Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library. Gerry Rafferty at home. - YouTube Gerry liked to triple track everything, wed get three pianos, it became a bit of a Phil Spector issue. 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. According to Rafferty's daughter Martha, it was around this time that her father discovered, by chance, Colin Wilson's classic book The Outsider, about alienation and creativity, which became a huge influence both on his songwriting and his outlook on the world: "The ideas and references contained in that one book were to sustain and inspire him for the rest of his life. Cherishing the Gerry Rafferty album "City to City" Rafferty grew up in a council house on the town's Glenburn estate and attended St. Mirin's Academy. [80], This article is about the singer. 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. Stuck In The Middle With You had Joe Egan miming Gerrys lead vocal as he had left the band by the time they shot it. Rafferty and Ventilla divorced in 1990. In an interview with BBC Radio 2 in September 2000, Gerry Rafferty himself explained the reasoning behind his decision not to tour. [2] A son of Joseph and Mary (Skeffington) Rafferty,[3] he had two brothers, Jim and Joe (died 1988). [51], On 3 September 2021 Parlophone UK released "Rest In Blue" an album on which Martha Rafferty completed a project started by her father from demos left by Rafferty. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. [43][44] Through his company Icon Music, Rafferty promoted and sold the album independently on a website created specifically for the purpose. [13], In September 2011, EMI issued a remastered collector's edition of City to City featuring previously unheard demo versions of "Baker Street", "Mattie's Rag", "City to City", and other tracks from the album. Rafferty and Fuschini rented a large home together in Upton, near Poole. The Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, who has died aged 63 after a long illness, wrote the multimillion-selling hit Baker Street, which more than 30 years after . In the same interview, he said that the entire record had been made for approximately 200,000, with half spent on travel, the recording system costing 75,000, and the website and marketing adding 25,000. Gerry Rafferty - Wikipedia 2 on the American Billboard charts behind Andy Gibbs Shadow Dancing.). Remembering Gerry Rafferty, rock's most reluctant star And I don't plan to be in the public eye too much now either. (Singer/songwriters were crawling out of every apartment at that time.) But two of the initial recruits deserted before they even recorded, and as musicians came and went, Stealers Wheel deteriorated into Rafferty and Egan backed by a cast of dozens. Gerry Rafferty - Snakes & Ladders Album Reviews, Songs & More - AllMusic "[38], In 2008, Rafferty moved away from California and briefly rented a home in Ireland, where his drinking soon became a problem again. exclusive audio interviews. [26] In a 2003 interview with The Sun (Scotland), Rafferty commented on how profitable his biggest song had been: "Baker Street still makes me about 80,000 a year. The third single from the album, "Home and Dry", reached No. He has the cautious fatalism of a coal miner, the trade both his father and grandfather pursued. After being taken off life support, Rafferty rallied for a short time, and doctors thought that he might recover. Click here for academic and other group subscriptions. In fact, most of what I played was an old blues riff. The music itselfthe orchestration, so to speak compliments the lyric in a perfect way. TV documentary produced by Neon Productions (Glasgow) for BBC Scotland, co-produced by Valerie Lyon and Robert Noakes, 2011. For decades in England, for instance, there was a widely believed urban myth that Bob Holness, the buttoned-up British gameshow host, had actually performed the saxophone solo in Baker Street.. His next door neighbour was [Island Records owner] Chris Blackwell. I probably did more music with him than any other musician. He was also friends with Ravenscroft and toured with him. I said, If you go on David Frost, Im finished. Mainly philosophy, art, religion, psychology and many a biography."). The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Night Owl Gerry Rafferty Buy album Year of Release: 1979 Appears in: 30 charts Rank Score: 122 Rank in 1979: 145 Rank in 1970s: 1,467 Overall Rank: 9,694 A subscription gives you access to all the articles and audio interviews in the library. [60], In the last decade of his life, having taken pains to shun the fame and celebrity that accompanied his musical achievements, Rafferty found himself making headlines once again as he struggled with alcoholism and depression and the increasingly erratic behaviour they spawned. Given the songs ubiquity and influence, its understandable that Ravenscroft might later fib about his role. Theres enough evidence to be suspicious and more than enough time to enjoy them both. Alan Rafferty 1.92K subscribers 106K views 10 years ago Promo video for the "On A Wing and A Prayer" album from 1992/3. Obituary, Gerry Rafferty. Billy Connolly recalls his first meeting with Gerry Rafferty - BBC 1 in America, and suddenly he found that as a result of his protest, he was a bigger star than ever. 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. Politicians in attendance were the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond MSP, Wendy Alexander MSP, Hugh Henry MSP, and Robin Harper MSP. At eleven, he started to play. In the My Sweet Lord case, Harrison admitted he simply hadnt realized that the song so closely resembled Hes So Fine, made most famous by The Chiffons. Truthfully, I sort of doubt that a British saxophonist would have even of heard Marcuss record, since it was little publicized and truly under the radar, even in the U.S., he wrote, later explaining that he thought the record had sold maybe 1,000 copies. And he also seems to have overcome what he admits was a fondness for one drink too many (as we talked, he royed with a glass of water). His solo hits in the late 1970s included "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", and "Night Owl". After they disbanded in 1971, he recorded his first solo album, Can I Have My Money Back? 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. 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). First, he [Rafferty] wrote from his experience. A Scotsman bred on traditional music, he was never a proper folkie - not really - and his alliance with Billy Connolly in The Humblebums at the end of the '60s always seemed a bizarre blend of opposites, though Gerry maintains it was . Its fellow honorees that yearCome Together, Candle in the Wind, and Build Me Up Buttercupdeliver some sense of the songs real reach. Billy Connolly recalls his first impressions of Gerry Rafferty. 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. [6] Finbar Furey, who knew Rafferty for over 40 years, said he "was in a different league completely. [31], "His song "Baker Street" was about how uncomfortable he felt in the star system, and what do you know, it was a giant world hit. It contains an When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. And for . Breaks Down His Killer White House Correspondents Dinner Set For the time being I feel good at the moment.. So what you get is someones heartfelt experience and you put that into the lyric and into the song. "They came back with a bigger offer," says Brewer, "and I said, I'll tell you what we'll do. Stealers Wheel was a flop. Gerry had had a tough upbringing in Glasgow and the manager sensed that he carried "tremendous resentment" about it. "[7] On weekends he and a classmate, future Stealers Wheel collaborator Joe Egan, played in a local group named the Maverix, mainly covering chart songs by groups such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. His mother taught him both Irish and Scottish folk songs when he was a boy; later, he was influenced by the music of the Beatles and Bob Dylan. In a blog posting dated 31 March 2004 he wrote: "Let's get back to music: after all that's the only reason that this website has been set up." After the completion of Another World in 2000, Rafferty planned to move back to Scotland and bought Eaglestone House,[57] "a substantial listed 1860s mansion" in the Highland village of Strathpeffer,[58] although he sold the property two years later and never actually moved in. Burns also nodded to the songs unusual structure, which he compared in its unorthodox nature, to Queens Bohemian Rhapsody., Its not just opening, verse, chorus, he said. Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty has died at the age of 63 after suffering a long illness. The liner notes to the compilation album Right Down the Line, written by Jerry Gilbert with Rafferty's close co-operation, note his consistent refusal to tour the United States and "generally 'play the industry game'. tenor sax player who toured with the jazz great Buddy Rich. Billy said, We got 10 points if they passed out, 5 points if they screamed He was a wonderful character in those days., When City To City was finished, Brewer shopped it around record companies. I said, If you give him 5 million, youll never get another album Its the worst thing you can do. Gerry had had a tough upbringing in Glasgow and the manager sensed that he carried tremendous resentment about it. The Times, Wednesday 5 January 2011. [4], Rafferty grew up in a council house in the town's Ferguslie Park, in Underwood Lane, and was educated at St Mirin's Academy. To Raffertys utter disbelief, his parody of Bob Dylans paranoia, tossed off as little more than a joke, struck pay dirt in the States by which time he had already said goodbye to the band. 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. After listening to the two songs side-by-side, I have to say they are close enough that it seems almost certain that the British saxophone player [Ravenscoft] must have heard Steves record. He added that since Half a Heart came out 10 years before Baker Street, someone must have heard the record. At thirty-one, hes clearly overcome much of the anger he felt as a younger man toward both women and the music business. With due respect, theres only 13 chromatic notes, he said. It is Rock's Backpages policy never, under any circumstances, to sell on or otherwise provide any of the information contained in the above form to third parties. And a whole suite of Irish traditional songs and Scots traditional songs". 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. From what shes said, I believe Linda was quite happy to have Gerrys hands on her, for a time. Maybe some new project would suddenly happen, but I knew he'd crossed the line as far as the record business went. Gerry Rafferty: A Brilliant Tortured Soul 29,019 views Mar 11, 2018 The late great Gerry Rafferty succumbed to alcoholism back in 2011. For institutions, Rock's Backpages is provided as an unlimited access subscription, meaning that all staff, students and library patrons have Many listeners come to Baker Street (and stay) for its hypnotic saxophone line. So surprised and impressed was he when he first heard Gerry's music, Billy didn't believe that the songs had been written by him . His career high came in the 1970s and included the anthemic Baker Street and Stuck in the Middle . Baker Street Singer Gerry Rafferty Dead At 63 - Rolling Stone "[53] Barbara Dickson also paid tribute to her friend, whom she described as a "luminous, glorious Scottish musician". [5][6] Heavily influenced by folk music and the music of the Beatles and Bob Dylan, Rafferty started to write his own material. "[34] It was ironic that Raffertya lover and collector of religious icons, who would later name one of his publishing companies "Icon Music"[54]was also an iconoclast. Thats not to diminish Ravenscroft because, denuded of the sax, Baker Street sounds like another middling acid trip of a song in a decade full of them. Gerry Rafferty 1 of 3 (Rare 2003 Interview) - YouTube Jon Brewer now a successful documentary maker (opens in new tab) managed Rafferty through his most successful period before their relationship ended in acrimony. However, he explained in an interview, "But there was never anything else for me but music. [citation needed], During November 2009, Rafferty released what would be his final album, Life Goes On. "[49] Only a handful of tracks were ever released, however, and the website eventually closed down without any explanation. GERRY RAFFERTY rarely comes up in interviews, seldom works on the road and is in London even less often. According to Michael Gray, the singer's personal manager in the early 1980s: "It never occurred to me in all the time I knew him that he was heading for alcoholism. Inside the recording of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath: only in the new issue of Classic Rock. [30], The lyrics of "Baker Street" reflected Rafferty's disenchantment with certain elements of the music industry. "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.. Gerry Rafferty Biography by Timothy Monger As one-half of the Humblebums, Scottish singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty came up through the U.K. folk-rock scene of the late 1960s and early '70s before finding mainstream international success with his 1978 solo album, City to City. And the interesting thing is that that sax solo, the line itself, was also given by the singer [George Michael]. "[55] As the 1980s progressed, Rafferty's growing drinking problem placed his marriage under impossible strain;[38] his wife divorced him in 1990,[61] although they remained close. His music is a testimony to what a great artist can. He is currently working on the official documentary on the life of Chuck Berry. The collection of blues, rock, and folk demos had been planned for a new album before his death. And theres still another wrinkle on the other side of the pond. Burns isnt ruling out its return. [16] Stealers Wheel also produced the lesser top 50 hits "Everyone's Agreed That Everything Will Turn Out Fine" followed by "Star", and there were further suggestions of Rafferty's growing alienation in tracks such as "Outside Looking In" and "Who Cares". ), The video for Baker Street has been viewed over 5 million times. [50], After leaving St Thomas' Hospital, and while claiming he was in Tuscany, he was moving from one London hotel to another. "[11] It was a good call: the single reached #3 in the UK and #2 in the US. And yet when it comes to writing tasteful pop songs songs that you remember long after they've dropped out of the Top Twenty or whatever he's just about the best and consequently the most underrated in Britain. "Days Gone Down" reached No. [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. All his friends were kind of wishing him well.. [50], Rafferty's death in January 2011 rekindled interest in the singer's work. The same report claimed that on 1 August 2008, Rafferty had disappeared, leaving his belongings behind, and that the hospital had filed a missing persons report. Best Gerry Rafferty Songs: 10 Greats From Scotland's Beloved - Dig! [Rafferty's] approach seemed claustrophobic. Gerry Rafferty Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic He was a founding member of Stealers Wheel, whose biggest hit was "Stuck in the Middle with You" in 1973. "Thats how they regulated the charts. "[53] Billy Connolly agrees that Rafferty had different priorities: "I wanted success and fame and I got it, to a degree. Him and Billy used to play a game. His frustration during this period underlies Baker Street, which takes its name from the London street where he often stayed in a friends flat. (The song spent six weeks stuck at No. So I took the 75., It worked. ), Forum Policies, Rules, and Terms of Service. Has he undergone, by any chance, a religious experience? Rafferty was born on 16 April 1947 into a working-class family of Irish Catholic origin in Underwood Lane in Paisley,[1] a son and grandson of coal miners. 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. Harvey left shortly afterwards, and Rafferty and Connolly continued as a duo, recording two more albums for Transatlantic Records. Then Capitol records made a similar offer. He wanted his songs to be respected. He may be sitting on top of the world as he gives interviews in his rumpled room at New York Citys Plaza Hotel, yet he regards that world with a Scotsmans dour distrust. He had been signed to A&M. The remaining tracks are remastered tracks from his previous three albums. What I want is just to develop in terms of my songs and also to work in other areas. Affiliate programs and The album City to City went to No. I did six albums with him. All rights reserved. "It was something I was fiercely protective of in myself. And yet when it comes to writing tasteful pop songs - songs that you remember long after they've dropped out of the Top Twenty or whatever - he's just about the best and consequently the most underrated in Britain. In some of his new songs there still can be heard what Rafferty, whose father was born in Ireland, describes as a sort of Celtic thing in the harmonies and chord progressions. Then, in the most offhand, glory-belying way, Burns dropped in this aside: Strangely enough, another record that I played on, which was a massive hit, certainly in this country and I think in America as well, was called Careless Whisper, that also had a massive opening solo. If you listen to Stealers Wheel self-titled album, there was a lot to like besides Stuck in the Middle With You. [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. Rock's Backpages is the world's most comprehensive online database of pop music writing, a unique resource unavailable elsewhere online. August 1975. Four days later, my personal assistant suddenly disappeared. Soundtrack: 50/50. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Fuschini contested the will, but it was later reported that she had lost her case and 75,000 legal costs were awarded against her. Accept | Cookies policy | Privacy policy, Click here to sign in via the UK federation WAYF. I asked Burns why he thought Baker Street is still a staple nearly 40 years after its release. This is a great song.. [citation needed], Other artists continue to be inspired by Rafferty's work. For his self-titled album, see, Undated "Prank call" video of Billy Connolly on YouTube, uploaded 25 November 2007, Connolly remembers Rafferty as a prank call "expert he used to make me scream. We were looking for. They'll know where to find me." In fact, I just spoke to a good friend of mine about doing a film in Scotland, a project weve been wanting to do for years. Click here for academic and other group subscriptions. then no, he didn't. [63], On 17 February 2009, The Guardian reported that Rafferty was in hiding in the south of England, being cared for by a friend. Please visit our Personal Subscriptions page for pricing and to place your order. The duo disbanded in 1975. Once Rafferty decided to look in the Berlin telephone directory to see if any Hitlers were listed.[10]. She portrayed her father as an autodidact with an "incredibly strong work ethic" and passion for books ("There were literally whole walls of book shelves at home and he'd read every single word. But few people know the origin story of rocks most iconic sax riff, which is complicated, to say the least. Quite frankly, I loved his songs. And he married her! He was a very humble man. [29] One of the lesser-known songs from that time is "Big Change in the Weather" (the B-side of "Baker Street"). "[25], Ravenscroft went on to play on Rafferty's next two albums. "[52] Reid believed Rafferty was fundamentally unsuited to the pressures of celebrity: "He struck me as a very, very sensitive man and for someone like that, fame was probably not appropriate. "[78], In January 2013, BBC Radio 2 re-broadcast their 2012 programme "Bring It All Home Gerry Rafferty Remembered", which had been recorded live at Celtic Connections in Glasgow and was presented by Ricky Ross. In 1965, 18-year-old Rafferty met 15-year-old Carla Ventilla, an apprentice hairdresser from an Italian family in Clydebank, at a dancehalla story he later recounted in the song "Shipyard Town" on North and South. Gerry Rafferty signed up with Brewer and his production company funded the making of new album, City To City. 17 in the US. 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. Please visit our Institutional Subscriptions page for further information and to arrange for a trial or quote. The sax solo did sound vaguely familiar, so perhaps I have heard this in the past on the radio somewhere along the way. 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. Enter Raphael Ravenscroft, a session saxophonist who came highly recommended, and the rest is history or at least a hit single. It's much more effective than taking Prozac!" "[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. Id got married, had a child, I was twenty-four, and one day it was like Id been living in a dream for six or eight years and suddenly I woke up. Although Richard Thompson eventually rejected the Gerry Rafferty version of SHOOT OUT THE LIGHTS as too commercial . "[35], Based at 16th-century[36] Tye Farm in Hartfield, near the Kent-Sussex border, Rafferty installed electric gates to protect his privacy, built a recording studio, and worked largely by himself[37] or with Murphy. Maybe I should have realised, but I didn't. . If I have to listen to the album, Ill give you 50 thousand. "Gerry Rafferty and his songs of alienation", "Stealers Wheel | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links", "BBC Radio 2 Sold on Song TOP 100 number 48 Baker street", "Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" Revisited", "Gerry Rafferty Biography: 'Right Down the Line' Liner Notes", Musician Gerry Rafferty took refuge in farm at height of fame, "The Proclaimers - Letter From America (Band Version)", "Archived version of Gerry Rafferty's Website (6 December 2000)", "News section postings dated 23 February 2004 and 31 March 2004", "Tickets & Eintrittskarten online kaufen | Hypertension Music", Gerry Rafferty's funeral is held in Paisley, "Obituary: Gerry Rafferty, singer and songwriter", 'I lost my soulmate' says Gerry Rafferty's fiancee, "Gerry Rafferty, 'Baker Street' Singer, Dies at 63", "The lonely road from 'Baker Street' to skid row", "Gerry Rafferty's struggle with demons, and the Willie Whitelaw connection Telegraph Blogs", "Missing Baker Street singer Gerry Rafferty is living in hiding", "Gerry Rafferty happily stuck in the middle of Tuscany", Neighbours of Baker Street star Gerry Rafferty speak of shock at his collapse, Hope for family as Rafferty is taken off life support machine, "Gerry Rafferty's daughter sings at his funeral", "Baker Street singer Gerry Rafferty died at his daughter's home in Stroud", Mourners' Farewell To Singer Gerry Rafferty, "Gerry Rafferty's girlfriend loses battle for inheritance", "Baker Street singer Gerry Rafferty dies at age of 63", "Finbar Furey leads tributes to the late singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty", "Star tribute as Gerry Rafferty Drive opens", "Bring It All Home Gerry Rafferty Remembered", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gerry_Rafferty&oldid=1150587964, Musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, This page was last edited on 19 April 2023, at 00:00.
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gerry rafferty interview