Exorcising Ghosts
Encyclopedia
Exorcising Ghosts is a compilation album by the British band Japan
, released in 1984 by Virgin Records
.
Exorcising Ghosts was compiled and produced in consultation with lead singer David Sylvian
two years after Japan dissolved. It features three recordings from the band's early career on the Hansa Records
label (such as 1979's "Quiet Life") but mainly focuses on material from their two studio albums on Virgin Records; Gentlemen Take Polaroids
(1980) and Tin Drum
(1981).
Besides top 40 hit singles like "Quiet Life", "Visions of China", "Ghosts", and "Nightporter", the double-album set includes album tracks like "Methods of Dance", "Talking Drum" and "Swing" alongside a selection of rarities such as the single B-sides "A Foreign Place" and "Life Without Buildings", the 1981 remix of "Taking Islands in Africa", the instrumental studio recording "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer" included on 1983's live album Oil on Canvas
and the 12" mix of "The Art of Parties".
Exorcising Ghosts reached #45 on the UK albums chart and was certified Gold (100,000 copies) by the BPI in February 1997.
Seven years after the release of Exorcising Ghosts Japan recorded a new studio album, but under the new moniker Rain Tree Crow
.
Note: the abridged, single disc CD version of Exorcising Ghosts omits five of the sixteen tracks: "Swing", "A Foreign Place", "Taking Islands in Africa", "Sons of Pioneers" and "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer".
Japan (band)
Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in Catford, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement .- History :The band began as a group of friends...
, released in 1984 by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
.
Exorcising Ghosts was compiled and produced in consultation with lead singer David Sylvian
David Sylvian
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
two years after Japan dissolved. It features three recordings from the band's early career on the Hansa Records
Hansa Records
Hansa Records was a record label founded in the 1960s based in Berlin, Germany....
label (such as 1979's "Quiet Life") but mainly focuses on material from their two studio albums on Virgin Records; Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
(1980) and Tin Drum
Tin Drum
Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
(1981).
Besides top 40 hit singles like "Quiet Life", "Visions of China", "Ghosts", and "Nightporter", the double-album set includes album tracks like "Methods of Dance", "Talking Drum" and "Swing" alongside a selection of rarities such as the single B-sides "A Foreign Place" and "Life Without Buildings", the 1981 remix of "Taking Islands in Africa", the instrumental studio recording "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer" included on 1983's live album Oil on Canvas
Oil on Canvas
Oil on Canvas is a live album by the British band Japan, released in 1983 by Virgin Records. Although it is a live recording of their established material, the album also contains three new studio tracks , recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively...
and the 12" mix of "The Art of Parties".
Exorcising Ghosts reached #45 on the UK albums chart and was certified Gold (100,000 copies) by the BPI in February 1997.
Seven years after the release of Exorcising Ghosts Japan recorded a new studio album, but under the new moniker Rain Tree Crow
Rain Tree Crow
Rain Tree Crow was the name used by the English New Wave band Japan when they briefly reformed for this one-off project, which would be their final album...
.
Note: the abridged, single disc CD version of Exorcising Ghosts omits five of the sixteen tracks: "Swing", "A Foreign Place", "Taking Islands in Africa", "Sons of Pioneers" and "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer".
Side A
- "Methods Of Dance" - 6:50
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- "
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" - 7:08
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- "Quiet Life" - 4:52
- From 1979 album Quiet LifeQuiet LifeQuiet Life is the third album by the British band Japan, released firstly in Japan, Germany, Canada and other countries in December 1979, then in the UK in January 1980...
- From 1979 album Quiet Life
Side B
- "A Foreign Place" - 3:11
- Instrumental, originally released as B-side of single "Quiet Life", 1980
- "Nightporter" - 6:48
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- "My New Career" - 3:52
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
- From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- "The Other Side Of Life" - 7:25
- From 1979 album Quiet LifeQuiet LifeQuiet Life is the third album by the British band Japan, released firstly in Japan, Germany, Canada and other countries in December 1979, then in the UK in January 1980...
- From 1979 album Quiet Life
Side C
- "Visions Of China" - 3:38
- From 1981 album Tin DrumTin DrumTin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
- From 1981 album Tin Drum
- "Taking Islands In Africa" (Steve Nye Remix) (Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
/David Sylvian) - 4:53- Original version appears on 1980 album Gentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
- Original version appears on 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- "Ghosts" - 4:32
- From 1981 album Tin DrumTin DrumTin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
- From 1981 album Tin Drum
- "Sons Of Pioneers" - 7:07
- From 1981 album Tin DrumTin DrumTin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
- From 1981 album Tin Drum
Side D
- "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer" - 3:30
- Instrumental, from 1983 album Oil on CanvasOil on CanvasOil on Canvas is a live album by the British band Japan, released in 1983 by Virgin Records. Although it is a live recording of their established material, the album also contains three new studio tracks , recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively...
- Instrumental, from 1983 album Oil on Canvas
- "Life Without Buildings" - 6:35
- Originally released as B-side of 12" single "The Art of Parties", 1981
- "Talking Drum" (Edited intro) - 3:32
- From 1981 album Tin DrumTin DrumTin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
- From 1981 album Tin Drum
- "The Art Of Parties" (12" Mix) - 6:46
- Original version appears on 1981 album Tin DrumTin DrumTin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
- Original version appears on 1981 album Tin Drum