h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What are you doing Mark ? First I stumble upon your Neil Finn article and now I find this one... Being a huge fan of Nick I already knew the info in your entry but you put it very well.

I don't know about the cult-status though, he seems to pop up everywhere the last couple of years. I guess he just needed 'new' artists like Thom Yorke to promote him. Better late then never, although in this case that is doubtable. Another little piece of info about Nick's character : he stopped playing in folk-bars because he couldn't stand people chatting away and not really listening to his music.

I played Nick's music for Shazz("you HAVE to listen to this!"). She listened very quietly, became quite emotional and then said something like "It's beautiful but I never want to hear it again". Anyone who has heard Nick Drake knows what she meant.

There is one thing that kept him from gaining a bigger status(after his death) : How on Earth can you cover a Nick Drake song ? I tried, and it worked a bit, but it was absolutely no match for the original. As you said: his voice was unique, his guitarplaying was unique and his songwriting was unique. Nobody will ever be able to do it better than Nick. Hopefully some genius will come along someday and record a truly new version of his song(s) instead of just covering them. But I fear that it is an impossible task.

A true artist indeed. I wish there were more people with a musical legacy like his. I also wish that we could have been around in his days. As far as I can see he could have used the support of fans.

My band is not called "Solid Air" for nothing you know...

TM.

And thanx for giving him the honour of a personal blob. Straight from the album-cover I suspect...

TM.

You might like this article Mark :

http://www.salon.com/ent/music/feature/2000/06/19/drake/

TM.