Joni Mitchell and James Taylor in concert at the BBC's Paris Theatre in London in 1970. pt 2

Joni Mitchell and James Taylor in concert at the BBC's Paris Theatre in London in 1970.
Taylor travelled to London to audition for The Beatles’ new record label Apple. He was the first US artist signed to Apple and stayed in the UK capital to record his debut album James Taylor. He’d developed a heroin habit before leaving the States and found the drug readily available in London.

“I picked up pretty soon after I got [there],” he told The Guardian. There’s speculation that John Lennon’s heroin use is one of the factors that brought about the Beatles’ downfall. And he was apparently turned onto junk by Taylor. “I was a bad influence to be around the Beatles at that time,” said Taylor. “Because I gave John opiates.”

Taylor left London for Laurel Canyon, which is where he met and fell in love with Joni Mitchell. This was around the time of his breakout album Sweet Baby James. Mitchell was writing her classic album Blue, which remains a favourite for Taylor.