AMIGOS EM PORTUGAL II, ONE MUSIC, ONE TRULLY PORTUGUESE STORY!

While revisiting this Durutti Column’s work i thought that one of the essential tasks should be to discover a little more about the song “Sara e Tristana” that was a little far more personal to one of the major “architects” of this piece of art. You can listen to the music on the video list at the blog, it’s the opening theme.

  

Being so, and used the actual social tool i went down through my Facebook account and soon i discovered Tristana. She was lovely, since she answered my questions promptly and together we’ve created this piece of dialogue that you can read bellow.

KING_LEER (KL):

    What meant to you and at what part of your life you thought about this – having a song

    named after you and your sister as a dedication from a great musician as Vini Reilly?

TRISTANA ESTEVES CARDOSO (TEC):

Well, music is linked to my life since the early days. It came to my attention later in my life although our father used to show us since we were children. Our dad, was always a box full of surprises and being addicted to good music, feeling it his own genius way only could have ended like that, bringing Vini to Portugal and get him to record with Fundação Atlântica. We’ve been very lucky, first because the music is genial and secondly because Vini Reilly is a great musician and we fell in his grace when we were kids and of course because our father that included us on this awesome project.

KL:

Have you met the band in person ever?

TEC:

No, he was in Portugal for a short time. He “met” us by photo, that’s the main reason for that song’s name.

KL:

Surely your father told you both what was behind the songs name, right?

Can you share it with us?

TEC:

Sure! My father met them in the Manchester. Me and my sister Sara born in England and he invited them to record a single here in Portugal. 

Vini came and recorded a hole album, a great record in my opinion. He wrote the songs and show them to my father and said that the song now called “Sara e Tristana” remembered him about his two daughters and show Vini a photo and, that’s it, in my (suspicious) opinion this is the best track from the record.

This record was a magnificent friends project. The sleeve was written by my father and inside there’s also a picture. The label was created by great friends all of them genius in their own way.

THE END

And folks, one more step concluded in this journey dedicated to discover a little more about this record, created almost thirty years ago. I’m pretty sure convinced that in fact, this was a work of art, created between great friends……Amigos em Portugal.

I would like to thank Tristana for her sympathy and quick feedback to my questions.

P.s Sorry about the layout but this blogger is getting harder to work with pals!

"AMIGOS EM PORTUGAL" - THE DURUTTI COLUMN RECORD REVISITED BY FRIENDS IN PORTUGAL, 30 YEARS LATER.

Dates are references in time but and we always like to use them. Since a couple of months ago I’ve been gathering testimonies from people that worked on “Amigos em Portugal” a Durutti Column album that was recorded here in Portugal and released by the now extinct Fundação Atlântico, a local label. Almost 30 years ago this project was thought and the songs written and recorded. I believe it’s the perfect time to dig a little deeper and discover more stories on this work of art. On the blog players you can listen to some tunes from that record among others. In the next weeks I’ll post more stories with José Valverde(sound), Tristana Esteves Cardoso (song named Sara & Tristana) and Vítor Rua (musician opinion and more stories) and more…

KING_LEER(KL):

Vin and Bruce,

“Amigos em Portugal” was recorded in 1983 so, probably it makes 30 years from now when the music and the project for a record to be recorded in Portugal were thought. Can you remember us how this adventure started?

DURUTTI COLUMN(DC):

We were part of a festival show in the north of Portugal, Our posse was A Certain Ratio,The Tom Robinson Band , The Durutti Column and Tony Wilson. In the early 80’s Tony had a Portuguese  friend called  Miguel who had started a record label called Fundação Atlântico. Miguel I think organized a recording studio in Estoril and Vini and Francesca Wraith went over and recoded very quick (The Vini Reilly style !!). I couldn't make it because my wife Jaqueline had been  taken seriously ill.

KL:

I have in front of me the 1998 digitally remastered Another Setting record. In the inlay card there’s a Tony Wilson note about the record and it’s a bit harsh on the record company. What went wrong at the time?

DC:

When we did the re-release in 1998, Tony had a disagreement over royalties with Miguel and Tony enjoyed writing up his complaints with the record company on the sleeve notes.

KL:

Musically speaking what is the main difference from Durutti Column in 1983 and now in 2012 - besides the age of course.

DC:

Musically, Durutti Column follows the same line as ever. Vini gets inspired with ideas and we go to the studio, usually with Keir Stewart of "Inch" studio  and we try to get it down as good as possible.

KL:

Any of the “Amigos em Portugal” songs was composed in Portugal?

DC:

We were inspired by Portugal and the Portuguese fans, and most of the music came from this.

KL:

In the 90’s Durutti Column edited a song called Fado. Fado has been recently declared by UNESCO an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

DC:

"Fado" was one of my favourites. Vin only played it a couple of times on stage, but it did feature in the film "Cities in the Park" recorded at Heaton Park Manchester in 1991 and Still available!

KL:

Last question. Vin and Bruce – I’ve been at several Durutti Column gigs since 1991.I never saw a string section live with you. Ever thought of playing your music with a grand orchestra? And if, 30 years later an invitation like that would came from Portugal would you consider it and embrace that challenge?

DC:

We did use strings and horns on the album "Without Mercy" in the mid eighties and we did film this in Tokyo for the "Domo Arigato" album and it is an ambition to re-record some Durutti songs with a small orchestra soon or maybe a GRAND orchestra! Thanks for the encouragement,Best wishes and good luck.

THE END