Tin Drum

Tin Drum is an album by the band Japan, not a David Sylvian solo record, and was the last studio album by Japan. Virgin released it on 13 November 1981. Rob Dean had left in May and Sylvian took over the guitar duties. Recording began in June 1981 at The Manor in Oxfordshire, with Talking Drum and Canton the first tracks completed, then moved to two London studios and was finished at AIR Studios. Steve Nye replaced John Punter as producer. Richard Barbieri remembered it as quite an adventure in synth programming, using a Prophet-5, an Oberheim OB-X and a Roland System 700. Steve Jansen added keyboards and marimba and shared writing credits with Sylvian on two tracks. Sons of Pioneers grew from a bassline by Mick Karn, his only songwriting credit on a Japan song.

Four of the eight songs were British singles: The Art of Parties, Visions of China (number 32), Ghosts (number five) and Cantonese Boy (number 24). The album reached number 12 and was certified Gold in 1982. Paul Morley of NME called it gorgeously erotic, and David Bostock of Smash Hits wrote that Japan had made their best album yet. Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears has called it an absolute conceptual masterpiece and a primary influence on The Hurting, and the Cure and XTC hired Steve Nye for 1983 records after admiring it. Half-speed vinyl editions mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road appeared in August 2018.