It was 40 years ago that my first book was published. My memory is that my old friend Peter Hogan had been appointed Commissioning Editor at Pete Townshend’s new publishing imprint. I thought he wanted a history of English folk-rock, and I figured anyone of any merit had been in Fairport at one time or another; he claims it was always just about Fairport. This was obviously pre-internet, fax or email, so it was all tracking people down, writing them a letter, keeping a carbon copy, putting a stamp on the envelope, posting it (try telling that to the youngsters today…!) Everyone in the band (apart from Dave Swarbrick) were happy to cooperate. I think they were quite flattered that someone wanted to write a book about them. ‘Rock Books” back then was one on Elvis, Beatles, Stones, Dylan and, uh, that’s about it. I re-jigged it for the band’s 30th anniversary, but it didn’t need much doing. I was happy enough with that first version. Looking back it has stood the test of time. I was lucky enough to interview Sandy Denny when I was freelancing for NME in 1978, so could include her comments. Forty years on, who, indeed, knows where the time goes…