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. Although Richard Thompson eventually rejected the Gerry Rafferty version of SHOOT OUT THE LIGHTS as too commercial . 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. [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. Stealers Wheel The A&M Years (opens in new tab) 3CD boxset is out now on Caroline International. The disputed history behind Gerry Raffertys 1978 hit. The musicians present included Craig and Charlie Reid of The Proclaimers, former bandmates Joe Egan and Rab Noakes, Barbara Dickson, and Graham Lyle. He regularly appears on Classic Rocks podcast, The 20 Million Club (opens in new tab), and was the writer/researcher on 2017s Mick Ronson documentary Beside Bowie (opens in new tab). His wife had just given birth to their daughter and he told me that he didnt have any money to buy nappies, says Brewer. To Raffertys utter disbelief, his parody of Bob Dylans paranoia, tossed off as little more than a joke, struck pay dirt in the States by which time he had already said goodbye to the band. The sax solo did sound vaguely familiar, so perhaps I have heard this in the past on the radio somewhere along the way. 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. Barbara Dickson released a tribute album of 13 Rafferty songs, To Each and Everyone: The Songs of Gerry Rafferty, in September 2013, including cover versions of "Baker Street", "The Ark", and "Steamboat Row". Michael Gray, Rafferty's former manager, agreed: "The audible proof is there from the demos that Rafferty himself created the riff and placed it within the song's structure exactly where it ended up. I regard it as a great good fortune that I was able to meet and contribute something to Gerrys music, he told me over the phone from England. [80], This article is about the singer. " Right Down the Line " is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. 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. I wrote to Martin Wyatt at Anchor records and they said, We really want this, this record is fantastic, its a hit record. All rights reserved. For institutions, Rock's Backpages is provided as an unlimited access subscription, meaning that all staff, students and library patrons have Gerry Rafferty: The Man Who Hated the Music Business | Louder - loudersound All content on the site is the property of Rock's Backpages and protected by copyright laws. [26] In a 2003 interview with The Sun (Scotland), Rafferty commented on how profitable his biggest song had been: "Baker Street still makes me about 80,000 a year. And heres five grand, in cash, to help you.. Here is the song sung by Gerry with Joe providing the second lead vocal: Theres a 1 hour BBC4 documentary about him here. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library. Remembering Gerry Rafferty, rock's most reluctant star. The Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, who has died aged 63 after a long illness, wrote the multimillion-selling hit Baker Street, which more than 30 years after . "[63][64], There were conflicting reports about what happened next. [18] The album sold over 5.5million copies, toppling the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in the US on 8 July 1978. Jon Brewer is a director and producer. In a 2006 interview with The Times, Ravenscroft recalled the episode differently, claiming he was presented with a song that contained "several gaps": "If you're asking me: 'Did Gerry hand me a piece of music to play?' Two years after the release of Night Owl, Gerry Rafferty presented his fans with Snakes & Ladders, and although some of his former album's charm and lyrical appeal manages to resurface, the whole of the album comes up short. I love Gerry's records, something like 'Baker Street' is a wonderful pop record. was a flop. Subscriptions to Rocks Backpages are available for institutional or personal use. The issue is available now in the online archive. [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. He just blew what he was told by the person who did write it, Gerry Rafferty."[22]. "Gerry Rafferty: Right Down the Line". The Internet is a conspiracy-theory clearing house, and yet the connection between Baker Street and the opening riff of Half a Heart lives in semi-ubiquity. Four days later, my personal assistant suddenly disappeared. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Gerry Rafferty 1 of 3 (Rare 2003 Interview) - YouTube Maybe some new project would suddenly happen, but I knew he'd crossed the line as far as the record business went. [3] Rafferty learned both Irish and Scottish folk songs as a boy. Still, they managed to record a brilliant second album, Ferguslie Park, which was produced, like its predecessor, by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. 1 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts in the US. In 1995, Rafferty was deeply affected by the death of his older brother Joseph, an event from which family and friends have said he never fully recovered. He wanted his talent to be respected. Raffertys rise to glory hadnt come about entirely by chance. 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. [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. Back in 1968, 10 years before Baker Street was recorded, Steve Marcus, a tenor sax player who toured with the jazz great Buddy Rich, released Tomorrow Never Knows, the first and only record under his own name. Bonnie Raitt recorded a reggae treatment of "Right Down the Line" for her Slipstream album released 10 April 2012. Gerry Rafferty Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic The next album was all organised but Gerry wanted to get rid of me.". It's been a huge earner for me. The problems we had, had little to do, actually, with the results we got on the board, because they were great in terms of sound and all that. In fact, most of what I played was an old blues riff, he once explained. Its important to say that in the case of that particular instrumental opening to Baker Street, it was entirely Gerrys line, said Burns. 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. Its a haunting sound that drops bread crumbs from a listeners pocket for their melancholy to follow. [48], Rafferty maintained his enthusiasm for this new approach to recording for the next three years. You can take the boy out of Paisley but you can't take Paisley out the boy! Affiliate programs and [27] But it earned him another 1.5million, selling around three million copies in Europe and America. United Artists Records, Catalogue 1192 (US Release), 1978. Him and Billy used to play a game. Gerry became someone else, and it was alcohol that took him over. Succession Recap: Logan Roy Makes Shock Return, Shiv and Tom Get Kinky, After a long pause during which Raffertys eyes are downcast and the only sound to be heard is that of his chewing gum, he answers intently: I dont really think about it in those kinds of terms. He died many years later in a terrible state. "[76], The reaction of younger artists suggests Rafferty's music has also inspired a new generation of fans. 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 thought the contract had finished but it turned out it hadnt. His remains were then cremated at the Woodside Crematorium in Paisley[72] and his ashes scattered on Iona. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! But few people know the origin story of rocks most iconic sax riff, which is complicated, to say the least. But they were old-school producers. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. They'll know where to find me." 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. Joel Whitburn, "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (6th Edition)", p. 493. Then, in the most offhand, glory-belying way, Burns dropped in this aside: Strangely enough, another record that I played on, which was a massive hit, certainly in this country and I think in America as well, was called Careless Whisper, that also had a massive opening solo. "[38] His next album, North and South, was released in 1988. It is Rock's Backpages policy never, under any circumstances, to sell on or otherwise provide any of the information contained in the above form to third parties. Rafferty continues to ponder and juxtapose the differences between urban and pastoral life, and many of his new songs (especially, and most eloquently, Whatevers Written in Your Heart) still seem attempts to bridge the communication chasm between a man and a woman. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. [3] It was the third release from Rafferty's City to City LP as the follow-up to his first major hit as a solo artist, "Baker Street". So he goes on David Frost, and I think it took four minutes before hed lost his audience. I said, Youre just not the right person to do David Frost. People werent quite used to that., Of course, theres also something about the saxophone. I dont have a manager now, nor do I want one.. Instead he quickly re-recorded it with Joe Boyd and released that version. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, "[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). "[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. It's much more effective than taking Prozac!" All rights reserved. He didn't know how good he was. "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.. He said, You are not a good man! ), The video for Baker Street has been viewed over 5 million times. And managers cant fucking tell you whats best for you in terms of when you should do gigs, rates and so on. Nice memories. (Thanks, Jack.). In an interview that year with Colin Irwin to promote the album, Rafferty mentioned that he was interested in doing more production work and writing film soundtracks, and even floated the idea of writing a musical about the life of Robert Louis Stevenson. It's not for me there are too many inherent contradictions. "[49] Only a handful of tracks were ever released, however, and the website eventually closed down without any explanation. Click here for academic and other group subscriptions. What was it with Gerry Rafferty that made it so hard to record with him Songs like 'She Moves Through the Fair', which my mother sings beautifully. Hows that for capitalism?. The same report claimed that on 1 August 2008, Rafferty had disappeared, leaving his belongings behind, and that the hospital had filed a missing persons report. 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. 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 testimony of Ravenscoft, who died last year, seems to be refuted by the existence of an early demo of the song, where the guitar replaces the sax. [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. Listening to it now as I write this. She encounters an unmerry troupe of subway-dwelling people whose professions are no longer a thing. Falling into that category are a travel agent, an American auto worker, the CEO of Friendster and, for the biggest punchline, a guy who played dynamite saxophone solos in rock-and-roll songs.. He has a flight to catch. 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. Gerry was one of those guys that had been turned down by every record company. So what you get is someones heartfelt experience and you put that into the lyric and into the song. [12] Yet although the album was a critical success, it did not enjoy commercial success. They based chart positions on what theyd shipped, not what theyd sold. Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by flyingdutchman, Aug 17, 2021. We want to hear it. For full terms, please click here. So surprised and impressed was he when he first heard Gerry's music, Billy didn't believe that the songs had been written by him . [20], In 1980, Rafferty and Murphy produced a record for Richard and Linda Thompson; though never released, it eventually evolved into their album Shoot Out the Lights. [30], The lyrics of "Baker Street" reflected Rafferty's disenchantment with certain elements of the music industry. Thats why I especially liked the Everly Brothers.. What I want is just to develop in terms of my songs and also to work in other areas. Not that it was all doom and gloom: He had this great friendship with Billy Connolly [the two men were in folk duo The Humblebums] and Billy told me this amazing story. [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. That means youre there dead on two oclock, you have a coffee break at exactly five oclock, and then you finish at eight oclock on the dot and you dont go over regardless of what youre doing. [38] In the late 1980s, Rafferty had told journalist Colin Irwin: "I was always very conscious about keeping a low profile because that's the way I like to go about it. These were the last two records Rafferty produced with Hugh Murphy, who died in 1998. It was a pretty scary kind of feeling. After being taken off life support, Rafferty rallied for a short time, and doctors thought that he might recover. You never know a new generation of young musicians coming up [might bring back the sax]. When he gets there, Artie Mogull is in a hurry. "[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". He was a very humble man. Gerry wanted respect. 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. Rafferty has been a one-hit wonder before, five years ago, when Stealers Wheel topped the charts with Stuck in the Middle with You. Stealers Wheel was led by Rafferty and Joe Egan, friends since both were sixteen-year-olds playing in bands in their hometown of Paisley, a bleak industrial city near Glasgow. Brewer's offices were just across the road. So I had to get on to [A&M co-founder] Jerry Moss and say, Look: Ive been told that hes never going to record for you again and I need to get him off the label. 'Rest In Blue': Why Gerry Rafferty's Swansong Is The Perfect Epitaph Becoming a member is easy. If I dont, Ill give you 75. Im like, You cant sign an artist of mine and not listen to the record! He says, Thats the deal. If you are interested in the syndication of this Rock's Backpages article, please email us. Some of these old ladies used to pass out. [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. [1] He is survived by his daughter Martha, granddaughter Celia, and brother Jim. 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. But 80,000? And where does the magnificent saxophone line that everyone is humming come from? Gerry Rafferty : Best Ever Albums GERRY RAFFERTY rarely comes up in interviews, seldom works on the road and is in London even less often. "[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. Thompson's usually spontaneous, no-frills attitude toward recording was at odds with Rafferty's approach. Another World, almost an esoteric work, also with the assistance of Mark Knopfler and Egan, featured an album cover illustrated by John 'Patrick' Byrne, who also illustrated the covers for Can I Have My Money Back?, City to City, Night Owl, and Snakes and Ladders, and all three Stealers Wheel albums. 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 [5][6] Heavily influenced by folk music and the music of the Beatles and Bob Dylan, Rafferty started to write his own material. Jerry Gilbert, [3][4] Rafferty loathed the 1992 dance music cover version of "Baker Street" by Undercover, describing it as "dreadful, totally banalit's a sad sign of the times".