JapanSylvian.com

The Art of Parties. Steves performance at the Old Grey Wistle Test always leaves me dazzled.

Words with the Shaman pts 1 & 2. I'd not only ask him to teach me drum it (the patterns are not that difficult per se) but especially to reveal any minutest detail about how the percussion timbres were made.. which are to die for.

Wow, I'm surprised I didn't look for this post before...I am a drummer and have been for 26 years. Steve is an amazing drummer...absolutley spot on with his groove, comes up with great off- time signatures, and is a joy to watch play live (he makes it look so effortless and easy doesn't he?). So many tracks to choose from, I currently do play along with many of them, but there are a few that he could help me with and that I think are some of his more complicated or accomplished tracks:
1. Human Age from Beginning to Melt
2. Blackwater from RainTree Crow
3. The Banality of Evil from Snow Borne Sorrow
4. Wanderlust from Dead Bees on a Cake
5. The Ink in the Well from Brilliant Trees
All of these tracks are just simply brilliant!

I can't miss the oppurtunity to also list here my other fave drummers that influenced me over the years...some during the formative and currently:
Ringo Starr, Chris Frantz, Topper Headon, Alan Meyers, Kevin Wilkinson, Lee Harris, Pete de Frietas, Neil Peart.

My style is closest to Steve Jansen and Lee Harris these days...like to get a groove going and keep it simple.

Actually, Ged Lynch handled the drumming on the studio track of Wanderlust, but Steve did recreate the groove wonderfully on both the Everything And Nothing Tour and The World Is Everything tour.
And The Banality of Evil is predominantly a drum program by Burnt Friedman with Steve contributing occasional percussion over top of the loop.

Probably Visions of China - I re-watched Oil on Canvas the other day - was taken aback by how funny and kitsch some of it seems now - but I always wondered how SJ did VOC. Seems to me it's a synth patch or primitive sample replaces what sounds like those big trad Japanese drums on the record (but probably exactly the same patch). He continues to play the toms underneath live and I always thought it was the other way around (I don't know WHY I assumed that, but I always thought he stopped the tom playing and did the duuurrruurr bit - apparently not).
Anyway, it was mentioned years ago, I think in Q as one of 10 albums (Oil on Canvas this is) which would appeal to drummers.

That's my ha'penny worth.

C

Wow - a bit surprised by the Ain't That Peculiar devotion. I imagine it is one of the tracks that Sylvian probably finds most embarrassing today. Not to say the drumming is bad, or anything.

Well, Steve's drumming was one of the elements that dragged me into Japan, particularly on the Tin Drum album. Sons of Pioneers is probably the one I would want to learn from him, it seems to hold a key to much of his work. Such gorgeous work, deceptively simple.

Although Visions of China is just too cool. Hard to choose!

Before The Bullfight: it hypnotizes me.

inkinthewell wrote:Before The Bullfight: it hypnotizes me.

ciao ant

have any of you noticed how the mix (the drums, especially) on Bullfight sounds different on the remastered cd?

baht habit wrote:Actually, Ged Lynch handled the drumming on the studio track of Wanderlust, but Steve did recreate the groove wonderfully on both the Everything And Nothing Tour and The World Is Everything tour.
And The Banality of Evil is predominantly a drum program by Burnt Friedman with Steve contributing occasional percussion over top of the loop.

Wow! really? Wanderlust isn't Steve...I didn't know that. I knew that Burnt was credited w drum programming on the Banality of Evil, but the sound of the drums and the rhythm sound so much like Steve, I assummed such...thanks for the correction.
btw Listened to Brilliant Trees last night, have to add Pulling Punches to my list.

natsume wrote:Wow - a bit surprised by the Ain't That Peculiar devotion. I imagine it is one of the tracks that Sylvian probably finds most embarrassing today. Not to say the drumming is bad, or anything.

I think there are songs that make David cringe far more than 'Peculiar'! (Good job the cover of "I shot the Sheriff" never saw the light of day! Lol).

I personally feel that Peculiar is a really great cover, they really managed to make it their own. I especially like the B-side version of it.
For me it is the drums that really make the song, the patterns and timing are really quite innovative...I think it's a great example of Steve's use of syncopation.
I'm listening to it right now...I'm quite, quite sure that no other drummer would have come up with that structure, I just love the way he holds back on an expected beat and makes the pattern come back on itself...Brilliant!

When you put this up against what Japan's peers were doing at the time, Japan were just light years ahead of their time.

Just my humble opinion of course...

kitaj wrote:Words with the Shaman pts 1 & 2. I'd not only ask him to teach me drum it (the patterns are not that difficult per se) but especially to reveal any minutest detail about how the percussion timbres were made.. which are to die for.

seconded - that is so overwhelmingly beautiful and s=awesome!

I know nothing about drum play,
I just like drums on "Methods of Dance" and "Ain't That Peculiar" in live bootleg.
but I don't think I can play drums, like such difficult tunes.
I'd like to be given lesson from him how to play marimba on "Ghosts".

I would love him to teach me how to play Sons Of Pioneers cause the drums in that song is just fantastic, it has such a feeling! I think the best version is the live version from Oil On Canvas, it gives me goosebumps! Just brilliant!

Er...
The Ink In the Well and Vision Of China :")
Whatever... If it is Steve who teach me I'd learn anything... No, I'd be too busy gazing at him rather then focusing on the lesson