I was moved by Bill Fay‘s passing last month. Here was a singer-songwriter who defined the term cult artist and whose work had flowered in the minds of many who populate these pages. I came to him late as do many. My interest was piqued by his shuffling onto the stage during a Wilco encore at the Shepherds Bush Empire in 2007. Who was this guy that Jeff Tweedy so obviously adored? They walked through one of Fay’s songs ‘Be Not So Fearful‘ and then he shuffled off. I had to investigate, anyone who inspires Jeff Tweedy is worth looking into was my modus operandi then and it still is now. There are two early 1970s albums “Bill Fay” and “Time of the Last Persecution” both genuine buried treasure if your bent is toward the troubled singer-songwriter. Here was a very interesting talent. Initially, interest was spare and Fay just got on with his life as an occasional fruit picker and gardener. He told reporters upon his return that “I didn’t leave the music business – the music business left me,” It would be twenty-odd years before the albums were rereleased and suddenly there was traction, particularly in the alt-rock movement coming out of the States where bands like Pavement and Wilco started to talk of Fay’s songs and well as songwriters such as Matt Deighton who covered numerous Fay songs. In the early 2000’s some demos were released and in 2012 he released “Life is People” which featured a duet with Tweedy and a cover of ‘Jesus etc’. Two further albums followed in 2015 & 2020. I never met him but he always seemed to be a quiet and gentle person and his Guardian obituary here reflects that but his influence is obviously powerful in the same way perhaps Nick Drake has become so well known and loved within musical circles. Recent recordings by Kevin Morby and Steve Gunn are notable as being released with Fay’s originals as part of a Dead Oceans package I urge you to seek them out if you do not know him. Bless you, sir.
So obviously, I have mainly been listening to Bill and this week there’s one cover and one original. Kevin Morby and Fay himself. Both sublime. The radio show was a tad more chaotic than normal but featured the new Brown Horse single as well as Kassi Valazza, Florry, Jason Isbell, Laura Viers, and more . As ever…
