mr Butler said. "It
totally blew my mind. The words just leapt off the page at me. I
knew they were my words."
When Dylan and The Hawks had returned to the stage for the second
half of the Manchester performance, they caused an uproar.
* Instead of playing folk music,Dylan came on with the band and a
new electric sound that did not go down well with the audience.
They were annoyed at what Dylan was doing and Mr Butler was brave
enough to say so.
Just as The Hawks were about to launch into Like a Rolling Stone,
Mr Butler screamed "Judas!".
Stung by the jibe, Dylan replied with "I don't believe you" - a
cutting reference to his song of that title, which deals with a
lover's sudden, baffling disaffection - followed by an acid: "You're
a LIAR!".
Then he turned his attention back to The Hawks and gave a
performance which modern fans say changed the music industry for
ever.
Bootleg copies of the concert have been in demand ever since and
Columbia Records last year released an official recording of the show
which has been hailed as the greatest rock 'n' roll performance of
all time.
Explaining his outburst, Mr Butler said: "I was very disappointed
about what I was hearing, but I think what really sent me over the
top was what he did those lovely songs. I was emotional and I think
my anger just welled up inside of me. One Too ManyMornings really
pushed me over the edge."
Mr Butler said he was mortified when Dylan answered his taunt.
"I was just so very embarrassed," he said.
"I turned my back but it certainly didn't turn me off Bob Dylan
for life."
