Gimmer Nicholson – Christopher Idylls LP

Description

Upon first glance, one could be forgiven for wondering which is the artist and which is the title of this album. Memphis Larry Gimmer Nicholson still remains a great unknown today, despite his having orbited the periphery of the citys music scene since the early 60s, playing with artists ranging from Furry Lewis to William Eggleston and influencing a young Chris Bell (Big Star). Fusing classical and folk music, the sound Gimmer created forChristopher Idyllswas evocative and unusual, its chiming guitars recalling the music of centuries past while alsowhen recorded in 1968being quite desperately ahead of its time.

The album was recorded with Terry Manning (Big Star, Led Zeppelin), who describes its creator as one of the worlds most enigmatic people. I dont know how many people really knew him because he was such a private person, a full of love person, who had a dark side as well. The six compositions that compriseChristopher Idyllswere composed out west, Manning believes, while overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They were laid down in 1968 in four weeks of intimate sessions at Ardent Studios that saw Gimmer experiment by feeding acoustic guitars through delay pedals, layering and layering the sound liveone of the first examples of electronic repeat being used as part of the music.

The album was supposed to be the first full-length LP release on Ardent Records, but there were understandable concerns about the size of audience that might be waiting for a curious instrumental album such as this. Meanwhile, Gimmer put blocks in the road himself: he didnt like the original mixes or the sleeve and eventually decided he didnt want the album released at all. He got his way but, Manning argues, the influence of those chiming guitars can be heard in the sounds floating out of Memphis in the decades that followedespecially in Big Star.

Having personally played it to luminaries including Jimmy Page, Manning was frustrated he couldnt get the album to a wider audience. It was one of the best things Ive been associated withand it still is, he says. It was Manning who finally convinced Nicholson to release the album on CD in 1994 and who was talking about recording more with him when Gimmer passed away at just 54 years old in 2000. Now available on vinyl, its Gimmers time to chimeand shineagain.