TIM BUCKLEYAn appreciation
Tim Buckley born February 14th 1947 and died June 29th 1975 of an accidental heroin overdose.
Death can be a bit of a distraction to the career development of a rock
musician. It often causes a lull in the output of product and the media are less
likely to produce an up-to-date quote. Nevertheless, most artists appear to cope
quite well with this distraction and in some cases careers can blossom as a
direct result of death.
As consumers, we don't mourn the passing of a human being, merely feel the
disappointment in case we don't hear any more new material by a great artist.
However, death can be a publicist's dream and can give opportunities to
introduce product to a new market.
What should we, as greedy consumers, remember about Tim Buckley?
Tim Buckley abandoned his wife and son (Jeff Buckley) when he was 18.
"My dad left home when I was about six months old and I only met him when I
was eight, for a total of nine days. Two months later he died. The people who
knew him, they apparently have magic memories of him, but it's been a
claustrophobic thing all my life."1 (Jeff Buckley, Tim's son by his
first marriage).
Tim Buckley's lifestyle was an extreme of self indulgence.
"He lived with Janie in Venice, California, right near the beach. I lived
with Jennifer, on the same street. During the sunsplashed afternoons, we swam in
the ocean, riding waves, like the seals. By night, we listened to music, played
our own songs and partied until dawn with our friends. We, of course, thought
those days would last forever. They were our endless summers."2 (Lee
Underwood, Tim's brilliant guitarist).
Tim Buckley was a heavy drug user.
"All we are saying is give smack a chance."8 (Tim Buckley,
introducing a song in 1968)
Tim Buckley's early death was a consequence of his self-indulgent
lifestyle.
"During the sixties, Tim explored psychedelic drugs. During the seventies, he
turned to booze. During his last years he gained a degree of control. After a
gig in Dallas, he partied too much. He drunk. He snorted heroin. Ironically his
system could not absorb the overload, precisely because it was clean. He died at
home"2 (Lee Underwood)
Putting cynicism aside, the lifestyles of our heroes is their own business.
What matters to the listener is the music. Forget the judgements on his
lifestyle; if you want to know about Tim Buckley, listen to the music.
Between 1966 and 1974, Tim Buckley released nine albums. In the nineties,
four further albums have been released.
If you want to know about Tim Buckley, listen to the music. Listen to the
nine albums. They are made in a variety of styles and are impossible to
describe. The style of the albums is not important. What you have to know about
Tim Buckley is his voice. You will never have heard any voice like it. His voice
was unique. Ranging from falsetto to bass, his ability to extract empathetic
emotion in the listener is unsurpassed. He described it himself like this in a
song: "Oblivion carries me on his shoulder. Beyond the suns I speak and circuits
shiver."3
"Nothing in rock, folk-rock or anything else prepares you for a Tim Buckley
album, and it's funny to hear his work described as blues, modified rock'n'roll
and raga rock when, in fact, there is no name yet for the places he and his
voice can go."4
Here is a brief description of Tim Buckley's albums...
"Tim Buckley" (October 1966)
"Most of the songs are high school songs."5 This is an interesting
album, but the genre is quite specific. Singer songwriter sings mystical songs
of love.
"Goodbye And Hello" (November 1967)
"It was very adolescent. I took sides. I said the establishment was wrong.
O.K. it's wrong, but I didn't have an answer."5 The music is more
elaborate than previously, and on songs like "I Never Asked To Be Your
Mountain", "Once I Was" and "Morning Glory", the arrangements and voice combine
to give a unique song. Good stuff, but rooted in "folk-rock-protest." But, hey!
This was 1967.
"Happy/Sad" (May 1969)
"The trick of writing is to make it sound like it's all happening for the
first time. It took a long time to write that album, and then to teach the
people in the band, so it really was a labour of love, the way it should be. I
really loved doing that album."5 For many people, this is the
classic Tim Buckley album. Fluid sounds, apparent improvisation, folk music in a
jazz style and a voice that's guaranteed to generate an emotional response from
the careful listener. Each of the six tracks is great; "Gypsy Woman" is
frenetic, the others are quieter and very nearly perfect.
"Blue Afternoon" (February 1970)
"Albums of such gentleness, beauty and profound sadness are impossible to
write about. Each cut is a hymn to a number of different shades and depths of
mood."6 This is similar in mood to "Happy/Sad" and very nearly as
good. "Chase The Blues Away" and "I Must Have Been Blind" are particularly
evocative. As with "Happy/Sad", there is one song ("The Train") which is in a
different style; there is less structure and unusual guitar work from Lee
Underwood.
"Lorca" (October 1970)
"I recorded "Blue Afternoon", "Lorca" and parts of "Starsailor" in the same
month. I was hot"5 There is one standout track, "Drifting", which
always transports me to a simpler world: "Late last night, as I dreamed in dizzy
sunlight, I thought I heard your bare feet on the stairs." Side one is more
experimental and free form; the title track, in particular, is excellent.
However, most people that I know cannot listen to it and beg me to play
something melodic. (Most of my friends have bad taste!)
"Starsailor" (January 1971)
"I was as close to Coltrane as anyone has come."7 The songs sound
free form, but for the careful listener there is structure; the songs still
sound improvised, but there is a much more urgent feel. Tim's voice is stunning
in it's range, imagination and sensuality. You will either love this album
desperately or hate it with venom.
"Greetings From L.A." (October 1972)
"I took a year off, 'cause I'd been going strong since 1966 and I really
needed a rest."5 He claimed that neither Jim Morrison nor Mick Jagger
could really sing about sex; he could do it much better. Of course he was right.
"It's full out blues-type barrelhouse rock"5 and it gave Tim another
musical setting to wrench emotions from the listener.
"Sefronia" (December 1973)
This album is definitely more mainstream than any other. It may be a good
start for those new to Tim Buckley because the structures of the song are
instantly recognisable. Tim was particularly proud of the title song which is
the least accessible thing here.
"Look At the Fool" (November 1974)
The title track opens the album and is one of his most outstanding
performances. The full range of his voice is immediately on display. However,
the rest of the album is largely disappointing; the sound is "funky" but most of
the songs are uninspiring.
So how has death helped the career of Tim Buckley? For years and years Tim
Buckley remained unknown or forgotten. In recent years there has been more
interest and a plethora of releases (live, works in progress etc), all of
interest but nothing essential. The truly ironic fact is that the death of Tim's
son, Jeff, has probably generated more interest in Tim Buckley's work than all
the word-of-mouth stuff of the last twenty five years.
Tribute Poem to Tim Buckley
Child of cupid danced with the Fates,
Courted and won the hearts of the muses.
One so beautiful and tender of heart,
Their love never refuses.
Erato stirred the songs in his heart
While Polyhymnia whispered in his ear,
But even the muses were silenced in awe
When his voice rang sweet and clear.
As they lavished him with their gifts,
His heart sang with passion's fires,
For their cupid-child had become a man
Arousing to his mans' desires.
They relished in their season of love
For the muses knew his stay would be brief.
When ravaged by their passionate dances,
They took his sorrows and soothed his grief.
The Fates, alas, bid him to leave.
His life-thread Clothe had ceased to spin.
Atropos, with her tablet in hand,
Brought his love dance to an end.
His life slipped from their grasping hands
Like fine wine through their fingers.
In the silence of the myriad stars,
The muses' mourning cry yet lingers.
In their eternal dance of love
His songs from memory they repeat.
Cupid-man's words comfort them still,
Yet the joy is bittersweet.
For much more informed info see Lee Underwood's Website.
Sources:
Jeff Buckley in "MOJO" | Lee Underwood's sleevenotes to "Dream Letter"
| "Starsailor" Lillian Roxon "Rock Encyclopaedia" | Tim Buckley in
"Zigzag" | Dick Lawson in "Friends" Warner Brothers press handout
| "Live At The Troubadour"
|