Jackie Leven 1950-2011

I once saw Jackie Leven at The Borderline in London, wearing a kilt and serving up his own whisky. There was poetry and intense music, all fastened by the great physical presence of the guy who was reared in Fife, but with Irish and Romany roots.

Jackie was a cult figure in the years after punk with Doll By Doll, an act that was spiky and individual but also prone to mystical asides in the Van Morrison tradition. My old NME colleague Stuart Maconie was a big fan and Jackie was also celebrated in the sleevenotes to 'Fisherman's Blues' by The Waterboys. The latter's Mike Scott had been complaining about the stresses of life as a commercial rock star in 1986. He said he'd rather be on a bus in Ayr, savouring the fresh air of home. Jackie's response was life-changing.

"Well, get on the bus then."

Jackie had suffered a violent attack in the Eighties, almost losing his voice to strangulation. He became a heroin addict and I spent a memorable afternoon in west London in 1992, hearing his stories about the dark side, illuminated by information about his rehabilitation charity, The CORE Trust.

Jackie was friends with Robert Bly, of Iron John fame. His solo records of recent years were full of Celtic expanse, name-checking Van and Louis MacNeice, performing with Ian Rankin and also releasing music as Sir Vincent Lone. You didn't need to know him well to be impressed by the vigour of the man.