Steve Winwood: While You See a Chance
The line up:
Steve Winwood: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Synthesizers, Lead & Backing Vocals
Winwood decided to give recording one last try. To do so, paradoxically, he burrowed deeper into himself, holing up n the 16-track studio in his home in Gloucestershire. Over the next 3 years, he wrote, played and produced all of the music for Arc of a Diver. "I knew 'Okay, I've got one shot left, and I've got to make it count,'" he says. "At the point of Arc of a Diver, I wanted to give it everything, and if that wasn't successful, that would be it. But I had to make sure I was giving everything. And I certainly did - there was nobody else on the record!"
from Rolling Stone, 12/1/88
And what did Robert Christgau say?
Winwood hasn't been a song artist since Dave Mason left Traffic, but at least here he takes responsibility for his own atmospherics. Instead of consorting with Ijahman or Stomu Yamashta, he's laid down this lulling British-international groove all by himself. Overdubbing, the technique is called. Very up-to-date. B-
6 comments:
Ijahman?
Oh, how I disliked "Arc of a Diver" and particulaly that song.
I don't know what which is worst - the dumb lyrics, the cheezy keyboard at the beginning, the pathetic refrain? Nevermind, it´s all horrible!
I can't remember why I purchased that record, but I sure do remember that it's the first and until today only one of my records I have ever sold on a flee market because I couldn't stand to have it anymore.
All my friends, flinging through my then (in 81 or 82) small record collection, were constantly making jokes about about it like: Oh, Steve Winwood, he is a g r e a t musician. He can play all those instruments..... Even my girlfriend hated it.
But nevermind, most of the other stuff you are posting is fantastic.
Btw: Emmet how was your Paris Gig? The Bouncer didn't let me in because he obviously didn't like my shoes.
ano II
Hey ano, the thing in Paris was great, but it ended up being Saturday not Friday due to a communication breakdown. Sorry you didn't get in! I think it helps to have a girl at least 70 inches high on your arm. Next time say you're a guest of Emmett - it would be great to meet you.
Oh, dear, sorry to have brought back such bad memories with little Stevie Winwood! Back into the closet with that one.
Hey Emmet, I was just jokin'. Didn't make it to Paris.
But a friend of mine who had lived in Paris around two years ago told me that the "Baron" is a pretty posh place with a strict "only-beautyful-people" door policy.
So a peasant from the countryside like me must fear to be refused.
Enjoy your tour de france!
ano 2
Christgau is nuts .. this song is an A++. Even the double-tracking vocal flub Winwood does is charming. Pop transcendence.
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