I just watched the Nick Drake profile from BBC4...

[twelvebears]

...and I think it may have been one of the saddest things I've ever seen.

:(

[DirectDrive_Gordon]

Unfortunately I missed that programme - would have watched if I'd known it was on. Got Nick Drake's three albums on Japanese 200g reissues - terrific music and fabulous sound!

[Rare Bird]

Did it mention that Nick was the brother of Gabrielle Drake?

http://www.leninimports.com/gabrielle_drake_gallery_1.jpg

[twelvebears]

Did it mention that Nick was the brother of Gabrielle Drake?

http://www.leninimports.com/gabrielle_drake_gallery_1.jpg

Yep, she featured quite heavily in it.

[DSJR]

Just played Five Leaves Left on what may be an iffy LP pressing. The music is something to savour, I suspect too melancholy for younger listeners (usually) full of optimism.

Wonderful stuff..

[twelvebears]

Just played Five Leaves Left on what may be an iffy LP pressing. The music is something to savour, I suspect too melancholy for younger listeners (usually) full of optimism.

Wonderful stuff..

I think his music embodies the very essence of the word 'melancholy'.

In fact you could quite easily expect the OED's entry to say simply 'listen to Nick Drake'

As you say though, wonderful stuff which is more popular now than ever.

The thing about the programme that made me saddest of all was people who knew Nick recounting how he felt that he 'wasn't any good' and that his music hadn't reached the poeple he most wanted it to. Just so tragic that he should feel this way, although it could possibly have been considered to have been true at the time, but of course now his small body of work is considered to be important in a way out of all proportion to the actual amount that he produced.

His agent recounted the tale of how Nick's first and only attempt at a tour was abandoned after just a few venues because people wouldn't shut up and listen to him.

If he were alive now, you could imagine the whole O2 arena being packed and yet have the whole place falling so quiet you could hear a pin drop waiting for him to start playing.

[Grez]

I do a couple of Nick Drake covers because I like the songs, but his style of singing and playing was totally unique. The guy really reaches me with his songs and I never quite know why. Fruit Tree, River Man, At the Chime of a City Clock, Hazey Jane II, Northern Sky, Pink Moon, and From the Morning are all particular favourites.

He was a rare and unique talent, and I'm so pleased I spent the princely sum of one English Pound for "Five Leaves Left" at a junk shop all those years ago.

[John]

I love his voice the way he sings his lyrics
The Cello Song was recorded in 1969 and still sounds great today
For me he had one of the purist voices I have ever heard