Nick Drake - Pink Moon
On this week’s episode we talk about another “Listener Pick”: the last album by Nick Drake, 1972’s Pink Moon. Upon its initial release, the album was a both a critical and commercial failure, but it has grow in stature and appreciation for both critics and fans in the decades since.
The album is quiet, mostly just Drake and his acoustic guitar, with lyrics steeped in celestial imagery about loneliness and and heartbreak. Reclusive by nature, Drake did little to support the album by way of touring or interviews and passed away soon after its release. It took a Volkswagen commercial in 1999 featuring the album’s title track to revive his career and bring back to the attention of the music buying public. Since then, Pink Moon has found itself on several “greatest albums” lists. Pink Moon is a beautifully stark album of note, full of songs that are elegant and beautiful, and bleak and unsettling, often at the same time.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
While attend boarding school at Marlborough College, Nick Drake was an accomplished athlete. He was 100- and 200-yard sprinter, holding several records, and played rugby where he was a House Captain forhis last two terms
Drake came from a talented family. His older sister, Gabrielle, became a successful screen actress and both parents wrote music.
Pictured (L to R): Nick, his mother Molly, and his sister Gabrielle.
Nick Drake’s mother actually mother recorded several songs that were released after her death. The songs were recorded on a rudimentary setup in the 1950s at her home and engineered by her husband Rodney. You can listen to one of those songs “Happiness” below.
Here’s a flyer for a five-day Christmas festival in 1967 put on by Circus Alpha Centaur. This an all-star event that included the first UK performance for Country Joe and the Fish. It was also an event that change Nick Drake’s life.
Drake, while not on the official bill, performed at some point during the event. Ashley Hutchings, the bassist for Fairport Convention (who were also on the bill), happened to see Drake perform and was impressed enough to contact Fairport’s manager, Joe Boyd to enthusiastically tell him about Drake. Boyd eventually heard some demos and loved what he heard, which led to Drake getting a record deal and Boyd producing his first two albums.
Before hooking up with Nick Drake, American Joe Boyd (pictured), who helped get Nick Drake a contract and produced his first two LPs and had an almost Forrest Gump like presence in rock and roll circles during the mid-1960s, especiall in the underground scene in London. He supervised Bob Dylan’s electric debut at the Newport Folk Festival and in 1966. He helped open the UFO Club in London, where a Syd Barret led Pink Floyd was essentially the house band for the London underground. He produced some early Pink Floyd singles and also produced output from the Incredible String Band, the Soft Machine, Fairport Convention, and Eric Clapton.
As part of the promotional push for Five Leaves Left Island arranged Drake to play live in the studio in August of 69 for BBC One’s John Peel’s son of Night Ride. Here he is performing “Three Hours” from that session.
There is no known footage of Nick Drake performing live. In fact, the footage below is the only know video of and adult Drake. That’s him, in the maroon sport coat, walking away from the camera.
