lindsmuse wrote: Watched a documentary about him. Seems like - and this is my very first exposure to his music - that he may have done better in a later era when people's tastes had become more eclectic. I'm so reminded of late 19th century poets and writers listening to his music - it's so romantic and wistful. We had a local folk musician back in the seventies - John Oakley Smith - who Nick Drake's music also made me think of. In both cases the guitaring was really amazing ...

There's a school of thought that says that Nick Drake has actually been influential in the long run. Joe Boyd (who managed Drake and produced his first two albums) said that he'd had piles of demos from young artists who cited Drake as an influence. The interesting thing is that he (or his music, since he died so young) seem to have jumped a generation. It's almost like it's OK to like Drake because your parents didn't even know who he was.

Despite his almost non-existent sales in his own time, there were people who believed very strongly in his music. When Boyd sold his Witchseason label to Island he included a clause stipulating that Drake's music could never be deleted from the catalog. Island boss Chris Blackwell was quite happy with that condition, and over the years it's had the effect of making Drake's music constantly available to anybody who got interested in it.

The key moment seems to have been a TV ad for the VW Beetle (the new one). They had their campaign planned and then there was a dispute over the music they intended to use. Casting around for a late replacement somebody decided to use Drake's "Pink Moon". Soon radio stations were getting requests for "that song from the Beetle advert".

I think it helped that the recordings made little concession to the fashions of the day so the music isn't tied to an era or fashion and can stand on it's own.

The romantic aspect.... Drake came from a well off family and studied at Marlborough. So his schooling was full of the great poets and the classics.

His mother was an even later bloomer. She was a pianist and songwriter but with no aspirations to a career. Recently her songs (recorded at home on the family tape recorder) were "discovered" and covers are starting to appear.

PS: I know that Squonk gives Nick Drake a spin every now and then, and I have most of his stuff. So, yes, people do still listen.

There were a handful of tribute concerts a couple of years back, with Boyd involved and Danny Thompson (who played on the first Drake album) in the band. A lot of young musicians such as Lisa Hannigan and Teddy Thompson (son of) performed Drake's songs.

The key moment seems to have been a TV ad for the VW Beetle (the new one). They had their campaign planned and then there was a dispute over the music they intended to use. Casting around for a late replacement somebody decided to use Drake's "Pink Moon". Soon radio stations were getting requests for "that song from the Beetle advert".

Nice one. Interesting how this song is quite contemporary

I watched the documentary and there's one of his mom's songs in there and you can hear the influence. They seem to have been tapping into the same stream.

Then I listened to two albums on Youtube, really nice. Just felt like the Pink Moon one really would have sounded amazing with bass - pity he and Danny Thompson didn't work together more. I think if he had been around today people would have known what instruments to mix in with his sound better ... Anyway. Lovely discovery.

Thanks for the introduction to Nick Drake.
While listening I could not help picking up cross influences to other artists that I like.
Similar to Shawn Phillips, bit of Donovan Leich and even some Dan Patlansky

Great! I'm also new to it Stoffel - quite a treat. Well this means that I'll be giving the musos you've mentioned a listen - have heard of them but never got to them. I can also hear how John Martyn may have picked up a thing or two - and there's one song that sounds as if Cream (Badge maybe)may have been heavily influenced by it - can't remember where ...

Its interesting that I've never knowingly heard his stuff before, and suddenly today you are the third person to mention him. An old school friend from back in Liverpool (my home town) mentioned him today, and posted a link to his music. Maybe I should spend a bit of time listening?! It seems the main thing everyone mentions is the quality of the lyrics! In today's lyricless culture, that's quite a good thing to be known for!

Regards
G!

Stoffeltoo wrote: Thanks for the introduction to Nick Drake.
While listening I could not help picking up cross influences to other artists that I like.
Similar to Shawn Phillips, bit of Donovan Leich and even some Dan Patlansky

Bob introduced me to him a couple of years ago and I noted the Donovan "influence". Turns out that it's more a case of him influencing Donovan and (many) others than vice-versa. ?

lindsmuse wrote: Then I listened to two albums on Youtube, really nice. Just felt like the Pink Moon one really would have sounded amazing with bass - pity he and Danny Thompson didn't work together more. I think if he had been around today people would have known what instruments to mix in with his sound better ... Anyway. Lovely discovery.

Pink Moon is the album that Drake wanted - stark and solo and with him in control. He'd told Boyd that he didn't want any session players and even held some material back until he could do it just as he wanted.

Boyd was very happy with the second album - Bryter Later. He thought it all worked well, the sound was good, the guest players all delivered and etc. But in the long run Pink Moon has outsold the other two albums and Drake had the last laugh from beyond the grave.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:

Stoffeltoo wrote: Thanks for the introduction to Nick Drake.
While listening I could not help picking up cross influences to other artists that I like.
Similar to Shawn Phillips, bit of Donovan Leich and even some Dan Patlansky

Bob introduced me to him a couple of years ago and I noted the Donovan "influence". Turns out that it's more a case of him influencing Donovan and (many) others than vice-versa. ?

Drake came too late to influence Donovan. He sold very few albums, hardly ever gigged and got lots of bad press. I doubt he was much of an influence in the 60s or 70s. More likely he and Donovan had common influences. He had some admirers amongst his peers - notably John Cale and John Martyn - but he came and went with hardly anybody noticing.

His music didn't pay much heed to the fashions of the day, so it's possible that some people pick up on him without realizing he's been dead for 40 odd years. His records don't sound particularly 60s-ish.

Thought I'd share my earworm ?

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lindsmuse wrote: Great! I'm also new to it Stoffel - quite a treat. Well this means that I'll be giving the musos you've mentioned a listen - have heard of them but never got to them. I can also hear how John Martyn may have picked up a thing or two - and there's one song that sounds as if Cream (Badge maybe)may have been heavily influenced by it - can't remember where ...

One of John Martyn's best songs (and one of his best known) "Solid Air" was written for and about Drake. Martyn was about as pally with the reclusive Drake as anybody could be. And listening to the song "Pink Moon" it sounds like Drake is giving Martyn a little nod in the vocals with the way he pronounces the sibilants
"Zaw it written and I zaw it zay..."

Elsewhere Drake's diction is very English public school.

I like this one

Big G wrote: Its interesting that I've never knowingly heard his stuff before, and suddenly today you are the third person to mention him. An old school friend from back in Liverpool (my home town) mentioned him today, and posted a link to his music. Maybe I should spend a bit of time listening?! It seems the main thing everyone mentions is the quality of the lyrics! In today's lyricless culture, that's quite a good thing to be known for!

Regards
G!

Strange how people's tastes in music seem to arrive at the same place at the same time! Guess that's happening all the time - and that you are definitetly meant to give it a listen ?

Picked up another odd thing/ coincidence. He has a song 'Things behind the sun' which is really nice (at first few listens) - and then another (above) Pink Moon. So got me thinking - Pink Floyd/ Dark Side of the Moon /Things behind the sun - odd little word coincidences or were Pink Floyd also part of the thread?

Loved 'Which Will' Bob - that's him without all the other odd bits of instrumentation added in. Really nice. John Martyn had just the right blend of backing for a very similar sound it seems. What an amazing song this was too (thanks for that - now I know what it was about! May as well post:
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I can't see the video But I've heard that song a time or two. I hope it's the original with the striking bass part by Danny Thompson.

Is it still not showing? I can see it ... got it on my FB as well ???