Bob Dylan's Publishers Apologise For Replicated Signature On $600 Book

This month, Bob Dylan released a book of published essays, The Philosophy Of Modern Song. 

Rather than celebrate the book release, the publishing giant behind The Philosophy Of Modern Song, Simon & Schuster, has been issuing refunds for the limited autographed edition, as Dylan didn't really sign them.

Dedicated Dylan superfans noticed the fabrication error as readers compared the signatures in the books they received. Fans paid $600 for 900 hand-signed copies.

"To those who purchased The Philosophy Of Modern Song limited edition, we want to apologise," Simon & Schuster shared on social media. "As it turns out, the limited edition books do contain Bob's original signature, but in a penned replica form. We are addressing this immediately by providing each purchaser with an immediate refund."

Everyone who bought the limited-edition release received a letter from Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp vouching for the book's authenticity, per Rolling Stone. "You hold in your hands something very special, one of just 900 copies available in the US The Philosophy Of Modern Song signed by Bob Dylan," he wrote. Karp added at the end of the note, "This letter is confirmation that the copy of the book you hold in your hand has been hand-signed by Bob Dylan."

Representatives for Bob Dylan have not yet responded to Rolling Stone for comment.  

According to Variety, photographic evidence mounted to prove that Karp's claim was untrue. The publication tracked down images of the Bob Dylan signature that used an autopen device, a universally frowned upon practice among collectors who paid hundreds of dollars for a hand-signed autograph.

Before the autopen revelation, vendors on eBay were selling the book for upwards of $6,000. 

Last year, Dylan quietly announced a new tour set to run from November 2021 all the way into 2024. Entitled Rough And Rowdy Ways (after his 2020 album of the same name), the shows are being billed as a world tour.

While no word has been officially given on Australian dates at this time, the billing and sheer length of the tour have fans extremely excited at the prospect of some shows down under.

Buy The Philosophy Of Modern Song here.

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— Simon & Schuster (@simonschuster) November 20, 2022