Japan, which also included Mick Karn, Rob Dean, Richard Barbieri and Sylvian's brother Steve Jansen, started out as a confusing hybrid rock/sleaze outfit in the mould of David Bowie and The New York Dolls. Their music quickly evolved as, at least to begin with, they drew heavily on the influence of Roxy Music's art rock stylings. Their visual image developed in parallel and the band were (unwillingly) tagged as forerunners of the New Romantic movement.
Japan recorded five studio albums between March 1978 and November 1981. Their biggest hit single, the minimalist Ghosts, which reached the Top 5 in the UK charts in 1982, was a clear pointer to Sylvian's future direction. After a successful tour, the band split in late 1982, and Sylvian embarked upon a solo career.
Around the time of Sylvian's first solo album he collaborated with 坂本龍一 (Ryuichi Sakamoto) on the soundtrack music for the Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), which produced a Top 20 hit single, Forbidden Colours.
Sylvian's debut solo album, the jazz and ambient-influenced Brilliant Trees (1984), met with critical acclaim and yielded the single Red Guitar, another Top 20 hit. Guest artists included Jon Hassell and Holger Czukay. His follow-up was an instrumental EP Alchemy which cemented his drift away from commercial pop
The EP was in turn followed by the double album Gone to Earth (1986), which flouted convention (and perhaps commercial wisdom) by featuring one record of songs (predominantly atmospheric ballads) and one consisting almost entirely of ambient instrumental tracks. Guest artists included guitarists Robert Fripp and Bill Nelson.
His third album, Secrets of the Beehive (1987), was more acoustic and oriented towards somber, emotive ballads laced with string arrangements by 坂本龍一 (Ryuichi Sakamoto). It yielded one of Sylvian's most well-received songs, Orpheus, and was supported by his first solo tour, 1988's "In Praise of Shamans". Sylvian's touring band included ex-Japan bandmates Jansen and Barbieri along with trumpeter Mark Isham, bassist Ian Maidman and guitarists David Torn and Robbie Aceto.
Never one to conform to commercial expectations, Sylvian then collaborated on several ambient music projects with artists including Holger Czukay and Russell Mills.
In 1991, a highly-anticipated Japan reunion (excluding Rob Dean) ended in acrimony. Sylvian insisted on calling the project and the album Rain Tree Crow, to the dismay of both his label Virgin Records (who were hoping for a hit "comeback" album) and his former bandmates. Guitarists Bill Nelson, Phil Palmer and Michael Brook augmented the quartet for the recording of the album.
In late 1991, Robert Fripp approached Sylvian and asked him to be part of a new King Crimson. Sylvian declined and instead suggested they work on a future collaboration resulting in the release of The First Day.
A period of relative musical inactivity followed, during which time Sylvian moved to the United States. Eventually in 1999, Sylvian released Dead Bees on a Cake. It showed the most eclectic influence of all his recordings, ranging from soul music to jazz fusion to Eastern spiritual chants, and most of the songs' lyrics reflecting Sylvian's inner peace with his marriage (to the wonderful poet/singer Ingrid Chavez), family and beliefs. Guest artists included longtime friend 坂本龍一 (Ryuichi Sakamoto), as well as Talvin Singh, Marc Ribot, Kenny Wheeler and Bill Frisell.
Sylvian parted ways with Virgin and launched his own independent label, Samadhi Sound. Sylvian experimented alone with treated sounds made from his guitar and computer. The results were recorded during February of 2003. A few months later, he released the album Blemish. The disc was stark in its sound and content. The lyrical subject matter dealt primarily with the impending dissolution of Sylvian's marriage. In 2005 The Good Son vs The Only Daughter was released, which was comprised of remixes of tracks from Blemish.
With the conclusion of "A Fire In The Forest Tour" in 2004, work resumed on a joint project between Sylvian and Jansen. Yet the course of the album took on a completely new tone after Sylvian decided to add keyboardist/vibraphonist/programmer Burnt Friedman to the proceedings and make him an equal partner in the collaboration. The band name of Nine Horses was adopted and the CD, titled Snow Borne Sorrow, was released in October of 2005. The sound was a return to more traditional avenues for Sylvian after the radical departure he took with Blemish. Elements of avant-garde jazz, pop, folk and electronic music were all blended together
Nine Horses' Money For All EP was released in 2006, which included new material as well as Burnt Friedman remixes of songs selected from their first disc.
News on Sylvian's website was released in March stating that "We're preparing for the release of David’s new album Manafon. It’s a powerfully bold, uncompromising work featuring contributions from Evan Parker, John Tilbury, Keith Rowe, Christian Fennesz, Otomo Yoshihide, and many more."
David Sylvian's official website: www.davidsylvian.com
Ink in the well
David Sylvian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nostalgia burns in the hearts of the strongest
Picasso is painting the ships in the harbour
The wind and sails
These are years with a genius for living
The rope is cut, the rabbit is loose
(fire at will in this open season)
(it's all written down in this age of reason)
The animals run through harvested fields of fire
The bitterness shown on the face of the homeless
Picasso is painting the flames from the houses
The sudden rain
These are years with a genius for living
The rope has been cut, the rabbit is loose
(fire at will in this open season)
The blood of a poet, the ink in the well
(it's all written down in this age of reason)
Fire at will
In this song, David Sylvian paints a vivid picture of a world in tumult. The first verse speaks of nostalgia burning in the hearts of even the strongest as the lights of the ashes smolder through hills and vales. The image of Picasso painting the ships in the harbor adds to the atmosphere of a world at war, where ships were essential for transport and trade. This is juxtaposed with the wind and sails - a symbol of the freedom that is being taken away by war. The second verse adds to the sense of chaos with the image of animals running through harvested fields of fire and the bitterness shown on the face of the homeless. Picasso continues to paint, this time painting the flames from the houses. The sudden rain serves as a temporary respite from the chaos, and Sylvian acknowledges that these are years with a genius for living.
The chorus is particularly interesting. "The rope is cut, the rabbit is loose" is a metaphor for the breakdown of society’s order, when chaos is set in motion. "Fire at will in this open season" is a call to arms, urging people to act, take risks and make things happen in a world where everything is up for grabs. "The blood of a poet, the ink in the well" acknowledges the power of words and ideas to move people, and in a world of chaos, writing can be a way for people to make sense of things and leave a record of what’s happened.
Overall, Ink in the Well is a powerful and moving song about the chaos of war and the power of art and writing to make sense of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
The lights of the ashes smoulder through hills and vales
The light from the burning ashes illuminates the surroundings.
Nostalgia burns in the hearts of the strongest
The strongest people also feel the pain of nostalgia.
Picasso is painting the ships in the harbour
Picasso is creating art that depicts ships in the harbor.
The wind and sails
The movement of air is powering the sailing vessels.
These are years with a genius for living
This is a time when people are living with great creativity and intelligence.
The rope is cut, the rabbit is loose
The constraints have been released and there is freedom.
(fire at will in this open season)
Take advantage of this time of opportunity to act without restriction.
The blood of a poet, the ink in the well
The passion and creativity of a writer is captured in the ink they use.
(it's all written down in this age of reason)
Everything is documented and recorded in this rational era.
The animals run through harvested fields of fire
Wildlife is fleeing through fields where crops have been burnt down.
The bitterness shown on the face of the homeless
The homeless display a harsh attitude due to their circumstances.
Picasso is painting the flames from the houses
Picasso is creating art that shows houses on fire.
The sudden rain
A rain shower that arrives quickly and unexpectedly.
These are years with a genius for living
This is a time when people are living with great creativity and intelligence.
The rope has been cut, the rabbit is loose
The constraints have been released and there is freedom.
(fire at will in this open season)
Take advantage of this time of opportunity to act without restriction.
The blood of a poet, the ink in the well
The passion and creativity of a writer is captured in the ink they use.
(it's all written down in this age of reason)
Everything is documented and recorded in this rational era.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Athena's Sigil
The song is so beautifully played, punctuated with David's dark baritone and the Mark Isham's flugal horn solo....
Ande Gonzalez
This is probably my favorite David Sylvian song, along with: Weathered Wall, Red Guitar, Brilliant Trees, Taking the Veil, Silver Moon, Wave, and Orpheus.
Moi
phenomenal track.
takumi o
thank you👍🎵
two turntables
I miss Japan. He & Mick Karn were great.
Vincenzo joydivision
la MIA ADOLESCENZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA....LA MIA VITA !!!!!!!!!!!
takumi o
thank you〰️〰️🎵👍
Koenraad Koerts
Zo mooi
takumi o
thank you👍🎵
TheGenreman
Danny Thompson giving it a Nick Drake/John Martyn vibe