So a couple of months ago I heard a commercial for Target that piqued my interest. It got my attention because it used the Badly Drawn Boy song All Possibilities. Being a huge Badly Drawn Boy fan, I was slayed.
It’s really hard to pinpoint how I fell in love with Badly Drawn Boy’s music. I can recall him being very hyped in the music press. He was called a British version of Beck, which intrigued me. And his full length debut Hour of the Bewilderbeast was critically acclaimed.
But I think that it was this video that really sold me on him. I loved the song. It was one of those songs that I invariably become enamored with and its melody haunts the inner recesses of my mind, filling me with an equal amount of joy and desire to hear the song again.
Well Once Around the Block made me a fan. I went out and purchased Badly Drawn Boy’s debut. The album stayed in heavy rotation. It’s one of those rare albums that you really never get sick of hearing. To this day it’s still one of my favorite albums.
So, as I’m apt to do, I hungered for anything Badly Drawn Boy. I picked up every singe from his debut, for their B-sides and remixes. I even tried, unsuccessfully, to get a hold of his three previous Eps. You see, once you have my attention, I’m a fan for life. I will ravenously seek out everything in your catalogue. My unfortunate nature is that of a completist, I’m driven to be an expert.
You can imagine my joy when my cowoker at the time Stella Yi suggested that we attend a Badly Drawn Boy concert in DC. I don’t even think that “joy” does justice to how I felt. “Elation” is probably close, but doesn’t really convey my masculine nature.
Anyway, that concert, on May 3rd 2001, at 9:30 Club, was one of the best concert experiences I’ve ever had. For those of you who’ve never been to 9:30 Club, it’s a rather intimate venue, I’m guessing about as intimate as your local House of Blues. That level of closeness created a vibe that’s nearly beyond words. It was like a connection or an energy that’s exhilarating.
The concert itself was superb. Badly Drawn Boy puts on an amazing show. He played for over two hours. He entertained the crowd with banter and really played the hell out of his songs (he even did a rock version of Once Around the Block which was a nice departure.) At one point he actually passed a photograph of his newborn child through the crowd, and even got it back.
How dope is that?
That was definitely a defining moment for me. It certainly set the standard for my expectations from a concert.
Once of the coolest things about “discovering” Badly Drawn Boy was that I realized that he was responsible for one of my favorite songs from Unkle’s Psyence Fiction, Nursery Rhyme. Knowing that I’d secretly been a Badly Drawn Boy fan before the hype was kind of gratifying.
Badly Drawn Boy’s second offering was the soundtrack to About a Boy. What’s cool about the album is that it’s equally a soundtrack to a movie and a Badly Drawn Boy album. It both compliments the film and satisfies Badly Drawn Boy fans. His subsequent albums have been just has gratifying.
If I’m really diggin’ your music I’ll devote a minidisc to your artistry. Badly Drawn Boy had two devoted to him, that’s how many of his songs I love. In fact it’s rare that I don’t enjoy one of his songs.
His songs really connect with me. I can’t explain why. Maybe it’s the genuine emotions that he conveys. Perhaps it’s his frank, yet poetic way of phrasing. I really don’t know why, all I do know is that I can’t get enough of his work. I mean his song You Were Right inspired this column of mine, so clearly his influence is great.
A couple of weeks ago I got the Badly Drawn Boy’s Official Bootleg: Live @ Glastonbury. It reminded me of the concert at 9:30 Club and of that time in my life. It was a great time to be me. And Badly Drawn Boy provided much of my background music.
9:30 Club
Mike Eagle drops knowledge and raises an interesting question.
Jeff had computer problems, yet still managed to push out a column, with the help of a laxative.
Dream Theater is to Gloomchen as Badly Drawn Boy is to me (minus the tattoo.)
Tom’s new approach is drawn rave reviews. I trust him completely.
Shawn offers up proof that Ice Cube has indeed become the man he was raging against in the early 90’s.
KDP breaks down musical taste and demographics.
Glastonbury
Phil mourns a forgotten Hip Hop talent.
Ian’s got news that I ordinarily wouldn’t care about, but he’s such a good writer I do care about it. Plus he’s sure to give me Badly Drawn Boy news.
Five MC’s Who I Really Want To Drop Albums This Year
1. Joe Budden
2. Freeway
3. Redman
4. Wordsworth
5. Jay-Z
