Japan

Japan

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Profile:
New wave, art rock, synth pop band, formed in London, England in early 1974.
Japan comprised David Sylvian (vocals), his brother Steve Jansen (drums), Richard Barbieri (keyboards) and Mick Karn (saxophone/bass). Rob (Robert) Dean joined the line-up as guitarist and the band subsequently won a recording contract with the German record company Ariola-Hansa. Eminently unfashionable in the UK punk era, they first found success in Japan.

After three albums with Ariola-Hansa, they switched to Virgin Records in 1980 and found their fortunes dramatically improving thanks to the surge of popularity in the New Romantic movement. Japan's androgynous image made them suddenly fashionable and they registered several UK Top 20 singles. Their albums Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981) were also well received. Rob Dean left the band after Gentlemen Take Polaroids but continued working with the band for one more tour thereafter.

Disagreements between Karn and Sylvian undermined the band's progress just as they were achieving some long-overdue success, and they split in late 1982. The members diversified into collaborative work and solo careers, reuniting (minus Dean) in 1991 for a project under the moniker of Rain Tree Crow.
Sites:
nightporter.co.uk, lifeintokyo.net, Facebook, Wikipedia
Aliases:
Rain Tree Crow
Members:
David Sylvian, Masami Tsuchiya, Mick Karn, Richard Barbieri, Rob Dean, Steve Jansen
Variations:
Viewing All | Japan

Artist

Marketplace

13,941 For Sale
Vinyl and CD
Data Quality
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Image Title Label Catalog Number Year In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory Actions

Albums
SW-4-50047 Obscure Alternatives — Japan Japan Obscure Alternatives (Album, Comp) Ariola Hansa SW-4-50047 Canada 1978 Sell This Version
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none Adolescent Sex — Japan Japan Adolescent Sex (Album, Single) Ariola Hansa none UK 1977 Sell This Version
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AHAL 8010 Quiet Life — Japan Japan Quiet Life (Album, Comp) Hansa, Ariola Records, Ariola Hansa AHAL 8010 Canada 1979 Sell This Version
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V 2180, V2180 Gentlemen Take Polaroids — Japan Japan Gentlemen Take Polaroids (Album) Virgin, Virgin V 2180, V2180 UK 1980 Sell This Version
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CN 3769/S In Concert-249 — Japan Japan In Concert-249 ‎(LP, Transcription) BBC Transcription Services CN 3769/S UK 1981 Sell This Version
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V2209 Tin Drum — Japan Japan Tin Drum (Album, EP) Virgin V2209 UK 1981 Sell This Version
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302 178-406 Oil On Canvas — Japan Japan Oil On Canvas (Album) Virgin, Virgin 302 178-406 Europe 1983 Sell This Version
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Singles & EPs
DE. 3014, DE 3014 Don't Rain On My Parade — Japan Japan Don't Rain On My Parade (Single) Hansa International DE. 3014, DE 3014 Italy 1978 Sell This Version
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AHA 529 Sometimes I Feel So Low — Japan Japan Sometimes I Feel So Low (Single) Ariola Hansa AHA 529 UK 1978 Sell This Version
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VIP-2648, AHA-1001 The Unconventional / Adolescent Sex — Japan Japan The Unconventional / Adolescent Sex (Single) Ariola Hansa VIP-2648, AHA-1001 Japan 1978 Sell This Version
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none 日本語シートレコード — Japan デヴィット・シルヴィアン*, Japan デヴィット・シルヴィアン*, Japan - 日本語シートレコード ‎(Flexi, 7", Single, Ltd, Red) Victor, Ariola Hansa none Japan 1978 Sell This Version
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100 072 Adolescent Sex — Japan Japan Adolescent Sex (Single) Hansa International, Hansa Record 100 072 Germany 1978 Sell This Version
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VIP-2797, AHA-1013 Quiet Life = クワイエット・ライフ — Japan Japan Quiet Life = クワイエット・ライフ (Single) Ariola Hansa, Ariola Hansa VIP-2797, AHA-1013 Japan 1979 Sell This Version
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AHAD 540 Life In Tokyo — Japan Japan Life In Tokyo (Single, EP, Comp) Hansa International, Hansa International AHAD 540 UK 1979 Sell This Version
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100.481, 100481 Deviation — Japan Japan Deviation ‎(7", Single) Hansa International, Hansa International 100.481, 100481 Netherlands 1979 Sell This Version
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VIPX-1501, AHA-1501 I Second That Emotion = セカンド・ザット・エモーション — Japan Japan I Second That Emotion = セカンド・ザット・エモーション (Single) Ariola Hansa, Ariola Hansa VIPX-1501, AHA-1501 Japan 1980 Sell This Version
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600.242, 600 242 Live In Japan — Japan Japan Live In Japan (EP, Single) Hansa International, Hansa International 600.242, 600 242 Netherlands 1980 Sell This Version
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101 754, 101 754-100 Quiet Life / Second That Emotion — Japan Japan Quiet Life / Second That Emotion (Single) Rocktopus, Rocktopus 101 754, 101 754-100 Germany 1980 Sell This Version
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VS 379 Gentlemen Take Polaroids — Japan Japan Gentlemen Take Polaroids (Single) Virgin VS 379 UK 1980 Sell This Version
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EPHA 001, EPHA-001 Special Edition - Five Song - Extended Play — Japan Japan Special Edition - Five Song - Extended Play ‎(12", EP, S/Edition) Hansa, Quality EPHA 001, EPHA-001 Canada 1980 Sell This Version
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JAPAN 1J Welcome To Japan Official Fan Club — Japan Japan Welcome To Japan Official Fan Club ‎(Flexi, 7", S/Sided, Red) Not On Label (Japan) JAPAN 1J Japan 1980 Sell This Version
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HANSA 12-6, HANSA126 Quiet Life — Japan Japan Quiet Life (Single) Hansa HANSA 12-6, HANSA126 UK 1981 Sell This Version
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VS 436 Visions Of China — Japan Japan Visions Of China (Single) Virgin VS 436 Australia 1981 Sell This Version
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VEP 305 The Art Of Parties — Japan Japan The Art Of Parties (Single) Virgin VEP 305 Canada 1981 Sell This Version
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VIP-4181 Nightporter = ナイトポーター — Japan Japan Nightporter = ナイトポーター (EP) Virgin VIP-4181 Japan 1982 Sell This Version

Reviews

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djrla.smith

djrla.smith

May 15, 2023
EVENING EVERYONE! Just a brief note that when buying JAPAN releases it might be good to check its the same as the description - 4th purchase where the disc sent is NOT the disc advertised, but similar! Its happened so far with a USA 12" Visions of China (wasnt the Promo version, just the standard copy), Nightporter 12" (the disc sent was the standard issue WITH writing, advertised was that it was the rarer edition WITHOUT writing on the cover - checking 2 other Sellers have placed it in the 'wrong' section!), and so on...
simonali6819

simonali6819

January 4, 2022
Am I right to take issue with Masami Tsuschiya being listed as an official member of the band?
See 3 replies
GOODGROOVECIRCLE

GOODGROOVECIRCLE

June 22, 2021
Adolescent Sex was the first album, but it's incorrectly in second place above after Obscure Alternatives which is the second album. Great band all the same and one of the best Bowie/Roxy influenced bands. They quit at their peak unfortunately but inspired a big chunk of 80s pop acts especially Duran Duran, Tears For Fears and a host of New Romantics.
DazMon

DazMon

September 10, 2020
Love this band, they were ahead of their time, but being called 'Japan' you'd think they'd be able to pronounce Tokyo as 2 syllables not 3, just nitpicking here sorry...
See 1 reply
Madison-chan

Madison-chan

April 21, 2019
One of the most underrated bands of the 80's, their great experimental work was refreshing compared to most other acts at the time. Life long fan of these guys.
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