Van Morrison – (Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball, By Pat Thomas

Producer Ted Templeman remarked that he went through three engineers during the recording of the LP, due to Morrison’s “ability as a musician, arranger and producer”: “When he’s got something together, he wants to put it down right away with no overdubbing … I’ve had to change engineers who couldn’t keep up with him.” Morrison’s (then) wife, Janet Planet referred to Morrison’s dislike of socializing: “Really he is a recluse. He is quiet. We never go anywhere. We don’t go to parties. We never go out. We have an incredibly quiet life and going on the road is the only excitement we have.” Guitarist John Platania spoke of Van’s confidence ebbing away: “There were many times when he literally had to be coaxed on stage. His motto was ‘The show does not have to go on’. He would create the choice of whether he would go on stage or not.”

Pat Thomas is the author of the recently released work, Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975