I once watched a documentary about Drake and someone said that sometimes when he performed he couldn't even face the audience. I note from your review that people around him felt that he could never have coped with fame. In that case his story was heart-wrenchingly tragic but at least he left us his amazing music. Poor Nick. Thank you for highlighting him, he's a giant.
He was so amazing. The last piece I found of his puzzle was a CD featuring his early work before Five Leaves Left. Not available digitally. It'll be in my mailbox when I get back home next week. Exciting.
I had heard only 1-2 Nick Drake songs but in 1974 I bought the collection issued for American consumption after reading a review by Stephen Holden which basically insisted Drake’s music would still be listed to in the 1990s and beyond. Prescient.
Yeah, the book really demonstrates how little Nick Drake did to promote his records, or even himself. He consistently shot himself in the foot, and because he sold so few records in Europe we here in the USA never got to hear of him at all, unless we were already in the "know." One interesting tidbit in the book had Nick performing for the Rolling Stones at a private dinner well before he even made his first album. Jagger supposedly really loved his playing and songs. And back then Nick wasn't afraid to play live in front of anyone cuz he knew there were few singer/songwriters better than himself. But then something drastically changed.
Correct. The album I bought was a collection assembled from cuts from his UK albums. If remember correctly it was an Island Records pressing, “positively narcotic” for 1974.
What a beautiful tribute in a book review.
I once watched a documentary about Drake and someone said that sometimes when he performed he couldn't even face the audience. I note from your review that people around him felt that he could never have coped with fame. In that case his story was heart-wrenchingly tragic but at least he left us his amazing music. Poor Nick. Thank you for highlighting him, he's a giant.
He truly is a giant. Thanks
Exactly right, "one of the most gifted artists to have ever played among us."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYU-8L06rfI
Read →
He was so amazing. The last piece I found of his puzzle was a CD featuring his early work before Five Leaves Left. Not available digitally. It'll be in my mailbox when I get back home next week. Exciting.
I had heard only 1-2 Nick Drake songs but in 1974 I bought the collection issued for American consumption after reading a review by Stephen Holden which basically insisted Drake’s music would still be listed to in the 1990s and beyond. Prescient.
^listened to
You were far ahead of me. Not sure how I missed him.
He was not widely known in the U .S. When I moved to California, I met a guy in a club who said he had all of Drake’s recordings. That was 1977.
Yeah, the book really demonstrates how little Nick Drake did to promote his records, or even himself. He consistently shot himself in the foot, and because he sold so few records in Europe we here in the USA never got to hear of him at all, unless we were already in the "know." One interesting tidbit in the book had Nick performing for the Rolling Stones at a private dinner well before he even made his first album. Jagger supposedly really loved his playing and songs. And back then Nick wasn't afraid to play live in front of anyone cuz he knew there were few singer/songwriters better than himself. But then something drastically changed.
Correct. The album I bought was a collection assembled from cuts from his UK albums. If remember correctly it was an Island Records pressing, “positively narcotic” for 1974.
Thank you for the restack. And the read.