Japan
Play Radio
Listen to Japan Radio,
featuring artists like David Sylvian, Rain Tree Crow, Mick Karn, David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto and more…
-
Search on Spotify
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
1,913,770 plays (201,684 listeners)
British art rock band Japan was formed in 1974 in Lewisham, South London, England with original members David Sylvian (vocals, guitar), Mick Karn (bass guitar, saxophone), Richard Barbieri (keyboards), Rob Dean (guitar), and Steve Jansen (percussion). Dean left the band before the recording of Japan’s final album, Tin Drum.
Japan began playing glam rock, influenced by David Bowie, The New York Dolls and motown. Japan debuted on record with 1978’s Adolescent Sex and subsequently Obscure Alternatives, which both sold well in the nation of Japan, though nowhere else.
Their third album, 1979’s Quiet Life, heralded a 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-timbred percussion work.
Their following two albums, Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981) continued to expand their audience as the band refined its new sound and unintentionally became part of the early 1980s new romantic movement. But Tin Drum ended up being their final album as personality conflicts tore the band apart. Nevertheless, the album’s unconventional single “Ghosts” reached #5 on the UK pop charts.
They split after a farewell tour in 1982.
Most of the original members of the band went on to work on other projects.
Japan began playing glam rock, influenced by David Bowie, The New York Dolls and motown. Japan debuted on record with 1978’s Adolescent Sex and subsequently Obscure Alternatives, which both sold well in the nation of Japan, though nowhere else.
Their third album, 1979’s Quiet Life, heralded a 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-timbred percussion work.
Their following two albums, Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981) continued to expand their audience as the band refined its new sound and unintentionally became part of the early 1980s new romantic movement. But Tin Drum ended up being their final album as personality conflicts tore the band apart. Nevertheless, the album’s unconventional single “
Ghosts” reached #5 on the UK pop charts.They split after a farewell tour in 1982.
Most of the original members of the band went on to work on other projects.
Shouts:
403 shouts
Top Albums
-
Quiet Life
Japan
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $17.11
- eBay Search
-
Exorcising Ghosts
Japan Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital $7.77
- Juno $10.99
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Adolescent Sex
Japan Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital $9.99
- iTunes $9.90
- Buy Album
- Amazon $12.98
- eBay Search
New
-
Tin Drum
Japan Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $7.92
- 7digital $7.99
- Juno $10.99
- iTunes $7.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $5.10
- eBay Search
Shoutbox
-
Magic_Alex wrote:
I really really loved Japan. I write about my obsession here: http://magicalexdjs.blogspot.com/2012/02/cantonese-boy.html
-
scrappy22 wrote:
Amazing voice
-
blackmailman wrote:
the ideal group !
-
silverlage wrote:
Amazing that only a few in the world know that Duran Duran were copy cats.
-
kabelta wrote:
This band got some kick to it,,gotta take a break from Industrial for a while.
-
DaveTasty wrote:
A huge influence in my musical life.Have to agree with seguetropic-Mick you'll be missed.
-
seguetropic wrote:
Mick Karn was such a great bassist... Just listen to Swing and Sons of Pioneers. Some of the greatest basslines in history of music!
-
schweet wrote:
I like them more than Roxy Music and Duran Duran
-
ChatTypeman wrote:
Finally getting into this band. I originally wrote them off on the basis of the singer's blatant Bryan Ferry impersonation. Their instrumentation is amazing, though. And I have warmed to the vocals considerably.
-
Akayz7 wrote:
Unbelievably good.
-
tolovaj wrote:
This band is underrated!
-
pizzake wrote:
My god, I LOVE this band.
-
slonoedov wrote:
кульные чуваки; и как я их раньше пропустил
-
Akatian wrote:
With juvenile intentions!
-
Saranella wrote:
Adolescent Sex! <3
-
creamsicklesky wrote:
Gentlemen Take Polaroids >3
-
vini_guitar wrote:
Mick Karn... What a fantastic bass player. So underated.
-
boshenta wrote:
can say only this: great new wave band!
-
capelinux wrote:
Una banda a años luz de sus cohetaneos
-
AlanaDevotional wrote:
♥
Videos
See more
Listening Now
Top Listeners
-
theatreeffect
Top Listener
-
Herbst_nobody
Top Listener
-
davidmensch
Top Listener
-
tavayin
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
piyapongfr, Shopgirl_, Conrad_Veidt and 4 other people added Japan to their libraries. 2 hours ago
-
AlexeyZhelnov tagged Japan with british and new wave. Wednesday morning
-
LaviniaRock and monotonetuba added Japan to their libraries. Tuesday evening
-
Demon_Pracy tagged Japan with electronic and new wave. Tuesday evening
-
Andy30Bonner, bofdoc and eNates added Japan to their libraries. Tuesday morning
-
musmortwin tagged Japan with ‘new romantic’. Tuesday morning
-
musmortwin, numode, rvq020 and 6 other people added Japan to their libraries. Tuesday morning
-
RussellChap tagged Japan with did a terrible cover, lead singer has a cool name, ghostly and 6 other tags. Saturday evening
-
robertlindhout, gemini620702012 and 4 other people added Japan to their libraries. Saturday evening
-
pablo323 tagged Japan with british, 80s, synth pop and 3 other tags. last week
Related Journals
-
Another shuffle meme!
by blacklizard63 |
29 Nov 2011
-
Omega_Switch's Collection of Musical Plastic (vinyls...)
by Omega_Switch22B |
18 Nov 2011
| 14 comments
-
Top 21 Albums Acquired This Year
by prominence_la |
6 May 2011
| 1 comment
Groups (69)
-
Japan the band
50 members
-
Japan (as in the band Japan)
89 members
-
David Sylvian
141 members
-
I was born several decades too late
10,990 members
-
Obscure Post-Punk and New Wave
6,917 members
More Information
- Links
- Band Members
- Labels
