Japan (band)
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Japan (band) |
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| Japan | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | United Kingdom | |
| Genre(s) | New Wave Art Rock New Romantic Post-Punk Synth-Pop |
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| Years active | 1974 - 1982, 1991 |
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| Label(s) | Hansa Virgin |
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| Associated acts |
Nine Horses |
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| Members | ||
| Mick
Karn Richard Barbieri Rob Dean Steve Jansen David Sylvian |
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Japan was a British pop/rock group, formed in 1974 in Lewisham, southeast London.
The original members were:
Contents
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The band debuted on record with 1978's Adolescent Sex and subsequently Obscure Alternatives, which both sold well in Japan and the Netherlands (where the single "Adolescent Sex" was a Top 30 hit), they also gained some popularity in Canada, but nowhere else. Though influenced by artists such as The New York Dolls, Roxy Music and David Bowie, both albums were widely dismissed by the British music press as being distinctly outmoded at a time when punk and New Wave bands were in ascendence. However, tracks such as "Suburban Berlin", "State Line" and "Rhodesia" suggested a creative depth and sense of melody to the band's output which would hint at their future direction.
Their 3rd album, 1980's Quiet Life (recorded in 1979), heralded a significant change in musical style from the earlier largely guitar-based music to a more electronic sound, with more emphasis on Barbieri's synthesisers, Sylvian's svelte baritone style of singing, Karn's distinctive fretless bass sound and Steve Jansen's odd-timbered and intricate percussion work with Dean's guitar playing becoming increasingly sparse and atmospheric. Quiet Life was their last studio album for Hansa-Ariola, though the label would later issue a compilation album ("Assemblage") featuring highlights from the band's tenure on the label.
Their final two studio albums,
The group's final UK performance came in November 1982 culminating in a three-night sell-out stint at London's Hammersmith Apollo. Japan's last ever performance was on 16th December 1982 in Nagoya, Japan. The band's final Hammersmith concerts were recorded to produce Oil On Canvas, a live album (and video) released in June 1983. Ironically, the band decided to split just as they were beginning to obtain long-overdue commercial success both in their native UK and internationally, with Oil On Canvas becoming their highest charting British album, reaching #5.
All of the band members went on to work on other projects, with varying degrees of success. By far the most successful is David Sylvian, who has recorded numerous solo albums and collaborations with noted performers including Holger Czukay, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Robert Fripp. A reformation of the band members in 1990 (under the name Rain Tree Crow) was short-lived and produced only one eponymously-titled album which was released in 1991. Once again, the band dissolved following frictions between Sylvian and the other members. The project was nevertheless a critical success. Jansen and Barbieri worked together releasing electronic instrumentals under that moniker in the late nineties and early noughties. In 2005 and 2006 Steve Jansen and David Sylvian worked together again, releasing recordings under the name Nine Horses.
The fictional band "Bee Hive" of mangaka Kaoru Tada's Ai shite knight is based on them.
Karn was originally going to be the group's lead singer, but he got stage fright at their first gig and Sylvian stepped in to replace him.
Barbieri has gone on to play keyboards in the art-rock band Porcupine Tree and with Steve Hogarth of Marillion in the h band. In 2005, he released his first solo album, Things Buried, on Racket Records.
They were originally managed by Simon Napier-Bell who also managed The Yardbirds, Marc Bolan, London and Wham!.
Their song "Quiet Life" is featured as a radio
track on Wave 103 in the PSP title
A bewildering number of Japan compilation albums
have been released. The following albums were compiled in consultation
with group members and include some non-album and previously
unavailable material.
For completists, the Japanese 2-CD set "The Singles" is worth finding
as it includes several single edits and remixes that are not available
in the UK.
In 2003, Virgin Records re-issued remastered editions of Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Tin Drum and Oil on Canvas. BMG followed suit next year, and re-issued Adolescent Sex, Obscure Alternatives, Quiet Life, and Assemblage. All of these re-releases came in the 'digipak' format, collecting many bonus tracks. In 2006 all were repackaged in jewel cases to allow sale at a lower price point.
The Tin Drum digipak re-issue
was of special interest, as it was packed in a cardboard box, contained
a bonus 5-inch single The Art of Parties, carrying
4 tracks not included on Tin Drum itself or any
other Japan album released on Virgin, plus a booklet with
black-and-white photos of the band members.
The following Japan tracks appeared on vinyl but have not yet been released on CD:
"Life In Tokyo - A Tribute to Japan" (BMG Japan)
1996
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