Customer Reviews

James Taylor: Long Ago and Far Away

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4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If James Taylor is to be believed, an autobiography is unlikely. You should look no further than his songs for his take on life, he says, and most fans are inclined to believe him. The songs don't tell us everything, though. It's natural to crave more information about the man behind the songs, the performances, and of course the real story behind "Fire And Rain."

It's difficult to imagine a more exhaustive or authoritative work about James Taylor than this, the culmination of Billboard Editor-In-Chief Timothy White's decades-long friendship and professional ties with James Taylor. James Taylor: Long Ago And Far Away is, from the start, mind-boggling in its chronological scope. For evidence read just a few pages in, where you'll join Taylor's 17th-century ancestors, tracking the Taylor bloodline through the ages and following father Ike Taylor to naval duty in Antarctica before gradually shifting the focus to JT nearly 100 pages into the narrative.

In the pages that follow, White's close familiarity with Taylor and admiration for his talents make for a sensitively presented, minutely-detailed story. Family ties are examined closely, with extensive direct observations by JT, mother Trudy and father Isaac, siblings, musical contemporaries, and ex-wives Carly Simon and Kathryn Walker. The story never lacks for direct quotes from the people who were there, and it's much richer for it. When JT describes his relationship with his father, White quotes each of them and also from family letters between the two. And when describing the impetus for "Fire And Rain," White gives us the enigmatic Suzanne's full name.

As the story progresses into JT's musical career, White's musical experience allows him to speak with authority -- at times truly encyclopedically. When a brief mention of a musical venue turns into a multi-page catalog of dozens of other artists who played there and influenced the music of the time, all but the most patient students of pop music may think about jumping ahead to when the story veers back to JT himself. Musicologists will be in heaven, though, and clearly the JT-specific parts of this 430-page book didn't get less attention because of the additional trivia.

All the major events -- and many of the minor ones -- are spelled out in great detail. From the production of every studio album to the construction of his homes on Martha's Vineyard to his relationships with his children, White was either present to document it or spoke to someone who was. It was clearly a Herculean task, as evidenced by the book's lengthy notes on sources. In fact, the post-narrative sections of the book (sources, detailed discographies for JT and all his siblings, plus an exhaustive index) span more than 50 pages. Those pages, along with the four sections of photos, make for some of the most interesting trivia found in the book.

James Taylor is "the archetypal singer-songwriter," Danny Kortchmar says in this new biography about his lifelong friend. "He's the mould" (p. 304). Few would disagree. In his well-researched biography, Timothy White follows Taylor through all the fire and rain of the singer-songwriter's fascinating life. That life really begins at page 98 of White's book, when we find James at age 12 tingling at the sight of a Fender electric guitar while window shopping in New York City. (In the first hundred pages of his book, White traces Taylor's ancestral saga and "privileged lineage" (p. 107) in great detail.) Soon thereafter, we find James ("Stringbean") hanging out with Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar in Martha's Vineyard, before dropping out of school and admitting himself into a mental hospital for nine months (p. 114). Because of his "crazy papers," Taylor was ineligible for the draft (p. 115).

Taylor began using heroin in 1966 (p. 117), during which time he was playing his music for burgers and fries (p. 117). After moving to London, Taylor was discovered by Paul McCartney, who signed him to Apple Records. "Wow, he's great," the former Beatle said (p. 135). It was in London that Taylor's career really started. As he was recording his first album, the Beatles were recording "Hey Jude," "Revolution," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in the same Apple studio. White's biography succeeds at offering insights into many of Taylor's songs. Written after the suicide of a friend, and in part while Taylor was again in a mental hospital, I will listen to "Fire and Rain" now with new depths of meaning.

After his relationship with Joni Mitchell (p. 178), Taylor met Carly Simon at a Cat Stevens' concert on April 6, 1971 (p. 189), and during their ten-year marriage, we find Taylor making music with his wife and friends, Mitchell and Carole King, while partying with John Belushi and drinking volcanoes with Jimmy Buffett in 1979 until he passed out (p. 268). James and Carly were divorced in 1983. Page after page, White's biography reveals the secrets of Taylor's life, even down to the tattoo he shares with his family (p. 315).

I've listened to James Taylor's music all my life, and I've listened to his "Secret o' Life," well, maybe hundreds of times. Not only is he a "guitar virtuoso" (p. 304), his songs have always been relevant to the passing times of my life. This prompted me to read White's well-researched biography. As a result, I not only have an even greater appreciation for Taylor, the singer-songwriter, but also for his music.

G. Merritt

I make the same mistake every time I pick up a book by Timothy White. I always think I know the subject I'm about to read about but quickly discover I don't. Having followed White's writing career from the 70's when he wrote some of the best cover stories for "Rolling Stone", I know that this book on James Taylor and previous ones on the Beach Boys and on Bob Marley are drawn from almost three decades of in-depth interviews with the subjects and those in their spheres. A good example can be seen in this newest book with the detailed description of how the Beatles (by way of Apple Corp.) came to give Taylor the exposure he so greatly deserved. We get not only J.T.'s view of those days, but McCartney's and Harrison's as well. This book is worth the money for the chapter on Carly Simon alone. I loved this book and am already looking forward to White's next subject.

Fantastic biography of James Taylor! You can't understand such a unique artist (or his songs) unless you understand his family, and White traces the family back four centuries to demonstrate repeating patterns of sharp intelligence, adventurous creativity and destructive addictions. Amazing, fresh interviews with all the main characters illuminate the introverted and mysterious Taylor for all to see. Artistry is a fragile phenomenon, and it appears all the more miraculous in this harrowing, epic saga. White has to be the best biographer in music.

I have grown up with the music of James Taylor. It has been a part of every important passage in my life. So, I admit to a strong bias for the subject and this book did not disappoint. The book is the ultimate back story of all these important songs, and also an intimate portrait of the important life passages of the man who wrote them. I loved learning, in particular, of the sweet and sad story behind Fire and Rain.

James relationships (both personal and professional) make for a satisfying read. I had no idea of the interconnectedness of all the musical artists of that era. It was heartwarming to learn of the sharing and loyalties that you never expect to hear about in that business.

There are many levels to this book and I have read it twice now. The first time I skimmed over some of the social context and musical history to get right to the intimate details. The second time I enjoyed the wondrously detailed account of the Taylor clan's Scottish origins and their resettlement in America that read like a high seas adventure. The musical history of many of the important artists of this period makes it a unique reference book and I am glad for the comprehensive index.

The photos are wonderful. I can't imagine how much fun it must have been to go through the Taylor family archives. Actually, this book gives us a very good idea.

Timothy White's "Long Ago And Far Away" is a spectacular, honest and complete portrait of perhaps the classic American singer/songwriter. Timothy's work is not merely the definitive study of this private man, based on White's intimate, twenty year access to James and his family, it is also a social history of America told through the riveting story of the Taylor family. From medieval Scotland to the Carolina civil rights movement, the Boston/Martha's Vineyard folkie scene through swinging London, nights with the Beatles, the Carly Simon era glare of Superstardom to his most recent growth and grammy success -- the James Taylor saga unfolds with insight and power. Timothy White as Senior editor at Rolling Stone profiled everyone from Fleetwood Mac to Johnny Carson but in James Taylor he has found his ultimate subject. This book not only has Taylor explain in his own words what inspired his classic songs, it shows the forces that shaped the man himself. Forces that even he was unaware of. Well done.

Veteran biography buffs want the interior life of the main persons in a serious book to come alive. This story makes use of family letters in a way that is special. To read what the mother and father felt, and what the children were actually thinking during important times was very emotional to learn, and the author's understandng of these kind of documents was brilliant. You don't always see qualities like this in rock stories, and it hit hard. Great job. Also, I noticed a comment by a reviewer about Gene Pitney's "Liberty Valance" song. As a Pitney fan, I should point out the guy is incorrect. Because Pitney worked on the song in 1962 while John Ford was still filming "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," and it was in fact the themesong too, but as Ford experts know, the film came out before the song was done. The song still was successful the same year, and helped the movie, too. The things about the Livingston Taylor song in the book are also right in the book. I think the author was saying Livingston included that same song in his last album of the century because it meant something to him to look back again. For me, to read the book and not praise the use of the letters is strange. It's a really cool book.

Long Ago and Far Away - James Taylor - His Life and Music is the legacy of a friendship between between a gifted singer-songwriter and an equally gifted writer-journalist. Timothy White has exhaustively researched and courageously presented an historical documentary and candid profile of James Taylor: making music, msking friends, making due and making it big.

This protrait of an artist is at once brutally honest yet somehow
comforting in its realism. Singing-songwriting and performing while you are discovering who you are and who you hope you will be is a long and arduous journey.

If you really want to know what its like to be James Taylor - - - - - - its now in print.

I concur with all the prior reviews that criticize this book for the lack of insightful, interesting information about James Taylor the Man and the Musician. Virtually nothing new about Taylor, professional or personal, appears throughout the book. Taylor's life is either extremely boring or intensely gaurded by some kind of blood pact with every single one of his past associates. What is certain is the author didn't have the tools to dig deep enough and come up with something sustantial. However, with this book, you will get an extremely detailed and embellished Taylor Family history dating back to 17th century Scotland worthy of the National Archives. The redundant geneology lesson spans nearly 100 pages, including more information on great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, in-laws, and siblings than could possibly be considered relevant or neccesary to the biography of a musician. Unless, that is, you buy into the weak metaphor of James Taylor still plying the ancient trades of his ancestors and voyaging across that timeless ocean that is life, and slurp up some pretty sappy, poetic reviews and subjective interpretations of his songs from the author. Not much else about this book is new or interesting. Indeed, if you put all the James Taylor quotes together, you'd only fill a page or two. Toss in the author's awkward attempt to evoke the mystic qualities of the pioneer Eastern seaboard where Taylor was raised, or the unconvincing "Taylor Curse" of paternal carelessness and addiciton that the author claims haunts the clan, and by the end of the book your patience has been thoroughly tested. Perhaps you may find this book informative if you have no clue who people like Danny Kortchmar, Peter Asher, Carole King, and Carly Simon are, or if you had no idea that James Taylor struggled with substance abuse and spent brief periods of his youth in mental wards for depression. Or maybe you missed the detail about Taylor being first appreciated commercially in London and signed to the Beatles' Apple Record label. Any unofficial fan website could provide these details; you don't need to wade through 322 pages. As far I'm concerned, we're all still waiting for the "definitive" bio on James Taylor. It's hard to believe the author has known and been interviewing James Taylor since 1977. The familiarity one would hope for from that relationship is surely amiss in this book.

Got a good feeling from this, the triva, the background, everything. Nothing but the truth. Checked the discography, too, which has already got the damn songs from the next album coming up! Plenty of stuff straight from James, and delivered straight up, no chaser.