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. [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. Raffertys rise to glory hadnt come about entirely by chance. ), The video for Baker Street has been viewed over 5 million times. Rafferty came up with the hook. [18] The album sold over 5.5million copies, toppling the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in the US on 8 July 1978. Gordon Laurie, director of the housing association behind the project, commented: "It is a fitting tribute to a brilliant musician who lives on through his music. If there were an official anthem for playing darts alone in an empty roadside bar during a rainstorm, it would be Baker Street. And while theres no data to back it up, Baker Street is undoubtedly the top song to idle to in a driveway before cutting the engine to your Dodge Aspen. [34], Rafferty sang the Mark Knopfler-penned song "The Way It Always Starts" (1983) on the soundtrack of the film Local Hero. 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. Rafferty originally had conceived of Stealers Wheel which he formed after spending three years as the better half of a folk-rock duo, the Humblebums as a quartet of singer/songwriters, sort of a Scottish Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. So he goes on David Frost, and I think it took four minutes before hed lost his audience. Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs and Gerry Rafferty. City to City - HeraldScotland And for . He said, Ill play you something. [citation needed], By the end of the 1990s, new technology enabled Rafferty to distance himself even further from the conventional approach of the music industry and work entirely on his own terms. A lot of great music was made that way. Gerry Rafferty, Songwriter, Dies at 63 - The New York Times "[11] It was a good call: the single reached #3 in the UK and #2 in the US. Alan Rafferty 1.92K subscribers 106K views 10 years ago Promo video for the "On A Wing and A Prayer" album from 1992/3. I said, If you give him 5 million, youll never get another album Its the worst thing you can do. After being taken off life support, Rafferty rallied for a short time, and doctors thought that he might recover. Becoming a member is easy. I probably did more music with him than any other musician. He was also friends with Ravenscroft and toured with him. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. 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. [43][44] Through his company Icon Music, Rafferty promoted and sold the album independently on a website created specifically for the purpose. By the late 70s, Brewer had had a hand in the early career of David Bowie, Alvin Lee and others and had a publishing company called Belfern Music. 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. ), Forum Policies, Rules, and Terms of Service. This article appeared in the August 24, 1978 issue of Rolling Stone. Rafferty was born into a working-class family in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Rafferty grew up in a council house on the town's Glenburn estate and attended St. Mirin's Academy. 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. And he played City To City and Baker Street a demo without the sax part. I was going through a very strange period in my life right then, he explains with a burr that is thick yet as gentle as his large gray eyes. I'm older and my audience is older. 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. He was a very humble man. Or why not treat yourself? Brewer: He says, Heres the deal. Gerry Rafferty: Bipolar alcoholic, industry misfit - and one of Britain Gerry Rafferty - Right Down the Line (Lyric Video) 'Right Down the Line' is taken from the album 'City to City'. I dont have a manager now, nor do I want one.. [24] No such missing persons report existed. Billy Connolly on Gerry Rafferty (Conan O'Brien, 2012) - YouTube In the summer of 1978, Gerry Rafferty's song Baker Street became a top-five hit in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. [65] This was contradicted by a report in The Daily Telegraph on the following day, which quoted a statement his solicitors made to Channel 4 News: "Contrary to reports, Gerry is extremely well and has been living in Tuscany for the last six months he continues to compose and record new songs and music and he hopes to release a new album of his most recent work in the summer of this year [2009]. And thats when the fun started, says Brewer. Billy Connolly recalls his first impressions of Gerry Rafferty. He died many years later in a terrible state. And the final resolution of his legal and financial hassles accounts for the understated exhilaration of the songs last verse: When you wake up its a new morning/The sun is shining, its a new morning/Youre going, youre going home., Related Rafferty's guitarist Hugh Burns, multi-instrumentalist Graham Preskett and saxophonist Mel Collins, were also featured. "[5] Two decades later, speaking to the press after Rafferty's funeral, Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers confirmed Rafferty's dislike of celebrity: "He was not entirely comfortable with fame. Ive got nothing against electronics. And although he had a few more hit singles in the United States, by 1980 it was basically all over, and when I say 'it', I mean basically his career, because he just was not comfortable with this. Maybe I should have realised, but I didn't. There was a generation gap and a culture gap, too. Marcus passed away in 2005 and none of the tributes to him seem to make mention of it. [62] While the news stories focused on Rafferty's binges, they revealed nothing of the impact on his family and friends. "[25], Ravenscroft went on to play on Rafferty's next two albums. "[66][67] The album, titled Life Goes On, was released in November 2009. 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." 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. So I picked up and moved [from London] back to Scotland to sort myself out., Eventually Rafferty was prevailed upon to rejoin Stealers Wheel, and he resumed writing songs that conveyed pretty scary kinds of feelings and condemned managers, record companies, the whole thing. (When I asked what he felt was the persistent theme of his music, Rafferty replied tersely and without hesitation, Alienation.) Though he and Egan sugarcoated their bitter pills with sweet melodies and glossy pop arrangements, they were unable to repeat the success of Stuck in the Middle., Editors picks The "80,000" figure has been widely repeated in newspaper articles ever since. Baker Street and Half a Heart are songs that were made that way. 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. "[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. Gerry Rafferty at home. Billy Connolly on Gerry Rafferty (Conan O'Brien, 2012) russallert 5.31K subscribers 597K views 5 years ago Billy Connolly appears on the Conan O'Brien show in 2012 and tells a story about his. Gerry Rafferty. A gospel -influenced love song inspired by the weary resignation of a relationship that has run its course, this moving masterpiece has all the style . Rafferty married his fellow Scot, hairdresser Carla Ventilla, in 1970, and here he pays tribute to how she stuck by him through thick and thin. "Days Gone Down" reached No. Given the songs ubiquity and influence, its understandable that Ravenscroft might later fib about his role. And a whole suite of Irish traditional songs and Scots traditional songs". Brewer's offices were just across the road. [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". More likely, he has simply mellowed with age. In 1972, having gained some airplay from his Signpost recording "Make You, Break You", Rafferty joined Egan to form Stealers Wheel and recorded three albums with the American songwriters and producers Leiber & Stoller. Remembering Gerry Rafferty, rock's most reluctant star In 1978, he recorded his second solo album, City to City, which included "Baker Street", his most popular song. Some of these old ladies used to pass out. 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 theyd pay the radio stations to play the record. Christopher Neil replaced Hugh Murphy, Rafferty's usual producer, introducing synthesisers and drum machines that give the album a harder, less acoustic sound, and apparently eschewing the richly detailed arrangements notable on Rafferty's three previous records. The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History Jon Brewer is a director and producer. The 10 solo albums made by Gerry Rafferty during his lifetime form a distinguished legacy, from 1971's cult favourite Can I Have My Money Back, through the platinum-selling years of City to. He just blew what he was told by the person who did write it, Gerry Rafferty."[22]. . [citation needed], Other artists continue to be inspired by Rafferty's work. There was change too in the songs. [12] Yet although the album was a critical success, it did not enjoy commercial success. We tried electric guitar but it sounded weak, and we tried other things and I think it was Hugh Murphy's suggestion that we tried saxophone."[5]. " [Rafferty's] approach seemed claustrophobic. His solo hits in the late 1970s included "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", and "Night Owl". According to guitarist Hugh Burns, Murphy's death was "a great blow to Gerry"[42] and marked the end of a creative partnership that had lasted almost 30 years. This is a great song.. In a 2011 episode of the NBC show 30 Rock, which aired the same year that Rafferty died, Tina Feys character paces the streets faced with the prospects of losing her job as a television writer. Him and Billy used to play a game. Gerry Rafferty at home. - YouTube "[13] Rafferty later confirmed that alienation was the "persistent theme" of his songs;[2][14] "To Each and Everyone", from Can I Have My Money Back?, was an early example. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! [34] According to Michael Gray, Rafferty's personal manager at the height of his success, he turned down many opportunities to work with other artists:[38] " he retained a healthy scepticism not just about the music industry but about society, money and politics in general. He then worked in a butcher's shop, as a civil service clerk, and in a shoe shop. He never let "Baker Street" be used for advertising, despite lucrative offers. Nice memories. (Thanks, Jack.). Right down the line: Remembering Gerry Rafferty Rafferty and Fuschini rented a large home together in Upton, near Poole. Its almost identical, only a little bit different and that wouldnt happen by chance seeing as it was so close.. I love Gerry's records, something like 'Baker Street' is a wonderful pop record. Gerry Rafferty in Amsterdam, 1972. So what you get is someones heartfelt experience and you put that into the lyric and into the song. Perhaps I was on the edge of a nervous break-down thats how it felt, anyway. A subscription gives you access to all the articles and audio interviews in the library. 17 in the US. [41], Rafferty released two further albums in the 1990s in what musician Tom Robinson later described as "a major return to form". They never toured America because the band, according to Rafferty, when it existed at all, was a fucking shambles, and they wrangled angrily with their managers. [11] Instead of a cover painting and hand-lettering by John 'Patrick' Byrne, who had illustrated every previous Rafferty and Stealers Wheel album, Sleepwalking featured a simple, stark photograph of an empty road stretching to the sky. BA1 1UA. GERRY RAFFERTY rarely comes up in interviews, seldom works on the road and is in London even less often. exclusive audio interviews. 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. [38] In July that year, he flew to London, where he stayed in the five-star Westbury Hotel in Mayfair and began a four-day drinking binge during which he extensively damaged his room. [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. CIA Director, Noam Chomsky Named in Epstein's Private Calendar: Report "[53] Billy Connolly agrees that Rafferty had different priorities: "I wanted success and fame and I got it, to a degree. I'm unsure whether he did. But theres something special about four or five guys in a studio and working with an artist and honing whatever it is that the song is and fine-tuning it. Gerry Rafferty signed up with Brewer and his production company funded the making of new album, City To City. 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. I would never have left him if there'd been a glimmer of a chance of him recovering. [28], "Right Down the Line" was the second single from City to City. Its a topic thats since been remaindered to the small music forums at the dusty edges of the Internet. The remaining tracks are remastered tracks from his previous three albums. Right Down The Line by Gerry Rafferty - Songfacts Thats why I especially liked the Everly Brothers.. [59], Rafferty enjoyed alcohol from a young age,[20][37][42][60] and early songs, such as "One Drink Down", "Baker Street", and "Night Owl", freely mention the subject. However, he explained in an interview, "But there was never anything else for me but music. Jon Brewer now a successful documentary maker (opens in new tab) managed Rafferty through his most successful period before their relationship ended in acrimony. Or as Burton put it, You hear something, your brain forgets., Musically, all the decisions on a Gerry Rafferty album, all the decisions on yes, that stays, or no, that goes were fundamentally his, said Burns. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. TV documentary produced by Neon Productions (Glasgow) for BBC Scotland, co-produced by Valerie Lyon and Robert Noakes, 2011. Mainly philosophy, art, religion, psychology and many a biography."). [4], Rafferty left St Mirin's Academy in 1963. Gerry had a glass eye I didnt know this until Billy told me this story and theyd wait until it was really pouring and theyd go out and all the old girls would put up their umbrellas. Click here for academic and other group subscriptions. Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by flyingdutchman, Aug 17, 2021. The track appeared on Dickson's albums Don't Think Twice It's All Right (1992) and The Barbara Dickson Collection (2006). 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 "[38], In 2008, Rafferty moved away from California and briefly rented a home in Ireland, where his drinking soon became a problem again. One new note does creep in: a hint of gospel music -particularly on The Ark -and with this, a sense of hard-won peace. Louder is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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 Remembered is at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections on 22 and 23 . [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". He really cant stand anyone in the music industry, anyone in the music publishing industry, and all he wants to do is write songs for his daughter., So I go back to Gerry," says Brewer, "and say, Youve got to stop doing this were going to run out of record companies!. The lyric and the melody fuse beautifully and the lyric is complemented by the melody. [citation needed], Subsequent albums, such as Snakes and Ladders (1980), Sleepwalking (1982), and North and South (1988), fared less well, perhaps due partly to Rafferty's longstanding reluctance to perform live, with which he felt uncomfortable. They married in 1970 and lived in Scotland with their daughter, Martha Mary, before moving to the south of England in the late 1970s,[20] where they divided their time between their farm near the KentSussex border and a home in Hampstead, London. Gerry Rafferty - Interesting stories about famous people, biographies 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. He had been signed to A&M. Musical is very cyclical. "[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. 4: Whatever's Written In Your Heart (from 'City To City', 1978) If there's one song that proves Gerry Rafferty's peerless songwriting ability, it's Whatever's Written In Your Heart. Gerry liked to triple track everything, wed get three pianos, it became a bit of a Phil Spector issue. It was the days of payola and the days of sheds being filled with records and all sorts of things, says Brewer. 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. The Celtic thing is the drone, you know -its fifths, the same as in country music, a lot of which comes from Scotland and Ireland, anyway. 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. And where does the magnificent saxophone line that everyone is humming come from? These were the last two records Rafferty produced with Hugh Murphy, who died in 1998. Stealers Wheel The A&M Years (opens in new tab) 3CD boxset is out now on Caroline International. Billboard Hot 100 [2] and #8 on Cash Box. [5][11][38] In 1987, Rafferty and Murphy co-produced The Proclaimers first UK hit single "Letter from America". But few people know the origin story of rocks most iconic sax riff, which is complicated, to say the least. Success, says Brewer, was the end of Rafferty. 2 on the American Billboard charts behind Andy Gibbs Shadow Dancing.). "[74], Other entertainers also paid tribute to Rafferty, with comedian and ex-bandmate Billy Connolly calling him "a hugely talented songwriter and singer who will be greatly missed" and musician Tom Robinson saying, "His early work with Stealers Wheel was an inspiration to a whole generation of songwriters in the 70s, including me. His solo hits in the late 1970s included "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", and "Night Owl". No matter the true genesis of its sax riff, the song still endures. Gerry Raffertys former manager Jon Brewer recalls what it was like managing the Baker Street star in the wheeling-dealing 70s the age of chart-fixing, payola and big money. Gerry became someone else, and it was alcohol that took him over. He has a flight to catch. Back in England, says Brewer, he and Gerry Rafferty were becoming more and more estranged. I never heard before until I just now listened, but I am sure if I had actually written the song back in the day I would have retained my copyright as I always did and would have been aware of it. 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'. He may be sitting on top of the world as he gives interviews in his. The mass was streamed live over the Internet. Once Rafferty decided to look in the Berlin telephone directory to see if any Hitlers were listed.[10]. . Enter your email address in the field below and we'll send you a password to read all free articles on RBP. [63], On 17 February 2009, The Guardian reported that Rafferty was in hiding in the south of England, being cared for by a friend. The issue is available now in the online archive. With due respect, theres only 13 chromatic notes, he said. "[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. All rights reserved. He didn't. 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.. All rights reserved. Bonnie Raitt recorded a reggae treatment of "Right Down the Line" for her Slipstream album released 10 April 2012. "[42], Generally an autobiographical writer,[7] Rafferty returned to this theme often, in the lyrics of Stealers Wheel songs such as "Stuck in the Middle With You" and "Good Businessman", and later solo tracks like "Take the Money and Run" (from Night Owl), "Welcome to Hollywood" (from Snakes and Ladders), and "Sleepwalking" (from the album of the same name). And I went, Ill fund the album. [5][6] Heavily influenced by folk music and the music of the Beatles and Bob Dylan, Rafferty started to write his own material. It wasnt illegal. According to Burns, a lot of the songs that seem to have some longevity tend to feature, for the most part, real instruments. For a while, the saxophone was a key feature of that dynamic. It was a big deal for Steve to make a record on his own, he said. I went to the studio after I played the gig and I think one of the first songs we played was Baker Street. And I said, This is fantastic. He wandered over with Gerry and left them to talk. Things came to a head when the star told Brewer that he was planning to go on the David Frost TV show. [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. Roy Wood Jr. I thought the contract had finished but it turned out it hadnt. 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. 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. GERRY RAFFERTY Filmed Interview & tribute (2003) in HD His next door neighbour was [Island Records owner] Chris Blackwell. GERRY RAFFERTY rarely comes up in interviews, seldom works on the road and is in London even less often. Months later, says Brewer, I get this call from Artie Mogull to say, Congratulations you have a number one album in America! I went, Are you out of your mind? He said, No, its at number one.. The Times, Wednesday 5 January 2011. His daughter Martha relaunched Rafferty's old website, gerryrafferty.com, with a full discography, rare photos, and new artwork by John 'Patrick' Byrne. [4] His Irish-born father, an alcoholic, was a miner and lorry driver who died when Rafferty was 16. Billy Connolly recalls his first meeting with Gerry Rafferty - BBC From what shes said, I believe Linda was quite happy to have Gerrys hands on her, for a time. Eventually, says Brewer, Ravenscroft lost his temper. "[5] When a remastered version of City to City was released in 2011, it included the original, electric guitar version of the song, confirming Rafferty's authorship of the riff. The album City to City went to No. Boys, girls, large packets of drugs that was payola.. [38] Rafferty's lengthy commutes from London to Scotland inspired some songs on the album City to City (including the title track and "Mattie's Rag", which recounted his delight at being reunited with his daughter), while the later move south inspired "The Garden of England" (from the album Snakes and Ladders) and some songs on North and South. "You were very lucky to get that interview because he didn't do many. Gerry Rafferty: A Brilliant Tortured Soul - YouTube He was so rude about his fanbase, about the American people and going on the road, that at the end of the day, that was it it was all over. Singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty was born on April 16, 1947 in Paisley, Scotland. Gerry Rafferty: The Man Who Hated the Music Business | Louder - loudersound "[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. [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. This was elaborated on by music journalist Paul Gambaccini for BBC World News:. Burns isnt ruling out its return. [3], In October 2011, newspapers reported that Rafferty's immediate family were the beneficiaries of his 1.25million estate. At eleven, he started to play. Nor have the preoccupations of Raffertys lyrics changed all that much. GERRY RAFFERTY Filmed Interview & tribute (2003) in HD Dave Lennon 1.35K subscribers 124K views 12 years ago From the STV programme ARTERY filmed in 2003 & with cotributions from Billy. [citation needed], Rafferty drew a clear distinction between the artistic integrity of a musician, on the one hand, and the music industry's need to create celebrities and sell products, on the other. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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