Vista blog

[silentwings]

So, this site is presenting very strangely for me right now. I hope we don't lose it - to this day I find very useful material for my blog project on the past threads here. If you are the site owner and reading this - please preserve the archive, I really believe it's important.

Anyway, this post to say that a couple of weeks ago I published the second part of my articles on Words with the Shaman, this time looking into what David Sylvian had to say about the image of the shaman, and also delving into the very appropriate musical reference point of Steve Reich.

I hope you are able to read this message and follow the link to the article here:

https://sylvianvista.com/2024/03/08/awa ... tree-tops/

Thank you!

[silentwings]

So, this site is presenting very strangely for me right now. I hope we don't lose it - to this day I find very useful material for my blog project on the past threads here. If you are the site owner and reading this - please preserve the archive, I really believe it's important.

Anyway, this post to say that a couple of weeks ago I published the second part of my articles on Words with the Shaman, this time looking into what David Sylvian had to say about the image of the shaman, and also delving into the very appropriate musical reference point of Steve Reich.

I hope you are able to read this message and follow the link to the article here:

https://sylvianvista.com/2024/03/08/awa ... tree-tops/

Thank you!

[Quiet Visitor]

You can contact the moderator here: blemished@japansylvian.com

Hopefully you'll get an answer.

[silentwings]

The latest article on Vista is dedicated to Ryuichi Sakamoto, one year on from his passing. His 2017 album async has two prominent voices: that of author Paul Bowles reading from The Sheltering Sky, and David Sylvian reciting an Arseny Tarkovsky poem.

Sylvian said the album ‘sings of mortality. It expresses a love and gratitude for life accompanied by the knowledge of its fragility.’

I've always enjoyed the little-known remodel of the track with Sylvian, 'Life, Life', by LA-based artist Anenon which was released by Ryuichi as a digital single in 2018.

Here's the link to the article: https://sylvianvista.com/2024/03/29/life-life/

[silentwings]

I just published a new article about David Sylvian's 1995 'Slow Fire' tour.

The London show was completely unexpected by me and I really enjoyed the stripped-back versions of the songs.

This article focuses particularly on the acoustic guitar renditions of favourite pieces.

Here's the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2024/04/19/jea ... wall-live/

[silentwings]

I have so many fond memories tied to Japan's song 'Nightporter'.

It was a pleasure diving into the background and making of this track for the latest article on my blog site.

Here's the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2024/05/10/nightporter/

I hope you enjoy!

[Quiet Visitor]

Thanks! Nightporter has a special place in my heart and life.

I became familair with the music of Satie in the late 70s while watching a Spanish movie on TV. Later on I bought Reinbert De Leeuw's very slow interpretations of his pianoworks. When I heard The Tenant after Obscure Alternatives was released I immediately recognized the Satie-influence. What a great track. Then came Quiet Life with Despair, still my favorite album by Japan (together with Tin Drum). When Gentlemen Take Polaroids was released I first thought it was a lesser duplicate of Quiet Life, so I didn't buy it. But when I heard Nightporter I felt in love with it. I bought the 12"-version with Methods Of Dance on the B-side. Later I bought a poster with the cover of the 12" which stills hangs above my bed after all these years.
I tried to hear the words of the song and wrote them in my own poem-diary, but I must admit David didn't sing all the words that clear, so I made some mistakes
Later on I bought the Polaroids-CD and the album grew on me.

Nightporter, together with all quiet songs of Japan, was a favorite on a tape I made which I ofter played while making love....