On the eve of the release of The Basement Tapes Complete, we examine this fascinating time in Bob Dylan’s career in an in-depth feature in the new Uncut, dated December 2014 and out now.

Renowned Dylan scholar Clinton Heylin uncovers the full story of the Tapes, a tangled saga that begins with a motorcycle crash and encompasses mysterious disappearances, bootleggers, archivists, degrading tape reels, lost lyrics, and a man at Garth Hudson’s door with a cigar box full of dollars.

Dylan retired to his Woodstock home after crashing his motorcycle on July 29, 1966, and recuperated by writing and recording a number of songs with The Band, then named The Hawks, either in his home studio or in the basement of the group’s house, Big Pink.

While bootlegs of The Basement Tapes have compiled over 100 of the tracks recorded, the forthcoming official Basement Tapes Complete is the first time that all 138 recordings have seen release – Heylin charts the incredible effort that has gone into the recovery of many of these tracks.

The new issue of Uncut is out now.