Sunday 19 January 2014

David Sylvian - A Biography The Solo Years

I am working my way through Christopher Young's biography on David Sylvian's solo years. It is work as someone of my advanced years is struggling with the the print size! Look at this.

I can just about manage that. But not this.

Is there a paper shortage? Anyway, it is a fascinating read. I am particularly looking forward to the Blemish years and beyond. Here, I admire Sylvian's work more than I enjoy it. Some might say he lost the plot here. So it will be interesting to see if Young throws some light on why Sylvian made such a radical shift in his songwriting to embrace such uncompromising sounds and structures as he has.

For me the "trilogy" of his first three song based albums are his creative peak. This is where he utilised the distinctive sounds and playing of Fripp, Nelson, Hassell, Czukay, Torn, Sakamoto amongst others to such blinding effect. The pic above shows the recently released Japanese SHM papersleeve editions of those.

I know he no longer is interested in the Virgin years, but I wish someone would release an expanded edition of his collaborative album with Fripp, "The First Day" as there was so much bonus stuff recorded, only available as single b-sides. It would be great to have all that packaged together. Maybe someday.

 

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