This is a remembrance of someone whose music and spirit I love. It’s not an obituary, or a tribute – of which there are finer examples already. They’re thoughts for someone who didn’t know me but whose voice I hear every day. I feel honour-bound to pay my respects more thoroughly than I’ve already done because I feel Jackie Leven’s presence, his soul shimmering, every time I hear his voice. I didn’t know I was going to miss him this way. I didn’t know it could hurt this much. I feel as though a piece of me has been broken off. But it’s time to let go.

Photograph of Jackie Leven and Scots John in an Islington recording studio, circa 1983 © Tina

One of my heroes, the great Jackie Leven of the Kingdom of Fife, died at around 20:00 GMT on Monday 14 November. You can read more about Jackie’s musical legacy here. In the meantime, this one’s for you, Jackie. This isn’t the place for philosophy. I just couldn’t bear the idea that an Artist whose work gives me comfort, pleasure and meaning was suffering and in pain.

Antonio Machado, the final stanza of ‘Portrait’, translated by Robert Bly (from Jackie’s Defending Ancient Springs):

“And when the day arrives for the last leaving of all,
and the ship that never returns to port is ready to go,
you’ll find me on board, light, with few belongings,
almost naked, like the children of the sea.”

If you’re not familiar with the Strawbs and their music, you’ll be surprised to learn that not only have you missed the 30th anniversary of the band, they’ve released at least 31 albums and are still playing live and releasing albums today. Formed in 1963, as the Strawberry Hill Boys, at that time they were a folk and bluegrass band. What is considered to be the band’s first album was released in 1968. Dave Cousins spares more than five minutes of his time to talk about his music then and now.

Don McGlashan’s eagerly anticipated first solo album sounds personal, intimate and — in the best sense of the word — like a great demo.

Don McGlashan has five entries in the NZ’s Top 100 Songs Of All Time, as compiled by the Australasian Performing Rights Association. ‘Dominion Road’, ‘Anchor Me’ and a number of other McGlashan compositions are radio standards, as well as part of the nation’s cultural fabric and emotional memory. And it isn’t just a Kiwi thing.

‘Slice of Heaven’ spent eight weeks at number one in New Zealand, and four in Australia. In 2002, ‘Loyal’ was chosen by Team New Zealand for its international campaign to win back the America’s Cup. When New Zealand’s songwriters and music industry experts voted for the 30 best New Zealand songs written in the previous 75 years, five of Dave Dobbyn’s achieved Top 30 status — more songs than by any other songwriter.

MUSIC FOR YOUR enjoyment, suggested for listening to before, during and after reading the stories. Some of it inspired or suggested the words in the first place; some of it, with the right mood, may intensify your experience of them.