Long Player Sessions: Jackie Marshall

Person Answering: Jackie Marshall

Album Covering:  Jeff Buckley's Grace (1994)

Why did you choose this album? 1994 was a great year for a lot of people I know! Buckley's album came out and it was just wild and youthy and such a beautiful vocal epic and it met all our teen requirements for blunt poetry cathartic rock all pedalled by one super hot soulful looking guy in a flannel shirt with incredible musical pedigree. Dreamboat. This album doesn't send me back, it brings it all forward right here, it's a hell of an album to bring to life again. Poor Jeff. Poor us. He went too soon.

When did you first hear this album? Probably pulling cones in the back seat of a friend's big brother's car up at the Green Hill Reservoir back in the day. “I don't do drugs any more.”

Does playing this album in its entirety present any specific challenges? Jesus. It's epic. There are a gazillion words. Not to mention time changes. And the fact that I'm not a 20-something hot soulful looking guy in a flannel shirt with incredible musical pedigree. I seriously regret this choice now! Thankfully I have managed to convince a wicked constellation of musicians to join me, all of them adept in the art of flying by the pant-arse. We shall be victorious, one way or the other.

Fave song from record? Last Goodbye it ever was, my poor imagined wee broken hearts of yore will testify. Probably right now though it's Eternal Life. I've been feeling tetchy lately.

Synopsis: Given his impact and influence, it's easy to forget Grace was Jeff Buckley's only full studio album. Released in 1994, the album was the culmination of years of playing small clubs largely around New York City. Eventually signing to Columbia Records, Buckley began working on the album in 1993 with producer and engineer Andy Wallace. The result is a stunning mix of originals and covers – most notably Leonard Cohen's Halelujah – with Grace considered by many one of the standout debut albums ever produced, despite the initially lukewarm response. Within three years though, Buckley would be dead – drowning as he struggled to complete the follow-up record.