The Official Nick Drake Thread

[evolvedForm]

I think the man deserves his own thread. If you haven't heard of him, where the hell have you been? Here he is

His two best songs imo are "Time of No Reply" and "I Was Made to Love Magic". The themes of nature, drugs, unrequited love, and lonliness make him one of the realest (late) musicians out there. It's too bad he died, but at least he never sold out. Even though his music is depressing, its oddly spiritual element has a personal effect on the listener. Lyrics give his songs profound visual imagery, which somehow connect to near-forgotten childhood memories and sensations. Listen to his songs half-heartedly and you will get depressed. Listen to them deeply, and you will appreciate the melancholic feelings they elicit.

Any other thoughts on Nick Drake?

[rothko]

really like drake, as well. he had one of the most ironic deaths, ever: overdosed on antidepressants. sucks when people are that down with things they decide to die. sucks when they have such amazing talent and so much to offer.

[SoloAJ]

Northern Sky from the the Serendipity soundtrack is the only one I've heard of his. But I like this song a lot.

It helps that I have a romantic idealist belief that this movie touches at perfectly. The song is just entirely too fitting for the movie.

I will have to download some more of his stuff or something. I hadn't even considered doing that becuase I always figured I just liked the song because of the movie. In reality, I think I'd like some of his other stuff.

[Peter Harris]

saw a documentary on his life followed by a guy who did cover songs. Very good, very detailed feature.

5 leaves left is inspired. I prefer him to John Martyn because Nick Drake's work is tighter, his vocals better and his string arrangements prolific.

Wasted talent, yes. But, at the time, he wasn't all that popular, and combining depression and a lack of self-confidence with a bunch of A&R people telling you you'll be huge whilst you play to rooms of people who talk over you = not a good life.

[rothko]

yeah, drake was pretty unknown in his day. it wasn't until recently that people really got turned on to him, thanks to the vw ad (shucks).

[whiskeytown]

I heard clips off his first two albums and was not overtly impressed, but Pink Moon blows me away -

his guitar work is definately unique - unique melodies and tunings and he was able to carry an album's worth of material - (performed live, which is even more interesting given his desire to not play in front of an audience) -

I think Pink Moon ranks up there in the top 5 for folk albums but those first two haven't done much for me -

another psychosis-prone reclusive singer-songwriter - those things do not have a long life span... -

reminds me a lot of Townes in the way he was ignored for the period he was making albums but you can't keep genius down -

rb