Jenny Boyd: My life hanging out with (and marrying) rock royalty

Finding eight previous cassettes hidden in a cabinet transported former mannequin Jenny Boyd proper again to the Sixties.

The sister of Pattie Boyd and former sister-in-law of each George Harrison and Eric Clapton, Jenny had carried out interviews with the greats of the rock world again within the late 80s/early 90s for a e-book which was initially printed in 1992.

And many years later she has come throughout these interviews once more – together with George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Joni Mitchell – which type a part of an up to date model of the e-book, now titled Icons Of Rock.

“Hearing George brought back all of the memories,” says Jenny.

“You hear their voice and go straight back there.”

Jenny, now 75, was on the epicentre of the Swinging Sixties, even travelling to India with the Beatles to go to the controversial Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In the Nineteen Seventies she married drummer Mick Fleetwood, not as soon as however twice.

Does she pinch herself that she was at so many pivotal moments in music historical past – from the creation of the Beatles’ White Album to being within the studio when Fleetwood Mac recorded the album Rumours?

“That was just how it was,” says Jenny, nonchalantly. “It was incredible really when you look back.

“That’s what a lot of people wish they had now. The spirit of it, living in the moment.”

Jenny had identified George from when she was 16 years previous.

In 1968 she was invited by the Beatles to Rishikesh together with Pattie, throughout the band’s “transcendental meditation” section.

By then Pattie had been married to George for 2 years. “At the time I was a very shy 19-year-old,” says Jenny. “I found it so exciting.”

And relating to the Beatles’ songwriting, she mentioned: “It’s almost as if they didn’t have to think about the songs. They were transmitters, they just picked it up.

“They would have their guitars, sitting on top of the bungalow – then came the song Bungalow Bill.

“All the songs they wrote were what was happening then. They were so in the moment.

“One song John Lennon got on the rooftop. He said, ‘I couldn’t sleep last night’, and that became I’m So Tired.”

One Beatle not in her e-book is Sir Paul McCartney, as a result of his late spouse Linda, a vegetarian and campaigner, turned her down.

“I did originally approach Paul,” says Jenny. “I spoke to Linda to see if I could interview him.

“She said, ‘Do you eat meat?’ I said, ‘I eat chicken’. She said, ‘Well chicken is meat, so no, he can’t’.

“I was almost tempted earlier this year to see if I could get hold of him, but it was a bit late. Somehow I’ll get a book to him…”

Between them Pattie and Jenny impressed among the greatest love songs from the 60s and 70s.

In Pattie’s case George Harrison wrote Something for her whereas Eric Clapton wrote Layla and Wonderful Tonight. Sixties star Donovan wrote Jennifer Juniper for Jenny, though their relationship was extra of a friendship. “We were just part of the music world,” says Jenny, who additionally had a stint as a dancer on 60s present Ready Steady Go. “It’s so odd. Pattie had two guitarists, I had two drummers.”

Jenny married Mick Fleetwood in 1970, divorced, then married him once more in 1977, lastly divorcing in 1978. She subsequently married drummer Ian Wallace from King Crimson in 1984 which lasted till 1990. Still good buddies with 76-year-old Mick, she recollects being within the studio in 1976 when Fleetwood Mac had been recording Rumours, which turned one of many biggest-selling information in historical past.

“It was heartbreaking because Mick and I were breaking up at the time,” says Jenny. “Everybody was breaking up. You would go to the studio and listen to Stevie Nicks singing her song about Lindsey Buckingham or Christine McVie about John. Then you would go into one of the little sitting areas and there would be someone weeping. It was such an extraordinary time.

“I heard them rehearsing and I knew, absolutely beyond a shadow of a doubt, this was going to be big.

“It was to do with the harmonies. That’s what the Beatles were about too. Every song was amazing.”

Jenny and Pattie’s dad Colin, a pilot, was injured within the Second World War and badly traumatised. “I have vague recollections of this man just staring at walls,” says Jenny. “He didn’t communicate.”

She was decided her daughters Amy and Lucy would have a great relationship with their father.

Jenny now enjoys spending time writing, dividing her time between London and California, and commonly sees Pattie, 79, who’s married to property developer Rod Weston.

“She’s great, doing very well.”

Before releasing the interviews of their entirety for Icons Of Rock, Jenny checked with Ringo, Eric and George’s widow Olivia.

“Olivia was absolutely fine with it,” says Jenny. “And with Eric I spoke to his manager. He’s so open about himself, so he was fine.

“I texted Ringo. He did a couple of tweaks. He didn’t want me to use his audio for the audiobook because he said ‘I don’t sound like that anymore’. It will be so nice to give a copy to him.”

• Icons of Rock by Dr Jenny Boyd (John Blake Publishing Ltd, £22). To order a replica for £22 go to expressbookshop.com or name 0203 176 3832. Free UK P&P on on-line orders over £25