The Afterword

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More Mackenzie Crook loveliness

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I was alerted to this lovely little book by a post on social media – it completely passed me by when it was published in 2024.

This inspiration was a book Mackenzie’s father was given when he was a child, If Jesus Came to My House. The young Mackenzie was entranced by the possibilities of the book: imagine if ghosts you admired could come to your house and spend time with you!

MC was only 3 when Nick Drake died, and only discovered his music 20 years later. The nagging wish that they’d known each other stayed with him, and the result is this book, The beautiful illustrations are by Crook: Nick Drake has a halo, like an angel, and MC has an excellent eye for pre-war houses (even Fairport puts in an appearance). The text is a series of simple, touching verses.

Some samples: ‘If Nick Drake came to my house and knocked upon the door I’m sure I’d been more happy than I’ve ever been before.’

‘I’d let him read my poems and he wouldn’t laugh or sneer I’d tell him how his music helped me through a troubled year.’

‘And when at last the bus turned up » Continue Reading.

Prom 8: Nick Drake – An Orchestral Celebration

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I Came across this last night. Prom 8 on the BBBC iplayer and available for 79 days. Sorry it’s not a full revue partly because although I know Nick Drakes music I don’t feel I’m really qualified to give too much insight more than to say I think there’s a few on here that will really enjoy this. I certainly did and The Unthanks feature too. Find yourself a comfortable seat and enjoy at your leisure. Link in comments below –

Fly – Nick Drake

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So I’m randomly drifting through my music collection, late at night, and this track comes up – normally part of the flow through Bryter Layter – and so not normally noticed as a separate song.

But this time, I’m frankly half cut, and Drake’s words trip me up a bit. The delivery is always a bit unclear – is he being prissy, laid back or desperate in his smooth enunciation?

I put it on repeat play, where it is still playing, many times later. I google it and notice it’s got accompaniment from Jon Cale on viola and harpsichord, almost from the very beginning of the song. Now I think it’s the soothing scrape of the viola sweetened with the golden brown harpsichord tickling Drake’s voice that makes the song. My ears drift off with the viola and forget the halfhearted plaintive, then reconciled words.

I don’t know what it would be without the antique sound of the harpsichord or the drones of the viola together making resonant space for Drake’s pleading and guitar plucking. They improve his song, but do his words add to their music?

I also don’t know what to make of the song just stopping, » Continue Reading.