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. Do you remember how old ladies used to have those little baskets on wheels they used to push around the shops? Nice memories. (Thanks, Jack.). [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. [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. The sax solo did sound vaguely familiar, so perhaps I have heard this in the past on the radio somewhere along the way. 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. And heres five grand, in cash, to help you.. It's been a huge earner for me. His abusive alcoholic father died when Gerry was only sixteen. 5 hit in 1979. 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. I said, If you give him 5 million, youll never get another album Its the worst thing you can do. He was a founding member of Stealers Wheel, whose biggest hit was "Stuck in the Middle with You" in 1973. [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. [citation needed], Other artists continue to be inspired by Rafferty's work. Speaking to The Independent newspaper later, the hotel's director commented: "It was such a shame. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Gerry Rafferty - Right Down the Line (Lyric Video) - Youtube Music 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. "[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. It contains an Enter your email address in the field below and we'll send you a password to read all free articles on RBP. Gerry was one of those guys that had been turned down by every record company. Breaks Down His Killer White House Correspondents Dinner Set Rafferty and Fuschini rented a large home together in Upton, near Poole. He has the cautious fatalism of a coal miner, the trade both his father and grandfather pursued. [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. Isnt that interesting because I definitely did not compose it. Rafferty had apparently not changed his will after meeting Enzina Fuschini in 2008 and left her nothing. In an interview with BBC Radio 2 in September 2000, Gerry Rafferty himself explained the reasoning behind his decision not to tour. He died many years later in a terrible state. The album City to City went to No. 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. "Gerry Rafferty: Right Down the Line". "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.. 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The lyric and the melody fuse beautifully and the lyric is complemented by the melody. Whatever I do in the future, it's at my own pace, on my own terms. I just now went to the Internet and, sure enough, found out the history of Rafferty and Baker Street, and viewed a YouTube performance of it. 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. the Amazon Associates Program via amazon.com. Enter Raphael Ravenscroft, a session saxophonist who came highly recommended, and the rest is history or at least a hit single. [69] Rafferty died of liver failure at the home of his daughter Martha in Stroud, Gloucestershire, on 4 January 2011, at the age of 63. Still, they managed to record a brilliant second album, Ferguslie Park, which was produced, like its predecessor, by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. By using this site, you agree that we may store and access cookies on your device. [79], In October 2013, Peter Cameron released a biography of Rafferty entitled Stuck in the Middle with Gerry Rafferty, published by the independent publisher Linn. 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. Jerry Gilbert, "[75] Speaking after the funeral, Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers said: "I think Gerry Rafferty was one of the few people who really successfully straddled the worlds of both folk and popular music. Gerry Rafferty signed up with Brewer and his production company funded the making of new album, City To City. [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. 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. He never let "Baker Street" be used for advertising, despite lucrative offers. Marcus passed away in 2005 and none of the tributes to him seem to make mention of it. The Times, Wednesday 5 January 2011. ), Forum Policies, Rules, and Terms of Service. 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. I would never have left him if there'd been a glimmer of a chance of him recovering. Capitol called me at one point and said, Were going to give him 5 million. The disputed history behind Gerry Raffertys 1978 hit. In fact, most of what I played was an old blues riff, he once explained. [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. Maybe some new project would suddenly happen, but I knew he'd crossed the line as far as the record business went. 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. They got married and ran off together. He didn't. 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. Scottish singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty, best known for his solo hit "Baker Street" and "Stuck In The . So what you get is someones heartfelt experience and you put that into the lyric and into the song. "[77], In November 2012, Rafferty's hometown of Paisley paid tribute to the singer by naming a street in the Shortroods area "Gerry Rafferty Drive". Burns was performing on the road with Jack Bruce in 1978 when he made arrangements to visit the London studio where Raffertys album City to City was being recorded. Rafferty grew up in a council house on the town's Glenburn estate and attended St. Mirin's Academy. It wasnt, yknow, playing cricket, but thats the way record companies worked. Bath I must admit, I could live off that song alone." His music is a testimony to what a great artist can. [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. 1 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts in the US. Gerry Rafferty : Best Ever Albums Another posting announced that Rafferty would begin to release music regularly as free downloads: "In reality, Gerry could put a new track out every two weeks or so. Featuring 18 tracks, the album contains six new recordings, covers of Christmas carols, plus also some traditional songs that had previously been available on the Gerry Rafferty website. Theres no question about that either. "[76], The reaction of younger artists suggests Rafferty's music has also inspired a new generation of fans. Also, according to legend, he was only paid 27 for his contribution, while Rafferty was said to have made 80,000 in annual royalties until his death in 2011. After being taken off life support, Rafferty rallied for a short time, and doctors thought that he might recover. Hugh Burns hadnt heard Half a Heart, but he was dismissive of the idea that it had been lifted from something else, at least intentionally. United Artists Records, Catalogue 1192 (US Release), 1978. His daughter Martha relaunched Rafferty's old website, gerryrafferty.com, with a full discography, rare photos, and new artwork by John 'Patrick' Byrne. He wouldnt sit in my Rolls, he wouldnt sit in my offices, we had to meet in these pubs and it all became very strange. Still, some would consider Raffertys decision not to tour America until next March, long after the excitement generated by Baker Street will have dissipated, an imprudent career move. [11] Billboard praised the album as "high-grade folk-rock", describing it as Rafferty's "finest work" to date: "His tunes are rich and memorable with an undeniable charm that will definitely see him into the album and very possibly singles charts soon". Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library. [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. [63], On 17 February 2009, The Guardian reported that Rafferty was in hiding in the south of England, being cared for by a friend. "Thats how they regulated the charts. Heres how it works. Gerry liked to triple track everything, wed get three pianos, it became a bit of a Phil Spector issue. He had been signed to A&M. The eulogy was given by Rafferty's longtime friend John Byrne. Stay up to date with in depth music reviews, exclusive interviews and widespread coverage of whats happening from your favourite music genre. Gerry had had a tough upbringing in Glasgow and the manager sensed that he carried tremendous resentment about it. You never know a new generation of young musicians coming up [might bring back the sax]. 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. Joseph Rafferty died when Gerry was just sixteen, but if he bequeathed anything to his last-born son it was an affinity for songs in the Irish and Scottish folk tradition. 17 in the US. And whatll happen is, youll lose your audience. Ghosts! He also referenced the demo, explaining that it was Rafferty himself playing the line on guitar. Click here for academic and other group subscriptions. The guitarist Hugh Burns has scored movies like Die Another Day and The Hobbit, and played with the likes of Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Jack Bruce, and George Michael throughout his storied career. (The song spent six weeks stuck at No. 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. I totally understand., The same scene play out at Island records: Gerry is left alone with owner Chris Blackwell and afterwards Blackwell collars Brewer and says, I would rather sign Gary Glitter than that man! was a flop. There was change too in the songs. His most recent film, Beside Bowie The Mick Ronson Story, is released soon on DVD. It disappeared., But when we spoke on the phone later, hed changed his mind. Nor have the preoccupations of Raffertys lyrics changed all that much. 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. [6] Finbar Furey, who knew Rafferty for over 40 years, said he "was in a different league completely. Byrne was also responsible for one of Rafferty's most prized possessions: a hand-painted Martin acoustic guitar bearing his portrait and the name 'Gerry Rafferty', which features in many photographs of the singer. (Both of these were popular hobbies in the year 1978. Many listeners come to Baker Street (and stay) for its hypnotic saxophone line. But the song did benefit Ravenscofts career, and he went on to work with Pink Floyd, Marvin Gaye, and Daft Punk. What is it going to take?, Jerry says, Jon, Ill tell you what well do: 3, 2, 1., He says, 3% on the first album, 2% on the second album and 1% on the third., I went, Oh, cmon, there must be another way., So that was the deal. Brewer: He says, Heres the deal. You can view our full Privacy and Cookies Policy. And theres still another wrinkle on the other side of the pond. Cherishing the Gerry Rafferty album "City to City" 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. There is a mid-Atlantic blandness lurking behind the rococo roots veneer. Fewer reservations and a bit more ebullience might be expected from a man with Americas Number Two single, Baker Street, and album, City to City (both have been Number One on some charts). But few people know the origin story of rocks most iconic sax riff, which is complicated, to say the least. 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. [17], Legal issues after the break-up of Stealers Wheel meant that, for three years, Rafferty was unable to release any material. 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. Right Down The Line by Gerry Rafferty - Songfacts "[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]. News Release, PR Newswire, 27 November 2000. 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. 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. The collection of blues, rock, and folk demos had been planned for a new album before his death. 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. His wife had just given birth to their daughter and he told me that he didnt have any money to buy nappies, says Brewer. Bonnie Raitt recorded a reggae treatment of "Right Down the Line" for her Slipstream album released 10 April 2012. 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. The third single from the album, "Home and Dry", reached No. I probably did more music with him than any other musician. He was also friends with Ravenscroft and toured with him. Individuals can subscribe to Rocks Backpages for three, six and twelve months to get unlimited access to the complete Rocks Backpages archive. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Gerry Rafferty - Interesting stories about famous people, biographies
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