“Pure Desperation”: This Multi-Genre Star Knocked on Bob Dylan’s Door “Relentlessly” Until Dylan Helped Promote His Album

With his finger on the pulse of America, Bob Dylan fashioned a mesmerizing career that continues today. First taking the stage during the 1950s, Dylan had no idea what the coming decades would bring him. But during that time, he sold over 125 million albums, won countless awards, and even landed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. An icon in the music industry, fans of Dylan recently noticed that he helped narrate a video for an upcoming album that wasn’t for himself but for Machine Gun Kelly. 

Videos by American Songwriter

While the mashup of MGK and Dylan might sound odd to some, early this month, the singer released a video for his upcoming LP Lost Americana. With the LP expected to hit shelves on August 8th, the video showed some highlights of MGK traveling across America. Not using fancy cameras, the footage felt like a throwback to the 1990s and featured the timeless landscape of America.  

During the video, Dylan’s voice played over the footage, stating, “It’s a sonic map of forgotten places, a tribute to the spirit of reinvention and a quest to reclaim the essence of American freedom. From the glow of neon diners to the rumble of the motorcycles, this is music that celebrates the beauty found in the in-between spaces. Where the past is reimagined, and the future is forged on your own terms.”

[RELATED: On This Day in 2020, Bob Dylan Released the Album That Cemented His Legacy as One of the Most Enduring Musicians in History]

Machine Gun Kelly Labels Bob Dylan A “Pioneer”

Although MGK never confirmed that he worked with Dylan on the video, the singer finally broke his silence on the matter. While claiming “A magician never reveals his secrets”, MGK promised it all came together out of “Pure desperation.” And what did that look like – “Just knocking on his door relentlessly, not going away.”

Even shocked that Dylan agreed to do the video, MGK considered the iconic singer a pioneer. “I have been blessed with… I don’t know, maybe it’s just one pioneer seeing something that I am doing that, in the long term, will be looked back [at] and be understood.”

As for fans, they couldn’t wait for the new album to drop with comments loving the collaboration between MGK and Dylan. “Getting Bob Dylan to narrate the trailer is so cool. Real recognize real.” Another person declared, “Bob Dylan narrating the album trailer… Legendary.”  

(Photo by FRCPhoto/Shutterstock)