Japan: From Glamrock To New Wave

[@donatoiacovino6968]

Love the solo work of Richard Barbieri

[@shamsoni]

Loved Rhodesia - Stateline-Halloween-Quiet life- European Sun-transmission etc

[@indigojones8]

I learned about the band through Nick Rhodes and Simon Le Bon doing a special evening show where they played Visions of China in the early '80s, and mentioned some or all of the band members. I was so taken by the one song i bought the album. 40 years later I'm still a fan, but find myself digging deeper. Mick Karn's bass playing has become a particular interest and my heart breaks at his passing.

[@csfan65]

I learned about Japan the same way. I kept hearing Nick Rhodes and John Taylor talking about Japan. When I first saw a picture of them in Star Hits ( the US equivalent of Smash Hits from the UK), I knew that I would like their music.

[@drewdonald6260]

Brought 'Oil on Canvas' in 1984. Still holds up to this day! So surreal, haunting, and beautiful. There was nothing else like it!

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

Yes it's an amazing album. Pure perfection :)

[@stevenr2463]

Love Japan. They quit 1982!? By God. Oil On Canvas - when was that? Still on our record player today.

[@shamsoni]

I’m 61 - Indian and named my son Sylvian he’s nearly 40 and yes back in the day wore 3 inches of make up - loved the early album upto tin drum then went to arty

[@stevenr2463]

Japan were inspiration for many "New Romantics".From Duran to ABC (" I second that emotion"). They were pioneers.

[@christopheradderley45]

I first saw Japan at the Manchester Apollo in '82. I was near the back, but those five distant figures filled the room with music that was haunting, disturbing and utterly compelling. It genuinely was, one of the greatest nights of my life 🧡

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

Yes the were truely unique. It must have been an amazing experience. I am jealous hehe :)

[@christopheradderley45]

​​@@80sNewWaveMusic Thanks for your kind reply. You have created a brilliantly informative, compelling and magnetically entertaining channel. A glorious trip down memory lane 🧡

[@alecbrimacombe4830]

What a wonderful post. Japan were a remarkable band.

[@milepost326]

I can't remember why I bought Adolescent Sex, I think it might have been because I liked the cover plus the guy at the record shop said they were progressive and that the album had only be in the shops a few weeks. I was 18 years old at the time, and on that day, my life took a turn for the better. I was hooked and went on to buy anything Japan, or Japan related that I could get my hands on. I'm 65 next birthday and when my times comes and I disappear behind that curtain, with my relatives looking on, my family know I want it to be the the sound of Suburban Love. A Very comprehensive and to the point video.. Excellent!

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

Thanks :) My first vinyl was Quiet Life which I love. But to me the live recording "Oil On Canvas" is my all-time favorite Japan release. What a way to go! Hopfully not before many years into the future :)

[@kdp8133]

@@milepost326 My story exactly - I loved the cover! Paid £1.99 for it and have loved Japan since

[@jonathanhague5932]

i was young and heard japan quiet life and i was hooked. we had all the others spandau ballet .. great.. Duran duran.. fabulous. but Japan was surreal. Amazing music, words, and synths.

[@philipritson8821]

New Romantic was just Glam Rock updated by 10 years. Oh and what a version of Canton in the background. Like it.

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

Thank you. The Canton version is made by me :)

[@philipritson8821]

@@80sNewWaveMusic Well done.

[@Reprodestruxion]

Also Bowie’s , Eno’s and Roxy Music’s art rock . Also there was art punk and fashion punk. And of course the influence of Chic

[@PedrSion]

Went to see Blue Oyster Cult at the Liverpool Empire in 1979, Japan were the support.

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

Im jealous he he, Sounds like an awesome experience :)

[@jazztheglass6139]

Very good venue. I saw echo and the bunnymen there on their crocodiles tour in 1980. Simple Minds on their sons and fascination tour in 1981. And of course Les Dawson playing widow twankey in Aladdin 1977

[@michaelsweenie-lane359]

They had a huge following in Toronto Canada second only to the country of Japan - 1978 onwards - Saw them Live twice in one night in Toronto in 1979 at The Ryerson College Theater

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

You are so lucky. I wish I could have seen them live too :)

[@あきよし-d1d]

初めて見たJAPANに衝撃を受けた。音楽は東洋的でさらにビックリ！よく聴いた。 スティーブは歳とった今でもカッコいい❤

[@kdp8133]

Rob Dean said that he realised he was on the way out when he found the other four had gone into the studio without him. Then David told him he was no longer needed. After that, David never spoke to him again, although the other four did. He always felt the outsider, as the other four had been in school together. He’s an ornithologist in Costa Rica now; where he’s lived for many years. He’ll be 70 next year.

[@ronreyes4221]

An unpopular opinion but I Prefer the first two albums, and that has a lot to do with Rob Dean’s guitar work. And a rawness to their “immature” rock n roll vibe. I also prefer David Sylvian’s youthful naive angst driven vocals. Maturity is not alway a good thing when it comes to rock n roll. While I admire their desire to grow and mature. I just don’t find their later work with less or none of Dean anywhere near as fun.

[@philliplandry4139]

David had done everybody dirty, especially Mick and Rob, because they, including Richard and Steve, were the main backbone of why Japan existed. The guitar works from Rob were unique because his playing matched the synth real well, and his guitar style was the combination of Fripp and Jimmy Page. When they kicked Rob out, Japan sounded like a generic Synth band. Mick's bass style playing was a whole different level from out of this world. As much as I respect David as a musician, I always felt he was jealous of Rob and Mick's talent. That's why he gave them the short end of the stick from the band.

[@ALPQZM654]

He did The Art of Parties tour with them after Polaroids and show’d up at the studio during the recording of Tin Drum sporting a goatee beard.

[@stevecarter2876]

@@philliplandry4139 Rob wasn't simply kicked-out: he tried to incorporate acoustic guitar on Polaroids and struggled to find a way forward.He knew himself it was the beginning of the end

[@robertbrown4629]

Saw them 1979 in Sherwood hall Nottingham university helped set up their kit (on loan from pink Floyd ) and served them drinks etc

[@SF-iz1px]

AI wrote this. Sheesh. David is/was best described as 'enigmatic'. The charismatic one was/is Mick. Just facts.

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

You are wrong. I write the scripts myself and the music is eighter composed by me or I use something from the original band when it does not give me a copyright warning. I do all the video content myself too (hours of finding photos and cleaning them up etc.). I also do all the video editing as well as the graphics and thumbnails. The only AI here is the voice as my english is ok but with a danish accent.

[@RobMoerland]

Thanks for telling this important history. Oil on Canvas is still one of my favourite albums.

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

It's also mine. I have played it countless times over the years :)

[@ALPQZM654]

It’s an amazing album.

[@stevecarter2876]

Steve's drums were the only live element,the rest being created in the studio

[@petermercury]

Well said sir.

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

Thank you :)

[@linferguson8702]

The break up of the band was totally unnecessary and totally due to Yuka Fujii dumping Mick for Dave 😡

[@DeidreL9]

She has a right to her choices. She’s not some kind of Yoko figure, and she and David had a long relationship, the professional side of which continues. The split had likely been brewing for a while.

[@80sNewWaveMusic]

I agree. Even though the drama with the girlfriend had some saying the split was due to happen because of artistic differences and goals.

[@cracker67]

This reminds me of another legendary avant garde based in New York City, Sonic Youth

[@ALPQZM654]

There was a lot of competition between David and Mick, Yuka leaving Mick for David certainly can’t have helped matters.

[@Danthehorse]

Arthouse or art rock.

[@djmylesmatisse]

Ghosts is David Sylvian solo to me. I Second That Emotion is garbage. My favourite Japan tracks are Quiet Life, Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Swing, Methods of Dance, Halloween, European Son, Adolescent Sex and Life in Tokyo. They abandoned that perfect sound on Tin Drum and I blame Sylvian for that. I also blame Sylvian for taking all the songwriting credit causing Richard Barbieri to have to move back in with his parents after Japan split. Japan's members would've been better served had songwriting been split equally like Duran Duran did it. I was stunned and saddened to learn from a 2022 interview David Sylvian gave where he revealed he hadn't listened to ONE NOTE of Japan's music since he broke the band up in 1982. Just terrible. If it weren't for his and the band's work building up Japan, NO ONE would know or care about David Sylvian solo. I wish he had more respect and reverence for Japan's 5 albums. Then again, I wish Japan had never broken up although I must admit, the name Japan was always shite to me. Just stupid. LOL

[@ALPQZM654]

He remastered all their Virgin releases.

[@Christian-NaitSirC]

@@ALPQZM654 I do believe that drums and bass takes are quite low in volume despite the older versions for what I hear from compressed youtube audio