Nick Drake: A Troubled Cure For A Troubled Mind

I was first introduced to Nick Drake's music while living and attending college in Boston. A roommate of mine had "Five Leaves Left" on vinyl. It was fall and the trees were their usual lava-like array of color. I remember hearing that odd guitar tuning for the first time in my cold apartment bedroom. Though it wasn't part of my current musical taste, I recorded it to tape and always kept some Nick Drake around.

The story of Nick Drake is ultimately a tragedy due to the fact that he never saw his success. He played piano, clarinet and saxophone but his instrument of choice was his guitar. Due to his persistent insomnia, he would experiment into the night with odd tunings and record the results. From this he developed a sound all his own and proceeded to gain a recording contract. All seemed to be going well.

Drake would only live to be 26 years old and only record three albums in his life. The years that he produced Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter and Pink Moon would be his happiest though he would battle depression constantly through these times. Those three albums would inspire the next generation of countless musicians like the Black Crowes, The Cure, Charlie Hunter and Norah Jones

At the end of his life, Nick Drake believed that his music was ultimately a failure due to the lack of recognition from his present day critics. His depression was evident in his lyrics and he died of an overdose of anti-depressant/sleeping pills. Some would speculate suicide; some would say a tragic accident due to the fact that this talented writer left no note.



In 2000, 30 years after his death, His song "Pink Moon" was licensed for use in a Volkswagen commercial. After that one commercial his albums started to sell again. In the one month time span after the first airing of that commercial, he sold more records in that month that he did for the past thirty years.

His music then moved into movie soundtracks with The Royal Tenenbaums, Garden State and Seven Pounds. Books were written about his life like "Darker than the deepest sea" by Trevor Dann. Documentaries were made for television and radio. Brad Pitt voiced the BBC documentary "Lost Boy: In search of Nick Drake" about his music and tragic demise.

If only he could have seen what his brief recording career would become. Near the end, Nick Drake retreated into his own realm. A troubled cure for a troubled mind.