JapanSylvian.com

I was wondering this the other day....do you think your interest in Japan would still be as passionate if all the former members had NOT gone on to pursue such prolific solo careers?

Speaking personally, since Ive started listening to their solo and collaborative projects my passion for Japan's music has only deepened as I can see it much more in the context of what they have done subsequently, and not just as I used to see them - as my teen idols.

Just wondered what you thought....

Good question.

Probably not because I don't think there would have been the diversity that is found in their solo recordings; diversity of styles that would be difficult to blend successfully into a band album.

I find it difficult to imagine something like blemish coming from a band environment, which I happen to think is one of David's best recordings. I like the direction David has taken with his solo work, prefer it to Japan's music actually.

Really hard to say though, because while I love Rain Tree Crow I don't think that would have been the natural progression; I think that album needed the time apart from each other to be created.

I can't say it from your point of view since I discovered them very recently.
I love Japan music as much Sylvian solo stuff , and I love also the works the other members have done. I was impressed when I started "researching" their careers after Japan , like heart has said, with that variety of styles and the amazing progression they have had.
But to me, that only confirms what I thought when I first listened to Japan albums, that they are really talented musicians and deep artists.

Yes, Japan as well as Sylvian's work has inspired me to write some music, although not completely sonically evident.

I've been trying to figure out how Mr. Barbieri got those cool blurbs at the beginning of Ghosts. Secondly, the sound on Nine Horses has me intrigued and interested in attempting a similar feel, which I have yet to achieve. I think I need to buy a Nord Lead to get some of the sounds he gets.

kinki wrote:I was wondering this the other day....do you think your interest in Japan would still be as passionate if all the former members had NOT gone on to pursue such prolific solo careers?

Speaking personally, since Ive started listening to their solo and collaborative projects my passion for Japan's music has only deepened as I can see it much more in the context of what they have done subsequently, and not just as I used to see them - as my teen idols.

Just wondered what you thought....

oh that's so true. i mean i really didin't see them standing out that much until i found out about all the avant-garde work they had done after Japan split up and that really made me think about these 4 (i don't care about Rob that much, sorry) people much more further and special in the whole 'new romantic' context where they're usually put along Ultravox, Visage, Human League, Soft Cell and a bunch of horrid bands i'd never listen to. Japan is Japan, Japan is art rock, art pop if you like it; but Japan is special indeed.

when i state that Japan is my favourite band it is as much to do with the albums the members have made since and the many collaborations. in a sense it's about four amazing musicians/songwriters and all the work they have done across a 30 year period with Japan just being a small but significant part of it. had there been no other music post Tin Drum (hard to believe), i would still be listening to their music but it would be more of a time than as part of a bigger picture.

Well the keyboards that Barberi was using at the time were Prophet 5 http://www.vintagesynth.com/index2.html (I actually had a Prophet 10, which was the 2 keyboard version of this) and Oberheim OBX http://www.isatellite.info/oberheim-ob-x.html

You can actually buy a midi version of the prophet 5 http://www.winecountrysequential.com/ if you are interested in trying to create some of those old Japan sounds, but don't want to go the way of a keyboard that is almost 30 years old, and probably has some patching problems.

When I purchased my Prophet 10, about 20 odd years ago now! I would play around with the programming and find loads of sounds that Japan were using on their last 2 albums.

Good question,

I believe that I would still be listening to Japan, if there had been no solo releases from any of the guys. If you find a sound that you like, you will stick with it. I mean I am a Sylvian fan, 100% and have listened and absorbed most of his back catalogue, but there is still something special about Tin Drum which makes me listen to it again and again.

I spent one weekend, (when it was pouring with rain, and I had nothing else better to do), listening to the entire back catalogue - starting with Adolescent Sex and working my way right through to Snow Borne Sorrow. You see a wonderful progression, and growth within the music. If you haven't done it, try it, - 30 years in two days!

Yes. I don't associate any of the memebr's solo releases with the Japan stuff. Mostly because I don't think any of it's as good as those 5 albums.

huh?? ^^ OK.

Well, no I'm sad to say it might not be. I kind of wrote off a lot of the earlier music I listened to when I started getting into prog and other things, maybe cos I didn't have much time for it, but mostly cos I just needed to move on from that time in my life - so I did.

As it turned out prog brought me back round full circle and due to the kindness of a very lovely chap I was introduced to The Ink in the Well and was captured heart and soul by it, so had to delve back into Sylvian and the others and started replacing the old vinyls with CDs and the rest is as they say history. I've been in deep ever since - probably like them more now than I did back then - so that's me story my crazie monkeys.

Enjoy.

It's laughable to think that any member of JAPAN has done anything as brilliant as Adolescent Sex. Course, thats just my opinion. Maybe you enjoy David Sylvian's soulful (boring) solo albums. Please don't respond with 'I just don't get it', because I do. I just don't see why David's solo albums are held in such high regard, and sometimes claimed to be better than JAPAN music.

Rhodesia32 wrote:I just don't see why David's solo albums are held in such high regard, and sometimes claimed to be better than JAPAN music.

Just as you said, everyone has opinons. Some people can't stand glam-metal (like me) and would rather listen to a dentist drill on a chalkboard. It's just differences in everyone's tastes and opinions. Nothing wrong with people thinking David's solo work is better than Japan's (I believe it is).

Rhodesia32 wrote: Maybe you enjoy David Sylvian's soulful (boring) solo albums.

tell me 10 reasons why, in your oppinion, those soulful albums are boring and i'll take you seriously.

BeehiveSecrets wrote:

Rhodesia32 wrote: Maybe you enjoy David Sylvian's soulful (boring) solo albums.

tell me 10 reasons why, in your oppinion, those soulful albums are boring and i'll take you seriously.

Heck I'd settle for two reasons! I don't think there are that many. Opinions don't count.

proggrl wrote:
Heck I'd settle for two reasons! I don't think there are that many. Opinions don't count.

go on then