Winter Magic: David Sylvian On Collaborating With Holger Czu

[Blemished]

David has posted a link to his essay for The Quietus - about working with Holger on P&P/F&M and more generally:

http://thequietus.com/articles/24916-david-sylvian-holger-czukay-plight-premonition

This is really great - I have to say I haven't enjoyed reading something about or by David as much as this in a while. It's almost all you might want were he ever to write an autobiography - captures the atmosphere, the process and tools of creation, the personalities...

Anthony Reynold's forthcoming biography about Japan/David - part 2 - is a wonderful read too, but more on that to come..

I felt quite sad reading in the Electronic Sound interview about how David and Holger were estranged in recent years, which I think related perhaps to Holger getting older and having to care for his wife (I think she suffered a long-term illness). So reading this - which captures them at the peak of their collaboration - and seeing some of the photos David's posted recently of Holger is a great tonic.

[javier]

What an absolutely brilliant piece of writing. So engaging, full of atmosphere and painting a beautiful impression of what became such a significant moment on his creative path. I'd love to read more in this vein.

Even a rather short autobiography - with a similarly evocative essay documenting/reflecting on the context of each album or tour, and the ideas emerging from that time - would be wonderful.

[Foales Arishes]

Very nice piece...

There is a new interview (6 page article) with David on this collaboration in the current issue of 'Electronic Sound' magazine [issue 42] https://electronicsound.co.uk/

It says on their site that its out of stock, but I picked up a copy in WH Smiths in Devon this morning, so there are copies around if interested.

[inkinthewell]

Describing a meal with Holger on arriving in Köln, David writes: "we convened at Holger's favorite restaurant where, as was custom at the time, I watched him consume a plateful of cooked meats while I picked at some bread, the only vegetarian option." I love the way this line depicts two completely different people, with what seem like opposite personalities, and who are nonetheless able to work together in harmony. "That's enough David, move onto something else" said by someone else might have caused no little problem in the studio, but with Holger it takes David half a second to understand what's going on and accept it. And they were also enjoying their time together.