'................the fucked up ones always write the best lyrics'
The line above was spoken to me by a nurse outside York District Hospital in 1999 as we both stood smoking outside the staff restaurant, whilst discussing the post-Richey James fate of the Manic Street Preachers. It's a line that I recall now as I listen to 'Oar', the only solo album recorded by Alexander 'Skip' Spence.
Spence's career took in Quicksilver Messenger Service (on guitar) and Jefferson Airplane (occupying the drum stool for their first LP), before he formed the legendary Moby Grape in 1966. However, Skip was rather partial to LSD and during the recording of the band's second LP he was committed to a mental institution after taking an axe to the hotel room door of two of his bandmates. After his release he rode a motorcycle, dressed only in his pyjamas, to Nashville, where he recorded 'Oar'.
Quite frankly, it's fucking breathtaking. Recorded on primitive equipment, it's no sonic masterpiece but the songs...........they're indescribable. When people talk about the likes of Jeff Buckley being masters of lyrical introspection I smile inwardly knowing two things. One - that none of them could hold a candle to Skip and Two - that I'm one of the lucky few that owns this beautiful work and, therefore, am very privileged indeed.
Oar was promptly consigned to bargain bins USA-wide and remains one of Columbia (now Sony) Records' worst selling albums ever. Go figure. And Skip? Well, he never really got it together. A lot of his life was spent homeless and he eventually succumbed to cancer in 1999. But hey. He recorded that album. THAT album. And, in doing so, he did more for me than most people ever will. Rest in Peace, Skip.
The line above was spoken to me by a nurse outside York District Hospital in 1999 as we both stood smoking outside the staff restaurant, whilst discussing the post-Richey James fate of the Manic Street Preachers. It's a line that I recall now as I listen to 'Oar', the only solo album recorded by Alexander 'Skip' Spence.
Spence's career took in Quicksilver Messenger Service (on guitar) and Jefferson Airplane (occupying the drum stool for their first LP), before he formed the legendary Moby Grape in 1966. However, Skip was rather partial to LSD and during the recording of the band's second LP he was committed to a mental institution after taking an axe to the hotel room door of two of his bandmates. After his release he rode a motorcycle, dressed only in his pyjamas, to Nashville, where he recorded 'Oar'.
Quite frankly, it's fucking breathtaking. Recorded on primitive equipment, it's no sonic masterpiece but the songs...........they're indescribable. When people talk about the likes of Jeff Buckley being masters of lyrical introspection I smile inwardly knowing two things. One - that none of them could hold a candle to Skip and Two - that I'm one of the lucky few that owns this beautiful work and, therefore, am very privileged indeed.
Oar was promptly consigned to bargain bins USA-wide and remains one of Columbia (now Sony) Records' worst selling albums ever. Go figure. And Skip? Well, he never really got it together. A lot of his life was spent homeless and he eventually succumbed to cancer in 1999. But hey. He recorded that album. THAT album. And, in doing so, he did more for me than most people ever will. Rest in Peace, Skip.
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i never did get your opinion on that vid i sent you