72-653: Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the English band Japan , released in November 1980 by Virgin Records . Gentlemen Take Polaroids was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label after leaving Hansa-Ariola , which had released their first three albums. It continued in the vein of their previous album Quiet Life , drawing on its elegant Euro-disco stylings coupled with more ambitious arrangements. In
144-403: A 1982 interview, David Sylvian commented that by the time of this album, he had become a "paranoid perfectionist" and that he had come to dominate the band's recording sessions, forcing the other members to comply with his vision which ultimately led to the band's break up – a situation he took some responsibility for (he considers 1979's Quiet Life to be the only album which the band worked on in
216-572: A booklet with black-and-white photos of the band members. Half-speed mastered 45 rpm double vinyl LP editions of Gentlemen Take Polaroids and Tin Drum were issued in August 2018. Both albums were remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell. A single disc 33 rpm edition of both albums was also made available. The albums entered the Official Vinyl Charts at numbers 2 and 3 respectively in
288-645: A centre for rock and roll music when Cliff Richard and the Drifters (later Cliff Richard and the Shadows ) recorded " Move It " there, and later pop music material. EMI is closely associated with the Beatles, who recorded almost all of their albums and hits there between 1962 and 1970 using the four-track REDD mixing console designed by Peter K. Burkowitz. The Beatles named their 1969 album Abbey Road . Iain Macmillan took
360-468: A financial strain on their record company and management, and after a final attempt to score a hit single that would boost the sales of the album with a cover version of " I Second That Emotion " was unsuccessful, Japan was dropped by Hansa Records. Hansa-Ariola would later issue a compilation album ( Assemblage ) featuring highlights from the band's tenure on the label, followed by a series of remixed and re-released singles. After leaving Hansa-Ariola,
432-534: A group of friends in the early 1970s. Brothers (birth surname Batt) David Sylvian (guitar and vocals) and Steve Jansen (drums), and bassist Mick Karn studied at the same school, Catford Boys', Brownhill Road, South London. As youngsters they played Sylvian's two-chord numbers mainly as a means of escape; initially with Karn on lead vocals and Sylvian on guitar and backing vocals, Sylvian became lead vocalist in 1974. In June 1974, they made their first public performance at Karn's brother's wedding reception. The band
504-541: A head when Karn's girlfriend, photographer Yuka Fujii, moved in with Sylvian and the individual members proceeded with their own projects. Rob Dean had already departed (in May 1981) after the release of the Gentlemen Take Polaroids album, as his electric guitar work became superfluous for the band's sound on Tin Drum . Dean subsequently formed the band Illustrated Man . Karn released his first solo album, Titles , at
576-541: A huge popularity in Japan . They were voted the second most popular group in Japan in 1978, and was on top of the list the following year. In March 1979, they made their first visit to the country and sold out the 11,000 seat capacity Budokan Theatre three days in a row. In 1979, the band briefly worked with the successful Euro disco producer Giorgio Moroder , who co-wrote and produced a one-off single, " Life in Tokyo ". The track
648-756: A live album and video released in June 1983). Japan's last performance was on 16 December 1982 in Nagoya, Japan. The band decided to split just as they were beginning to achieve major commercial success both in the UK and internationally, with Oil on Canvas becoming their highest charting UK album, reaching No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart , a rare feat for a live album. By this time, the band's back catalogue had begun to sell steadily and both Hansa-Ariola and Virgin Records continued to release Japan singles into 1983, ultimately earning
720-628: A long time," although he did not name them or include himself among them. "I have so many memories there with the Beatles," McCartney said, "It still is a great studio. So it would be lovely for someone to get a thing together to save it." In March 2015, Abbey Road Institute was founded as a school for music production and audio engineering. In addition to the London location, Abbey Road Institute offers education globally with schools in Amsterdam , Frankfurt , Johannesburg , Miami , Paris and Sydney . All of
792-484: A more introspective nature of Sylvian's songwriting. "Taking Islands in Africa", the title of which was taken from a line in "Swing", was a collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto , who was given a songwriting credit for the track. The album was completed in two months. The band and producer John Punter worked meticulously on the arrangements with multiple takes on each instrument and the master edited from different takes. Some of
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#1733084927351864-535: A record had been released. The debut album was followed by a UK tour supporting Blue Öyster Cult , intended to promote their album. The album itself sold poorly, and Japan faced negative criticism and hostile audiences. In August 1978 their second single, "The Unconventional," failed to chart. In November the band made a short US tour, but although they were better accepted by American audiences it proved to be their last and only US tour. The follow-up album Obscure Alternatives showed musical progress and particularly
936-509: A time when punk and new wave bands were in ascendance. However, both albums, produced by Ray Singer , sold well in Japan and the Netherlands, where the single version of " Adolescent Sex " was a top 30 hit. They also gained some popularity in Canada. But in their native UK, those albums failed to garner public attention and did not chart. While unsuccessful in their home country, the band gained
1008-638: A top 40 hit ("After a Fashion") with Midge Ure in 1983, and collaborated with Peter Murphy of Bauhaus as the duo Dalis Car , releasing an album in 1984. Jansen and Barbieri worked together as the Dolphin Brothers and simply as Jansen & Barbieri ("Stories Across Borders", 1991, Virgin), and Rob Dean went on to work with Gary Numan and Sinéad O'Connor and also later played guitars in Australian band Geisha from late 1987 to April 1988. In September 1989, Sylvian, Karn, Jansen and Barbieri reunited under
1080-434: A truly collaborative manner). This was the last Japan album to feature guitarist Rob Dean , who left the band in spring 1981. Dean took little part in the recording of the album and was only occasionally called in by the band to add guitar. Lyrically the songs were also a continuation of themes on the previous album, such as travel and escape to foreign climes in the song "Swing", while the lyrics of " Nightporter " introduced
1152-523: Is a costume. But ours is a way of life. We look and dress this way every day." Regardless, it had a positive effect on the band's record sales in the UK and they slowly began to gain chart success. After a couple of lower charting singles, their first UK top 40 hit was a re-release of the "Quiet Life" single, which peaked at No. 19 in October 1981. Three of the singles from the Tin Drum album also peaked in
1224-641: Is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road , St John's Wood , City of Westminster , London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company , a predecessor of British music company EMI , which owned it until Universal Music Group (UMG) took control of part of it in 2013. It is ultimately owned by UMG subsidiary Virgin Records Limited (until 2013 by EMI Records Limited, nowadays known as Parlophone Records and owned by UMG's competitor Warner Music Group ). The studio's most notable client
1296-458: Is loaded with atmosphere, yet displays a very light touch." Gentlemen Take Polaroids influenced Gary Numan , who hired Mick Karn and Rob Dean to play on his 1981 album Dance and later named a chapter in his autobiography after the album. The title track was popular with club DJs : Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran regularly played it at the Rum Runner , and Rusty Egan of Visage played it at
1368-513: The Blitz . All tracks are written by David Sylvian , except as noted † The track "Burning Bridges" was put on the album as a last-minute replacement for a track titled "Some Kind of Fool", with quite a lot of UK and German pressings of the album listing the latter song on the inner sleeve and on the track listings. "Some Kind of Fool" was also going to be released as a single in 1982, but was replaced by "Nightporter". An overdubbed version with new lyrics
1440-491: The "disappointingly non-tribal 'Taking Islands in Africa'" and 'Burning Bridges' "which is Bowie's 'Warzawa' to a 'T'", and concluded: "In all, a disappointing album. 'Quiet Life' might have been similarly derivative, but it was at least substantial and an adventurous departure. This is just a patchwork quilt of half-digested influences that will do nothing to solve the group's dilettante image problem." In his retrospective review, Ned Raggett of AllMusic called it "unquestionably
1512-486: The ' digipak ' format, collecting many bonus tracks. In 2006, all were repackaged in jewel cases to allow sale at a lower price point. The Tin Drum digipak re-issue was of particular interest as it was packaged in a cardboard box and contained the bonus 5-inch single "The Art of Parties", which comprised "The Art of Parties" (12" single and live versions), "Ghosts" (single version) and "Life Without Buildings" (B-side to "The Art of Parties" single). The package also included
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#17330849273511584-523: The British government declared Abbey Road Studios a Grade II listed building which protected it from major alteration. The following December, the pedestrian crossing at Abbey Road was listed on the National Heritage List. Paul McCartney , speaking to BBC Newsnight on 16 February 2010, said there had been efforts to save Abbey Road by "a few people who have been associated with the studio for
1656-475: The Contenders on a UK tour. In March 1978, the band released their first single, a cover version of " Don't Rain on My Parade " followed a month later by their debut album Adolescent Sex . Advertising campaigns that focused on the band's androgynous glam rock image failed to attract much interest for the band in the UK but was more successful in Japan where the band attracted a considerable fan following before
1728-474: The Studio Two room, where the Beatles made most of their records. While a new mixing console was being installed in the control room, the studio was used to host a video presentation called The Beatles at Abbey Road . The soundtrack to the video had a number of recordings that were not made commercially available until the release of The Beatles Anthology project over a decade later. In September 2012, with
1800-450: The UK top 40, with its unconventional single "Ghosts" reaching No. 5, becoming Japan's biggest domestic hit. The Tin Drum album itself peaked just outside the UK top 10, and was the band's first record to be certified by the BPI , being awarded a silver disc within a month of release, and reaching gold status within four months. The album, produced by Steve Nye , is often regarded as one of
1872-520: The Yardbirds , Marc Bolan , London and Wham! ) in 1976. After coming runner up to the Cure in a talent contest staged by Hansa Records the band signed a recording contract with Hansa-Ariola in 1977, becoming an alternative glam rock outfit in the mould of Lou Reed , David Bowie , T. Rex , Roxy Music , and New York Dolls , although their initial material was guitar-based funk . Shortly after signing
1944-513: The album in which Japan truly found its own unique voice and aesthetic approach." Joseph Burnett of The Quietus wrote that the album "took the sound of Quiet Life and refined it into a series of oblique, almost cinematic avant-pop creations that exquisitely surround the frontman's woozy post-Bryan Ferry croon in layers of pop textures that sounded like little else by Japan's contemporaries." Trouser Press called it an "excellent" album whose "technically exquisite and musically adventurous sound
2016-421: The album's cover photograph outside the studios, with the result that the nearby zebra crossing has become a place of pilgrimage for Beatles fans . It has been a tradition for visitors to pay homage to the band by writing on the wall in front of the building even though it is painted over every three months. In December 2010, the zebra crossing at Abbey Road was given a Grade II listed status . After becoming
2088-402: The album, though "Nightporter" (influenced by the works of French composer Erik Satie , most particularly his Gymnopedies ) was remixed and released as a single in November 1982, just after the band announced that they were breaking up. It peaked at number 29 in the UK singles chart, though both the edited 7" version and the full-length 12" remix remain unreleased on CD to this day. The album
2160-539: The band a total of nine top 40 hits in the UK. In summer 1982, a Hansa re-release of " I Second That Emotion " became Japan's second top 10 hit, reaching number 9. A remixed version of " Life in Tokyo " and a Virgin Records release of " Nightporter " were subsequently both top 30 hits on the UK Singles Chart . During the early 1980s, Japanese multi-instrumentalist and experimental keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto , of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO), briefly collaborated with
2232-455: The band signed with Virgin Records who released their last studio albums, Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981). The albums continued to expand their audience as the band refined its new sound, although the combination of their newer sound and the band's stylised visual appearance led to them unintentionally becoming associated with the early-1980s New Romantic scene. The band had always worn make-up since their inception in
Gentlemen Take Polaroids - Misplaced Pages Continue
2304-491: The band, and worked directly alongside Sylvian on tracks such as "Taking Islands in Africa". He would continue to work with Sylvian both before and after the band split, and the pair would achieve the hit singles " Bamboo Houses " (1982) and " Forbidden Colours " (1983). Similarly, Steve Jansen was influenced by YMO's drummer Yukihiro Takahashi , subsequently joining him on several of Takahashi's solo projects and tours of Japan, along with additional full collaborative works between
2376-413: The building from any major alterations. Originally a nine-bedroom Georgian townhouse built in 1831 on the footpath leading to Kilburn Abbey , the building was later converted to flats where the best-known resident was Maundy Gregory , who was famous (or infamous) for selling political honours. In 1929, the Gramophone Company acquired the premises. The property benefited from a large garden behind
2448-572: The campuses offer the same course, the Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering, which has been developed in collaboration with industry leaders and the team at Abbey Road Studios. Some campuses offer additional short courses, including Portfolio Preparation, Song Production Masterclass, Music theory Fundamentals for Producers amongst others. In April 2021, Abbey Road Institute London announced it would be expanding and moving into
2520-592: The command of EMI head Fred Gaisberg . The recordings went on to spur a revolution among Bach aficionados and cellists alike. "Fats" Waller played the Compton organ there. Glenn Miller recorded at the Abbey Road studios during World War II , when he was based in the United Kingdom. In 1931 an echo chamber was built in the studios, in the early days of artificial reverberation. In 1958, Studio Two at EMI became
2592-487: The deluxe version and the cover art had cropped the band name and title with the original photograph now covering the whole surface. Gentlemen Take Polaroids received mixed reviews on its release. Writing in Smash Hits magazine in November 1980, Steve Taylor gave the album a 8 out of 10 rating and said: "If Brian Eno , rather than Bryan Ferry , had rerouted the original direction of Roxy Music , this might well have been
2664-480: The distinction of becoming the first foreign rock record to enter the national chart, and went straight in at number 8 in Canada, and also had some success in continental Europe. In the UK, Quiet Life was the first Japan album to reach the UK Albums Chart , but it wasn't a success on its initial release. It peaked at a lowly 72 in February 1980 and dropped out of the chart the following week. The band had for long been
2736-420: The ever-prescient David Bowie had delivered two years earlier with Low ". It showcased Barbieri's synthesizers, Sylvian's now baritone style of singing, Karn's distinctive fretless bass sound and Jansen's odd-timbred and intricate percussion work, with Dean's guitar playing becoming somewhat sparser and atmospheric. While largely ignored in their home country, Quiet Life was a success in Japan, where it had
2808-521: The false image of the band to the hollow songs they perform." Mike Nicholls in Record Mirror also criticized David Sylvian for his "Bryan Ferry fixation". While saying that the album "is not without its reedeeming features. The rhythm section of Mick Karn and Steve Jansen is particular proficient, their disco beats dominating the best songs 'Swing' and 'Methods of Dance'", Nicholls dismissed Japan's "drift towards their new muzak direction" on tracks such as
2880-691: The first week of sales. In March 2021, the Quiet Life album was reissued by BMG in several deluxe formats, including a boxset (featuring three CDs with a 180g half-speed mastered vinyl), a couple of separate vinyl editions, and a CD release. The release returned Japan to the UK Top 20 for the first time since 1983, peaking at no.13 on the UK Album Chart and no.2 on the UK Vinyl chart. Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios )
2952-410: The following year by Richard Barbieri (keyboards) and Rob Dean (lead guitar). Initially a glam rock -inspired band, Japan developed their sound and androgynous look to incorporate art rock , electronic music and foreign influences. Japan 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
Gentlemen Take Polaroids - Misplaced Pages Continue
3024-473: The guitar parts which I struggled over remain intact too. Anyone listening to this is essentially listening to an updated version of the original JAPAN band version. At the beginning of the recording sessions the band also rehearsed an unfinished song called "Angel in Furs", but it is unclear if a recording exists. The guitar melody of the song is said to have been used as the vocal melody of "My New Career". The album
3096-951: 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 Steven Wilson . Twenty years after their reunion as Rain Tree Crow, Mick Karn died from cancer in January 2011. Timeline In 2003, Virgin Records re-issued remastered editions of Gentlemen Take Polaroids , Tin Drum and Oil on Canvas . BMG followed suit next year, and re-issued Adolescent Sex , Obscure Alternatives , Quiet Life , and Assemblage . All of these re-releases came in
3168-413: The last track "The Tenant" – which has been described as a fusion of Low -era David Bowie and the piano works of Erik Satie – was a hint of the band's future, but again the album was a commercial and critical flop. Though influenced by artists such as Lou Reed, T. Rex, New York Dolls, Roxy Music and David Bowie, both albums were widely dismissed by the UK music press as being distinctly outmoded at
3240-452: The live album Oil on Canvas (1983). Six of the band's albums have achieved Gold status in the UK. 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. The band began as
3312-515: The mid-1970s at the tail end of the glam rock era, several years before the New Romantic movement had begun. In an October 1981 interview, Sylvian commented "There's a period going past at the moment that may make us look as though we're in fashion." In another interview, he stated "I don't like to be associated with them [New Romantics]. The attitudes are so very different." Of Japan's fashion sense, Sylvian said "For them [New Romantics], fancy dress
3384-461: The moniker 'Rain Tree Crow'. They released an eponymously titled album in April 1991, which was well received by music critics and reached the UK top 25. However, once again, the band dissolved following creative frictions between Sylvian and the other members. Medium Productions was a record label created in 1993 primarily to publish the music of Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri, and Mick Karn. Medium
3456-462: The most innovative of the 1980s, with its fusion of occidental and oriental sounds. In 2011, thirty years after its release, Tin Drum was awarded BBC Radio 6 Music 's 'Goldie Award' posthumously for the Best Album of 1981. With personality conflicts leading to rising tensions within the band, Tin Drum was to be the band's final studio album. Long-simmering differences among the band members came to
3528-483: The opening of the studios in November 1931 when Edward Elgar conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in recording sessions of his music. In 1934, the inventor of stereo sound , Alan Blumlein , recorded Mozart 's Jupiter Symphony which was conducted by Thomas Beecham at the studios. The neighbouring house is also owned by the studio and used to accommodate musicians. During the mid-20th century,
3600-485: The record deal Sylvian, Jansen and Karn adopted their stage names . Initially, the record company was horrified by the apparent similarity of Sylvian's and Jansen's names to the names of band members of the New York Dolls, but eventually accepted the name changes. In 1977, the band embarked on their first recording session for the record company with producer Ray Singer and performed as support band for Jim Capaldi and
3672-470: The result..." However, other contemporary critics were unimpressed. NME ' s Paul Du Noyer and Melody Maker ' s Patrick Humphries both saw Japan as Roxy Music imitators. Du Noyer said: "If only Japan's music was as eloquent as it's elegant... they lavish tender loving care on the surface sound – a beautifully polished, empty shell of a sound." Humphries expressed a similar opinion: "There's something infinitely unsatisfying about this album. From
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#17330849273513744-627: The same time the band announced their split in late 1982. The final "Sons of Pioneers" tour in late 1982 included dates in Europe, UK and the Far East. On this tour, guitarist and keyboardist Masami Tsuchiya performed with the band on stage. The group's final UK performances included a final TV appearance playing together on The Old Grey Whistle Test in October and culminating in a six-night sell-out stint at London's Hammersmith Odeon in November (which would be recorded and filmed to produce Oil on Canvas ,
3816-452: The sessions included The Mike Sammes Singers , who backed up The Beatles on "I Am the Walrus" and "Good Night." In 1979, EMI commissioned the British jazz fusion band Morrissey-Mullen to record Britain's first digitally recorded single record at Abbey Road Studios. Abbey Road Studios got its start in the film scoring business in 1980 when Anvil Post Production formed a partnership with
3888-493: The site into luxury flats. It had also been reported there was a possibility the studios could be purchased by the National Trust to preserve what was in effect a historical building. A Save Abbey Road Studios campaign attempted to ensure the premises remained a working studio. On 21 February 2010, EMI stated it planned to keep the studio and was looking for an investor to help finance a "revitalisation" project. Meanwhile,
3960-405: The songs such as "My New Career" and "Taking Islands in Africa" were written in the studio. There was an unreleased song still sitting in the vaults from the sessions for this album; "Some Kind of Fool" (which Sylvian re-recorded the vocals for and released on Everything and Nothing ). Rob Dean remembers in an interview by Chi Ming Lai and Paul Boddy 2019: Ann O'Dell's strings were added and it
4032-540: The studio effect known as automatic double tracking (ADT). The chief mastering engineer at Abbey Road was Chris "Vinyl" Blair, who started his career as a tape deck operator. From 1966 to 1971, the Walt Disney Music Company recorded vocals, instrumentals and narration and dialogue for over a dozen albums at Abbey Road for U.S. and international release, including The Aristocats, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Doctor Dolittle, Heidi and The Wizard of Oz . Most of
4104-429: The studio was extensively used by British conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent , whose house was located near the studio building. The Gramophone Company merged with Columbia Graphophone Company to form Electric and Musical Industries (EMI) in 1931, and the studios later became known as EMI Recording Studios. In 1936 cellist Pablo Casals became the first to record Johann Sebastian Bach 's Cello Suites No. 1 & 2 at
4176-406: The studio's general manager in 1974, Ken Townsend began a rebranding effort to capitalise on the studio's connection with the Beatles. To emphasise the studio's independence, Townsend commissioned the artist Alan Brown to design a unique logo, and in 1976 the facility officially changed names from EMI Studios to Abbey Road Studios . Having previously been mostly restricted to UK-based EMI acts,
4248-660: The studio's name-change served the added purpose of encouraging non-EMI acts to record at the studio. Notable producers and sound engineers who have worked at Abbey Road include Fred Gaisberg (who had first recorded Enrico Caruso in Milan in 1902, and had set up the first recording studio in London at Maiden Lane in 1898), Walter Legge , George Martin , Tutti Camarata , Geoff Emerick , Norman "Hurricane" Smith , Ken Scott , Mike Stone , Alan Parsons , Peter Vince , Malcolm Addey, Peter Bown, Richard Langham, Phil McDonald, John Kurlander, Richard Lush and Ken Townsend , who invented
4320-417: The studio, called Anvil-Abbey Road Screen Sound. The partnership started when Anvil was left without a scoring stage when Denham Studios were demolished. It ended in 1984 when EMI merged with Thorn Electrical Industries to become Thorn EMI . Abbey Road's success in the scoring business continued after the partnership ended. From 18 July to 11 September 1983, the public had a rare opportunity to see inside
4392-424: The takeover of EMI, the studio became the property of Universal Music . It was not one of the entities that were sold to Warner Music as part of Parlophone and instead the control of Abbey Road Studios Ltd was transferred to Virgin Records . On 17 February 2010, it was reported that EMI had put the studios up for sale because of increasing debts. There was reported interest by property developers in redeveloping
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#17330849273514464-489: The townhouse, which permitted a much larger building to be constructed to the rear; thus, the Georgian façade belies the true dimension of the building. The architectural partnership Wallis, Gilbert and Partners was hired to convert the property into a recording studio , an unusual request at the time. Three purpose-built studios were constructed and the existing house was adapted for use as administration offices. Pathé filmed
4536-499: The two. All of the band members went on to work on other projects, with varying degrees of success. After his collaborations with Sakamoto, Sylvian's first solo album Brilliant Trees reached No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart in 1984, spawning the UK top 20 single "Red Guitar". Meanwhile, Karn had already become a sought-after session musician and worked with artists such as Gary Numan , Kate Bush , and Joan Armatrading . He also had
4608-507: Was the Beatles , who used the studio – particularly its Studio Two room – as the venue for many of the innovative recording techniques that they adopted throughout the 1960s. In 1976, the studio was renamed from EMI to Abbey Road. In 2009, Abbey Road came under threat of sale to property developers. In response, the British Government protected the site, granting it English Heritage Grade II listed status in 2010, thereby preserving
4680-449: Was "Taking Islands in Africa", a Steve Nye-remixed version from 1981 originally released as the B-side of the "Visions of China" 7" single. On 24 August 2018, two new half-speed-mastered vinyl pressings were released; a single 33rpm version and a deluxe double 45rpm version, both mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios . For the first time all lyrics were printed inside the gatefold of
4752-514: Was a means to release their own music with other collaborating artists, without 'major record label' compromise. Fifteen CDs of largely instrumental music were produced over a ten-year period. Medium Productions folded in 2004 as the founders became more involved in other projects (such as Porcupine Tree , Nine Horses ). The entire MP catalog has been re-released on the Voiceprint Music label beginning in 2001. Richard Barbieri moved on to become
4824-571: Was at that point that David decided not to pursue recording it further, the main reason being I believe, that with the strings, it began to resemble "The Other Side of Life" too closely arrangement-wise which actually I can see was a very valid point. Ironically the JAPAN version with a couple of embellishments and a re-recorded vocal eventually found its way onto the Sylvian compilation "Everything and Nothing" but under his name alone, rather unfairly. Surprisingly,
4896-403: Was initially nameless until the members opted to call themselves Japan. This name was intended by Sylvian to be temporary until they could think of something else, but ultimately became permanent. The following year they were joined by another school friend Richard Barbieri on keyboards and later by lead guitarist Rob Dean , and signed a management deal with Simon Napier-Bell (who also managed
4968-558: Was preceded by the release of the title track as a single in October 1980, which peaked at number 60 in the UK singles chart , the group's first single to chart. The album itself was moderately successful in the UK on its release. It peaked at number 51, but re-entered the chart in 1982 and was later certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry in 1986 for 100,000 copies sold. No further singles were immediately taken from
5040-466: Was reissued in 2003, with slightly different cover art (taken from the same photo session as the original cover) and three bonus tracks; the instrumentals "The Width of a Room" (the only track in the band's catalogue composed by guitarist Rob Dean ) and "The Experience of Swimming", composed by Richard Barbieri . Both tracks were originally B-sides to the "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" double 7" single, but were also used on later singles. The third bonus track
5112-449: Was released on Sylvian's solo album Everything and Nothing in 2000, but the original Japan version has never been released. Shipments figures based on certification alone. 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
5184-547: Was unsuccessful as a single but a significant change in musical style from their earlier guitar-laden recordings, moving them away from their glam rock roots and into electronic new wave. The electronic style continued on their third album, Quiet Life (1979), which was produced by the band with John Punter and Simon Napier-Bell. In a retrospective review of the band's work, The Quietus described Quiet Life as defining "a very European form of detached, sexually-ambiguous and thoughtful art-pop , one not too dissimilar to what
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