I am honored to serve as a consulting scholar for “The Anonymous Hipster,” a documentary about the life and art of Bob Neuwirth.
When I met Bob in the 1990s and learned about his work and influence, one thing became evident: there was nothing more important to him than art and artmaking.
That came through in the way he lived and in every conversation we had.
21 December 2023
From Oscar Garza
Professor of Professional Practice
Director, Graduate Program in Specialized Journalism/Arts & Culture
Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California
Throughout his life, he was always curious and encouraging about the work of every creative person he encountered — people who would become famous (Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Kris Kristofferson, etc.) and people who labored in quiet anonymity.
When I began teaching cultural journalism at the University of Southern California, my initial class presentation included this bit of Neuwirth wisdom, from “Pastoral Angst,” a song from the album he made with John Cale, “Last Day on Earth”: “Art is not the spiritual side of business as usual. And art is not for everyone — never has been, never will be. Now me? I don’t know much about art, but I do like what I know.” There is no better way to launch graduate journalism students who are finding and developing their critical voice — and Bob’s words remain a staple of my introduction at the beginning of every school year.
In an interview for Martin Scorsese’s documentary about Dylan, “No Direction Home,” Neuwirth said of his one-time close colleague: “He always made exactly the work he wanted to make, at the time he wanted to make it.” But Bob could have been talking about himself. He was a hugely talented and prolific visual artist and a brilliant songwriter who never chased trends or fame. Also in the Scorsese documentary, speaking of the early folk music movement, Bob said: “In those days, artistic success was not dollar-driven … those were simpler times.” Indeed, he kept it simple all his life: just make art.
“The Anonymous Hipster” will be a welcome tribute for everyone who knew Bob. But more importantly, in today’s distracted, social media-driven culture, the ethos Bob lived by and the lessons he imparted will be invaluable to artists and audiences who will discover him through the film.
Bob Neuwirth was an unsung hero of American culture. He was a caretaker of our nation’s traditional music, and those sounds and values guided his own aural journey from folkie to godfather of Americana. He should remain unsung no longer — it is high time for Bob’s lifesong to be heard.
