Described by the book as Paul Simon's midlife crisis - which seems somehow appropriate as, when I was growing up it was that album that everyone's middle-aged parents seemed to own. My own parents had the concert on VHS.
PS had briefly reunited with Art Garfunkel, only for it to end acrimoniously. His marriage had likewise ended, and his previous solo album had flopped. A depressed PS found himself listening to bootleg recordings of South African township music. Inspired by the sounds, he and his producer visited South Africa to record with musicians there, this despite a cultural boycott against South Africa due to the existence of Apartheid
PS stated that on previous albums he'd written the songs then brought them into the studio to teach them to his band, but for this album he tried to work the other way: jam out ideas with his musicians and then write a song around them. The public were ready to slate the album for its perceived breach of the cultural boycott, but instead it became one of the biggest releases of the year and certainly of Paul Simon's career.
I enjoyed this a lot... it is possible that I am middle-aged now.
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