I've been listening to Scott and Scott 3 and I'll soon be listening to Scott 2.

I think he's amazingly talented, and cannot work out why he's not more well known than he is. Anyone else a fan of this guy?

Simon

I just learned of him in the last few years after he was name-checked by a few people I like. I got an import budget compilation but haven't listened to it yet. Do you recommend comps or albums for him?

Yes! I think he is quite well known though, at least in internet land....which is actually kind of a bad thing; because this inevitably means "cult" status; and having "cult" status inevitably means there's lots of a. poseur bandwagon jumpers that want to show how musically superior they are by pretending to like an artist and b. people that do actually like an artist trying to outdo each other by trying to "prove" what a bigger fan they are than everyone else.on the internet. Oh, and c. people trying to analyse the music (if you like it , why do you need to analyse it???)

Rick, I would definitely recommend albums, because there aren't any comps that contain all (what I'd consider) his "essential" songs. Get Scott-Scott4; I wouldn't bother with Till The Band Comes In, it's not very good. I haven't heard his not-on-CD Phillips albums (Moviegoer, Songs From His TV Series, Any Day Now) or his Columbia albums - but they're all covers albums so I doubt they'd be that great.....

Hi Ross and Nathan!

I'd recommened listening to his albums, personally. He's just amazing!

There was a documentary about him that David Bowie was involved in - called 30th Century Man after one of Walker's songs - that was shown last year at a film festival in England. Here's a wikipedia link -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Walker_(singer)

I had been a fan of the Walker Brothers, didn't know much of Scott's solo career, was intrigued by what I had recently read about it. Just got the 30 Century Man DVD, watched it yesterday, very mind blowing I must say. I had no idea he had gone into this avant-garde, classical, spacey, unusual subject matter, surreal, dark, and haunting direction, but it's very interesting. I'll have to explore his solo CDs now...

I got a cheap comp from Amazon UK a couple of years back and remember being turned off by the voice. I feel like I'm missing something maybe it's time I give it another try.

I just watched the documentary on the Sundance Channel again (they've been showing it a few times every 6 months or so). It's good. I'm a big fan of the 60's-era stuff, but not the more recent Avant stuff (I like the music, just not his voice with that kind of music). I have Scott 1 through Scott 4 and a 2-CD compilation called Classics and Collectibles that has a lot of good stuff not otherwise available. His voice and that style of pop music "takes some getting used to" (especially his pronounced vibrato for me), but now I'm a big fan. I'm sure a lot of people think it's easy-listening crap, but I have gained an appreciation for that style of pop music if the arrangement, performance and songwriting's there.

"Nite Flights" is a horrible Walker Bros. record, but get it(if you can find it cheap) for the first 4 songs. They're Scott Walker solo recordings. "The Electrician" is Scott's best song ever IMHO.

BBC Radio 6 two hour special on Scott, from this past Sunday July 23, Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service. Brand new interview with assorted songs from his career, uniquely fab if I do say so myself.

Will be available for the next 24 days before it disappears...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08yx6vz

Thanks, Robin. I'll be giving that a listen.

Likewise, there was a tribute concert last Tuesday July 25 at the Royal Albert Hall, live on BBC Radio 3. Prom 15: The Songs of Scott Walker 1967-1970.


Listen to the full 75 min show here, watch 4 video clips, yada yada. 26 days left to listen to it before it disappears:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08yrwgm

Brilliant! Thank you.

I never heard him interviewed, and figured he would be a difficult interview based on my vibe of his release history. Not the case. What a treat. Thank you for posting this.

Good interview. Thanks!