Roxy, Traffic, Nick Drake, Mott the Hoople & the magic of Island Records

About this episode

The third instalment of ‘The Island Book of Records’ is out, another sumptuous, elegantly designed, LP-sized chronicle of every album released on this most fabled of labels, in this case between 1971-72. They’re edited by Neil Storey who worked in the press office for years, and they’re magnificent, a painstaking assembly of the memories of producers, musicians and label staff involved in those records with photo outtakes, press cuttings and concert bills to illustrate. We talked to Neil in Jamaica, on his way to present Chris Blackwell with a copy, and touched on the following … … why anything on Island still quickens the pulse … how Blackwell understood “the packaged goods business” and only signed Roxy when he saw the shot they wanted on their first album cover … Jess Roden, John Martyn, Tír na nÓg, John Wood, Jethro Tull, Hackensack and the record everyone forgot … ‘the deification of Nick Drake is not a good thing” … the misfortunes that derailed Bronco … the ‘Renaissance’ look of Amazing Blondel and the member permanently dressed as an Elizabethan … “Bless The Weather was the first John Martyn record where he didn’t want to be somebody else” …. Spooky Tooth -