A Complete Unknown: What led to Bob Dylan being called Judas and is the moment in the Timothée Chalamet film?
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- The Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, opens in UK cinemas this weekend
- The film, starring Timothée Chalamet as Dylan, focuses on his early rise as a folk hero
- The film also focuses on the moment Dylan became a Judas in the eyes of his fanbase - but why?
The eagerly-anticipated Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, starring BAFTA award nominee Timothée Chalamet, recently graced the red carpet in London during its premiere.
It wasn’t too hard to miss, owing to the fact that Chalamet arrived on the red carpet on a hired bicycle, which apparently led to him being fined for not storing it correctly when not in use - or so reports go.
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Hide AdThe film, which is set to open nationwide tomorrow (January 17 2025) follows a young Dylan as he makes his way to New York to meet his idol, Woodie Guthrie, as it then follows the trials and tribulations of the Subterranean Homesick Blues singer.
That also means that the film will cover the moment in 1966 when Dylan found himself at odds with the fanbase that had coveted his folk music since his first steps in the music industry. Funnily enough, said moment occurred in Manchester so stand up and take a bow, North West!
But with Dylan considered a legend in the music industry and a huge influence on a range of artists across half a century, why would his fanbase turn on him? Did he do something problematic?
Somewhat, though it’s a lot more innocent that you would think. If you know why he was called a Judas at a show, know that the moment is in the film itself. But if you’re unsure why or what led to Dylan being called such a name, here’s the story about what happened one fateful evening in Manchester when Dylan went electric…
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Hide AdWhat led to Bob Dylan being called Judas during a live performance?


In the early 1960s, Bob Dylan emerged as the voice of a generation through his protest songs, which were firmly rooted in folk music traditions. His acoustic guitar and harmonica set the tone for songs that addressed social issues, civil rights, and anti-war sentiments. Songs like Blowin’ in the Wind and The Times They Are A-Changin’ made him an icon of the folk movement and an influential figure in the counterculture movement.
However, by the mid-1960s, Dylan began to grow restless with the limitations of folk music, both musically and politically. He was increasingly interested in exploring new sounds and ideas, which led him to experiment with rock and roll, blues, and other genres that incorporated electric instruments.
In 1965, Dylan made the dramatic decision to begin recording with an electric band. The album Bringing It All Back Home (1965) marked the beginning of this shift, as Dylan blended his folk roots with electric instrumentation on tracks like Subterranean Homesick Blues. This was a departure from his earlier sound, but the electric guitar riffs and rock rhythms were still relatively subtle in comparison to what was to come.
Dylan’s next album, Highway 61 Revisited (1965), saw him embracing a more fully electric sound, particularly on the hit single Like a Rolling Stone. This was a bold departure from the acoustic folk music for which he had become famous.
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Hide AdWhile critics and younger fans embraced this new sound, many of his core folk audience members felt betrayed, seeing the use of electric instruments as a rejection of the political and social messages of his earlier work.
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The 1966 Tour and the "Judas" Incident


By 1966, Dylan’s transition to electric music had caused a rift between him and his folk audience. Many felt that Dylan was abandoning his roots and turning his back on the ideals of protest music. This tension culminated during his 1966 world tour, when Dylan performed a series of concerts that often featured a mix of acoustic and electric sets.
The infamous "Judas" incident occurred on May 17, 1966, during a concert at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in England. The concert was part of a larger European leg of Dylan’s 1966 tour. At this point, Dylan was performing with the newly formed “The Hawks” (who would later become The Band), a group of musicians that helped define the sound of his electric performances.
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Hide AdDuring the second half of the show, Dylan and his band played an all-electric set. The audience, which had been used to seeing Dylan perform acoustic folk music, was not entirely receptive to the change. As Dylan launched into his electric version of Like a Rolling Stone, one audience member—believed to be either a disgruntled folk purist or a member of the press—shouted “Judas!” in anger, accusing Dylan of betraying his roots and his fanbase.
Dylan’s reaction to the "Judas" heckler is legendary. After the shout, Dylan turned to his band and said, “Play it f***ing loud,” signalling to them to play as loudly as possible, signalling his defiance against the critics. The band then launched into a fiery version of Like a Rolling Stone, with its crashing electric guitars and relentless rhythm.
This moment became a symbol of the tension between Dylan and his fans, as well as the broader cultural conflict between tradition and innovation in the 1960s. The confrontation between Dylan and his audience highlighted the struggle many artists faced at the time: how to evolve artistically while maintaining the loyalty of their original followers.
The aftermath and impact
The "Judas" incident and Dylan’s electric performances continued to stir controversy throughout the rest of the 1966 tour. While the backlash from folk purists was intense, there were also many fans who embraced Dylan’s new direction and the electrified sound. Critics, too, were divided; some hailed his experimentation as ground-breaking, while others viewed it as a betrayal of his earlier, more politically driven music.
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Hide AdIn the years that followed, Dylan’s embrace of electric music would come to be seen as a pivotal moment in the history of rock music. The events of the 1966 tour marked a key point in his artistic journey, leading him to explore new forms of expression in albums such as Blonde on Blonde (1966) and John Wesley Harding (1967). Dylan's move to electric music also helped to break down the boundaries between folk, rock, and pop, paving the way for other artists to experiment with genre fusion.
A Complete Unknown opens in cinemas such as Vue and Odeon on January 17 2025; those who have an Odeon MyLIMITLESS membership can watch the film and many others as part of a monthly subscription to the service. For more information, visit the MyLIMITLESS page on Odeon's website.
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