I remember doing a book event with you in London right before Covid, and at that time you were finishing your new book after having already worked on it extensively. Yet, last year you told me how you were still toiling long hours refining it right up until the last minute.
Well, I started writing it 16 years ago – in 2008. So, during that time, particularly in the early years, I did lots of other things, too. With my first book, White Bicycles: [Making Music in the 1960s], I found that kind of easy to write. I got that done pretty quickly, working part-time on it – just over two years. So, I tried approaching the new book that way, but it didn't work. [laughter]
You've described the new book as "a bit of a door-stop."
The main book is at about 820 pages. I mean, the bibliography itself is 60 pages long! I read a lot of books for this.
What was your motivation for this book?
