Simon and Garfunkel

Book excerpt: Simon and Garfunkel were one of the greatest acts of the sixties, whose output formed an almost unbroken series of bestselling hits. With Paul Simon's brilliant songs and Art Garfunkel's voice, the duo produced the flawless and awe-inspiring harmony that thrilled a generation. This in-depth biography follows their careers from their childhood in Queens and their early days as 'Tom and Gerry', which produced the hit single 'Hey Schoolgirl', to their role in the evolving folk scene in the sixties. Victoria Kingston traces Paul Simon's famous tour of one night stands in the north of England, talking to the people who hired him for (pound)10 a night and finding fresh insights into this important period of his life. Fame came unexpectedly for the duo, catapulting them unprepared from relative obscurity to chart-topping success. While they went on to produce such classic songs as 'The Boxer', 'The Sound of Silence' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', the pressure of stardom ironically hastened the end of their partnership and almost ruined their friendship. Victoria Kingston analyses the characters of the two men, showing how they initially complemented each other but how, in the end, Paul Simon was unable to work in tandem with Art.