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Making Time review, April 2006
The saying is that is you can remember
what happened in the 1960s then you could not have been there.
However, Joe Boyd was at the centre of many major events but he has
a strong recall as demonstrated by this book. This is not an
autobiography but more of a description of the artists Boyd worked
with.
Although he is American, it was in
the UK that he really made his name as a record producer. He had
entered the music business by starting to promote US blues singers
including bringing Muddy Waters to Britain in 1964. After this point
he was at the right place at the right time and managed to be
present at significant events in music in the second half of the
1960s. He was the stage manager at the Newport festival where Bob
Dylan upset the establishment by going electric.
He arrived in London at a major
turning point in music and lifestyle. He opened the UFO club on
Tottenham Court Road in 1967 and saw many major acts make their name
there. These included Pink Floyd in the Syd Barrett days and Boyd
produced the first single Arnold Layne. He later helped to start the
careers of the Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention and Nick
Drake.
His role with the String Band was
crucial in view of the success they later had. His biggest regret
was not making them play in the rain at Woodstock. There later
performance was widely viewed as below par and they were omitted
from the film of the event. His other regret appears to be
introducing the band to a scientologist. The group were soon
involved with the cult to the detriment of their music.
One of the more unusual stories in
the book is Boyd’s trip to Sweden where he was interested in the
songwriting of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. He met their
manager and agreed to represent them outside Sweden. The contract
duly arrived on his desk in London but he didn’t manage to sign it
before leaving to work in the film industry in America. Otherwise,
royalties would have been flowing his way from worldwide Abba sales!
This is a very interesting book with
plenty of interesting stories from the front line of 1960s music.
Boyd played a key role in the development of groups such as Pink
Floyd, the Incredible String Band and Fairport Convention. However,
his presence in London and the importance of the UFO club ensured
that he crossed paths with many of London, and indeed the world’s,
finest.
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