Watch rare footage of Jeff Buckley performing in 1994
Jeff Buckley was one of the most extraordinary talents of the 1990s, despite only releasing one studio album in his lifetime, Grace. Tragically, the musician accidentally drowned in 1997, aged just 30. He left behind countless demos, live recordings and unfinished projects, many of which have since been released posthumously in celebration of his ineffable talents.
Despite being the son of folk icon Tim Buckley, the pair only met once when Jeff was eight years old. Shortly after, Tim died of a heroin overdose, which spurred Jeff to change his last name from Moorhead (his stepfather’s name) to his biological surname, Buckley. The musician picked up the guitar when he was five, inspired by his mother and stepfather rather than his estranged famous father. His parents introduced him to artists such as Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, and he would often sing around the house with his mother. By age 12, Buckley had decided to become a musician.
After leaving school, Buckley played in several struggling bands in styles that ranged from R&B to heavy metal. Devoting himself to music, he formed an eclectic taste, finding a deep affinity with the likes of Sufi devotional musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, hardcore punk outfit Bad Brains, and Nina Simone.
This amalgamation of genres helped Buckley form his sound, which developed over the early 1990s and culminated in his groundbreaking 1994 debut, Grace. Just three years prior, Buckley had made his live debut at a tribute concert for his father, where he chose to perform (despite wanting to distance himself from his father’s music) to “pay my last respects”. No one could ignore the young man’s talent, and by the end of the year, he had penned iconic tracks such as ‘Mojo Pin’ and ‘Grace’, which appeared on his debut.
The singer attracted crowds through frequent live performances, particularly at the Sin-é in New York City. When he released Grace, despite critical acclaim, sales were relatively slow. However, as the years have passed, Buckley’s popularity only seems to have grown. He is now recognised as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of our time. Still, upon its release, the singer was keen to tour his album internationally, which led him across Europe, Asia, the US and Canada, and Australia in 1994.
A few months before Buckley released Grace, he stopped in Scotland to perform at the Gleneagles Hotel, playing material that would become known as some of his most remarkable work. Buckley demonstrated his guitar-playing skills and divine vocal abilities by performing with just his electric guitar for accompaniment. Cuts from the set include ‘Mojo Pin’, ‘Grace’, ‘Lover, You Should’ve Come Over’ and ‘Eternal Life’.
In celebration of Grace turning 25, Columbia/Legacy Recordings released several clips from the show in 2019; however, they remain highly coveted and rare videos of the late singer. Watch the clips below.
