Japan (album)
Encyclopedia
Japan is an compilation album by the British band Japan
, released in the United States in 1982 on the Epic Records
label. It was the first U.S. release of the band's material recorded for Virgin Records
in the U.K. (Obscure Alternatives
, on Ariola Records
, had been already been released in the U.S.), and was a combination of most of Tin Drum with three tracks from Gentlemen Take Polaroids
. Despite the group's popularity in Europe and Asia, and a cult following in the U.S., the album was not a chart success, and was released at a time when the band was beginning to break up.
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 the United States in 1982 on the Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
label. It was the first U.S. release of the band's material recorded for 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...
in the U.K. (Obscure Alternatives
Obscure Alternatives
Obscure Alternatives is the second album by English band Japan, released in October 1978, the follow-up to their debut album Adolescent Sex from seven months earlier. Lead singer David Sylvian has gone on record saying that this should have been their debut album...
, on Ariola Records
Ariola Records
Ariola Records is a German record label. As of the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of BMG which in turn has since become a part of the international media conglomerate Sony Music Entertainment...
, had been already been released in the U.S.), and was a combination of most of Tin Drum with three tracks from 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...
. Despite the group's popularity in Europe and Asia, and a cult following in the U.S., the album was not a chart success, and was released at a time when the band was beginning to break up.
Side A
- "The Art of Parties" - 4:15
- "Talking Drum" - 3:30
- "Ghosts" (alternate edit) - 4:18
- "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" - 7:02
Side B
- "Still Life in Mobile Homes" - 5:30
- "Visions of China" (Steve JansenSteve JansenSteve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
/David Sylvian) - 3:36 - "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) - 4:51 - "Swing" - 6:18
- "Cantonese Boy" - 3:46
Personnel
- Richard BarbieriRichard BarbieriRichard Barbieri, is an English synthesiser player, keyboardist and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London...
- keyboard instrumentKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s, programming, tape, synthetic bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
track B3 - Steve JansenSteve JansenSteve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion instrumentPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
s, electronic percussion, keyboards (percussion), keyboards track B3 - Mick KarnMick KarnAndonis Michaelides , better known as Mick Karn, was an English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, who came to fame as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982....
- fretless bass, African fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, didaDidaDida can refer to:*Edvaldo Alves de Santa Rosa, former Brazilian football player famous in the 1950s and 1960s*Andre Amade, Brazilian mixed martial artist*Dida , real name Nélson de Jesus Silva, Brazilian goalkeeper...
, African drum track B3, percussion track B3 - David SylvianDavid SylvianDavid 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...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboard instruments, programming, tape, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, additional keyboards track B3 - Simon HouseSimon HouseSimon House is a composer and classically trained violinist and keyboard player, perhaps best known for his work with space rock band Hawkwind. His arrival in 1974 introduced a new element to the band's style...
- violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.... - Yuka Fujii - vocals
- 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...
- keyboards track B3
Production
- JapanJapan (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...
- producersRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
tracks: A1 to A3, B1 to B2, B5, remix track B3 - John Punter - producer, engineer tracks A4 & B4
- Steve NyeSteve NyeSteve Nye is a music producer for several artists. Some of his better known artists include Bryan Ferry , Penguin Cafe Orchestra, XTC , Japan , David Sylvian , Clannad, TM Network, Scary Thieves , as...
- engineer tracks: A1 to A3, B1 to B3, B5, remix track B3 - Renate - assistant engineer
- Colin Fairley - engineer tracks A4 & B4
- Nigel Walker - engineer tracks A4 & B4
- Steve Prestage - engineer tracks A4 & B4
- John Berg - artworkCover artCover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...
, designDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan... - Fin Costello - photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- MasteredAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
at Columbia NY.