China Doesn't Dig Dylan

Legendary folk rocker finds something new to rail about after Chinese officials block his gigs there

For China, the times they are a-changin'...not.

After knockin' on China's door for what would have been his first gigs in Shanghai and Beijing, Bob Dylan was forced to scrap his upcoming Asia tour after Chinese officials vetoed his performance, purportedly due to concerns over Mr. Tambourine Man's rabble-rousing past.

Jeffrey Wu of Taiwain-based promoters Brokers Brokers Herald told Hong Kong's South China Morning Post the call was made by China's ministry of culture, which has final approval on all concerts given by Western artists and which disapproved of Dylan's '60s counterculture anthems.

"With Beijing and China ruled out, it was not possible for him just to play concerts in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan," Wu said. "The chance to play in China was the main attraction for him. When that fell through everything else was called off."

Dylan joins the likes of Björk, Oasis, the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Harry Connick Jr., all of whom have had their concerts censored or outright banned.