Having rediscovered how deeply ingrained Ghosts by Japan is in my psyche, I thought I would post their albums in this thread for everyone else to explore.
I hadn't listened to their first two albums before
(not keen TBH, although the seeds are there)), they are somewhat of their time
(Sylvian does punk! ), as they all are I guess
.
Edit: First discovery was actually through Quiet life, (not as I originally wrote here ~ "as I originally discovered them with Tin Drum
(& Ghosts unsurprisingly)", still it was a long time ago...
I thought I would post them in release order anyway.
There is still something fresh in their approach IMO, viewed from this current age of homogenised music (
again IMO).
Ghosts was originally posted in my "
Your favourite track ~ right now ?" (linked below)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Japan performing 'Ghosts' from their 1981 album 'Tin Drum' on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1982. Guest musician: Ryuichi Sakamoto
SORRY I didn't realise you have to go to YouTube to watch the OGWT version, so I've posted the album version below it.Duration 4:47
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij089OiN8cc
Duration 4:33
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOW4-oWnDPw
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/116883/your-favourite-track-right-now#latest
Comments
(lifted unapologetically from Wikipedia ~ linked here)
Duration 47:50
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ36ZAOr_VQ
Duration
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn7ZNw_Yryo
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Richard Barbieri moved on to become the keyboardist for progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, a role he has filled since 1995's The Sky Moves Sideways. Although band members would work with each other again on various individual projects (including Sylvian and Jansen's Nine Horses project), no further full Japan reunions were planned in any form.
Throughout the 1990s Karn, Jansen and Barbieri reunited in instrumental projects with different guitarists such as David Torn and Steve Wilson.
Somehow there seems to be a link through to Steve Wilson and Porcupine Tree, for me at least.
Twenty years after their reunion as Rain Tree Crow, Mick Karn died from cancer in January 2011 RIP
I don’t know the band’s output in detail but there are some superb individual tracks like Ghosts and Talking Drum. David Sylvian’s album Gone to Earth ( I think that’s right) is a superb extension to the Japan catalogue as well.
(This is where the story started for me)
Duration 52:08
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2GyO7mrd_I
1979
full album + B sides
I haven't heard Gone to Earth, so thanks for your recommendation @EricTheWeary ;. I think I need to explore David Sylvian's back catalogue more thoroughly. (off to YT land again)
Edit: ~ and, believe it or not, there it is on my YT recommendations, result !
(Actually, I think I prefer Shiina's white to Dean's sunburst, but still, his slinky Ebow playing on Swing is still groovy.)
I must confess my recent snark has been that Gentlemen Take Polaroids is my favourite Duran Duran record.
Duration 46:34
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiaEQ7cnzT0
1980
Duration 38:00
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kct2Z8S2Qo
https://youtu.be/ZGCB6Fyn58M
Having said all that, I really enjoyed listening to it, and I also learnt a lot from the experience, cheers