The Life Of Nick Drake essays

The Life Of Nick Drake essays There are many sad stories in the history of the music industry- tales of failed ambitions, wasted talent, broken souls and tragic endings. I am sure there are many that have never and will never be known to all but few, but I believe it safe to say that every person knows of one particular case. Be it Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon or Ian Aitkin (a truly spectacular local guitarist whose sudden decline and death shocked many people I know, including myself). However, one tale has fascinated me for many years and I have chosen this as the topic for my final term research project. In this essay I am going to recount the life and death of an extremely gifted and troubled musician- Nick Drake. Born into a middle class, close knit family, the tragic story does not have the beginnings one would expect to justify the ends, working class upbringings and hardened youth have no place here. Just a young man unable to relate to his world, frustrated by the lack of public interest in his work, predisposed to heavy depression. The story of Nick Drake has such an air of mystery, and his music only complements the haunting qualities that have kept me enthralled with this tragic character. Born in 1908, Rodney Shuttleworth Drake was the son of a wealthy doctor. He worked for several years for the Bombay Burmah Trading Company in Burmah, dealing mostly in Teak. Rodney met Molly Lloyd in Rangoon and, in 1937, they married. Their firstborn, a daughter named Gabrielle, was born in India whilst the couple were travelling for Rodneys work, and then a son was born on June 19th, 1948 in Rangoon. It was not until 1951 that Rodney felt it time to return back to England, his home and birthplace. Warwickshire was to be the settling place for the Drake family, in the small, idyllic village of Tanworth-in-Arden. The Drakes were a musical family- both Rodney and Molly played and composed, encouraging their offspring to d ...