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Japan (Japan Album)
''Japan'' is an album by the British band Japan, released in the United States in March 1982 on the Epic Records label. It was the first US release of the band's material recorded for Virgin Records in the UK (''Obscure Alternatives'', on Ariola Records, had already been released in the US), and was a combination of most of '' Tin Drum'' with three tracks from ''Gentlemen Take Polaroids''. It was released at a time when the band was beginning to break up. Despite the group's popularity in Europe and Asia, and a cult following in the US, the album did not break into the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. However, it did peak at number 204 on the Bubbling Under the Top LPs chart. Reception The album was reviewed in ''Billboard'': "Coming in with its own version of stylish rock years ahead of Soft Cell, Human League, etc. yet behind Bowie and Roxy Music, Japan has gotten lost in the cracks. This album, though derivative, shows what Americans have been missing. This is well-played dance music ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japan (band)
Japan were an English new wave band formed in 1974 in Catford, South London by David Sylvian (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steve Jansen (drums) and Mick Karn (bass guitar), joined by Richard Barbieri (keyboards) and Rob Dean (lead guitar) the following year. Initially a glam rock-inspired band, Japan developed their sound and androgynous look to incorporate electronic music and foreign influences. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, releasing nine UK top 40 hits, including the 1982 top 5 hit single " Ghosts", and scoring a UK top 5 with the live album ''Oil on Canvas'' (1983). The band split in December 1982, just as they were beginning to experience commercial success in the UK and abroad. Its members went on to pursue other musical projects, though they reformed briefly in the early 1990s under the name Rain Tree Crow, releasing an album in 1991. History The band began as a group of friends in the early 1970s. Brothers (birth surname Batt) David S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his innovative work during the 1970s. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, and his music and stagecraft had a significant impact on popular music. Bowie developed an interest in music from an early age. He studied art, music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963. "Space Oddity", released in 1969, was his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart. After a period of experimentation, he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust (character), Ziggy Stardust. The character was spearheaded by the success of Bowie's single "Starman (song), Starma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Sylvian
David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt, 23 February 1958) is an English musician, singer and songwriter who came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan. The band's androgynous look and increasingly electronic sound made them an important influence on the UK's early-1980s New Romantic scene. Following their break-up, Sylvian embarked on a solo career with his debut album ''Brilliant Trees'' (1984). His solo work has been described by AllMusic as "far-ranging and esoteric", and has included collaborations with artists such as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Robert Fripp, Holger Czukay, Jon Hassell, Bill Nelson and Fennesz. While his recordings of the 1980s and 1990s were a mixture of pop, jazz fusion, and avant-garde experimentalism mixed with ambient, his more recent compositions have drawn increasingly on musical minimalism and free improvisation. Biography Early years David Sylvian was born David Alan Batt in Beckenham, Kent, England. H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rock's Backpages
Rock's Backpages is an online archive of music journalism, sourced from contributions to the music and mainstream press from the 1950s to the present day. The articles are full text and searchable, and all are reproduced with the permission of the copyright holders. The database was founded in 2000 by British music journalist Barney Hoskyns. As of November 2018 its database contains over 37,000 articles, including interviews, features and reviews, which covered popular music from blues and soul up to the present date. . Rock's Backpages. Rock's Backpages also features over 600 audio interviews with musicians from Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash to Kate Bush and Kurt Cobain. The articles are sourced from magazines including '' |
Visions Of China
Visions of China is a song by English new wave band Japan, released in October 1981 as the second single from their 1981 album '' Tin Drum'', which was released on 13 November. The single reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. Content The B-side of the 7" is a remix of "Taking Islands in Africa", the final track on their previous album ''Gentlemen Take Polaroids'' (1980). The track was written by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto, with whom Sylvian would collaborate on several recordings in the future. The 12" version features the longer track "Swing", again from ''Gentlemen Take Polaroids''. Track listings ; 7" # "Visions of China" – 3.35 # "Taking Islands in Africa (Remix)" – 4.35 ; 12" # "Visions of China" – 3.38 # "Swing" – 6.25 Versions The song was lifted straight from the album for the single release and no alternative studio versions or remixes have been released. A live recording of the song is included on the ''Oil on Canvas'' album and was i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dida (musical Instrument)
''Suona'' (IPA: /swoʊˈnɑː/, ), also called ''dida'' (from Cantonese / '' īdá'), ''laba'' or ''haidi'', is a traditional Chinese music instrument with double-reed horn. The suona's basic design originated in ancient Iran, then called "Surna". Suona appeared in China around the 3rd century. It had a distinctively loud and high-pitched sound, and was used frequently in Chinese traditional music ensembles, particularly in those that perform outdoors. It was an important instrument in the folk music of northern China, particularly in provinces of Shandong and Henan, where it has long been used for festival and military purposes. It is still being used, in combination with sheng mouth organs, gongs, drums, and sometimes other instruments in weddings and funeral processions. Such wind and percussion ensembles are called ''chuida'' () or ''guchui'' (; this name refers to the ''suona'' itself in Taiwanese Hokkien). Stephen Jones has written extensively on its use in ritual music ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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