“I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to,” the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and one-half of the iconic '60s duo Simon & Garfunkel told a TIFF post-screening Q&A for Alex Gibney's documentary on Sunday.
“I play the guitar every day. It’s the instrument that allows me to express myself creatively. But it’s also where I go for solace. If I’m feeling … ‘whatever.’ So it’s a very crucial thing to me. You know, something happens to you when you have some sort of disability that changes your awareness or changes how you interact with life,” Simon added while opening up to the TIFF audience.
He pointed to no recovery of hearing in his left ear, which has made returning to performing live a challenge. “Usually, when I finished an album I went out and toured with it, and then I have the opportunity to really investigate the piece. And then it evolves to another standard, and goes further,” Simon insisted.
“Although a week from now I’m going to try and work with two guitarists who will play the parts that I played on the record, and see if I can sing the piece. I’m not sure how I can integrate my voice with the guitars,” the famed one-half of the iconic ’60s duo Simon & Garfunkel added. Gibney’s documentary shows Simon in his home studio in Wimberly, Texas, tinkering with the sound on his latest album, in some time, but has completed a new song.
“I wrote a new song called ‘When I Learned to Play Guitar,’ but I don’t know if I’ll ever do anything with it,” he told the audience at the TIFF premiere. The Toronto Film Festival continues through Sept. 17.