‘The Making Of Five Leaves Left’, a project nine years in gestation, will be released on July 25th via UMR/Island Records. This Nick Drake Estate authorised edition comprises over 30 previously unheard outtakes from the sessions which gradually became Five Leaves Left and will be available as 4 CD and 4 LP boxed sets. The reason for the lack of any previous typical anniversary-related ‘deluxe’ set, was the Estate’s wish that the listener concentrate on the beauty within the original released studio recordings. However following the discovery of remarkable tapes from two new outside sources plus, a comprehensive re-ordering of the Universal tape library, Nick’s sister Gabrielle felt that now was the time to reveal the origin story of the album.
It should also be noted that the choice of tracks was made in order to tell the story as faithfully as possible, and not simply to release all the takes on all of the tapes.
The final disc in each package is the original Joe Boyd produced album. The whole set has been mastered by John Wood and Simon Heywood and both vinyl and CD versions will be housed in the same beautiful packaging.
This lovingly put together set features studio out-takes and previously unheard songs that tell the story of how Nick Drake’s debut album came to be released on Island Records in July 1969. The set includes Nick’s first ever session at Sound Techniques – found on a mono listening-reel which Beverley Martyn had squirrelled away over fifty years ago. It also contains the full reel recorded at Caius College by Cambridge acquaintance Paul de Rivaz which had lain in the bottom of a drawer for decades, accompanying him and his family around the world.
‘The Making Of Five Leaves Left’ will feature full recording details, charts and the recording history across an illustrated 60 page book. The book, printed on special textured paper-stock which is 100% recyclable and biodegradable, was written by Neil Storey in collaboration with Richard Morton-Jack after new research, undertaken for the latter’s acclaimed biography ‘The Life’, revealed new insights.
