Three acoustic guitars, layers and layers of backing vocals, very lush, very evened out sound., (You must log in or sign up to reply here. Chaos! Brewer: He says, Heres the deal. 'Rest In Blue': Why Gerry Rafferty's Swansong Is The Perfect Epitaph Burns told me that theres no question that Rafferty came up with the music that became the famous riff line on Baker Street. After Burns laid down the solo, Rafferty asked him to have a go at what obviously became very famous, which was the sax line. Burns tried it on guitar, but the two men agreed that it would be better on the saxophone. He never let "Baker Street" be used for advertising, despite lucrative offers. Click here for academic and other group subscriptions. It wasnt illegal. [42] On a Wing and a Prayer (1992) reunited him with his Stealers Wheel partner Egan on several tracks. For full terms, please click here. It doesnt do that. And I went, Ill fund the album. [20][21][22] As the singer recalled in a 1988 interview with Colin Irwin: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, "When I wrote the song I saw that bit as an instrumental part but I didn't know what. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Cherishing the Gerry Rafferty album "City to City" "[53] Billy Connolly agrees that Rafferty had different priorities: "I wanted success and fame and I got it, to a degree. The sax solo did sound vaguely familiar, so perhaps I have heard this in the past on the radio somewhere along the way. We use cookies to help provide you with the best possible online experience. Gerry Rafferty: Bipolar alcoholic, industry misfit - and one of Britain Given the songs ubiquity and influence, its understandable that Ravenscroft might later fib about his role. Liner notes for the compilation album Right Down the Line (prepared with Rafferty's close co-operation[33]) confirmed this several years later, noting the singer was now "finding himself at the crossroads and looking to replace the treadmill with a new dimension in his life". Scott is the Content Director of Music at Future plc, responsible for the editorial strategy of online and print brands like Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Prog, Guitarist, Guitar World, Guitar Player, Total Guitar etc. His wife had just given birth to their daughter and he told me that he didnt have any money to buy nappies, says Brewer. Still, they managed to record a brilliant second album, Ferguslie Park, which was produced, like its predecessor, by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. There are lots and lots of instances where things are very similar. He added that in 30 years of playing, he never encountered anyone who asked for or wanted to specifically copy another piece of music. And theres still another wrinkle on the other side of the pond. Thats the price I paid for being Gerry Raffertys manager.. Singer, who would pass away in 2011, is sitting on top of the world as he gives this interview in New York City's Plaza Hotel, Gerry Raffertys Baker Street Blues: Rolling Stones 1978 Feature, You Are Grimes Now: Inside Music's Weird AI Future, Pharrells Something in the Water Fest Cancels Final Day Due to Severe Weather, Stagecoach: Kane Brown Breaks Mental Health Stigma With 'Memory,' Talks Depression, Kiss Paul Stanley Has 'Thoughts' About Parents Who Support Kids Gender Identities, Kanye West Fallout Sparks Class Action Lawsuit Against Adidas, Roy Wood Jr. Im going to steal something from you., Now, Id always said to my staff, You must never involve yourself in a relationship with any of my artists or else Ill be forced to fire you. So to hear him talk about his career with such passion, and be. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. [50], Rafferty's death in January 2011 rekindled interest in the singer's work. [60], In November 2010, Rafferty was admitted to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital where he was put on a life-support machine and treated for multiple organ failure. All content on the site is the property of Rock's Backpages and protected by copyright laws. The Gerry Rafferty Interview - Rock's Backpages He said, Ill play you something. "Thats how they regulated the charts. The Humblebums were a flop My life doesn't stand or fall by the amount of people who buy my records. Succession Recap: Logan Roy Makes Shock Return, Shiv and Tom Get Kinky. [63], On 17 February 2009, The Guardian reported that Rafferty was in hiding in the south of England, being cared for by a friend. He had been signed to A&M. Barry Recap: A Tragic Death Shakes Up Bill Haders Dark Satire [3] Rafferty learned both Irish and Scottish folk songs as a boy. And he played City To City and Baker Street a demo without the sax part. The man behind the saxophone was Raphael Ravenscroft, who in addition to having the best-ever name for a session saxophonist, claims to have authored the riff. Barry Recap: A Tragic Death Shakes Up Bill Haders Dark Satire For the time being I feel good at the moment.. The remaining tracks are remastered tracks from his previous three albums. Alan Rafferty 1.92K subscribers 106K views 10 years ago Promo video for the "On A Wing and A Prayer" album from 1992/3. Now I feel much more in control of myself, and certainly much more in control of the way I want my career to go along. When I reached out to Burton earlier this week to ask him if he or Marcus had ever made the connection to Baker Street, he was caught a little off-guard. 5 hit in 1979. In person, Mr Rafferty was a really nice man, he kept himself to himself and didn't bother the other guests but he was clearly on a downward spiral. Gerry Rafferty: A Brilliant Tortured Soul - YouTube Rafferty himself said as much, during an interview taken not long before his death in 2009: "There have been periods in my life where I have experienced depression. You can view our full Privacy and Cookies Policy. Some of these old ladies used to pass out. Hows that for capitalism?. Curiously though, the composition of Half a Heart is credited to Gary Burton, a vibraphonist and composer, who went to Berklee College of Music with Marcus in the early 1960s and lived down the block from him when the two moved from Boston to New York to start their music careers. They based chart positions on what theyd shipped, not what theyd sold. Rafferty has been a one-hit wonder before, five years ago, when Stealers Wheel topped the charts with Stuck in the Middle with You. Stealers Wheel was led by Rafferty and Joe Egan, friends since both were sixteen-year-olds playing in bands in their hometown of Paisley, a bleak industrial city near Glasgow. Stay up to date with in depth music reviews, exclusive interviews and widespread coverage of whats happening from your favourite music genre. [2] A son of Joseph and Mary (Skeffington) Rafferty,[3] he had two brothers, Jim and Joe (died 1988). He regularly appears on Classic Rocks podcast, The 20 Million Club (opens in new tab), and was the writer/researcher on 2017s Mick Ronson documentary Beside Bowie (opens in new tab). One new note does creep in: a hint of gospel music -particularly on The Ark -and with this, a sense of hard-won peace. [70][71], A requiem mass was held for Rafferty at St Mirin's Cathedral in his native town of Paisley on 21 January 2011. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. I saw a man in despair". At first it was part of the melody, and Rafferty reckoned hed sing it. the Amazon Associates Program via amazon.com. The musicians present included Craig and Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers, former bandmates Joe Egan and Rab Noakes, Barbara Dickson, and Graham Lyle. Soundtrack: 50/50. Signing up for the RBP newsletter provides access to a limited number of free articles, as well as six new free articles every week. The deeply introspective lyrics of Sleepwalking suggest Rafferty found success far from glamorous: tracks like "Standing at the Gates", "Change of Heart", and "The Right Moment" suggest the singer was exhausted, burnt-out, and desperately seeking a new direction and continued his long-running theme of alienation. In 2010, Baker Street was honored by BMI for achieving 5 million radio plays worldwide. I feel as if I can dictate the pace, and thats whats really very good: to dictate your own pace so that you have enough time to write, enough time to record, enough time, really, to give your best. I said, If you go on David Frost, Im finished. unrestricted remote and on-site access to each text and audio file in the database. This was elaborated on by music journalist Paul Gambaccini for BBC World News:. . And thats when the fun started, says Brewer. CIA Director, Noam Chomsky Named in Epstein's Private Calendar: Report The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. Rafferty confirms the contrast between then and now. [29] One of the lesser-known songs from that time is "Big Change in the Weather" (the B-side of "Baker Street"). Rafferty says working with the legendary authors of Hound Dog and producers of (among others) the Coasters was trying. Well do 4-3-2. They said, What? I said, 4% from the first album, 3% from the next album and 2% from the album after that, I wont disclose how much I earned, but it was a substantial amount of money.. [17] After the disputes were resolved in 1978, he recorded his second solo album, City to City, with producer Hugh Murphy, which included the song with which he remains most identified, "Baker Street". Scottish singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty, best known for his solo hit "Baker Street" and "Stuck In The . "They came back with a bigger offer," says Brewer, "and I said, I'll tell you what we'll do. Rafferty felt he had matured as an artist, as he told the Evening Standard at the time of the release: "At my time of life, I don't want to be talking to 23-year-old record executives who are just trying to sell their products to 19-year-olds. Him and Billy used to play a game. He was in self-destruct mode. "[47] Finally, thanks to the Internet, it seemed Rafferty no longer needed the music industry: technology was allowing him to put his music directly in the hands of an appreciative audience. Honestly, until receiving your email, I had never heard of Gerry Rafferty, or the song Baker Street, so Im pretty sure I dont have any meaningful insight to offer specifically about the song. Capitol called me at one point and said, Were going to give him 5 million. Stealers Wheel The A&M Years (opens in new tab) 3CD boxset is out now on Caroline International. The problems we had, had little to do, actually, with the results we got on the board, because they were great in terms of sound and all that. In 2012, Cuillin Recordings issued Paisley Spin, a remix of three tracks from Can I Have My Money Back? But 80,000? And he certainly got that. Nice memories. (Thanks, Jack.). Its Springfields failure to make a glam-rock version song compelling in particular that helps in deciphering the extremely unconventional allure of Baker Street, a song ultimately about depression, transition, and weary aspiration. Rock's Backpages is the world's most comprehensive online database of pop music writing, a unique resource unavailable elsewhere online. [9] In his own stand-up shows, Connolly has often recalled this period, telling how Rafferty made him laugh and describing the crazy things they did while on tour. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library. The newspaper Scotland on Sunday reported that Rafferty had been asked to leave the hotel and had then checked himself into St Thomas' Hospital suffering from a chronic liver condition, brought on by heavy drinking. Billy Connolly recalls his first meeting with Gerry Rafferty - BBC Success, says Brewer, was the end of Rafferty. He did it really well and he was respected in both camps. [4] His Irish-born father, an alcoholic, was a miner and lorry driver who died when Rafferty was 16. He praises Carla for helping him through all the bad times and tells her every day he loves her more and more. It wasnt, yknow, playing cricket, but thats the way record companies worked. Gerry liked to triple track everything, wed get three pianos, it became a bit of a Phil Spector issue. [43][44] Through his company Icon Music, Rafferty promoted and sold the album independently on a website created specifically for the purpose. His background was soaked in Scottish socialism and poverty, his mind sharp and his personality acerbic, and he wasn't going to be dazzled by the glamour of success. Baker Street has been covered by a wildly diverse set of outfits, most virtuously by Waylon Jennings and the London Symphony Orchestra, most sentimentally by Lisa Simpson, and most blandly by the Foo Fighters and Rick Springfield. He was a very humble man. Billboard Hot 100 [2] and #8 on Cash Box. Gerry Rafferty Buy album Year of Release: 1978 Appears in: 141 charts Rank Score: 881 Rank in 1978: 35 Rank in 1970s: 375 Overall Rank: 1,918 Average Rating: 76 (159 votes) Comments: 8 2. We may never know if one influenced the other or it was just the alchemy of two different studios coming up with something unmistakably great. "[7] Monsignor John Tormey, celebrating Rafferty's funeral mass, suggested the singer's attitude to fame was an indication of his spiritual integrity: "He always searched for a more authentic way to live his life, shunning the outward trappings of celebrity so that he might live as he chose to live his life."[52]. "He said to me, I cant stand the way you live, because you drive a Rolls Royce and you have this house and this and that He hated the music business and everything in it.. And where does the magnificent saxophone line that everyone is humming come from? But Gerry Rafferty is wearing a button warning, Dangerous Times Ahead, and hes known bad times in the past as well. December 17, 2015. Gerry Rafferty's 'Baker Street' Blues: Rolling Stone's 1978 Feature His music is a testimony to what a great artist can. Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs and Gerry Rafferty. City to City - HeraldScotland And theyd pay the radio stations to play the record. exclusive audio interviews. Gerry Rafferty: The Man Who Hated the Music Business | Louder - loudersound then no, he didn't. Its a topic thats since been remaindered to the small music forums at the dusty edges of the Internet. "[23][24], Ravenscroft, a session musician, was in the studio to record a brief soprano saxophone part and suggested that he record the now famous break using the alto saxophone he had in his car. Before he parted ways with Rafferty, Brewer recalls a visit from saxophone player Raphael Ravenscroft. And for good reason. Joel Whitburn, "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (6th Edition)", p. 493. It makes me think of home, nostalgia and happiness. [5], In his next album, Sleepwalking (1982), Rafferty took a very different approach to his work. And whatll happen is, youll lose your audience. He has the cautious fatalism of a coal miner, the trade both his father and grandfather pursued. Instead he quickly re-recorded it with Joe Boyd and released that version. Rafferty offered to buy himself out of his contract and Brewer turned him down. Breaks Down His Killer White House Correspondents Dinner Set, Bernie Sanders: Many GOP Leaders 'Don't Even Believe in Democracy'. He didn't know how good he was. Burton surmised that if the credit werent a mistake, it constituted some kind of shoutout from Marcus. He recalled, "My father was Irish, so growing up in Paisley I was hearing all these songs when I was two or three. So what you get is someones heartfelt experience and you put that into the lyric and into the song. "[40], In the early 1990s, Rafferty recorded a cover version of the Bob Dylan song "The Times They Are a-Changin'" with Barbara Dickson, who had contributed backing vocals to both City to City and Night Owl. "Stuck in the Middle With You" has received over 4million plays worldwide, and "Right Down The Line" has had over 3million plays. Gerry in a very rare interview from a radio scotland programme in 2003.This is a rare insight into the world of one of the past centurys greatest songwriters. According to his account, Baker Street had several gaps in it when he was hired to play, and he filled them. "[38] His next album, North and South, was released in 1988. Remembering Gerry Rafferty, rock's most reluctant star Nor have the preoccupations of Raffertys lyrics changed all that much. Rafferty and Ventilla divorced in 1990. [1] He is survived by his daughter Martha, granddaughter Celia, and brother Jim. There is a mid-Atlantic blandness lurking behind the rococo roots veneer. Apart from Ravenscroft, most of the musicians on City to City are old friends. But the song did benefit Ravenscofts career, and he went on to work with Pink Floyd, Marvin Gaye, and Daft Punk. [65] Subsequently, Rafferty's spokesperson Paul Charles told The Independent that he had been in touch with Rafferty a fortnight previously and that he was alive and well but had no plans to either record or tour. [73], Newspapers printed lengthy obituaries for the singer; in The Guardian, Michael Gray charted Rafferty's long downward spiral into alcoholism,[38] while a full-page obituary in The Times summarised his career more positively: "As well as being a singer of considerable talent who at one time had the pop world at his feet, Gerry Rafferty was also a consummate songwriter, blessed with sensitivity and an enviable melodic flair that at its best recalled Paul McCartney. Rafferty's guitarist Hugh Burns, multi-instrumentalist Graham Preskett and saxophonist Mel Collins, were also featured. The track appeared on Dickson's albums Don't Think Twice It's All Right (1992) and The Barbara Dickson Collection (2006).
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