August 24, 2000 15:43

DRAKE FILM NIXED

A lack of interest from distributors means [b]'A Skin Too Few'[/b] has been put on hold...

A film on the life of Nick Drake, featuring unseen footage and previously unreleased tracks, may never be seen by a UK audience due to lack of interest from distributors.

'A Skin Too Few', made by Dutchman Jeroen Berkvens, features film of Drake's early childhood in Burma, the late singer's christening as well as 'The Aix Tape' - a previously unheard collection of songs recorded during Drake's trip to France in 1967. No footage of Drake performing exists but those who knew him best, like his producer Joe Boyd and his sister Gabrielle, are featured.

A spokeperson for the late singer, who committed suicide in 1974, told nme.com that the film was "evocative rather than following a timeline".

He added: "The film was completed about a year ago and initially we had hoped to take it on tour - to places like the ICA in London - before putting it on some sort of general release. Initially there was a lot of interest but that seems to have tailed off. It is a real shame."

The film will be premiered at the Paradiso in Amsterdam on September 11. On the night Beth Orton, Robert Kirby - the man behind many of Drake's string arrangements - and Ben & Jason will perform.

Drake's spokesperson also revealed that plans were underway to release 'The Aix Tape' and alongside early Drake material recorded in his bedroom around 1967 sometime next year.

"The bedroom tape works through a similar repertoire as 'The Aix Tape'," he said. "It has been bootlegged many times but the quality was poor and the tape on which the copies were run off was running too fast. We thought it would be good to clean it up and release it."

Drake's three albums proper - 'Five Leaves Left', 'Bryter Later' and 'Pink Moon' - were re-released by Universal/Island earlier this summer.