The Story of Scott Walker
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
A session bassist who hit it big with the ’60s teen-idol act The Walker Brothers, Scott Walker recorded dark and brooding solo albums that rival those of Leonard Cohen or Nick Cave. His most recent album is the disturbing, but critically lauded The Drift. The reclusive artist is the subject of the documentary “Scott Walker: 30 Century Man,” which opens Dec. 17 in New York. The film’s director, Stephen Kijak, and music writer Graeme Thomson talk about the one of the most unusual and compelling songwriters of the past 40 years.
Soundcheck blog: When pop singers turn their backs on pop
Soundcheck blog: When pop singers turn their backs on pop
Comments [10]
As the Music Writer in question, can i just point out that I didn't say anything regarding people with 'questionable intelligence.' That remark - if indeed that's exactly what was said, I can't remember - came from the other guest on the show, director Stephen Kijak.
Thanks!
Graeme
i think the man said people who flail charges of PRETENTION at Scott should check their head. You don't have to like the music, that's clearly not the issue. In any case, Scott Walker is a giant and...you are not.
Dear Music Writer Slaving in Oblivion with a OVer Swollen Head: Only people of questionable intelligence question the intelligence of people with different taste.
Wow. Your guest seriously turned me off.
Only people of questionable intelligence charge people with different taste as lacking intelligence. Maybe your guest needs to remove his head from the a$$ of his tiny little world.
I think The Drift is completely unlistenable. No matter how much work one puts into it. Interesting... but I like music.
Maybe that track isn't indicative of his music, but that song was terrible
Scott is very relevant. Just listen to the last album by Opeth "Watershed" and Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree's upcoming solo album. Major Scott influence on those records.
Plus the recent show in London with major uk artists performing his songs
His still is criminally underrated (especially in the United States)
I mean how many cult artists can influence music in death metal genres, brit pop genres, classsical, electronica etc.. Not many
asq - there's a David Garland Spinning on Air episode on Scott Walker.
It's about time WNYC addressed Scott Walker. For a man who has been on the periphery of pop for over 40 years, he has rarely found himself making anything less the most forward, beautiful and darkest music. To focus on the man's personality and enigmatic nature is to conceal his contributions to the world of music. From brit-pop to crooning to disco and far far beyond, the man has constantly broken genres into fragments and reconstituted them into something profoundly deep and avant-garde.
I am a huge fan of Scott Walker and I'm thrilled to bits to finally be able to see this film in NY!
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