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Ian MacDonald

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For several other people with similarly spelled names, see Ian McDonald.

Ian MacDonald (October 3, 1948 - August 20, 2003) was a British music critic.

Life

Ian MacDonald (real name: Ian MacCormick) was born in 1948. His brother Bill MacCormick played bass in Robert Wyatt's Matching Mole. He briefly attended King's College, Cambridge but dropped out after a year. While at Cambridge he was vaguely acquaintated with cult singer/songwriter Nick Drake. Primarily a writer with interest in many kinds of music, he was Assistant Editor of the NME from 1972 to 1975. He began a songwriting collaboration as a lyricist with his brother's band 'Quiet Sun' including future Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera. This collaboration was resumed in the late 70's when MacDonald provided lyrics for the album Listen. Later, Brian Eno would help Macdonald produce Sub Rosa, an album of his own songs, and release it on Manzanera's record label. In his book Revolution In The Head, first published in 1994, MacDonald carefully anatomised every record the Beatles made, drawing attention to broad themes, particular examples of inspiration and moments of human frailty alike. The book also includes his essay "Fabled Foursome, Disappearing Decade", an analysis of the social and cultural changes of the 1960s and their aftereffects.

Its success motivated him to resume music writing and he began contributing to Mojo and Uncut music magazines. The People's Music, an anthology of these writings, was published in July 2003 just weeks before his death. He had been working on a book entitled: Birds, Beasts & Fishes: A Guide to Animal Lore and Symbolism.

MacDonald committed suicide following a lengthy period of clinical depression.

The track "Wish You Well" on Phil Manzanera's recent album '6PM' is a tribute to MacDonald.

Bibliography

  • Revolution in the Head - The Beatles' Records and the Sixties
  • The New Shostakovich (1990)
  • The People's Music (2003)
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