At the beginning of June, we published the article “Essential Albums: 1969″ that featured an appearance from Nick Drake. Now, I’ll admit that I was neither very familiar with his music, nor his backstory. However, after writing the article, I became fascinated with both his tragic story and his music. Enough so, that I recently felt compelled to watch the 45 minute or-so documentary A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake, and I can honestly say, that even if you have to watch 10 minutes of it per day, you need to see this.
The film is mostly narrated by Drake’s sister Gabrielle, who chronicles Drake’s life from his birth in Burma, growing up in Warwickshire, living at Cambridge and London, and his eventual return to, and death at his parents house. The documentary also includes interviews from his dad, his mother – who wrote and composed music herself – close friends, and the musicians and producers that worked with him.
What I like most about the documentary is the use of Drake’s music played over scenes of different countryside landscape. A few of these scenes are from the perspective of Drake’s bedroom looking out over his farm, focusing on the way the shadows of a trees shift from side to side, and light to dark as the wind gently blows while the sun tucks in and out of the clouds. Something about it is just perfect. But I honestly liked everything about the film, it’s all very well done. Every interviewee chooses their words so carefully, as to give us the most honest and heart felt opinions, allowing us to get to know drake just as well as they did.
But it’s not Drake’s friends, co-workers, or even family who give us the most insight into what was happening inside Drake’s head. It’s his music. Everyone in the film eventually comes to the same conclusion: In order to truly understand Drake, you must listen to his music. Few people listened to his music when he was alive, never selling more than 5,000 copies of any of his records. Posthumous, his music has gained traction in generations of kids who relate to Drake’s fragility, and who are truly moved by the powerful messages Drake talks about. You can find Drake’s Discography HERE
I cannot recommend watching this film enough. When you find the time, here