It filled the air, like a chord that won’t die out
July 11, 2012 9:24 AM   Subscribe

Brian Cullman was a young American journalist in London when he met Nick Drake through musician John Martyn. This is an interesting look at a very fragile artist who left a deep legacy. And the song Cullman quotes
posted by Isadorady (8 comments total) 18 users marked this as a favorite
 
This was gorgeous. Thanks.
posted by Fnarf at 9:43 AM on July 11, 2012


Cullman's lyrical adulation isn't badly placed. Drake was a performer that cultists' dream about--somber, quiet, talented. Dead too young. Looking back on him in 1971, it makes the heart ache for a different timeline, where such sadness might belong in a different universe.
posted by mule98J at 9:52 AM on July 11, 2012


...and midway through, just as it seemed like he was getting warmed up and settling into the performance, he changed directions, changed songs. No one could tell if he’d forgotten the chords or lost the words or simply grown bored and decided to move on.

This reminds me of things people said about Elliott Smith's last performances.
posted by overeducated_alligator at 10:09 AM on July 11, 2012


Very nicely written piece. Thanks for pointing me to it.
posted by jetsetsc at 10:36 AM on July 11, 2012


This is a lovely piece -- thanks for sharing.

Just to clarify, the lyrics quoted are actually from the song "Hazey Jane." (he began singing the opening lines to a new song, new to me at least)
posted by neroli at 11:29 AM on July 11, 2012 [1 favorite]


Thanks for posting this. For those who like this piece, the (short) documentary A Skin Too Few is equally evocative, and available on YouTube.
posted by carrienation at 11:34 AM on July 11, 2012 [2 favorites]


I absolutely loved reading that. Thank you for posting this.

I remember the first time I listened to Pink Moon, and I was awe-struck -- not because it was some mystical, ethereal piece of music, but by the fact that I was listening to one guy with one guitar singing the absolute bare minimal he could. He had stripped songs to only what was absolutely necessary, and done it in a way that was utterly, strikingly beautiful yet stark.
posted by spiderskull at 12:48 PM on July 11, 2012 [1 favorite]


Rain, open fire - the article and then carrienation's youtube link. Bed now. Thanks.
posted by a non e mouse at 5:46 AM on July 12, 2012 [1 favorite]


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