Number 5, 1994
By Buzz Fitzgerald
Contributed by Sai
Jeff Buckley has arrived-and not a moment too soon. His formal introduction to the world was at a Brooklyn tribute honoring his late father, folk singer and songwriter Tim Buckley in 1991. Since then the younger Buckley has been the apple of the eye of the music industry. His debut album Grace spotlights the singer's vocal prowess, mixing obscure covers and enlightening original songs. With all the media attention geared toward his famous namesake, it would be easy to assume that Buckley is another poster-child for celebrity nepotism. However, Buckley is an exception. He'll be the first to tell you he met his cult-figure father only once, as an eight year old child and he attributes his musical inspirations to both his mother and step-father (along with the likes of Led Zeppelin and Miles Davis). That does not necessarily imply that his father's legacy is lost on Buckley, but he prefers to focus on his own music.
Despite his current status as something of a media and industry darling, Buckley's career begin with far less fanfare. Well before the New York City coffee houses heard his ethereal voice andethereal voice an emotionally charged songs, Buckley was pounding the pavement on the West Coast.
A California native, Buckley performed odd jobs while briefly attending The Musicians Institute before deciding LA just didn't suit him or his future. Preferring the sights, sounds and energy of New York City, Buckley made his way to the Big Apple and developed a particular affection for the East Village. It was there that he fueled his fondness with a passion for live performances, performances that quickly branded Buckley as a "must-see".
Playing before full houses on a nightly basis, Buckley honed his live persona in front of industry notables such as Clive Davis and Steve Berkowitz. (The results of those shows are archived on an EP which was recorded live at one of Buckley’s favorite stomping grounds, Café Sin-é.) The sudden attention paid to him by the music industry did not seem to faze Buckley. “It was the amusement of watching it all happen and never really experiencing emotion one way or the other, except for amazement,” explains Buckley. “It seems like it was all happening independent of what I was trying to do at the time. It just sort of bloomed…sort of like this big oil spill of interest. My only dilemma was how to deal with it. I’ve always just pursued music and never really pursued the music business.”
By Buzz Fitzgerald
Contributed by Sai
Jeff Buckley has arrived-and not a moment too soon. His formal introduction to the world was at a Brooklyn tribute honoring his late father, folk singer and songwriter Tim Buckley in 1991. Since then the younger Buckley has been the apple of the eye of the music industry. His debut album Grace spotlights the singer's vocal prowess, mixing obscure covers and enlightening original songs. With all the media attention geared toward his famous namesake, it would be easy to assume that Buckley is another poster-child for celebrity nepotism. However, Buckley is an exception. He'll be the first to tell you he met his cult-figure father only once, as an eight year old child and he attributes his musical inspirations to both his mother and step-father (along with the likes of Led Zeppelin and Miles Davis). That does not necessarily imply that his father's legacy is lost on Buckley, but he prefers to focus on his own music.
Despite his current status as something of a media and industry darling, Buckley's career begin with far less fanfare. Well before the New York City coffee houses heard his ethereal voice andethereal voice an emotionally charged songs, Buckley was pounding the pavement on the West Coast.
A California native, Buckley performed odd jobs while briefly attending The Musicians Institute before deciding LA just didn't suit him or his future. Preferring the sights, sounds and energy of New York City, Buckley made his way to the Big Apple and developed a particular affection for the East Village. It was there that he fueled his fondness with a passion for live performances, performances that quickly branded Buckley as a "must-see".
Playing before full houses on a nightly basis, Buckley honed his live persona in front of industry notables such as Clive Davis and Steve Berkowitz. (The results of those shows are archived on an EP which was recorded live at one of Buckley’s favorite stomping grounds, Café Sin-é.) The sudden attention paid to him by the music industry did not seem to faze Buckley. “It was the amusement of watching it all happen and never really experiencing emotion one way or the other, except for amazement,” explains Buckley. “It seems like it was all happening independent of what I was trying to do at the time. It just sort of bloomed…sort of like this big oil spill of interest. My only dilemma was how to deal with it. I’ve always just pursued music and never really pursued the music business.”
Buckley didn’t need to pursue the music business, as it pursued him with vigor. After being courted by a slew of labels, Buckley eventually signed to Columbia in 1992 and began the process of recording his first album, Grace. Assembling his East Village pals, bassist Mick Grondahl and drummer Matt Johnson, Buckley headed to upstate New York to record at the famed Bearsville studios in Woodstock. The studio has serviced the likes of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Todd Rundgren, and it seemed to perfectly compliment the recording style of Buckley. Buckley fell in love with the ambience of Bearsville. “The hardest thing to find,” states Buckley, “Is a room where you can immediately work and develop ideas.” Buckley found those qualities at Bearsville, which he came to consider his stage away from the stage.
The result of the Bearsville sessions is readily apparent on Grace, which deftly captures the seductive nature of Buckley’s live performances. Produced by Andy Wallace (Soul Asylum, Paw, White Zombie), the album explores various avenues of Buckley’s expression - a starkly honest and emotional collection of human drama. It highlights the young talent’s heavenly voice which continues to draw comparisons to such musical luminaries as Billie Holiday and Art Garfunkel. From the percolating power of “Eternal Life,” to the slinky, meandering wisdom of the title track, Buckley’s personality is deeply tied into each lyric. Regarding “Grace,” a song that is indicative of Buckley’s spiritual as well as artistic philosophy, Buckley states, “The song is about being released of the fear of being trod upon by people around you and suffering harm at the hands of others because of somebody loving you for real. You can achieve great heights of purity through somebody else’s love for you.”
With Grace already in stores, Buckley is set to rekindle the jaw-dropping live performances reminiscent of his java-house days. While awaiting the release of Grace, Buckley hit the road on a cross country jaunt to get back to doing what he does best - performing live - as well as to garner momentum for the album release. But Buckley’s primary goal is not to sell records or tickets, but to prove, once and for all, that he can outrun his father’s shadow and be a groundbreaking artist in his own right. “I want to formulate a vessel that will completely leave all convention behind,” says an earnest Buckley, “so I can [create] something I’ve never heard before.”
Buckley is set to kick-off his winter tour of the US in late October before visiting Europe in January. Coincidentally, Buckley’s first stop brings him back to St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn - the site of his father’s tribute concert. A fact more fitting than ironic, as Buckley says goodbye to the past and embraces the future. “Sometimes, I feel bored and constrained by this culture,” states Buckley coolly, “and I just want something more sparkling and full of blood. I just want to speak my heart, that’s all.”
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