I am delighted to report that my recent essay “Multitudes of Memories: The Ghosts of Past Dylans” was published in the latest edition of ISIS, the world’s longest-running print magazine dedicated to the works of Bob Dylan.

The essay explores how the lyrics of Dylan’s acclaimed 2020 album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, contain echoes of many of his earlier songs. At a Halloween concert in New York’s Philharmonic Hall in 1964, Bob Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, famously remarked, “I have my Bob Dylan mask on.” Since then, he has worn many masks (sometimes as a joker, sometimes as a thief). And often a new mask contains patches from old masks. Beneath each new declaration of intent we can unearth multitudes of memories.

Here’s an extract from the first page of the essay. The full essay is available in issue 211 of the magazine.

The magnificent cover photo was taken by Paolo Brillo.

Still looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for a loved one? You can order a copy of the magazine here!

You can order a copy of Paolo Brillo’s extraordinary collection of Dylan concert photos, No Such Thing As Forever, here.