Little wonder psychologist Jenny Boyd is interested in creativity as manifested in musicians. She circulated amongst the stars of Britain’s ’60s rock scene and had access to many of them for It’s Not Only Rock ’n’ Roll. Drawing from interviews with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Keith Richards and others, Boyd sees creativity as inherent to the human condition. Whether or not some people have a greater genetic endowment, most musicians in her study received a boost from nurturing: they grew up in families that encouraged music. Boyd explores other aspects of creativity, including “peak experiences.” As Peter Gabriel told her, “Performers feed off the audience; sometimes you can tell how a gig’s going to go at the moment you walk on stage.”
