No Hello and No Goodbye

I fell for Nick Drake's music during my earliest days working behind the counter of a record shop, via the 1979 career spanning 'Fruit Tree' box set. At the time I knew next to nothing about him and can remember being quite shaken by the bleakness of 'Black Eyed Dog', one of four hitherto unreleased performances contained in that original set. 

Nick's short life ended 50 years ago today and it's remarkable to think that he'd only be 76 if he was still with us. The acoustic demo 'Time of No Reply' is my favourite Nick Drake song. It was originally released as part of the expanded CD re-issue of the 'Fruit Tree' set in 1986, before receiving detrimental orchestral overdubs for another compilation in 2004.

Time of No Reply

Version City #40 - Walt Mink sing Nick Drake

Nick Drake covers tend to fall into one of two categories - brave stabs or ill-advised, best forgotten travesties. Walt Mink's pumped-up bash through 'Pink Moon', however, is an interesting interpretation and was a bit of a personal favourite when it appeared on their debut LP, 'Miss Happiness', back in 1992.

Walt Mink came together in Minnesota, straight out of collage, in 1989, splitting 8 years and 4 studio albums later. Original drummer Joey Waronker went on to work with a veritable who's who of big music names, such as Paul McCartney, REM, Johnny Cash, Thom Yorke, Beck and Richard Thompson.