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Dream Academy members Nick Laird-Clowes and Gilbert Gabriel wrote this song, which is dedicated to the singer Nick Drake, who was 26 years old in 1974 when he died of an antidepressant overdose which may have been suicide. His work was very influential to many British musicians and songwriters, and his legend grew after his death.

The song was not specifically about Nick Drake, as some suppose, but merely dedicated to his memory. Laird-Clowes recalled to Mojo magazine in a 2011 interview: "The song was created in a Southgate bedsit where Gilbert Gabriel had a room. We wrote it while sitting on a floor. Just two guitars - one nylon strung with just three strings on it, while the other was the same guitar that was on the cover of Nick Drake's Bryter Layter. We had the idea, even before we sat down, to write a folk song with an African-style chorus. We started it and when we got to the verse melody, there was something about it that reminded me of Nick Drake, who I had been turned on to in 1972 by Roundhouse DJ Jeff Dexter. It was Jeff who first informed me what a brilliant record Bryter Layter was. He claimed, 'I know where that guitar is and one day we'll get hold of it.'

The song's subject matter was inspired by the time Laird-Clowes spent working on a music TV program that was produced in the north east England city of Newcastle. He recalled to Mojo: "The lyric emerged because I was an early presenter on The Tube and Geoff Wonfor, who went on to shoot The Beatles Anthology series, showed me the long lines of people unemployed and the shipyards that were closed down. That's what 'Life in Northern Town' is really all about."

David Gilmour helped produce The Dream Academy album with Nick Laird-Clowes.

Dream Academy members Nick Laird-Clowes and Gilbert Gabriel wrote this song, which is dedicated to the singer Nick Drake, who was 26 years old in 1974 when he died of an antidepressant overdose which may have been suicide. His work was very influential to many British musicians and songwriters, and his legend grew after his death. The song was not specifically about Nick Drake, as some suppose, but merely dedicated to his memory. Laird-Clowes recalled to Mojo magazine in a 2011 interview: "The song was created in a Southgate bedsit where Gilbert Gabriel had a room. We wrote it while sitting on a floor. Just two guitars - one nylon strung with just three strings on it, while the other was the same guitar that was on the cover of Nick Drake's Bryter Layter. We had the idea, even before we sat down, to write a folk song with an African-style chorus. We started it and when we got to the verse melody, there was something about it that reminded me of Nick Drake, who I had been turned on to in 1972 by Roundhouse DJ Jeff Dexter. It was Jeff who first informed me what a brilliant record Bryter Layter was. He claimed, 'I know where that guitar is and one day we'll get hold of it.' The song's subject matter was inspired by the time Laird-Clowes spent working on a music TV program that was produced in the north east England city of Newcastle. He recalled to Mojo: "The lyric emerged because I was an early presenter on The Tube and Geoff Wonfor, who went on to shoot The Beatles Anthology series, showed me the long lines of people unemployed and the shipyards that were closed down. That's what 'Life in Northern Town' is really all about." David Gilmour helped produce The Dream Academy album with Nick Laird-Clowes.

(post is archived)

[–] [deleted] • 2 pts

Thanks for posting the back story.

That was one of the few songs in the 80s that didn't suck.

[–] • 0 pt

Who doesn't love a good oboe line in a song? But be careful out there kids, they're not without risk!

A list of things to watch out for if playing the oboe with the ability, frequency, and intensity of a professional.

Headaches, eye strain, and eye damage. The oboe is a high-resistance instrument. Other instruments in this category include the bassoon, the trumpet, and the French horn. Playing these instruments a lot, especially when increased blowing force is required (high pitch), can put eyes at risk due to increased pressure. According to an article from the journal Ophthalmology, "The cumulative effect of long-term intermittent ocular pressure elevations during high-resistance instrument playing may be sufficient to create long-term damage to the eye."

Teeth. Horvath informs us, "Playing reed instruments, brass instruments, and violin and viola can affect a young person's occlusion...It is essential to monitor the duration and intensity of playing...Overbite can occur in oboe, bassoon and violin and viola players even after only one or two years." She quotes the Journal of the American Dentistry Association which states, "Because less than 100 grams of pressure is required to orthodontically move a tooth, the forces of a musical instrument (up tp 500g) can harm the occlusion and teeth."

Hearing loss. Chronic exposure to the decibel levels of a music ensemble such as an orchestra at close range can place musicians at risk for hearing loss, which is irreparable and which, in a musician, can be devastating even if subtle.

Thumb issues. Most of the oboe's weight exerts its force against the right thumb, so pain syndromes can occur as a result of thumb tension, tendonitis of the extensor tendons at the joint, and De Quervain tenosyovitis, a condition in which there is inflammation at the base of the thumb. Loading stress on the thumb is exacerbated by holding the thumb straight (rather than flexed) while load-bearing for long periods of time - a tendency I definitely have when I hold my instrument, which of course as luck would have it is the heaviest oboe out there.

Finger, wrist, and neck pain. Keys in an odd position for one's hands can cause strain and lead to pain. The stresses of reed-making can increase the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Poor position or neck straps (which benefit the thumbs) can strain the neck. An endpin or commercial oboe support like the FHRED might be a viable alternative to take the weight of both neck and hands.

Respiratory issues. Oboists can be vulnerable to upper respiratory tract infections, but playing a wind instrument, which at times can mimic exercises such as incentive spirometry used in hospitals, can also confer some respiratory benefit by conditioning respiratory muscles.

Focal dystonia. This is a rare neurologic condition that is thought to be caused by a "blurring" of the "map" of the human body contained within the cells of the cerebral cortex, where normally specific cells are "assigned to" or "responsible for" specific areas of the body. In focal dystonia, these "assignments" can get jumbled such that the brain sends nerve impulses to the wrong muscles, causing them to contract - a phenomenon which is experienced by the individual as painless "cramping," abnormal positioning, or an inability to rely on intentional movements for certain tasks. It is task-specific, often affects those who engage in large amounts of fine motor activity, and affects men more often than it affects women. Frequent intense repetition is thought to be contributory. Sensorimotor retraining activities, sometimes using mirror boxes, can be helpful, but medical treatments and acupuncture are not. Notable people with this condition include oboist Alex Klein, pianists Gary Graffman and Leon Fleisher, and writer Scott Adams of Dilbert fame.