We generally avoid hype like the plague. And when it came to the late Jeff Buckley we did not make an exception. But one day in 1994, shortly after the release of his full-length debut, Grace, we found ourselves listening to the monthly CD sampler in the now-defunct and sorely missed Musician magazine. There we came across "So Real", an album track from Grace that both captured and epitomized the fearless power, majesty, and yes, grace of the man's music. We were mesmerized, to say the least. Literally running out to purchase the CD, for the next few months the album never left our CD player, leading us to soak up and enjoy every note. We eventually got to experience Buckley live and shortly thereafter had the pleasure of briefly making his acquaintance. Choice memories, indeed.
In late May of 1997, we received a phone call from an old friend who asked if we'd heard the news of Buckley's disappearance in the waters of the mighty Mississippi. Shocked and caught off guard by the news, we proceeded to inquire into the incident by calling a mutual friend, the esteemed Gary Lucas, noted guitar virtuoso and co-writer of "Mojo Pin" and the title track from Buckley's debut album. It didn't look good. On the evening of May 29th, Buckley had decided to go for a swim, fully clothed, while he awaited the arrival of his bandmates from New York that night, who were flying in to Memphis--where Buckley had been living and working on new songs--to record material for his sophomore album. (The unfinished tracks were released a year later as Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk.) He'd gone under; his body was found on June 4th.
Needless to say, we'll always cherish Buckley's music and the heady times and memories associated with it. The latter, in more ways than one, as it turns out: On September 11th, 2001, a line from the aforementioned "So Real" that we always felt was quite prophetic (...and I couldn't awaken from the nightmare / that sucked me in / and pulled me under...) became all too poignant that day, and made us wonder what Buckley would've put into song on his spiritual hometown's dark day. God bless you, man. Wherever you are.
"So Real" (acoustic)
"Mojo Pin" (live)
