Onry Ozzborn - Remembered for a While Launch, Rough Trade, Nottingham, 27/11/12015

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 9 / 2 / 2015

intro

Anthony Strutt attends a book launch at the new Rough Trade shop in Nottingham for new Nick Drake book, 'Remembered for a While'

Nick Drake remains b-oth a mystery and much loved now that he is gone. Had he been more successful initially, who knows but we might still have him. In his lifetime, he released only three albums, ‘Five Leaves Left’ (1969), ‘Bryter Layter’ (1970) and ‘Pink Moon’ (1972), all which sold about three thousand copies in his lifetime, which saw them get at least second pressings. Nick was a very much ‘keep to yourself’ man, but he had loyal friends and was very close to his family. His dad even started off a bootleg industry of home recordings. Tonight's event was the last of three around the country, the other being at Rise in Bristol that saw a live set by Patrick Duff, and one in London at Rough Trade East where there was a live set by Villagers. Rough Trade Nottingham had only opened four days before and so this was their first live event, followed shortly afterwards by gigs by Heavenly's the Voyeurs and Sonic Cathedral's Younghusband, and then the Slits’ Viv Albertine promoting her new book. Situated next to the independent art house cinema The Broadway and only a few streets away from the Heavenly- owned venue The Bodega, it is in the right location. Inside the shop it is well spaced out with very friendly staff, who are pleased to help out but don't bother you if you want to browse. Upstairs is the bar and back room where the live events take place. I'm the first to arrive, and take a picture of the final guitar Nick Drake used on his last five recordings. I also have a quick chat with Cally Calloman, who runs the estate for Nick’s family and is with Nick’s sister Gabrielle Drake one of the co-authors of the new book, ‘Remembered for a While’. When Gabrielle arrives shortly afterwards, she signs my copy of the ‘Fruit Tree’ box set in Nick’s name. The actual talk runs late as there are sound problems with the DVD projector. To make up for the loss of a live act, it is hoped to show us a film, ‘A Skin Too Few’, which was on the most recent version of ‘Fruit Tree’ , but it refuses to play with sound. For the first part of the evening, we, therefore, move back into the bar, The Estate buys us a few drinks each and we listen to a £150 10” ‘Peel Session’, which Cally tells me there are no plans for a CD release, although it is on iTunes for a fiver. We all go back into the back room, and music writer Pete Paphides questions Gabrielle, Cally and Julian Lloyd about their relationships, Julian was a close friend and photographer of Nick's, and sheds light on things that even Gabrielle didn't know. The book itself is very heavy, and features interviews with friends and family, press clippings and excerpts from Nick’s letters. As the Drake family never threw anything away, Cally had permission to use whatever she wanted, including some prviously unseen lyrics for songs that Nick never recorded. Although Nick died of an overdose, there is no sadness in this room, just love for this legend.

Also at Rough Trade, Nottingham

Picture Gallery:-