White Bicycles

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

I've been reading 'White Bicycles' by Joe Boyd. I thought it was about time.  

Not really sure what I think. There's an awful lot about Joe Boyd and I would have liked more of a feel for the era.
There's an awful lot of stuff about drugs and money, but key figures are often dismissed in a few words.

Anybody else read it?

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

I read it when it first came out, but sorry I can't recall much about it just now...

[Jules Gray]

Same as Jenny, really.  I recall a lot of love for ISB and Sandy and Nick Drake.  I thought it was an interesting enough read, though not so essential that I'm looking to re-read.

Jules

[Gouty (Gary)]

Read it years ago, but - strangely enough - no recollection of the content. Always want to like him as his name is inextricably bound with so many of my favourite artists. That said, I do have a memory of John Martyn saying something about Boyd's contribution to his albums as being confined to 'feet up on the mixing desk, reading the New York Times...while we got on with it...' (sic).

Very limited personal contact with the man hasn't endeared him to me at all  .

[Malcolm]

Read it when it came out. Quick look in the bookcase and it isn't there, so I guess I must have sent it to a charity shop with mountains of other stuff when we moved. There were some interesting historical photos as I recall.

[peter m]

Not a particularly good book. And there are some things in Patrick Humphries' Strange Affair which suggest that commercial arrangements could be fraught. But let's face it, no Joe Boyd, no Witchseason roster, right from the start the Fairport world would have been different. Later on, no Hannibal records, probably no Shoot Out The Lights. Nice guy or not, he was a middleman who knew what he was doing, had the contacts, made space for the creative process and the result is there to see--dozens of records with enduring appeal.

[GubGub (Al)]

Pretty much what Jenny & Jules said. I remember thinking that he over praises certain individuals and under values others.

Were his recollections of Newport in it or did I read that somewhere else? I thought they were pretty interesting.

[Jules Gray]

Were his recollections of Newport in it or did I read that somewhere else? I thought they were pretty interesting.

Yes, they were (and yes, they were).

Jules

[Neil]

I read it and remember enjoying it for what it was a memoir, which like many is not terribly well written. It is obviously his side of things and he does not hide that. He has however led an enviable musical charmed life.

I saw the tour with him and Robyn Hitchcock and that was fun, much more interesting to see him remember some of these events than read about them.

Like others I no longer know where the book has gone  

Neil

[Jonathan]

I'm about 60 pages into it.  It's good, not great.  I wouldn't say it well written, nor would I say it was poorly written... it was written?  I guess his style doesn't really excite or jump off the page; it kind of just goes along.  I don't know if I'd say plods along, but I think it's in the same postal code as plods.  He does introduce a lot of people at one time, which then makes it difficult to keep them straight.  Mostly behind the scenes type people; producers, record label people, etc.  

I'd give it a solid "C" grade so far.  Something I'd keep on the shelf along with the other music bios?  Too early to say, but I have a feeling it'll have the same fate as most of the other people's copies: charity shops, lent out (and not too disappointed if the person doesn't return it); or brought on a trip, finished, and left, etc.

     

[macademis]

It isn't a terrifically well written tome; it contains some factual errors; there are personal opinions that some find contentious; there are gaps and omissions....
It is JB's view on his part in the huge shapeshift in music that took place in the second half of the sixties and into the seventies and because of that it is an invaluable component of my library.  
As so well noted earlier, FC, Nick Drake, Sandy, Witchseason, Hannibal... as well as the UFO, the contribution to the Island Records development, Duelling Banjos.... a legacy to be (mostly) proud of.

[Dan O.]

Re-reading this at the moment - I particularly like the chapter (Chapter 24) where Boyd discusses how much he enjoyed working at Sound Techniques studio with engineer John Wood.

[PaulT]

I'd have thought Chapter 24 would be about the Floyd's 1st album.  

I must have a read of this at some point - I'm sure I've seen a copy in the library...

[Jules Gray]

I'd have thought Chapter 24 would be about the Floyd's 1st album.  

Very good, Paul!  

Jules

[Dan O.]

I'd have thought Chapter 24 would be about the Floyd's 1st album.  

Very good, Paul!  

Jules

That crossed my mind too !  

[John From Austin]

The book sits unread on my nightstand, beckoning me.

I met him briefly at the Fairport 1967-70 thing at the Barbican, and he was perfectly charming.  Not to drift too far off topic, but I absolutely love the production on the Fairport/RT/LT records he produced, but I have no idea how much credit he deserves for that.

[Jules Gray]

I absolutely love the production on the Fairport/RT/LT records he produced, but I have no idea how much credit he deserves for that.

I would argue he deserves some, but not as much as John Wood the engineer.  It was Wood that was responsible for how great a lot of Boyd's productions sounded, and in my opinion he deserves a lot more kudos than he gets.  In fact, I'd argue that great engineers are far more important than great producers, overall.  (Unless, of course, the producer is also a great engineer.)

Jules

[Philip W]

Surprisingly negative comments. I think he writes very well and look forward to his forthcoming book on World Music. I read White Bicycles with pleasure when it first came out and have returned to it at intervals since then - mainly to check what he says about my idols. There are problems of accuracy, certainly. Anyone using it as a source needs to cross-check against other sources. For instance, he has a story placing himself and Paul Simon at the Troubadour, Earl's Court, in summer 1967. Paul tells Joe he's going back home to promote the single of 'Sound of Silence'. A moment spent with Wikipedia would confirm that the single entered the US charts in September 1965, two years before this conversation.  

[Gouty (Gary)]

In fact, I'd argue that great engineers are far more important than great producers, overall.  (Unless, of course, the producer is also a great engineer.)

Jules

I agree. In my (admittedly limited) experience, a record producer is like a maitre d' whilst the engineer is the Michelin starred chef, sweating away in the kitchen.

[Jonathan]

The book sits unread on my nightstand, beckoning me.

It is definitely worth reading.  

I just finished it, and to add to my earlier assessment (written after 60 pages), I think the word I was looking for to describe his writing was "dry."  Not poorly written, just dry.  I liked it more as it went along.

I do wish it was longer.  He had some wonderful stories; especially about the Newport Folk Festival when Dylan went electric, recording Pink Floyd (sadly not Chapter 24), making the Hendrix film, recording Nick Drake, the stories about recording at Sound Techniques, etc.  I liked his assessment of how/why music sounds different now as compared to music recorded in the '60s because of changes in technology.  However in many cases, I wish he told more.  I loved the story of recording Bryter Layter and the meeting of John Cale and Nick Drake.  I just have to imagine that he has tons of more stories.  

I discovered Nick Drake through the inclusion of "Hazy Jane I" on the Dave Pegg box-set, and after hearing that track, ran out to buy Bryter Layter, and shortly after, his other two albums.  (And by "ran out to buy" I mean, went to the computer and ordered on Amazon.  The internet ruins everything... ).  So it was cool to hear those stories, though a little sad (though I suppose not surprising), that that was Drake's least favorite album because he thought it was overproduced.  I remember looking at the liner notes and just amazed by the people who played on that album: Cale, RT, DM, Pegg, etc.  Sorry, sorry, went way too off topic there...

Back on topic... That being said, I suppose it is better to want more, than to have a book that goes on to long, one is skimming to get to get past the fluff, and could turn gossipy if you've got too many stories of "behind the scenes."