NOVEMBER 1, 2007

Rock of Ages: Simon and Garfunkel’s Bookends

By Pete Fornatale

Joining Rodale's series on the greatest works of the rock era is this fresh look at Bookends , which many consider Simon and Garfunkel's best album—and at the stormy relationship the duo have shared through the decades

Released just 24 hours before the Martin Luther King, Jr., assassination and inseparable from the tumultuous events of that time, Bookends is vintage Simon and Garfunkel, featuring such hit singles as "A Hazy Shade Of Winter," "Fakin' It," and "Mrs. Robinson," the classic from the Graduate soundtrack that soared to the top of the charts. The timing of the album's release lent gravitas to the major themes and lyrics, and classic rock radio legend Pete Fornatale examines the impact of the music and the enormous popularity of Simon and Garfunkel as performers in this new installment in the Rock of Ages series.

Writing from on-hand experience with the band and extensive, exclusive one-on-one sit-downs with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, Fornatale reveals never-before-disclosed details of the love-hate partnership between the two musicians and a unique perspective on each of them as individuals—from Garfunkel's movie career and late-in-life arrests for marijuana possession to Simon's stubborn, egotistical moods and wildly varied career choices. Bookends marked a critical juncture in their relationship as the wear and tear of a 10-year professional partnership began to take its toll just as the band was reaching its creative peak. Fornatale's insights in Bookends will entertain, captivate, and surely surprise even the most dedicated Simon and Garfunkel fans.

PETE FORNATALE has been a New York radio institution since the '60s. He can be heard on WFUV and on "The Loft" on XM Satellite Radio. His previous books include The Story of Rock and Roll and Radio in the Television Age. He lives in New York.