Japan
A South London group of school friends who turned from glam-tinged new wave to the electronic art pop of Tin Drum, a 1981 album built around David Sylvian's voice and Mick Karn's fretless bass.
- Origin
- Catford, South London
- Years active
- 1974-1982
- Genres
- new wave, art pop, synth-pop, art rock
- Labels
- Hansa, Virgin
Catford
Japan formed in 1974 in Catford, South London, among school friends from Catford Boys' School. David Sylvian, born David Alan Batt on February 23, 1958, took his stage name from Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls; his brother Steve Jansen played drums, and Mick Karn, born Andonis Michaelides in Nicosia on July 24, 1958, played bass. Their first public performance was at Karn's brother's wedding reception in June 1974. Richard Barbieri joined in 1975 and Rob Dean followed, and in 1976 they signed a management deal with Simon Napier-Bell. In 1977 they signed to Hansa-Ariola after placing second to the Cure in a Hansa talent contest.
Adolescent Sex came out in April 1978, Obscure Alternatives that year, and they made their only US tour in November 1978. In March 1979 they played three sold-out nights at the 11,000-seat Budokan in Tokyo, and Quiet Life (November 1979) was the first foreign rock record to enter the Japanese chart, with Giorgio Moroder working on "Life in Tokyo".
Virgin and Tin Drum
Dropped by Hansa, they signed to Virgin in 1980 and released Gentlemen Take Polaroids on November 7, 1980, produced by John Punter and recorded from July 2 to October 2 at AIR, Townhouse and The Barge in London; it reached number 51. AllMusic's Ned Raggett called it unquestionably the album in which Japan truly found its own unique voice. Rob Dean left in May 1981.
Tin Drum was recorded from June to September 1981, beginning June 22, at The Manor in Oxfordshire, Odyssey and Regent's Park, and finished at AIR, produced by Steve Nye and the band, and released on November 13, 1981. Sylvian and Barbieri programmed together on a Prophet 5, an OB-X and a Roland System 700, with Barbieri citing Stockhausen, and Jansen used keyboard percussion and a Linn drum computer. Nye did not listen to the earlier albums, and credited the album's extremely dry, close-up sound. Karn said they started from the feeling that this would become their last album. It reached number 12 in the UK and was certified gold in 1982, and the singles were "The Art of Parties" (May 1981), "Visions of China" (UK number 32), "Ghosts" (UK number five) and "Cantonese Boy" (number 24). NME's Paul Morley called it gorgeously erotic, perfectly evanescent, and AllMusic's Raggett the band's most unique, challenging and striking album. PopMatters calls it their most conceptually unified record, centered on China's Cultural Revolution.
The split and after
The split was announced in late 1982, and the Sons of Pioneers tour ran from Stockholm on October 1 to Nagoya on December 16, 1982, including six consecutive nights at Hammersmith Odeon. Oil on Canvas (June 10, 1983), their highest-charting album at number five, was recorded there. Exorcising Ghosts followed on November 26, 1984. In September 1989 the four core members reunited as Rain Tree Crow, whose album came out in April 1991, under that name at Sylvian's insistence.
Sylvian made Brilliant Trees (1984, UK number four) and collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Karn made Titles (1982) and played in Dalis Car with Peter Murphy, Jansen and Barbieri formed the Dolphin Brothers, and Barbieri has played in Porcupine Tree since 1995. Mick Karn died on January 4, 2011, and BBC Radio 6 Music gave Tin Drum a posthumous Goldie Award for best album of 1981 that year. Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears has cited Tin Drum as an influence on The Hurting, and a half-speed vinyl reissue in August 2018 entered the Official Vinyl Chart at number three. Japan had nine UK top 40 hits and six UK gold albums.
Members
- David Sylvian vocals, guitars, keyboards (1974-1982)
- Mick Karn fretless bass, saxophone, oboe (1974-1982)
- Steve Jansen drums, percussion, keyboards (1974-1982)
- Richard Barbieri keyboards, synthesizers (1975-1982)
- Rob Dean guitars (1975-1981)
Records
- Tin Drum 1981 · Virgin
The fifth and last studio album, with fretless bass, programmed synthesizers and Linn drum computer.
Songs
- Ghosts Tin Drum · 1982
A drumless single from Tin Drum, with marimba the only rhythmic element, which reached number five in the UK in 1982.
Related artists
Where to go next
Reference
- Japan on Wikipedia The fullest chronology.
- Mick Karn on Wikipedia The fretless bassist.
- David Sylvian on Wikipedia The Japan years and the solo path.
Discography and data
- Oil on Canvas on Wikipedia The farewell live album.
- Gentlemen Take Polaroids on Wikipedia The 1980 album.
Sources
- Japan (band), Wikipedia
- Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Wikipedia
- Oil on Canvas, Wikipedia
- Career review: Japan, the band and their recorded output, Richer Sounds