Introducing myself...

[Hawk]

A very peaceful hello from here in England! I am having such a lovely evening. It is very cold here at the moment so I have candles all round my living room. There is a wonderful smell of vanilla and lavendar in the air and I can hear a soft pattering of rain on the window. The seagulls are finally going to sleep and I have an hour, maybe half an hour in which to occupy myself until I decide to go to bed as well. So I find myself listening to 'The Heart Knows Better' and realise there's so much I've yet to discover about the genius that is David Sylvian.

I actually discovered him indirectly a couple of months ago through David Bowie. I have listened to Bowie's music for several years now and as soon as I got the internet I began searching for the various films he'd been in as well, one of which was Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence. I learned vaguely of Sylvian through this, and also of Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose work I now realise I heard a lot when I was little. I guess at first I was cynical of Sylvian as, like many, I started making links between him and Bowie. I really feel quite bad about doing this now as, more and more, I realise how very different these two artists are, yet they have both created such amazing journeys, I feel ever so priviledged to be able to retrace the steps of about thirty years and reflect on my own life and creative outlook in the process.

Sometimes I wish I had been alive in the 70s or 80s when things seemed so much more vibrant and productive in artistic fields. But I guess it's useful to look forwards too and be grateful for those memories, even if they are passed on second hand.

Anyway, what I mean to say is, I am so passionate about what I've heard so far of Mr Sylvian's work. I don't know much about him as a person and sometimes I'm not quite sure what some of the songs mean, but they seem to communicate such incredible moods and internal atmospheres and they certainly give me a lot to think about. I LOVE Japan as well for completely different reasons - I am quite amazed at David's transformation but I think it was probably necessary at the time and I really really hope he continues to create such beautiful pieces of music for many years to come. To see him play live would be absolutely magnificent and sometimes I really wish I had discovered him sooner! Well, no time like the present I suppose.

(Is he making a new album? I do hope so!)

Apologies for writing an essay, I must be in that kind of a mood! I look forward to learning more about DS and Japan and thank you for creating such a useful site!

[anortherncod]

Hiya Hawk and welcome to the forum! Hope you have a great time here

[neonico]

hi Hawk

welcome love that song that your listening to ( the heart nos better)

enjoy yourself and dont be afraid to ask anything they are all very freindly here.

[Maria_Wikstrom]

Hi Hawk, welcome! I hope you will enjoy this site, I sure do!

[Nath]

hello Hawk...

Nath

[proggrl]

He is working on a new album, Hawk, which should be quite different from much of his earlier works. Hopefully it will be out before the end of the year but we'll see.

Welcome to the forum. glad you found us - and more importantly, Mr. Sylvian!! The discovery will be quite a journey. Trust me!

[Hawk]

Wow - so many welcomes - I am honoured! Thank you everyone. I am very excited to hear about the new album. I have Oil on Canvas and Blemish at the moment (I didn't really know where to start so I went with the only ones I could afford... I adore them both and would love to own the whole collection one day). Blemish is quite astounding.....one song feels like ten years.....like I have flown a long way inside myself. Oil on Canvas takes me into a tiny corner of the world where so much is happening and there are many people connecting. David's voice provides some sort of consistency linking each globe like the string on a pearl necklace. I am really looking forward to learning more!

[Pagoda]

Gidday Hawk! I saw you swung by my own introduction thread, so I thought I'd do the same.

Hey, I don't have either of those albums- looks like we've both got some collection-expanding to do

take it easy

[Hawk]

Thanks Ames! I know - I am hoping my collection will be slightly larger after Christmas... I am very attracted by Snow Borne Sorrow at the moment...it seems to fit my mood a lot. But any Sylvian album at all would make me sincerely happy and grateful!

[godisinthesilences]

HI there Hawk! Welcome to the forum! You are going to love it here! Everyone is so nice and extremely different and fascinating! WELCOME WELCOME!!!!

[Chet]

hi Hawk
hope you enjoy
and i wish to see you around here often

[Antinous]

Hi hawk. Welcome

[Hawk]

Hello hello hello! Thanks for the welcomes! I will try to post more...when I think of something constructive to say! I am enjoying watching the videos. Mr Sylvian seems like a very very interesting person. I am thinking a lot. Many thanks for uploading.

I got some David-esque glasses on prescription the other day - I just couldn't resist. I love them. The look on the optician's face was priceless ("are you sure you don't want anything smaller?") Heh heh.