Bob Dylan Addresses Controversially Signing Books With A Machine

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Bob Dylan has addressed a controversy after it was revealed that limited edition copies of his book The Philosophy of Modern Songs that were thought to be hand-signed actually featured reproduced signatures.

"I’ve been made aware that there’s some controversy about signatures on some of my recent artwork prints and on a limited-edition of Philosophy Of Modern Song. I’ve hand-signed each and every art print over the years, and there’s never been a problem," the iconic singer-songwriter explained in a Facebook post. "However, in 2019 I had a bad case of vertigo and it continued into the pandemic years. It takes a crew of five working in close quarters with me to help enable these signing sessions, and we could not find a safe and workable way to complete what I needed to do while the virus was raging. So, during the pandemic, it was impossible to sign anything and the vertigo didn’t help. With contractual deadlines looming, the idea of using an auto-pen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done ‘all the time’ in the art and literary worlds."

After explaining why he chose to sign some of the $599 books, Dylan owned up and issued an apology to fans. "Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately," he concluded his message. "I’m working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that."

Simon & Schuster also addressed the incident and guaranteed those who purchased the falsely signed books would receive and "immediate refund." See Dylan's full statement below.


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