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Japan

Elephantears said:
Interesting. Do you have a first pressing of Quiet Life to compare your VDP?
Click to expand...

Just done it now, I used the title track. Original A2/B1 UK vinyl played on the TD-124/3009/DL-103 via the inbuilt tube phono stage in my JC Verdier preamp (stuffed with Brimars in the phono stage and Mullards in the line) vs. the VDP CD via Rega Apollo-R as transport and Deltec PDM3 DAC. Unbelievably close, a tiny hint of a smiley-face EQ to the vinyl, but that is a general trait of my vinyl front end at present. Both really sound lovely and to be honest I couldn't tell you which I actually preferred. In fact if I came into the room without hearing a switchover I doubt I could tell which was playing. It would maybe be a more interesting comparison with a less retro deck than mine, though the Thorens does sound a lot more modern than you'd maybe expect. It sounds really good to my ears!

The VDP CD is typical of the other ones I've heard in that it is not hyped up at all. There is just no digital glare or edge to these things, ones first impression can often be that they sound a little dull and small, but that's because they are cut fairly quietly. Crank 'em up and they really sound great, as do most first issue Japanese CDs. I've also got Steely Dan's Gaucho (which apparently is worth a bloody fortune) and that is a very similar match to UK 1st press vinyl on my system. Again a lovely sounding CD and a testament as to just how good that format can sound if it hasn't been mangled by idiots.
 
I remember seeing them at the Apollo back in the day

more specifically I remember trying to pee in the gents and not being able to as the room was full of blokes checking out their own reflections

I just left the room trying to avoid eye contact

'went to see the quo the following week IIRC

Dave
 
They got booed off supporting Blue Oyster Cult at Liverpool Empire IIRC, which probably says more about BOC and the Liverpool Empire than it does about Japan.
 
Just to reinforce Tony's OP, Rain Tree Crow is excellent. Mick Karn is another that died too young - took to the fretless bass 'cos his tuba got nicked from school and they refused to buy him another one.
 
My first two Japan albums turned up:

26409427843_15426aa225_c.jpg


Only played them a couple of times so far, but first impressions are that I recognise a fair bit of Adolescent Sex, and that it is the better of the two. Obscure Alternatives seems to lack the snap and direction somehow, and neither really give any clue as to what was to come next with Quiet Life. Adolescent Sex manages to be spikey new-wave yet downright funky and really is rather good even though Sylvian and Karn are nowhere near formed yet. It's clear they were all great musos at this stage even though they were still trying to figure out what they were. It's interesting how some bands need a few albums to get things nailed down when others arrive perfectly formed and never equal their debut. Well worth having though and I suspect they'll grow on me with a few plays.
 
I was looking through the LP collection today and found an A1/B2 press of "Quiet Life" and an OVED of "Gentlemen" both of which which I forgot I had, so they're cued up for a play tomorrow.
 
Great band indeed. Quiet Life having about the same impact on me as say Roxy Music's 'For Your Pleasure'.
 
Sylvian's voice seems to change dramatically, and his vocal pronunciation/styling, on "quiet life", though i didnt know this until discovering the first 2 albums retrospectively. My first hearing of Japan was the 2lp Exorcising Ghosts, it was nothing like anything I'd heard before. The instrumentation and apparent rubber band bass lines, and Sylvian's vocal acrobatics made this an overplayed lp at the time, must have been 1985, borrowed the record from a friend at school. "methods of dance" would have been the first Japan song I ever heard.
 
Have to say i thought they were a bit rubbish in the 80s.
Only just got into them in the last decade or so.
Really like Sylvians solo stuff as well.
 
Annoyingly my MacBook won't read Adolescent Sex despite the disc looking absolutely mint and as new so I can't rip it! It does tend to sulk at some of these early Japanese pressings, I know not why. The other two went on fine. All play perfectly on both my CD players, so a Mac thing I guess.
 
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Just had the book, A Foreign Place delivered, looks very nice, playing my black triangle Tin Drum just now, what an album !
 
Tony L said:
Annoyingly my MacBook won't read Adolescent Sex despite the disc looking absolutely mint and as new so I can't rip it! It does tend to sulk at some of these early Japanese pressings, I know not why. The other two went on fine. All play perfectly on both my CD players, so a Mac thing I guess.
Click to expand...

Are these Cd's carrying some type of copy protection? This can upset mac drives.

Martin
 
Im confused why I never really got into them. They largely passed me by. I think I tried to get into them but there are some mental blocks. Maybe its the 80s overtones or maybe Ive not given them a proper chance. After all it was only fairly recently I enjoyed Talk Talks last few albums ( as I wasnt aware that they got so good after the pop singles)

I have a couple of tracks on computer from various artists compilation albums. I dont really click on them though. Ive sampled online but even then Im not sure.........oh of course you tube and spotify should cover it.

I must have a listen to spotify as I cant afford to experiment with cds unless very cheap

I think many of us have bands that we never gave a fair chance to for some reason. Then again I may just be putting my previous dismissal out of my mind :)
 
My brother liked them a lot but they only really clicked with me on Quiet Life. That is one of the best Synth/pop/insert name period records. Quite early and bang on in terms of sound. Yes their influences are obvious but at least they were varied.

Dont forget Life in Tokyo.

Dont forget they also had a manager pushing around a bit who was slightly out of touch. They are a local Lewisham band so I should like them. Her indoors used to knock around with Mick Karn, I have heard a reasonable amount of band gossip- nothing different from any other young group.

Their later stuff isn't worse, it just isn't my cup of sake.
 
I didn't know they were from this neck of the woods. There is another band , coming out of catford , who owe perhaps more to Duran than Japan. They have a long player coming out in a few weeks .

This is the single


Polsky - switchboard operator


https://youtu.be/n9niKZaedzQ

And a little about karn and the keys player going to Catford Boys and the revelation that they used to get beaten up for dyeing their hair and wearing earrings !
http://transpont.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/mick-karn-from-catford-to-japan-and.html
 
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