Mike Kowalski Remembers Nick Drake

[harrisonjon]

Very nice interview:

http://adrian-peel.suite101.com/mike-kowalski-remembers-nick-drake-a256343

Kowalski's range of credits is remarkable - from "Live In London" and "Still Cruisin'" to "Bryter Layter". Eclectic guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Kowalski#Discography

[Jon Stebbins]

Very nice interview:

http://adrian-peel.suite101.com/mike-kowalski-remembers-nick-drake-a256343

Kowalski's range of credits is remarkable - from "Live In London" and "Still Cruisin'" to "Bryter Layter". Eclectic guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Kowalski#Discography

FYI...he's the percussionist on Live In London and not the drummer.

[JCarson]

The Nick Drake - Beach Boys connection (via Ed Carter and Mike Kowalski) fascinates me. To my mind the 'feel' of Nick Drake's music is very close to the 'feel' of Brian Wilson's - though coming out of very different contexts and genres. When I listen to a track like Fly it takes me to the same kind of place as tracks like God Only Knows. There's a fragility, a mournful quality and a spiritual yearning. Much as I love the Beatles, I don't get the same feeling from them (though Eleanor Rigby comes close). People sometimes describe an encompassing genre of Baroque Pop and like to include people like Judee Sill and the Zombies (and Lady Jane era Rolling Stones). I admire many of these artists, but I love Nick Drake and the Beach Boys above all others.

Oh, and now I guess I should read that interview!

[nickdunning]

Very nice interview:

http://adrian-peel.suite101.com/mike-kowalski-remembers-nick-drake-a256343

Kowalski's range of credits is remarkable - from "Live In London" and "Still Cruisin'" to "Bryter Layter". Eclectic guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Kowalski#Discography

In terms of sound, the John and Beverley Martyn album 'Road To Ruin' is very much 'Bryter Layter's' twin sister, recorded at Sound Techniques at the same time with most of the same players. Mike is also on that, on drums on the excellent 'Auntie Aviator'. It's nowhere near as good as Nick's album, but still excellent.

Mike's band were called 'The New Nadir' and the only released track from the 1970 sessions is the superb 'I Don't Mind', on the Joe Boyd 'White Bicycles' compilation set from a few years ago. If there was more stuff recorded it's still unreleased.

Cheers
Nick

[harrisonjon]

'Rubber Soul' is fairly baroque and might have influenced the baroque elements in Pet Sounds.

The whole folk boom in UK and US circa 1962-65 has to have been influenced by baroque to some degree, simply because British folk harks back to the pre-industrial/pastoral past so heavily. Nick got that via people like Davy Graham. Brian would say he wasn't a folkie but he must have been aware of Peter, Paul and Mary, early Dylan, Judy Collins, etc.

Judy did a very nice version of In My Life around that time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXIfP-EJx2M&feature=related