Ry Cooder Part 1: Into The Purple Valley Of Romance And Adventure

"Everything I know, I know from records. I don't live in a place where the neighbours are playing fiddles, I live in the city."

When Ry Cooder nipped into London at the end of 1972, we cornered him for a chat which focused on his interpretations of dust bowl and depression songs, and the article springing from that discussion can be found in ZigZag 30.

When he nipped back, four years later, to finalise the details of his current European tour, we thought it would be a good idea to try for a broader picture of his career. John Tobler, the stumbling encyclopedia, takes up the story...