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Tim Buckley is slightly built and a mass of brown curls wreath his head. He
is a quiet, rather serious, person but is quick to smile when something appeals
to his sense of humour.
At twenty-one he is one of the best contemporary singer/songwriters to emerge
in recent years, as his two albums, "Tim Buckley" and "Goodbye
And Hello," prove.
Call him a poet, and he denies being such. "Poetry is poetry and songs
are songs," says Tim currently on tour in Britain, "I know poets who
write things I could never write."
Originally from New York, Tim grew up in Southern California. "I've
lived in most places in America. I went to school in New York, then my folks
moved to the West Coast because all the work was there."
Tim started his musical career playing country music, teaching himself first
banjo, then guitar. "I learnt to play for a country band," says Tim.
"I played with them for a couple of years then I started getting into my
own thing."
Tim first came to light when he was working clubs with Larry Beckett, whose
poetry he set to music, and bass player Jim Fielder. At a club called It's Boss
he met Mothers of Invention drummer, Jim Black, who introduced him to the
Mothers' manager, Herb Cohen.
Herb booked Tim into New York's Night Owl cafe and there he was heard by
Elektra Records chief, Jac Holzman, in August 1966 and two months later Tim's
first album was released. Critics acclaimed it, and from there on in Tim began
to work the big clubs and festivals throughout America.
It was while appearing at the Cafe Au Go-Go in Greenwich village that the
late Brian Epstein went to hear Tim on the recommendation of Beatle George
Harrison.
In June 1967, Buckley cut his second Elektra album, "Goodbye And
Hello" from which a single, "Wings" has just been released in
Britain. Though Tim denies being a poet, there is a poetic feeling about his
songs.
He points to no particular influences saying, "I listen to what other
people are doing, but I have never been a chameleon. Of course you learn from
other writers and you learn from everything around you--I don't learn anything
from pop--I'm not saying that to be careful, I mean it. One person I have
learned from is Eric Clapton. We just sat and played guitar together.
"But there is a vast difference between what happens on stage and on an
album. Some people have more time to sit and write. It depends on how much time
I have. I write on stage. If you are playing three sets a night for three weeks
then you have to have new things.
"A different city suggests different ideas. But you have to be open or
you don't really communicate with people. You have to keep up with people in
order to communicate."
Has Tim's music changed much? "It's not for me to judge," he
replies. "I'm living too close to it. It's a transition. I have to be
ruthless and say what is happening. I'm not sentimental over old songs. I'm
constantly writing. The main thing is the music."
Tim was worried at the start of his visit as to what he should sing and what
the reaction would be. Judging by his appearances on the recent Incredible
String Band concert at the Royal Festival Hall and London's Speakeasy club, it
has been good.
"I'm writing things now that are unbelievably simple, very commonplace.
I guess you would call them clichés, but they are clichés to the point of how
you say them," he says.
Tim Buckley is concerned only with his music. He dresses casually, simply.
Perhaps the story he related about his appearance on the Monkees show sums it
up. He had been writing with Monkee Mike Nesmith in Texas before Mike had become
a Monkee.
"They asked me to sing on the show. I went along and there was Mike in
his mohair suit, and I turned up in working shirt and trousers.
"Mike said, 'Hey, you're still wearing the same old clothes.' I replied,
'Yes, and I'm still singing my own songs.'"
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