Dream Brother Essay

A school assignment that I enjoyed

 

 

 

Dream Brother Essay

Dream Brother: the lives and music of Jeff and Tim Buckley is a dual biography that effortlessly balances the turbulent lives of its subjects with poetic yet straight forward prose appealing to fans of either and both artists.

Tim Buckley was an avant-garde musician during the 60’s who died at the premature age of 28 after a random overdose. He left behind not only an undiminished fan base and musical legacy but an 8 year old son from his fleeting first marriage, whom he met only a couple of times, the last meeting being a week before Tim’s accidental death. His son would grow up to become Jeff Buckley: an extremely successful musician that refuted all privileges afforded a son of a successful artist. Although deeply resistant to comparisons, Jeff’s life eerily echoed that of his father’s, not only in the musical area but with his premature and accidental death at the age of 30. Jeff drowned in the Wolf River in Memphis.

The book details Tim and Jeff’s childhoods, family, musical influences and influence, sweethearts and eventual deaths and legacies.      

This is the first book of reporter, David Browne, who gave Jeff his first major press interview. He became incredibly intrigued with him; eventually leading him on a journey to pull out and expose the roots of not only the reserved man he briefly met with, but also his cult figure of a father. I believe he completed this task with skill and finesse.

I could not seem to stop reading this book, I enjoyed it so much. The method of switching lives with each chapter provides a juxtaposition that makes it very easy to pinpoint the startling similarities and obvious differences of estranged son and father. The author pays great attention to detail and writes with a style almost like that of storytelling. The snippets from Jeff’s diary add an insight into his mindset as do both men’s breathtaking lyrics.

 

 

“Oh, is he a soldier, or is he a dreamer?          “Don’t be like the one who made me so old

 Is he mama’s little man?                             Don’t be like the one who left behind his name

Does he help you when he can?                    Because I waited for you like I waited for him

Oh, does he ask about me?”                                                             And nobody ever came.”

-Tim Buckley “Dream Letter”         -Jeff Buckley “Dream Brother”

 

                             

                              

         

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[TLK]

I also enjoyed this school assignment.