Nostalgia is like any narcotic substance: something that would be better not to take, that taken in excess is lethal, but that, sometimes, administered with care and moderation and in the right place and at the right time, feels wonderful. The problem is that, when all of the latter happens, the body and mind ask us to repeat, and both nostalgia and narcotics, the more they are repeated, the more their harmful effects grow and the more the pleasant ones dissipate. Iván Ferreiro (Nigrán, Pontevedra, 55 years old) thought some time ago that perhaps it was a good time to succumb to nostalgia and celebrate 20 years of Songs for time and distance, his most iconic album. Then, he realized – or was made to realize – that his musical career would soon be 35 years old. “Look, I’m not a big fan of looking back, but I’m a big fan of having a party. On my birthday I don’t think that I’m a year older, but I can have a party,” recalls the Galician musician. “35 years have passed and I feel a little older… I wasn’t planning to celebrate, but my brother Amaro, my wife and everyone encouraged me. In the end I saw a good opportunity to look back and gain perspective.”
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