leo gillespie

Manchester (UK)born Leo Gillespie has been rambling about most parts of the world ever since the early sixties. Leo is a distinguished poet, songwriter and musician, and has written numerous songs, based on his travel experience. His songs come - as he calls it - straight from the heart.He has woven a network of friends stretching from Reykjavik in the distant North to Phnom Penh in the Far East. He truly deserves his title "Poet of the Street and Open Road" Hervé Muller Long story.Leo Gillespie, originally from Manchester UK, he's been busking around since the late sixties, when he spent a while in Paris hanging around with the like of Philippe Petit et Pierre Clementi, and playing in the streets, mostly in Montparnasse, with Didier Malherbe (flutes, saxophone…) and Gerry Field (violin), while his young American girlfriend took pictures and passed the hat — her name was Patti Smith… The trio recorded an album under the name Morning Calm for Barclay Hervé Muller Hervé Muller Since then he's been on the road, mostly in Northern Europe (Iceland, Scandinavia, France, Germany) and the Far-East, writing songs about his experiences, the people he met and things he saw…He recorded them in various friends studios in Europe and sells them wherever he plays. A few years back he did record another commercial album in Finland. Hervé Muller Leo Gillespie has become sort of a legend among the street artists community, which is wider and more organised than people are usually aware of. I originally met him in London in 1973, but later lost touch with him till we met again in the mid 80's. He still travels and plays around Europe… Hervé Muller Hervé Muller He can be a pain, but I love him nevertheless! ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' (Herve Muller is an old friend of mine he was a celebrated journalist and often contributed articles for the french music magazine Rock and Folk and the daily newspaper Liberation . He was a close friend of Jim Morrison and wrote the book Jim Morrison au-delà des Doors - Hervé Muller"Beyond the Doors" and also featured in the film "Les dernier jours de Jim Morrison" https://youtu.be/6gjxxA5fnEg A rare French documentary (with English subtitles) about Jim Morrison's final days in Paris.) ******************************************************** I met Leo about one year ago when I was in Norway at the time he showed me documentary telling who he is. I was impressed by his life and the way he lives it. Leo is a busker musician, he travels through cities all over the world and brings to people in the street his poetry, his words, and his melodies. Last spring Leo stayed at my place in Paris and I had the chance to hear him talk about his life and his expectations. I find him a simple man, don't misunderstand this, when I say that he is simple man I mean that he goes directly to the hearts of things. He told me his stories about the boulevard back in the day and that he would sing to Jean Paul Sartre, Samuel Beckett or Jean Badal. When he was telling me these stories he had that sparkling in his eyes, and I could see not the man, but the boy, the young artist eager to perform and share his work over and over. It lead me to follow him on a Saturday morning in what he calls one of the best places he knows: Rue Mouffetard in Paris where I filmed him sharing his knowledge. I hope that you will be able to feel his voice and that the video doesn't fail in its purpose of grasping a moment of the man's life. the filming nor the editing are that great but I can tell you that listening to this man on the streets is a rare moment of freedom, he gives us the ability to sense time and feel alive for a bit. Thx Leo and I wish you a lot of joy down the road. Cheers to you, Pierre Vacarini.. https://youtu.be/tcPf7TnnRsM Leo Gillespie stories and songs @leostories

Europe, UK