The Fat Angel Sings

“Music to me, whatever kind it is, it’s inspiring to me, meaningful to me; it gives my life meaning and writing songs gives my life purpose.”

Willie Nile released his first album in early 1980, after New York Times music critic Robert Palmer had seen him playing in Greenwich Village and the resulting write-up garnered record company interest and he was signed to Arista Records. Having come down to the City from Buffalo, where he had been studying Philosophy at the university, Nile played solo at open mics at a time when punk was starting to take over from the coffeehouse folkies. Needless to say, Nile’s idea of a solo acoustic show was more rock & roll than quiet introspection.

With the recent release of “New York At Night”, Nile’s thirteenth studio album, he again leads us into the world of his adopted city, where the characters he sees on the subway or passes on the street can inspire a song that captures the beat, the very breath of the inner New York City, away from Times Square or Central Park. Nile illuminates that New York with his musical soundtrack. From the rockabilly-toned “New York Is Rockin’” to the Irish flavor incorporated into “Lost & Lonely World” and the reflective “Doors Of Paradise” and “A Little Bit Of Love,” Nile has produced one of his best albums to date.

When Nile was a young guy, hot on the release of his self-titled debut album, the hype was unavoidable, especially with songs like “Vagabond Moon” and “Old Men Sleeping On The Bowery.” Pete Townshend was a fan and Nile was asked to open for The Who on their Faces Dances tour. He recorded his second album while John Lennon was in another room at the same studio.

Fred Smith from his favorite band Television started playing bass in his band. The spotlight was firmly shining on him yet he kept his wits about him and his feet on the ground and at age seventy-one, he’s still going strong.

Title track off ‘New York At Night’