Do you wish Japan had never split?

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Do you wish Japan had never split?

Postby mynewcareer on Sun Aug 07, 2011 2:48 am

I do. I think they ended things far too early, just when British bands were taking off globally, especially huge inroads in US culture - even A Flock of Seagulls were big in America.

I think there was at least one last return-to-pop album that would have competed with the Spandaus, Durans and ABCs, but selfishly I would have liked further albums and tours.
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Re: Do you wish Japan had never split?

Postby karnsculpture on Sun Aug 07, 2011 10:25 am

I'm not sure to be honest, what if that "return to pop" album had been mediocre? Like The Beatles Japan left behind a small but perfect back catalogue, like a time-capsule. I'm glad the ex-members of Japan have resisted remixes to date as well.

Japan didn't fit with the career goals that David and Mick had. David just didn't want to be a "rock star" having experienced the negative side of mass adulation in Japan and the UK. His decision to maintain a career at the "cult" level contributed to his (amicable by all accounts) split with manager Simon Napier-Bell, who was more suited to mentoring acts who wanted what Sylvian didn't.
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Re: Do you wish Japan had never split?

Postby Simonp on Fri Aug 12, 2011 5:53 am

I'm glad they split - if they hadn't Sylvian wouldn't have given us such a beautiful solo career
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Re: Do you wish Japan had never split?

Postby digimarsh on Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:31 am

i am glad they split too, i enjoyed the bands output as much as the next man but that material is not of the same quality of Sylvians solo work, i think having broken free from the constaints of being in the band liberated him and if you look at his early solo career it was quite inspiring for him.
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Re: Do you wish Japan had never split?

Postby dylan kerr on Tue Jun 26, 2012 12:09 am

i was gutted they split and wish they had made more music together and thought with RTC my dream had come true but unfortunately not to be.

my collection of japan is awesome all still pristine condition i never collected stuff before but i have as much as i could get my hands on (ta ebay)

david is always great
mick RIP
steve a class drummer and now solo performer
richard porcupine tree are fantastic

we lost mick but still have 3 and may it continue and the music keeps coming
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Re: Do you wish Japan had never split?

Postby dconnery1966 on Sun Nov 04, 2012 6:01 am

Agree with everything you said there Dylan,there were so many more spin-off's

like Jansen solo career, JBK, Dalis car, Porcupine Tree, Sylvian solo career care to help me guy's and girls

with one's i have missed :?

All the best Dougie :D
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Re: Do you wish Japan had never split?

Postby The Nightporter on Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:39 pm

I have to admit that at the time I was devastated on learning that Japan would be splitting following the final tour.

Just shy of 19 years old, Japan had provided a backdrop to my life in many ways during those formative years. 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids' still to this day remains among (IMO) one of the finest albums ever released (behind only the immortal 'Joy Division - Closer', and just ahead of 'Suede - Dog Man Star') and is still a piece that I marvel in it's creation.

I know that many will point to the plethora of subsequent post-split releases however, for myself at least Japan were a complete band at that time, and for me their collective work as a band has not been replicated since.

Following the split I eagerly awaited all of the band members solo releases, always hoping for a glint of the chemistry that Sylvian, Karn Barbieri and Jansen created together, and yet with the odd exception ('David Sylvian - Gone To Earth', 'Dali's Car - The Waking Hour' and the collaboration of 'Buoy' & 'When loves Walks In' being the exceptions) the orignal spark never returned....a shame.

So yes, I do wish the split had not happened, regardless of the subsequent releases, and for years hoped that a reform was on the cards (by the time 'Rain Tree Crow' came along the fire had well and truly given up hope and I never warmed to the album) but it was not to be. I still listen to 'Japan', actually a lot more of late (along with 'The Associates') and only this afternoon watched the OGWT performance of 'The Art of Parties'.....those really were great days.
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