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Home -> Hanging on a Star -> contents -> Introduction -> next page
Introduction
Fame is but a fruit tree, So very unsound,
It can never flourish, Till its stalk is in the ground
So men of fame, Can never find a way
Till time has flown, Far from their dying day...
...Safe in your place deep in the earth
That's when they'll know what you were really worth...
These are the strangely prophetic words from the song Fruit Tree from Nick Drake's first album Five Leaves Left ; prophetic because, in his lifetime, Nick was largely an unknown - the albums sold before his untimely death in 1974, numbering only in the low thousands. The intrigue and mystery left behind by a career cut so tragically short, has ascended Nick and his music almost beyond legend to the point of myth, the renowned elusive nature of his life and his inexplicable lack of acclaim and success at the time, only helps fuel the curiosity. But it is the pure unassuming quality of the music he left behind that has surely been the main reason for his enduring and continually growing, success and appraisal - the complex but effortless guitar playing, and the warm yet haunting vocals, make his music sound as fresh and unique today as it was the day it was recorded. The fascination with Nick Drake and his music grows each year, with many contemporary and successful musicians quoting him as a great influence.
This book attempts to unravel some of the mysteries of his music and guitar playing, but, at the same time, hopefully without 'de-mystifying' them. Whether you, the reader, are a relative beginner or an advanced player; just seeking some new inspiration, or trying to master the whole of Nick Drake's back catalogue; this book should be of use to you.
Friends' websites: SPARE ROOM.co.uk for UK flat and house share, into London.com for flatshare and property lettings, roastbeef.co.uk for uni friends reunited