Richard Thompson, the 77-year-old British folk legend, recalls the vibrant musical scene of late-1960s London as he releases his new album Hippies, Thugs and Heroes.
Thompson reflects on a possible 1969 gathering at the Royal Festival Hall where Billy Connolly may have been backstage during a Fairport Convention performance that featured Nick Drake and John Martyn as openers. At the time, Connolly was performing with Gerry Rafferty in the Humblebums as a banjo player who told jokes, before transitioning into his later career as a comedian. Thompson describes Connolly as "a fantastic bloke" and says they have been friends for a long time.
Thompson emphasizes that the community of artists around producer Joe Boyd, which included Fairport Convention, the Incredible String Band, John Martyn and Chris McGregor, felt "different, not special." He notes that none of these acts "really sold many records in their lifetimes," despite the artistic camaraderie they shared. He does not describe the era as feeling particularly successful at the time, though he acknowledges that audiences continue discovering these artists decades later.
Thompson frames his latest album release partly in commercial terms, calling it "my latest attempt to sell some units."
The interview also touches on other aspects of Thompson's life and career, including questions about Sandy Denny's driving skills, his relationship with Billy Connolly, Californian fish and chips, and whether he nearly joined the Eagles, though the source material does not provide Thompson's responses to those particular questions.