Manafonistas

on life, music etc beyond mainstream

2019 4 Mrz

A genius for living

von: Jochen Siemer Filed under: Blog | TB | Tags: , | 5 Comments

 

After midnight, early eighties: listening to BBC Radio, the tune they just played is called „Nightporter“. What a nice but curious sound, a bit like Brian Ferry singing. Something I never heard before. The mysterious studio guest musician is mentioning Jean Cocteau and a certain „difficulty of being“. I am broad awake. Talking on some kind of „Japan“ now. Trying to save some fragmentary information to my short-term memory account, because the plan was made immediately and clear as the daylight to come: the following morning I was going to present those loose-end snippets to the record dealer of my trust, just to let him build a conclusive picture of that puzzle. „Nightporter, the splitting of a cultband and a solo debut – does this make any sense to you?“ Coming home then with an album called Brilliant Trees and, studying fine arts at that time, with another one called Oil on Canvas as a bonusa Frank Auerbach painting on its cover, from a band I never heard of, containing this song called „Nightporter“. Listening to that brilliant fresh stuff I was happy and surprised. A shy, evasive and sophisticated guy with philosophical ambitions, a Pentangle bass player at his side, music that was at the same time folk, avantgarde, funky and ambient. A singing poet fearlessly setting sail, new beginnings. Courageous and romantic attitude, bright beauty spiced with doubt and darkness. Aren´t those the ones that really count who sing their own songs, single-handed written, telling about their true experiences, giving sincere insight to their unique life? What a fine guideline it was! A mirror, a Lifer. These were years with a genius for living.

 

This entry was posted on Montag, 4. März 2019 and is filed under "Blog". You can follow any responses to this entry with RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

5 Comments

  1. Lajla:

    Questions to JYM:

    Did you know that Auerbach gave your portrait to David? Does David know who you are? Did he saw the film „Night Porter?“ Do you think Frank comes closer to the thruth, when he paints it over and over again? Do you believe David has the same technique? Both together are a masterpiece.

  2. J.Y.M.:

    Sorry for answering late.

    Why is he painting it over and over again? No idea …

  3. Lajla:

    Thank you for answering anyway.

    When I met you in Bonn at the exhibition, you explained it like this: Frank doesn’t want to finish a painting, that’s why …

  4. Michael Engelbrecht:

    Die grosse Unbekannte der frühen Jahre David Sylvian-Jahre ist für mich SECRETS OF THE BEEHIVE. Irgendwie verschwand die Platte damals zu schnell aus meinem Leben.

    Heute wird sie, rückblickend, hoch gehandelt, und was ich in MOJO las, brachte zwei Dinge zusammen, flüchtige Erinnerung, und Lust auf eine erneute Begegnung. Gestern bestellte ich das remasterte Teil.

    Hier, aus der Erinnerung, meine Sterne:

     

    Brilliant Trees *****
    Gone With The Earth **** 1/2
    Words with The Shaman ***
    Die Geheimnisse des Bienenkorbs ????
    Die beiden Ambient-Platten mit Czukay und Co – jeweils ***

     

    Und so werden an besonderen Stellen, dank manafonistischer Texte, in den nächsten Klanghorizonten, ein Leonie Klein Track und ein Sylvian Song auftauchen.

  5. Michael Engelbrecht:

    Oha.

    Es gab erste Widerstände, aber dann:

    SECRETS OF THE BEEHIVE

    was für eine grossartige Schallplatte!

    Ich kannte sie nicht wirklich.


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