Van Morrison: In Conversation

VAN MORRISON sits on the edge of the bed and absently picks an old Gibson. He is moody, his eyes intense and his smile sudden; his Belfast accent is thick but musical, statements often lilting into a half question mark.

The only child of a Scottish dockworker and his Irish wife, Van left home at the age of 15 and has been on the streets or on the road ever since. He has settled in Woodstock, with his wife Janet, their young son Peter, and a new baby girl, Shannon. Van is 24 now; he will probably be one of the most important singers of our time.