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New Nick Drake


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  • 3 years later...

The great 33 1/3 series has a new entry out, on Drake's PINK MOON... the last third of the book is devoted to the 2000 VW commercial that used the title track, and the ensuing hubbub. We had just bought our first house that year and didn't have cable (even in the new place, I hardly ever watch it) so I never saw the ad itself, but of course it's posted on YouTube:

It's kind of beautiful, actually, for an ad. The only time Drake's sister has allowed a song to be licensed for a commercial, and I can see why she signed off on this one. I was working at a Borders at the time, and it did cause quite a bump in Nick Drake sales.

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  • 5 years later...

Any Nick Drake fans out there?

connected with his music in the early 80's & have dug his small output ever since - can listen to "Five Leaves Left" & "Bryter Layter" ad infinitum

Have never had any of his material on CD (except a couple of tracks on the "White Bicycles" compilation) - only ever on LP (Fruit Tree box & individual discs)

Island/Universal have just released a 5CD box set "Tuck Box" at a very reasonable price - perfect for me

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuckbox-Limited-Box-Nick-Drake/dp/B00FWCFNN0/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1387782640&sr=1-1&keywords=nick+drake+tuck+box

Interesting to note that Chris McGregor plays on one of the tracks from "Bryter Layter" (Poor Boy)

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I suspect Drake paid the price of his own emotional/mental issues.

As for the lack of sophistication of the audience of his time, well we didn't have the posthumous benefit of myth-enhancing box sets to make him stand out from all the other engaging music of the time.

I only knew one track by Drake in the early 70s - 'Hazey Jane' on an Island compilation which I loved. I should have gravitated towards him as I was hooked on the whole Witchseason stable at the time. But I never bought the records because they were so short. No big issue today when they can be bought in cost effective sets and where my income is appreciably higher than in 1971. Back then a record could be afforded once every three or four weeks - so length did matter!

What drew me to the records later on was hearing his songs played by a local singer/guitarist in a Nottingham folk club in the early 80s. The Drake myth was starting to build then and like others I bought the Fruit Tree box.

Those 3 LPs are wonderful - beautiful songs and singing, amazing guitar, some unusual arrangements; as are the handful of out-takes that surfaced on Fruit Tree.

But that new box seems to be more about milking the legend by throwing in all manner of flotsam and jetsam. A cost effective way of getting the essential music if you don't already have it. But otherwise another industry conceit, preying on our completist tendencies.

Edited by A Lark Ascending
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Oh dear, this new set does arrive with the a loud sound of barrel bottom scraping doesn't it?

What possible value to anyone's understanding or even enjoyment of Drakes's work does hearing him play Mozart as a 9 nine year old add? Interesting that they've added the Molly Drake tunes as her "discovery" certainly seems to be building a momentum - even a radio $ doc recently.

As for "The package depicts Nick Drake’s own tuck box from his Marlborough College days, used to guard the various cakes dispatched weekly from his mother, Molly Drake." that just makes me sigh in disbelief.

Another "Fruit Tree" convert here. I wonder whether the original fans got similarly aerated about that box set when it arrived ;)

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Nothing new for Drake collectors (of which I'm one - even had 'Bryter Later' when it first came out on LP) but a good way for newcomers to pick up on Nick. I think I have about 20 items in my collection which is a bit excessive for someone who only released 3 official albums! The Molly Drake songs are interesting as you can hear a link to the way Nick sang his songs, even though the material was from a different era. Sort of Noel Coward, 1930s musical theatre style.

Nick's music is very affecting but it is difficult to disassociate his tragic life story from the songs. He was, however, an exceptional guitarist and even today fellow guitarists puzzle over his style.

If the chance arises, try and find the documentary 'A Skin Too Few'. It can be found on YouTube :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrmR_F5XgwQ

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I agree that the packaging/presentation is over the top & space wasting but it's the music (in digital format) that I want. Also, I hadn't previously heard any of the early material (Cambridge Uni, Aix En Provence, home demos etc)

Interestingly, there are titles on the "Time Of No Reply" LP excluded from this set

They're also pushing the Molly Drake angle & influence on her son - have released an entire CD of her home recordings (not in the box)

http://mollydrake.bandcamp.com

I remember seeing the doco "A Skin Too Few" in the early 2000's - was shown on the ABC here in Australia (my partner found it utterly depressing & couldn't watch it to the end)

Edited by romualdo
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Thanks for posting the youtube link. Just watched "A Skin Too Few" and I don't recall seeing it before

Tracey Thorn sang two of Molly Drake's songs on the radio documentary and it was interesting to hear them sung by a more contemporary voice. I'd be first in line if she ever does an album of her interpretations but then I'd enjoy Ms Thorn singing the telephone directory

Edited by mjazzg
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I really enjoyed this BBC ND tribute concert " A Way To Blue", as many talented Brits got together to celebrate their country's neglect of one of their most talented singer/songwriers, ultimately pushing the already fragile ND over the edge... :rlol

But seriously, this is a very nice concert with nary a synthesizer nor a Sting in sight. :smirk:

The orchestra performs the original arrangements wonderfully, and Danny Thompson performs on the ACOUSTIC BASS marvelously.

The acoustic guitarist does a wonderful job, also.

The only performance I didn't like was Robyn Hitchcock's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X2JDv39tG0

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