THOMPSON HAD AN eventful youth and early manhood. He was a founding member of Fairport Convention, the seminal English folk-rock band, and he survived the terrible road accident in which the band's drummer and Thompson's girlfriend of the time died. After that disaster, the band, having accidentally arrived at their greatest lineup, went on to record their masterpiece, Liege and Lief, but nonetheless Thompson left the band to form another seminal folk-rock ensemble with his new wife, Linda. They both converted to Sufism. Then, when things went south, they collaborated on one of the greatest break-up albums of all time (rivaling Blood on the Tracks and Blue), great both by reason of its musicianship and its giving both sides.
In short, Thompson has the material for a page-turning musician's memoir. However, he elects to be not at all that forthcoming about any of it and tends to play down even the inherently dramatic moments. Maybe it's the Sufism? Or maybe just English reticence? Considering what Thompson had to work with, the book is a bit on the tea-with-the-vicar side.
Oh, well. Enjoyable nonetheless. I enjoyed reading Thompson on the recording of Fairport classic "A Sailor's Life," and there's a great Buck Owens anecdote.
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