Nick Drake Appreciation - Album By Album & All Things Nick Drake*

Stranger things happen, stranger things happen. Not impossible.

 

Wouldn’t be surprised if John Martyn introduced them. He was a bit of a glesga guy himself as he grew up there. A rough diamond in comparison with Nick’s nice table manners. Opposites attract.

 

Sleeping at Last...pretty nice from them and gets plays every year.

 

Ironically Billy Connolly is more a roots guy than Gerry Rafferty ( who grew up listening to A Hard Day’s Night by the sounds of it). Did Gerry ever comment of the usage of Stuck In The Middle With You.. in QT’s Reservoir Dog’s?

 

Adam Buxton Podcast(114) on Twitter 16-12 2019 1hr Interview with Billy Connolly. Billy mentions he knew Nick Drake ( John Martyn etc.. ) after ten minutes mark. Says ND was a kinda feminine guy, but not always.

 

Humbelbums member..
also mentions Bert Jansch.. Sandy Denny, isb..& David Bowie.

 

Here is a great Joe Boyd memory from friend who was a California DJ for 40+ years-- a cool interview story:

"Saw Joe Boyd get a mention in your [Iain Matthews] thread. Did I ever mention to you how surprised I was while interviewing Tom Rush at KTYD that he made a passing reference to his old college room-mate (possibly even dorm-mate; sadly, I no longer have the interview to refer to), a cool, very forward thinking music fan named Joe Boyd? That kind of blew my mind to learn; picturing those two guys, as friends and fellow young music fans, at eighteen or nineteen. Tom mentioned that they never missed their chances to see the original "elder statesmen" blues guys (Sleepy John, Lightnin', Mississippi John, etc.) play the small Cambridge folk-blues clubs; he would always hustle to carry their guitars for them, because it was an honor to do so. He had brought two guitars into the studio, one in standard tuning, the other open tuned, and when we wrapped the interview, I insisted he let me carry one of them down the stairs and out to his car. -RW"

Such a great story and gives me chills to relate it to you all! Those were the daze.




Joe Boyd 1970

 

And this great story from Richie Unterberger in tribute to Joe (can't say I've ever seen Joe looking cooler--we always see Joe with a more subdued suit and "straighter" look.)

SEASON OF THE WITCH: WHEN AN AMERICAN RESHAPED BRITISH POP MUSIC
RICHIE UNTERBERGER / JUNE 6, 2019




Joe Boyd 1970

Promoter/producer/club owner Joe Boyd, with his production company Witchseason, introduced the world to some enduring artists in its time (1967-70): Fairport Convention, the Incredible String Band, Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan. He also produced Pink Floyd’s first single and co-founded the great psychedelic rock club, UFO. After reshaping the UK’s musical landscape, Witchseason folded up shop after three years. Richie Unterberger revisits the legacy of Boyd through the words of those who were there at the time: Mike Heron, Iain Matthews, engineer John Wood, and Boyd himself...


Read the full article here:

SEASON OF THE WITCH: WHEN AN AMERICAN RESHAPED BRITISH POP MUSIC

 

For those who want to broaden their fingerstyle guitar greats library...

Peter Bradley Adams:
On Jordan's Stormy Banks from his "A Face Like Mine" CD.

 

Hadn't watched Serendipity 2001 with John Cusack in years and had quite forgotten that Nick Drake was so prominently featured...Black Eyed Dog in a few little instrumental moments, and the complete track, Northern Sky, for the wonderful climax of the film.



Northern Sky

 

Interesting. I hadn't heard of this film.

 

A wonderful video to go with the stunningly beautiful,
scenes from Isle Of Wight etc.
'Cello Song

 

So, I'm reading today about an singer who fascinated me today; young lady named Nicki Wells, who worked with Nitin Sawhney early on in the 21st Century after graduating music school. Turns out, she's the daughter of...Nick Drake's best friend! Nicki is a truly new breed of singer, whose roots and influences appear to be truly universally-based in several different languages and musical disciplines and traditions. She recorded with Sawhney as Nicki Wells, then as an artist named Turya, and now under the name, Tanya Wells, with a group named Seven Eyes. One has to wonder how much inspiration she gained from listening to Nick's recordings, and knowing his life a bit more intimately than many.

 

Roger Rodier...Upon Velveatur



Often compared to the work of Nick Drake, Upon Velveatur is a dense and mysterious French-Canadian folk-psych suite, featuring beautiful melodies, lush orchestration and scorching electric guitar. Barely circulated on its original release in 1972, it has gathered a major cult following and is now making its first appearance on CD, complete with 5 bonus tracks 'Easy Song', 'L'Herbe', 'Tu Viendras', 'Have You?' & 'Overseer', plus rare photographs and sleeve notes by the enigmatic Mssr. Rodier himself. Sunbeam. 2006.



AllMusic Review by Richie Unterberger

Although Roger Rodier is Canadian, this rare early-'70s singer/songwriter album sounds almost as if it could have been made in Britain, such is its similarity to folk-rock recordings of the time by the likes of Al Stewart. In fact Rodier faintly resembles Stewart vocally, and has an inclination toward gentle, slightly sad songs mixing acoustic guitar, orchestration, and female backup vocals (a combination used by Nick Drake on Bryter Layter). But his voice, as a singer or composer, isn't nearly as distinctive as that of, say, Stewart or Drake. Upon Velveatur is a passable effort in this tributary, Rodier's mildly lisping singing evoking both delicate sensitivity and a certain sense of detached observation. He and his songs are a little troubled, but not distraught, with the exception of "While My Castle's Burning," whose angrily strummed guitars, dramatic strings, and vitriolic vocals project muted rage, albeit of a fairly inarticulate kind.

Its mixture of placidity and brooding reflection might casually recall Drake, but Rodier wasn't working on as high a level. [The 2006 CD reissue on Sunbeam adds five bonus tracks, four taken from 1969 singles, the other from the 1972 non-LP B-side "Easy Song." Generally speaking, these are less ornate than the material on Upon Velveatur, though they have a similar light folk-rock base; "Have You?" sounds a little like George Harrison's folkiest early solo material, and the two songs from the first 45, "L'Herbe"/"Tu Viendras," are sung in French.]

 

Lemonade Kid, you have such a wonderful collection of beautiful music up your sleeve! Having introduced me to Pearls Before Swine, Jimmy Spheeris, Love and now this gentleman. Do you own Upon Velveatur?

The Isle of View record by Jimmy Spheeris has such a big sound. Very much worth that long wait for it to arrive.

 

Thanks!
No I don't have it except via youtube. Roger is wonderful indeed.

You need to try all of Jimmie Spheeris' LPs once you get his first...check out my album by album thread:
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/jimmie-spheeris-appreciation-folk-rock-jazz-album-by-album.610763/

A beautiful track from Jimmie's "The Original Tap Dancing Kid"

Shirtful Of Apples

 

Love to share more artists that emerged from the wonderful Sound Techniques Studio ....out of Fairport came:


Just gotta share this...I love this one so much..so wonderful to see and hear Iain live...2017.
God Looked Down

Such a fine picker too.

 

If this ain't a sweet tribute by Beverley Martyn for her dear friend Nick Drake, then what is?!
She finally recorded this song that she and Nick wrote together decades ago... before Nick's passing.

Reckless Jane




Nick used to babysit John and Bev's child when they were away at gigs or just out.
...a revealing insight into the secretive & mysterious Nick Drake:


Nick and Beverley Martyn at a John Martyn gig at Regents Park, London in 1967.
Photo courtesy of John Wilson. #nickdrake

Bev..live. Reckless Jane....a moving performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl80H7lelVg

Chills & tears.

 

Indeed that is a perfect tribute!

I feel very fortunate to have met Beverley in Nov 2016. It was only for an hour but it is an experience I shall cherish. She was very knowing and funny; she liked to do impressions of musicians she had known. Afterward, she went away to her room and came back with a lock of her hair in a small square jewellery box for me as a keepsake. I think she could intuit how profound the meeting was for me and knew the most perfect thing to gift.
Hope you all are well.

 

Wow, what a Lady. You are so lucky to half had that time with her.
Her music is very cherished by us all, as is her comeback album with "Reckless Jane". Did you talk much about Nick with Beverley? Of course her own life is eminently interesting. Her duo and solo work and life, with and without John, would be a long and deeply interesting book in and of itself.

 

From 2011 - so quite old now. Also, not the easiest of reads, given the insights into John and Bev's relationship issues:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sweet-Hone...erly+martyn,aps,220&sr=8-1&tag=shforums.uk-21

Best Wishes,
David

 

Sweet Honesty; I highly recommend it, although David has a point, Beverley writes at length about how tumultuous her relationship with John became.

Beverley said how much she loved Nick, how much John did also, and that he was very much a part of her family. That was all on Nick. When referring to both Nick and John she said 'we will always have the music', which is very true and beautifully put. Beverly seemed understandably emotional about Nick and John. I did not ask many questions, I’m rather quiet you see.
She formed a friendship with my ex-girlfriend, which is how I was introduced. Like I was saying she would do a lot of impressions and when she did so, she would pull her glasses forward on the bridge of her nose and tilt her trilby hat to one side for the duration. Then set them back into place to resume being lovely Beverley. My jaw was aching afterwards due to the amount she made me smile and laugh. Beautiful woman.

 

Has anybody ever listened to or currently have multiple pressings of Nick Drake records throughout the decades, and is there any notable differences between them?
Do you have a preference to the sound quality of any particular pressing (or format) and may you tell us why?
Any personal impressions and insights would be greatly appreciated!

 

I have the following on CD/Digital formats:

Five Leaves Left (SHM-CD, UICY-78469)
Five Leaves Left (SHM-CD, UICX-1198)
Five Leaves Left (HNCD 4434)
Five Leaves Left - 24bit/96kHz download

Bryter Layter (SHM-CD, UICY-78470)
Bryter Layter (SHM-CD, UICX-1199)
Bryter Layter (HNCD 4435)
Bryter Layter - 24bit/96kHz download

Pink Moon (SHM-CD, UICY-78471)
Pink Moon (SHM-CD, UICX-1200)
Pink Moon (HNCD 4436)
Pink Moon -24bit/96kHz download

Time of No Reply (HNCD 1318)
Nick Drake: A Treasury (SACD 986 796-9)

Tuck Box 5 CD set
Fruit Tree (HNCD 5402)
Fruit Tree (SHM-CD, UICY-90971)

(Also have all the albums on vinyl (various boxset reissues and originals)... but as yet, no means to play these back - in storage/on display for... later)

To be honest, there's not a huge difference in sound qualities between all the versions of the same album I own - at least in my system with my ears (headphone only listening; equipment in profile).

If someone was going to put a gun to my head, and make me choose 1 of each album - I'd probably pick the original Hannibal CDs (HNCD xxxx)... closely followed by the latest SHM-CD (UICY-xxxx version) for the three main albums).

 

I have the Hannibal Fruit Tree Box, the Fruit Tree reissue box with "A Skin too Few" dvd, 2000's Island reissues on vinyl of the three..."Made To Love Magic", a bunch of dl's, and boots...

I would choose the warmth and HQ of the vinyl....check my system in profile.

My choice mainly stems from my vinyl preference in general, and that I love to pull out the larger 12 x 12" record jackets and hold them while listening to Nick, and it just so happens those Island reissues are stunning (it helps that all were recorded in the very "alive" atmosphere of Sound Techniques by John Wood: mixed, mastered and remastered by John, hard to go wrong there!), especially Five Leaves Left and Pink Moon...and, well, Bryter Layter.

There is a completely deeper & wider range of emotions and sensations while listening to vinyl for me. It goes back to growing up in the 60's I am sure. Nothing better than pulling out my 1967 Forever Changes, Doors, Beatles, Stones, Springfield, Neil, Stephen. remembering my 17 year-old self--
...not livin' in the past...just enjoying my past, and yet very much in the present, with the music that matters most to me.

(Nick is one of many exceptions, bridging the 60's and 70's, and I have a ton of 60's artists who did the same, bridging the 60's with every decade on...Joni, Neil, Stephen, Jackson, Croz, Gene Clark, Sandy & Richard, Iain, Fogelberg, Zappa, Zevon, Ochs, John & Beverley....so many to love now & then!)

Don't get me wrong, I have hundreds of newer music LPs and CDs from the 70's 80's, 90's, 2000's and that I love so much, hundreds of new ones too, but nothing beats the Golden Age of the 60's.



And ya gotta love Johnny Echols (LoVE) for this, from a recent Love Revisited facebook entry:



Let's see if I can piss some more people off: In my not so humble opinion the coolest music may have already been recorded. Compare the best of today with the best of back in the day... there's no contest, It's all going downhill. I've heard nothing new that I like better than music that's already been done. On a more positive note, the tools are available for any and all to step up and blow our minds, so far it just hasn't happened for me. That being said, of course music is in the ear of the beholder, you like what you like. I've listened to a few groups who have something to say, but they are outliers ... I'm not a pessimist, I still have hope!