Nick Drake
Song writer and performer of folk English, Nicholas Rodney Drake , was born with Rangoon, in Burma (Myanmar), the June 19th 1948. He died the November 25th 1974 with Tanworth-in-Arden, in the south of Birmingham, in England. Although being greeted by criticism, it forever obtained the attention of the public of alive sound. However Nick Drake is the object of a posthumous recognition, its three albums, far from being fallen in the lapse of memory, arouse an interest growing near the new generations.
Biography
Its discovery of the music
Surrounded by his/her father, Rodney Drake (1908 - 1988), engineer in an English company, from his/her mother, Molly (Mary Lord 1915 - 1993) which composes of the songs in amatrice and its Gabrielle sister, its elder 4 years, Nicholas Drake spends the first two years of its life to Burma. In 1951, the family decides to turn over in the County of the Warwickshire, to England. They live “Far Leys” , a property in the village of Tanworth-in-Arden.Durant its adolescence, It studies with 1962 with 1966. In addition, he learns how to play of the Piano, the Clarinette, of the Saxophone and finally, of the Guitare, in 1965.
En be 1966 it takes holidays in France. It goes back there to the beginning of the year following for a five months stay at the university of Aix-en-Provence, intersected with a voyage to the Morocco. In autumn, it enters to the Fitzwilliam College, one of most prestigious of the Université of Cambridge, in order to continue literary studies.
Hitherto, of a temperament rather opened, it appears increasingly introverted. Large admiror of the American folk authors, like Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, Phil Ochs, it gives up the athletics - discipline in which it was distinguished - at the end of a few months, to devote itself to the composition of songs.
In February 1968, at the time of a festival for peace, it sings for the first time on the scene of the Roundhouse , with London. It holds the attention of Ashley Hutchings, bass player of the group Fairport Convention, who presents it to the singer folk, and with their producer, Joe Boyd. After having listened to one of its models, this last convinces the label Island Records to sign a contract to him.
A career shortened by the depression
It enters in studio in July 1968 to record the first songs of its future first album. For the orchestrations, it calls upon Robert Kirby, a friend known at the university and traditional arranger. The idea of a String quartet is retained to accompany several pieces of color intimist and melancholic person. In 1969, it sings in clubs and pubs and makes its first radio broadcast with the BBC 1 where it makes hear some songs of its future first album.
Accommodated by enthusiastic criticisms, Five Leaves Left , leaves the 1e September. To promote the disc, it occurs a score of time on various scenes - September 24th with semi 1970 - in short appearances in first part of artists folk like John and Beverley Martyn, Fairport Convention, Genesis, Spencer Davis Group…
Victime of an insurmountable trac, it does not like to make these services. The audience is often not very attentive and its timidity does not arrange the things. Felt like a torment, It will quickly put a final term at this aspect of the artistic career. This explains the little of interest partly that its work near the public causes because the business success of the album is not with go. Only the eulogistic comments of the press encourages it to continue to compose.
Whereas it does not remain to him any more that one year to make to complete its studies, it leaves Cambridge against the opinion of his parents and settles in London to devote itself entirely to the development of a new album.
Bryter Layter , leaves the 1e November 1970. It gathers pieces at more removed rates/rhythms, with sonorities jazz. Entrusted to John Fixes Velvet Underground, arrangements are enriched by the presence by coppers, Clavecin, Orgue and Célesta. Like the first, this new opus, encensé by the press, does not obtain the adhesion of the public. Deeply affected by this lack of recognition, Nick Drake feels it like a personal failure. At this point in time Joe Boyd, his producer, decides to settle with Los Angeles. This departure still adds to its depresses. It is folded up on itself. Incompetent to write, it returns to “Far Leys” , among his.
In summer 1971, to help it to leave itself this bad master key, the president of Island , Chris Blackwell places at its disposal the villa that it has on the Spanish coast, close to Gibraltar. Gradually, Nick finds the desire for composing and, of return to London, plans to record again.
Towards the end of the year, it carries out in medium of nights, two meetings studio two hour old, with the John Wood sound engineer. Eleven titles, sobrement accompanied with the guitar and the piano, “are put out of box”. After having given the bands to its label, Nick Drake requires that they be published without other arrangements. Composed of songs and piece of music courts (the disc lasts only 28 minutes), Pink Moon leaves the February 25th 1972 and appears more difficult access than its preceding discs. It passes unperceived. Discouraged by this new commercial failure, it begins to doubt its qualities of author and musician. It decides to put a term at its career and is inserted in a depressive state.
Determined to follow a treatment, he is hospitalized five weeks in April. After having thought of engaging in the army and of being themselves devoted without conviction to the trade of data processing specialist in the company where his/her father works, it considers the future while thinking of composing of the songs for other interpreters. In February 1974, projecting possible a new album, it finds the force to record four songs written in the pain: To wrinkle One The Wheel, Black Eyed Dog, Hanging One has Star and Voice From The Mountain . Persuaded that it does not have anything any more to say, it slips again into the depression, keeping the contact only with his closer friends, like the singer John Martyn, or Francoise Hardy, that it re-examines at the time of a stay in France where it seems, apparently, to take again taste with the life.
Returned in the family home, the evening of the November 24th 1974, it absorbs (inadvertently?) a surdose of antidepressant which it takes regularly. It is found died in its bed the next morning. The authorities conclude with the suicide although its family and her close relations dispute the thesis. It is buried in the cemetery of the church St Mary off Magdalene , with Tanworth-in-Arden in the media indifference.
The recognition post-mortem
The popularity of Nick Drake is always long-lived today. This thanks to its writing meticulous person, her Prosody and its play of guitar. Its work was regularly quoted by Kate Bush, Tom Verlaine of the group Television, Lou Barlow, Peter Buck of the group R.E.M., more recently Graham Coxon, or Elliott Smith. Robert Smith, singer of The Cleans, just as Perry Blake dedicate an admiration without limits to him. The pianist of Jazz Brad Mehldau in particular began again and adapted Things Behind The Sun and River man . We can finally quote Johan Asherton, French folk author, who is one of the largest contemporary admirors of Nick Drake.
Documentary
- has Stranger Among Us, Searching for Nick Drake
-
has Skin Too Few - The Days off Nick Drake
Film musics
- Black Eyed Dog , in the Enchantresses ( Practical Magic ), realized by Griffin Dune, 1998.
- Black Eyed Dog , Northern Sky , in a love in New York ( Serendipity ), realized by Peter Chelsom, 2001.
- Fly , in the Family Tenenbaum ( Royal The Tenenbaums ), realized by Wes Anderson, 2001.
- One Off Thesis Things First , in Garden State , realized by Zach Braff, 2004.
- Pink Moon , Time Has Told Me , in Between two banks ( The Lake House ), realized by Alejandro Agresti, 2006.
- Time Has Told Me , in Vice realized by Raul Sanchez Inglis, 2007.
Publicities
- In spring 2000, with the the United States, a commercial for the Volkswagen Cabrio, using the song Pink Moon abruptly increased its notoriety in the general public.
- In October 2007, the the French Red Cross selected the song song Place To Be to illustrate the televised message of its countryside, “Without you how would we make? ”
Discography
In the beginning, the songs of Nick Drake were diffused on long-playing records 33 tours/30cm - LP ( Long Playing ). Thereafter, they were remasterisés and republished in compact disks - CD ( Compact Disc ).
Albums
-
Five Leaves Left
- Time Has Told Me
- River Man
- Three Hours
- Way To Blue
- Day Is Done
- `Cello Song
- Thoughts Of Mary Jane
- Man In has Saw-tooth
- Fruit Tree
- Saturday Sun
- Bryter Layter
- Introduction
- Hazey Jane II
- At The Chime Off The City Clock
- One Off Thesis Things First
- Hazey Jane I
- Bryter Layter
- Fly
- Poor Servant boy
- Northern Sky
- Sunday
- Pink Moon
- Pink Moon
- Place To Be
- Road
- Which Will
- Horn
- Things Behind The Sun
- Know
- Parasite
- Wrinkle
- Harvest Breed
- From The Morning
Boxes
- Tree Fruit - The Supplements Recorded Works
-
Fruit Tree
- Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter, Pink Moon , Time Off No Reply (compilation containing the 4 songs studio referred to above), a booklet with biography, texts of the songs and photographs.
- Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter, Pink Moon (reproduced original Small pockets).
- DVD of the documentary one: has Skin Too Few (VO), carried out by Jeroen Berkvens in 2000.
- Booklet of 100 pages with the first interview of Joe Boyd and John Wood, the texts of the songs.
- DVD of the documentary one: has Skin Too Few (VO), carried out by Jeroen Berkvens in 2000.
Compilation S
- Time off No Reply
- Time Of No Reply *
- I Was Made To Love Magic *
- Joey *
- Clothes Of Sand *
- Man In has Saw-tooth *
- Mayfair *
- Fly (1969)
- The Thoughts Of Mary Jane *
- Been Smoking Too Long *
- Strange Meeting II *
- Rider One The Wheel **
- Black Eyed Dog **
- Hanging One has Star **
- Voice From The Mountain **
- Heaven in has Wild Flower: Year Exploration off Nick Drake
-
Way to Blue : Year Introduction to Nick Drake
-
Made To Love Magic
-
has Treasury
-
Family Tree
- Introduction: As In To The Garden (Nick Drake)
- They' Re Leaving Me Behind (Nick Drake) **
- Time Part (récitatif, Nick Drake)
- Poor Mum (compound and sung by his/her mother, Molly Drake)
- Winter Is Gone (traditional air arranged by Nick Drake)
- All My Trials (traditional air in duet with his/her sister, Gabrielle)
- Kegelstatt Trio (W.A. Mozart, violin: his/her aunt, Nancy McDowall, piano: his/her uncle, Chris MacDowall, clarinet: Nick drake)
- Strolling Down The Highway (Bert Jansch) **
- Paddling In Rushmere (short extract of a traditional air played piano)
- Cocaine Blues (traditional air) **
- Blossom (Nick Drake)
- Been Smoking Too Long (Robin Frederick)
- Black Mountain Blues (traditional air)
- Tomorrow Has Long Time (Bob Dylan) **
- If You Leave Me (Dave van Ronk)
- Here Like The Blues (Jackson C. Frank) **
- short part of guitar (Nick Drake)
- Blues Run The Range (Jackson C. Frank)
- My Baby So Sweet (traditional air)
- Milk And Honey (Jackson C. Frank) **
- Kimbie (traditional air) **
- Bird Flew By (Nick Drake)
- Rain (Nick Drake)
- Strange Meeting II (Nick Drake) **
- Day Is Done (Nick Drake, primitive version.) *
- Like Into The Garden (Nick Drake)
- Way To Blue (Nick Drake, primitive version.) *
- C You Ever Remember? (compound and sung by his/her mother, Molly Drake)
Anecdotes
- Nick Drake measured 1m91.
- His/her sister, Gabrielle, is a traditional actress of formation which was made known with the beginning of the year 1970, for her role in televised series of science fiction of Gerry Anderson: UFO .
- In 1969 the producer, Joe Boyd makes record 4 songs resulting from Five Leaves Left with young a 22 year old singer named Elton John: Day Is Done, Saturday Sun, Time Has Told Me and Way To Blue . The disc is never appeared at the time. Since, these recordings circulate in the form of compilations out of compact disks: Saturday Sun Sessions , Sound Techniques (EJCD348) , in 1994 and The Lost Demonstration Sessions off' 69 - Includes the famous Nick Drake covers , Hardware-El (HD-001) , in 2004.