5 February

8Ray Webster

ISIS is very sad to announce the death of Ray Webster. Ray was very well known and loved throughout the Dylan community and was a good friend of Derek and Tracy.

 

A non religious funeral service will be held as follows.

Monday 15th February 11.45am.

Loughborough Crematorium Leicester Rd Loughborough LE11 2AF.

 

And afterwards all are invited to The Royal Oak, The Green, Rothley. LE7 7PF for a celebration of Ray's life.

 

If you are intending to come to The Royal Oak please email John Baldwin so we have some idea of numbers to cater for.

 

Ray asked that no flowers or wreaths be sent but donations to cancer research will be gratefully received.

 

Condolence letters or cards should be addressed to:

Pat Sharman and the Webster Family,

22 Greenway Close,

Rothley,

Leicester

LE7 7QL

 

 

 

2 February

82 additional shows 

One in Osaka (before March 12?) and the other in Tokyo (March 28).

 

27 January

8Bob Dylan to Perform at the White House

Full details HERE

 

21 January

8Don't forget to visit our NEW YEAR SALE

Full details HERE

 

 

13 January

8Bob Dylan on Canvas

13 Feb 2010 - 10 Apr 2010 | 24 Bruton Street, London

 

“This suite of new acrylic on canvas paintings by Bob Dylan is, on first sight, startlingly fluent, original and imaginative, but it is soon clear that they are also subtle and with deep meaning.”                          Professor Maurice Cockrill RA

 

On 13 February 2010 the prestigious Halcyon Gallery at 24 Bruton Street, Mayfair will open Bob Dylan on Canvas: an exclusive exhibition of Bob Dylan’s first paintings on canvas. This unique body of work witnesses the culmination of his artistic progression in The Drawn Blank Series: from drawings to works on paper and now finally to canvas. The Bob Dylan on Canvas exhibition signifies an end to this chapter in his artistic career as he moves forward from The Drawn Blank Series and onto the next phase.

 

Based on drawings and sketches made while on the road during the period of 1989 - 1992, the paintings in Bob Dylan on Canvas visually echo the stylistic hallmarks of Dylan’s prose, poetry and music. Just as Dylan’s songs are constantly reinvigorated and rediscovered through his live performances, so these paintings revisit images and scenes which were captured in all their immediacy by the artist.

 

 

In these latest works the painterly quality enhances the atmosphere of the subject matter, as Professor Maurice Cockrill RA writes: The larger canvases of these later paintings are images which stand as single statements offering multiple interpretations. Each has a brilliance and translucency of colour that contributes greatly to the emotional charge of the subject, in much the same way vigorous brushwork brings a particular velocity to the drawing and construction of the compositions.

 

Bob Dylan on Canvas is the last UK exhibition of this body of work and foreshadows his upcoming exhibition at the prestigious Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen in which he will unveil new works along with selected pieces from The Drawn Blank Series, curated by Dr. Kasper Monrad.

 

Paul Green, President of the Halcyon Gallery, commented: “These paintings are the culmination of everything Dylan has done with The Drawn Blank Series so far, signalling a new phase in the artist's career. The evolution of medium, from paper to canvas, has been an important development resulting in a creative explosion which has given greater meaning to the paintings. Bob Dylan on Canvas is the grand finale of the Drawn Blank years and the precursor of the new 'Brazil' series in which Dylan explores the canvas further.”

 

Images and text courtesy of Halcyon Gallery

 

 

07 January 2010

8Far East Tour Extended

April 2 Taipei

April 4 Beijing, China

April 6 Shanghai, China

April 8 Hong Kong

April ? Seoul Special City, South Korea. TBC

The five concerts are believed to have cost organizer Brokers Brothers Herald 64 million Taiwan dollars (around 2.0 million US).

 

 

 

22 December

8Record Collector Magazine

End of year accolades continue to arrive for Derek Barker's book “The Songs He Didn’t Write: Bob Dylan Under The Influence”. The book has made it onto Record Collector Magazine's Top Ten list of The Best Music Books of 2009. Again, "Songs" was the only Dylan book to make the chart.   

 

8Japanese Tour Confirmed

As per our posting on December 21, the Bob Dylan tour of Japan has now been announced. Below is a press advert for the Tokyo shows.

 

 

21 December

8More Japanese Tour News

The Japanese dates as listed on the ISIS Dylan Digest on December 12 appear to be coming to fruition. It is our understanding that the dates listed below will be officially announced before Christmas.

 

March 12, 13, 15, 16 Zepp Osaka

March 18, 19 Zepp Nagoya

March 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29 Zepp Tokyo

 

There is the possibility of an additional show at Zepp Tokyo on March 28.

 

8UNCUT Awards

ISIS is very pleased to be able to announce that Derek Barker’s book “The Songs He Didn’t Write: Bob Dylan Under The Influence” was voted as one of the ten best music books of 2009 by UNCUT. “Songs...”, which was placed at number eight on the best-of list, was the only Dylan book to make the chart.

 

 

 

 

 

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8ISIS 25TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

It has recently been suggested to us that we should celebrate 25 years of ISIS with a party. Well, 2010 will see ISIS reach its 25th birthday. All things being well, it will also see the publication of the 150th issue of ISIS magazine– a feat that few, if any, other music fanzines has ever achieved. In 2010, it will also be 50 years since Dylan set out from the frozen north to reach what was at the time an equally frozen New York City. This is when and where he would begin his quest to follow Little Richard. So, how many more reasons do we need to have a party? We are only toying with an idea at the moment, but we have looked at possibly booking a venue in central England for a one day party / convention, consisting of merchandizing tables and a guest speaker(s) plus other events during the day, with a live Dylan related band in the evening. Does this appeal, or would readers prefer a longer event? Please fill in the form below to let us know your ideas and feelings.

 

Send us your comments HERE

(Please include your name in the email and tell us if you are interested in attending)