the Ghosts Remake

[Chet]

i just have to get it off my chest...
I really don't like what David has done to Ghosts on Everything & Nothing.
I just don't understand why he had to re-record the voice. It was perfect as it was.

[japanfan]

To be honest i don't notice much difference between the two versions and i like them both equally. However i feel Davids voice is better in 2000 than it was in 1983.

[anortherncod]

I agree with you 100%. BUT...

When I was but a little fishie of about 14 or so I wrote a book. At the time I thought it was absolutely fantastic... and then a couple of years later I got rid of it.

E&N came out 20 years after Tin Drum and, what with David being a purported perfectionist, I'm not at all surprised he did a bit of the old 'tweakage' - that's a technical term

The good thing about E&N is that there's so much non-album stuff on there that you can skip the album tracks and then it feels like an album in its own right.

(How many times can I use the word 'album' in the same sentence...?)

Natasha

[godisinthesilences]

I agree with you 100%. BUT...

When I was but a little fishie of about 14 or so I wrote a book. At the time I thought it was absolutely fantastic... and then a couple of years later I got rid of it.

E&N came out 20 years after Tin Drum and, what with David being a purported perfectionist, I'm not at all surprised he did a bit of the old 'tweakage' - that's a technical term

The good thing about E&N is that there's so much non-album stuff on there that you can skip the album tracks and then it feels like an album in its own right.

(How many times can I use the word 'album' in the same sentence...?)

Natasha

hee hee... you crack me up! LOL

[anortherncod]

I'm pleased I made you laugh Gods - all part of the service!!!

Natasha

[The Nightporter]

I really don't like what David has done to Ghosts on Everything & Nothing.
I just don't understand why he had to re-record the voice. It was perfect as it was.

More to the point, why did he re-record the vocals for 'Some Kind Of Fool' when all of the 'old-school' Japan fans have been waiting (in vain?) to hear the original before it was dropped from the 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids' album?

Good as it was to hear the re-recorded vocal version, where is the original?

[Poisoned_Apathy]

Good as it was to hear the re-recorded vocal version, where is the original?

I've been asking myself that question for a loooong while.

[Despair]

Hey Chet, think of it this way......had Sylvian put the regular GHOSTS on E&N, but in interviews to promote the album, happened to mention he re-recorded his vocals on a couple of things, but dropped them....you`d be cryin out to hear the unreleased re-workings ????
This way you get a new vocal, and the ability to still listen to the original

I remember at the time being livid that there was non of his solo hit singles on there, like Forbidden Colours and Red Guitar....thus denying him, bigger sales, but over time, i got over myself, and like Natasha, i actually find its like listening to a whole new album, with so many (7 ?) original unreleased songs on there, as well as curious additions like Come Morning & Buoy.
Worth the price alone for RIDE and SOME KIND OF FOOL

[girl about town]

Hello all,

From what I could gather David upset the other members of ex-Japan at the time of the 2000 album because he had afforded himself the luxury of re-recording his vocals (without consultation from the others). Tut tut Mr S. I have read this somewhere, but can not remember where, I am sure if you trawl through archives of interviews you shall find it!)

Enjoy life, be kind to people and never intentionally hurt anyone.

Girl about town.
xxxxxx

[fletchertronics]

I just don't understand why he had to re-record the voice. It was perfect as it was.

Ghosts (the original) stopped me in my tracks at the time of its release, and turned my perception of popular music on its head. I would go as far as to say that it encouraged me to create music, and in some way shaped my approach to sound design for a number of years.

However... 20 odd years on David's voice had matured, and found its, erm, "voice". The young Ferry-esque vocals that graced the original are barely recognisable in the context of David's solo output, and this was a "David Sylvian" collection after all.

Personally I now prefer this vocal, and despite Japan's huge influence on my (then) young ears I struggle to listen to David's pre-Gone To Earth era vocals.

Besides, as others have stated, the original is widely available in shiny remastered form.

More to the point, why did he re-record the vocals for 'Some Kind Of Fool' when all of the 'old-school' Japan fans have been waiting (in vain?) to hear the original before it was dropped from the 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids' album?

Once again, this was not a Japan retrospective. I'm certain that "old-school Japan fans" were furthest from his mind when putting this album together

I think the only chance you'll ever have of hearing the original 'SKOF' is on a future update to the 'Polaroids' album. However, that's pretty unlikely.

[Phil Lawton]

In comparison, the original vocal had just a tiny bit too "yelp-factor" about it...just a little too much yodel.

The "E&N" version feels more dead-calm and introspective to me...befitting of the title and feel of the rest of the track.

[Simonp]

The original was "of its time"...his vocal sounds too mannered and contrived. His vocals have been gorgeous through Gone To Earth and Secrets..now I think he's trying to hard to impress with that beautiful deep voice.

[Chet]

well said Simonp

[Chet]

i totally agree.
since after Rain Tree Crow he manage to make his relaxed voice sound forced.

[Simonp]

at last someone agrees with me...thanks Chet! I thought I was alone with this.