How Boston Brought Together Rock Legends Van Morrison and Peter Wolf

The book Astral Weeks : A Secret History of 1968 is an in-depth look at some famous and-not-so-famous figures that all seemed to converge in and around Boston in that one year. The catalyst for author Ryan Walsh’s book was the author’s love for Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks album- what many consider the singer-songwriter’s masterpiece- and the little-known fact that Morrison wrote much of the songs for it in Boston. Morning Edition Host Rick Ganley spoke with Ryan Walsh by Skype to learn more. (Editor's note: this transcript has been edited lightly for clarity.) I know much of your book focuses on the convergence of events in 1968 in Boston, you know how a nationally known a commune movement I think you could say was getting started in the city with Mel Lyman, how James Brown played that legendary show at the [Boston Garden] the day after the assassination of [Martin Luther King, Jr]. And you talk about how the folk scene, which was so big in the region was quickly dissolving and you