Best book I've read/heard on the 60s

Do yourself a favour and buy this book. I've read many books on the 60s but nothing approaching this. Joe Boyd is a fantastic writer and conjures the excitement of the time brilliantly. He would now be one of my fantasy dinner party guests. He seems to have been involved in so many pivotal moments. I'm now going to buy the book for two people I know.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Wonderful account

One of the best music books you will read. He was there at the heart of it all.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Brilliant

Great book about the music biz and the era by Joe Boyd who produced most of my favourite artists.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Possibly the best book on music I've ever read

Utterly fascinating book, both funny and moving in places.

Many books on music can be dry and opinionated, however Joe Boyd's reflection on this era through his own experiences and career are heartfelt and genuine without falling victim to glowing nostalgia, for this book also shares insight into the darker parts of the decade.

A must read for any musician, the conclusions drawn in closing chapter are worth the purchase alone.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

An inside story of 60's music and counterculture

A thoughtful and interesting account of the music and culture of the 60's. Anyone interested in the music Boyd produced and was involved in will enjoy this very well produced and performed audio book. plenty of anecdotes for the general music fan. overall an enjoyable few hours.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A Music lover's Dream

I haven't read too many truly great biographies, but this was surely one of the first. No excessive name dropping or peacocking, just a brilliant read from start to finish. Putting characters to the music we love.

Also worth your time is the Chris Blackwell book that compliments this really well.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

This one wont dissapoint!

I recently wrote a review on another 60's/70's music producers biography; Dave Courtney's 'The Truth Behind the Music', which i gave 3 stars, after reading this I'm tempted to go back and reduce it to 1 star.
In short, this is how it's done.
As a music business practitioner and lecturer, I've read countless books on the music business and cultural critiques, OK maybe not countless, as I can actually count them on the bookshelf in front of me as I type this (there's 57 but even more on the bookshelves upstairs). This is one of the best I have read, granted if you like Nick Drake you might get a little more of thrill than those that don't, but there's plenty here for everyone, you name it Joe was there - Pink Floyd, Abba, Fairport Convention, Dylan et al. Not to mention a veritable whose who of Jazz and Blues legends.
Boyd had a unique experience jetting between the UK and USA rock music scenes as they formed out of the late 50's Jazz and folk scenes, literally in front of his eyes and often through his direct intervention. Boyd is like Forrest Gump on um... Acid (literally!), actually he makes Gump's adventures seem unremarkable and dull in comparison.
What lifts this from the usual, rock n roll, drugs fugue meanderings is Boyd's thoughtful and intelligent comparative analysis of the era in which he was active and his ability to bring it all back to life. There are plenty of rock historians who should be using this book to revise their ill informed perspectives of how various 60's music scenes started. Boyd actually takes the trouble to correct a couple of these ill informed perspectives.

I enjoyed Boyd's reading of his book and usually I cant stick American readers for too long.

It's a keeper, which I will come back to and listen to again. Buy it.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A must for anyone interested in the 60s and music

I loved hearing Joe's tales. The musicians he worked with are among my favourites, he had an amazing position, a kind of birds eye view on many greats. His writing is unpretentious and vivid, and I liked his voice.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A great book on music on the 60's

Well read by the author himself, detailing alot of the well known- and more on the not so well known- artists of the 60's. Not so much the clichéd recycling of a vision passed between people who weren't there, as often seen on film or TV, but a very real insight into the cultural explosion and the approach of recording albums, touring, setting up club nights and being young in the 1960s.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Was looking for Nick Drake and found so much more!

Although I really like Nick Drake’s music, I don’t remember ever hearing or reading the name Joe Boyd but I am delighted that I’ve discovered him! What an adventure his life was. I wasn’t around in the 60s but the final chapter sums up the difference between then and now, not just in the music industry, but economically. Great listen, I’ll return to listen again in the future!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!