Nick Drake. I listen to him when I’m down because I can get up again afterwards. He’s up there with Elliott Smith. They died young. Think of the music that could have been. It’s such a shame, I can’t stand it!

Pink Moon is a great little song…I recall they used it for a Volkswagon commercial a few years ago and people freaked out. “Nick Drake wouldn’t have wanted that!” they cried. Who knows what he would have wanted if he had lived 20 more years…?!
zshare: Pink Moon- Nick Drake

River Man is probably my favorite Nick song. It’s haunting and frighteningly good.
zshare: River Man-Nick Drake

I think I’d have to kick my own ass if I didn’t hold such reverence for the classics. How can you appreciate music today when you don’t appreciate where it all came from? Megan and I always said we should have lived in the 60’s/70’s. Maybe we did. Who knows. I miss Megan!

*

Back to life: Drew gave me a glorious idea this morning….a countdown! 26 days until Alan, Drew, Josh and ____ VISIT ME!! (I have yet to ask who made the cut). I’m so excited! And I’m going to buy my plane ticket for Colorado at the end of the week, I think. I’m still trying to figure out dates and such. I can’t wait to go camping, trip with Pat, get wasted on another drunk hike (let’s not get lost this time), and hang out with my buddy Bailey. Maybe we can find a nice creek for him And then I can frolic around Boulder like old times with Angel, maybe write on some walls with a giant sharpie. Then we can get BOBA and walk around CU campus and feed the fish like we used to. (Wow, I never realized how quaint my memories are). Going to Catacombs is a must so we can get some more awesome whiskey cokes. My favorite I miss you Angel! And you, Alan. And Alicia and Drew and Pat, Shaun & Fuss and Jessi and CJ and Bri, Katie, Jonesy, and Dominic. Gah. I miss everyone terribly.

YO! Spend some dollhairs on music by Nick Drake at Amazon.

Vandaag is het 34 jaar geleden dat Nick Drake is overleden.

Er bestaan geen opnamen van hem, als artiest. Daarom kun je naar deze youtube filmpjes best luisteren met je ogen dicht.

Enkele hoogtepunten:

‘Pink Moon’

‘Northern Sky’

‘Cello Song’

‘River Man’

Binnenkort zal ik een stukje plaatsen over het tot standkomen van zijn debuutalbum Five Leaves Left.

Sometimes real life collides with art in the most unexpected way. As readers will know I’ve taken to the bike in recent weeks. On Saturday I cycled to work (7 miles) and went home the scenic route via Loch Lomond and the scene above (14 miles). The cycle route from Dumbarton to Balloch is along the towpath of the River Leven. I had the Ipod on playing Nick Drake and this track came on just as I was cycling through a rather dark and moody section of the journey. On my left some old industrial buildings, across the river an old church and the light had dimmed as the sun went behind a cloud. This song is simply stunning and beautiful. Incredibly there is no film footage of Nick Drake (who died in 1974 aged 26) but whoever put this montage together has done a magnificent job.

Footnote; I’ve just read that on the back of Volkswagen using Drake’s “Pink Moon” in one of their T.V. commercials, more Nick Drake albums were sold in the following months than had been in the previous 30 years. A sad irony.

I’m wondering what it is about certain young men, that takes them to a place of dark thoughts, dark rivers.  What do they see, that the rest of us don’t?  Many of these particular young men (some of whom spent time in our home) live with severe or intermittent depression (and other emotional or psychological diagnoses), and while brilliant in intellect, communication, and artistic talent, there seems to be a missing component…or several.  What do they see, that we don’t?

I use the word “missing” only because it works within my sense of what’s necessary to stay connected to this world.  Perhaps, there’s nothing missing at all, but quite the opposite.  Perhaps, they see things from a perspective that is alien to the majority of us, and through their special lenses, choose lives of risk and freedom for a greater purpose than we can imagine. 

Nick Drake, was in his 20s when he died from an overdose of amytriptiline (in 1974), an antidepressant that is still today (34 years later) regularly prescribed (in the U.S. anyway) for depression, sleep disorders, and appetite problems.  I’ve long believed that some people are born into this world too sensitive to thrive in our harsh, modern environment. 

I believe Owen was one such individual, too sensitive for this world.  While I don’t believe he was looking for a way out, I do believe he left himself open to risks that could (and most likely did) put him in the way of unpredictable people, with little thought to outcomes.  Owen thought everyone had something to contribute, and invited people into our home because he thought they were “just like me, Mom, searching”.  

Dave and I shared our more experienced discretion with him, and asked pointed questions about these people who spent time with us.  Most prominently, we asked the questions, when we spent time in conversations with Owen’s visitors.  Those same visitors have told us things about Owen’s death, that are alarming, and which they insist they will never tell the authorities.  When we ask them why, they tell us they are not considered credible witnesses – even though some of them have told us they were with Owen on his last night. 

So many questions, so many sleepless nights, so many desperate frustrations, and so little credible information.  It sometimes feels like the sky is falling.  I can assure you, the sky fell, and the River released Owen’s body to the surface.  We are among the lucky families of these young men.  Many families never find their loved ones’ bodies, and so are left with even less answers than we’ve been given.  As odd and awful as it is to say,  I am thankful the River delivered us Owen’s body, after he was missing for four days.  We don’t have to wonder if he’s dead or alive.  We know.

Song for the night:  River Man, Nick Drake (when I watch this video, and hear Drake’s voice, I experience the beauty of sensitivity and thoughtfulness, and I’m reminded of our conversations with Owen in our home) [just checking in here on August 19, and the video I originally posted is no longer available - this one does the job, but without the same feel as there are no photos of Drake himself]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9HRo-9mqrQ

Ecco il video di una delle più belle performance del duo Sylvian & Fripp: Riverman.

La canzone fa parte dell’album Gone To Earth del 1984. Questo video è un estratto di un concerto tenuto da Sylvian & Fripp durante il tour di The first day.

Buon ascolto e buona visione