Heat Of The Son
Popstar Magazine 1998

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Usually, the offspring of legends have a tough time making a name for themselves independent of their famous parents. Rarely does a performer match the impact of his or her star parent. Worst of all, the adult children of superstars often face serious adjustment problems in coping with their own identities.
One major exceptoin is that exceptional singer and songwriter Jakob Dylan. The son of folk rock icon Bob Dylan and curvaceous model Sara Lowndes, 28-year-old Jakob has already sold more records in just a few short years than his father did in over 30 years. His style is completely unique from his dad's own inimitable artistry, and unlike Bob, Jakob is considered one of the most handsome rockers currently rolling.
Jakob was raised in Los Angeles as part of a patchwork family that includes siblings Maria, now 36; Jesse, 30; Anna, 28; and the baby of the family, Samuel, 27.
Bob and Sara divorced in 1977, instilling in Jakob a need for a stable family life when he grew up. This reaction against turmoil, in part, has helpd underscore Jakob's sensitivity, making him a rock rebel with an openness that his female fans go crazy for.
Growing up, Jakob at first concentrated mainly on his art. He was feeling too much pressure at the idea of being compared to his incomparable daddy, so though he played in a high school band called Livestock, he didn't write his first song until about 10 years ago. In fact, he initially went to Parsons School of Design in Manhattan to pursue commercial art, but then had a change of heart. So did the school - always a poor student, Jakob was knocking down straight D's!
While Jakob admired his father's skills, he was moved by the hard-rocking Clash and the Replacements, and always gravitated toward a more traditionally rocky sound. Jakob was so into the Clash as a kid, that when he met the band, he eagerly accepted Joe Strummer's sweaty stage vest and framed it!
Back in Los Angeles after chucking design school, Jakob formed a band called the Apples with friends Rami (keyboards), Mario Calire (drums),Greg Richling (bass guitar) and Michael Ward (lead guitar.) Jakob functions as rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist, steering clear of his father's uniquely atonal sound (sorry Bob!).
The upstart band started playing in small but trendy outlets like the distinctly unglam Canter Deli, where they attracted large crowds in the ditto Kibitz Room. Among the many celebrities who were attracted to the deli by the rumor that Bob Dylan had a six-foot-tall, good-looking son were fellow popstar Lenny Kravits and the one and only Burce Springsteen. Springsteen later commented that he was moved by Jakob's "romantic presense."
With all the good buzz, the band was signed and released their debut disc under their new name: The Wallflowers. The moniker comes from a photographer who once criticized the band for standing around like a bunch of wallflowers, and though record execs didn't love the name at first, it's hard to imagine the band with any other. A wallflower by any other name.
Critics were gaga for The Wallflowers, but the CD moved only about 25,000 copies, a shockingly low figure. The band would not reach stellar success until the release of their second album, in '96.
"This time, we tried to do something different, something a little more forward," Jakob said upon the release of Bringing Down the Horse. The band had taken seven months to fine-tune the album, and had taken many risks. In the meantime, they'd toured with 10,000 Maniacs, Cracker, the Spin Doctors, and Toad the Wet Sprocket, and had come together more as a unit.
The musical maturity and fresh vision evident on Bringing Down the Horse helped make that CD one of the biggest sellers of 1996 and 1997. It won two Grammys and the single "One Headlight" stayed on Billboard's Hot 100 for 30 weeks. The track "I Wish I Felt Nothing" was particularly special to the band: it was written in the memory of a 60-year-old musician who played stell guitar with the Wallflowers and who'd been considered an unoffical member. Sadly, he'd died of cancer before Bringing Down the Horse could be completed.
With the success of Bringing Down the Horse on Interscope, you might think that Jakob is enjoying the rowdy life of a rock rebel. On the contrary, he is a self-described married father and Little League coach-wannabe. He likes to watch Walker, Texas Ranger and listen to Oasis, avoids movies and magazines, is allergic to cats. Jakob rebels against the rock god stereotype, and he's all the more popular for it.
Next up, the Wallflowers have a new song on the soundtrack for the movie adaptation of Nickelodeon's Rugrats, and the band expects to have a new CD in '99.
Until then, don't look for Jakob to try his hand at acting, as so many other rock stars have. He turned down a role in John Travolta's Face/Off, saying, "I'm not an actor." That's good news for the fans of one of music's most interesting voices.

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By: Henna Christian

After all, I'm human. I like looking at a pretty face as much as the next girl. And if chatting up Gavin Rossdale or Jakob Dylan happens to be part of my job description, then so be it.
I ran into Jake after a multi-bill concert recently, in the dinner line backstage. Everyone was supposed to have little meal tickets, but he had misplaced his. But the serving ladies took a shine to him and waved him through. Selecting a nutritions meal of pasta and salad, he took his tray of food back to his dressing room.
I was a little surprised to find that the dressing room was almost pitch black. I started to turn on the light, but his road manager said not to--that after being in the spotlight all night, Jakob likes to relax a little in dim light. Low lighting also ensures that the frontman for the Wallfloweres won't be recognized as quickly.
Surprising factoids about Jakob: His head is quie large for his body, but it's a beautiful head. His eyes are piercing and blue and when he talks to you, he looks directly at you. And though he has a reputation for being serious and aloof, he is very charming and funny in person.
    I ask him about life on the road, and he says that he misses his family, but he loves playing for all his fans.
"It took a long time for us to get where we are," Jakob says, picking at his salad. "We don't expect anything for free and we're not afraid of hard work. I don't think you can really complain about getting to do what you love... and getting paid for it as well."


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