Nick Drake

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Fishoutofwater, Aug 16, 2016.

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  1. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    At some point Nick expressed his disappointment to Joe at the lack of success, recognition of his music, and, "where's the money, the fame". (I should reread the Fruit Tree booklet to be precise, a wealth if info) Nick was getting something like 25 a week -- Joe was taken aback because Nick had never expressed any interest in money before, and he told Nick of course he could have more money (retainer). This must have been after "Bryter Layter". Joe said sure, we can get you more money. No residuals we ever realized by Nick for record sales. They never recouped the studio costs. And unlike many unscrupulous managers/producers who never paid residuals because they were just plain dishonest about record sales, Joe had Nick's best interests in mind, always. Three albums (with the forth started), and very meager sales throughout, attests to Joe's and Island's great faith in Nick's wonderful talent & genius.

    I've always felt, despite Nicks physical appearance & mental state during the last recording sessions, that he was actually feeling better when he died of an overdose. He was writing new songs the night he Od'd. Tryptizol was a terribly potent drug, wildly overprescribed for even mild depression and often recommended for simple insomnia. It was possible to overdose on very few pills over the prescribed dosage. And even Nick's parents thought it to be an innocuous pill prescribed for sleeplessness. Nick's mum said she kept all medicines out of reach, even aspirins, but not the tryptizol which was viewed pretty casually by doctors it seems back in the 70's when so little was known about depression, tryptizol's potency, and when depression was often misdiagnosed. Overdoses were quite common on tryptizol....maybe Nick felt just a few more pills would help him to sleep. To feel better. Gabby liked to think that Nick "just took a handful, and thought"...maybe just with just a few more, just enough to help him to sleep, and he would wake up the next day ... the world would be sunny and changed and the fog would be lifted.

    In any event, there was no note, and from Nick, that seems unlikely to me. Maybe I am a romantic, but "accidental overdose" is more a possibility, but we will never know. And it really doesn't matter so much as the tragic loss of a quiet and gentle soul, a monumental talent.

    At lot of "what if's" by me, but forgive me, I do go on...what was your question?





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    Last edited: Sep 22, 2018
  2. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Not enough I think to buy a Martin.
    Maybe he was content with his Yamaha nylon stringed Spanish/classical guitar.
     
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  3. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    His sound never seemed to be impaired by whatever guitar he was playing--he made it sound like the best Martin available. That is genius.
     
  4. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Is there a list of bands he seen? Not just folk associated one's
     
  5. He was influenced by jazz and classical music, as well as the classic sounds and bands of the time. The Graham Bond Organisation come to my mind as a band he saw perform.
     
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  6. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Such a loss. I think along with Paul Simon, and Cat Stevens, he was the greatest male folk singer-songwriter of the 20th Century. I could be forgetting someone. I can’t imagine what other great Nick Drake albums might have been. :/
     
  7. Or..... you could say he went at just the right time and never got the chance to make any bad records. Cynical I know, but.......
     
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  8. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Graham Bond died a macabre death.
     
  9. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Mmmm, I would be interested to see what he would have made. I think it may have been more dark and depressing, a la Elliott Smith.
     
  10. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    :( :agree: :(
     
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  11. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    The few he recorded for the "forth" album are quire dark, but quite amazing still. "Black Eyed Dog". No let down there -- and maybe Time Of No Reply and a few others already in the can would have given an upbeat to the darker side of his next. Would've loved to hear his Forth. And after that? Maybe a wiser and even stringer effort...we can always dream.
     
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  12. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    He's immortalized now.
     
  13. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    So now we come to the final song from Five Leaves Left. and for me some of Nick's most amazing poetry. It Sunay and a perfect day to hear this fine closer....the end of the weekend or the beginning of a new week. However you view it, Nick gave us pretty melancholy view, but it is somehow quite uplifting. Ncik was a folk blues man a heart it seems... "you got to pay your dues, if you want to sing the blues". And Nick paid for his blues, and paid and paid.


    And saturday's sun
    has turned to sunday's rain.
    So sunday sat in the saturday sun
    And wept for a day gone by.


    Wonderful music for a melancholy Sunday...and maybe one last full listen to Five Leaves Left, before we move on...to Bryter Layter in a day or two.


    10. Saturday Sun, Five Leaves Left

    Nick Drake - Saturday Sun - YouTube
    UMG (on behalf of Island Records); BMG Rights Management, ARESA, Abramus Digital, CMRRA, and 4 Music Rights Societies


    Songwriters: Nick Drake
    Saturday Sun lyrics © BMG Rights Management


    Saturday sun came early one morning
    In a sky so clear and blue
    Saturday sun came without warning
    So no-one knew what to do.

    Saturday sun brought people and faces
    That didn't seem much in their day
    But when I remember those people and places
    They were really too good in their way.

    I
    n their way
    In their way

    Saturday sun won't come and see me today.
    Think about stories with reason and rhyme
    Circling through your brain.
    And think about people in their season and time
    Returning again and again

    And again
    And again

    And saturday's sun
    has turned to sunday's rain.
    So sunday sat in the saturday sun
    And wept for a day gone by.


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    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  14. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    The one song Joe felt that Nick's limited piano skills fit. And they do. Perfectly.

    Nick Drake: piano, vocals
    Danny Thompson: upright bass
    Tristan Fry: drums, vibraphone (adds that cool jazzy tone that Nick wanted)


    In studio Joe & John felt that drums would be a cool addition when listening to the first session tapes. Turns out Tristan (who hadn't really played drums professionally yet, he did go on to drum for a famous band) had a drum kit in his car. Go figure. Why he happened to bring along his drum kit with his vibes is a mystery. Fate.


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  15. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

  16. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

  17. EddieMann

    EddieMann I used to be a king...

    Location:
    Geneva, IL. USA.
    Saturday Sun, what a wonderfully moody way to close out this lp. I keep wanting to claim it as the best song but really that could go to 4 or 5 others too. This entire release is a gem. Amazing that it never caught on.
     
  18. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    So sorry I posted this in the wrong but very fine thread! Go to my Nick Drake, album by album, song by song thread for more---if you are still interested!

    NICK DRAKE appreciation - album by album. song by song. & A Skin Too Few doc | Page 10 | Steve Hoffman Music Forums
     
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  19. Beyond Salvation

    Beyond Salvation Forum Resident

    Just last week bought Tuck Box, finally. Already had the 1986 Fruit Tree box which always sounded pretty good to me but I do like the Tuck Box.
    It seems like a reasonable sonic upgrade from the already good Fruit Tree. To my ears better soundstage & separation. That they were so well recorded in the first place way back then is a credit to John Wood.
     
  20. Beeb Fader

    Beeb Fader Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yorkshire,UK
    `When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease' and `One Of Those Days In England' hardly constitutes 1/4 of Roy Harper's output
     
  21. Front 242 Addict

    Front 242 Addict I Love Physical format for my listening pleasure

    Location:
    Tel Aviv ,Israel
    Saturday Sun is Amazing song and a perfect ending to a Stunning album , every time when I am listening to the album I feel that I am diving into an Ocean of Mesmerizing beauty :), Gorgeous Music/vocals .

    Five Leaves Left is a musical treasure.
     
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  22. Front 242 Addict

    Front 242 Addict I Love Physical format for my listening pleasure

    Location:
    Tel Aviv ,Israel
    This is exactly my thought , I also feel sad that Nick Drake can't see how in these days there is so much love and appreciation towards him and towards his music , if he only knew he would be so happy.
     
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  23. mwheelerk

    mwheelerk Sorry, I can't talk now, I'm listening to music...

    Location:
    Gilbert Arizona
    1999
     
  24. Atomic Punk

    Atomic Punk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Amsterdam
    Great Singer/Songwriter who had a few studio albums end '60s , begin 70's.

    My favorite one is the minimalistic Pink Moon.
     
  25. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    One Of These Things First -Nick Drake song featured on El Pea is actually Northern Sky.
     
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