The top 10 ways to tell if you are obsessed...

[Silver Moon]

This idea came to me this morning, my 'rents said "You're too obsessed!" And I suddenly got an idea to type up a list (Just for fun!) They have been created for Star Wars, and Star Trek, and Star... Gate fans... So... here goes:

The top 10 ways to tell if you are obsessed with Japan, David Sylvian, et al.:

1. Songs such as Nightporter, My New Career, The Other Side of Life, September ETC make you cry...

2. All of your friends know the names of the Japan members, and the instruments they play... AT LEAST.

3. You have tried at least once to turn your friends into a Sylvian fanatic, Karnivore, Jansen Fanatic, Barbieri/Porcupine Tree fanatic, And then some...

4. Strangers often walk into your work place/room and say: "Why do you have pictures of that woman everywhere?"

5. You think suit jackets and China flats are the coolest thing that a cool person could wear...

6. You celebrate the band member's birthdays in some way when they come around...

7. You have tried (in secret, of course!) to croon like David, Drum like Steve, Play synths like Richard, or play bass like Mick... Or all of the above!

8. You can hold quite a long conversation with someone using the song and album titles of the artists... For example...

You: When Monday comes around, I'm going to get that guy who said he doesn't like Japan...
Other Person: Yeah! I say we tie him up and make him listen to Michael Bolton all day long!
You: I second that emotion!

9. You are either in love with the band members, or they are your biggest heros... (Or both!)

10. You signed up on an unofficial forum to talk about the band and the music all day long!! :-]


... Remember, this is just for fun! And feel free to add more to this list!

-K-

[krausy]

.............You are watching your favorite soap opera, and part of the storyline includes a cameo by Smokey Robinson, and you get all excited because HE wrote "I Second that Emotion"

..................by the same token, you hear the original version of" Second That Emotion" and become all perklempt, and talk about how much you love Japan's version...............

.................You search Ebay and purchase some of those retro jade bangle bracelets, enough to wear on both arms................

.............your cd changer has had pretty much nothing but Japan in it for the last year................

..................You end most correspondence with the phrase, "relax and Swing"

...................You have to clarify to your friends and family whether you are talking about Japan the country or Japan the band................

.................Prada ads always catch your eye................

..............London, Tokyo, Minnesota, and New Hampshire seem like truly sacred places..................and may be kinda cool to visit sometime........

[ZenV]

You know me so well! I recognise the symptoms . . .
1. Atom and Cell makes me cry.
2. My daughters know DS and recognise his voice.
3. My husband grudgingly admits it's not too bad . . .
5. I had a pants suit and a pair of white shoes when I was a teenager.
6. Yes, I do. And David has the same birthday as Hironomiya, the imperial crown prince of Japan. His birthday is going to be a national holiday in the future.
7. When I was a high school student, I went to a hairdresser with a photo of David and asked the hairdresser to do my hair to look like him, but I couldn't have it done because of the nature of my hair, which is thick and strong.
9,10. A big YES

Here are some more symptoms:

- You want to get a red leather jacket.
- When you get up, you start to think which songs or albums suit your mood today and keep listening to them till you go to sleep
- You use a photo of one of the members of the band for the wallpaper of your PC and cellphone.

Kera, Thank you so much for letting me feel as if I'm a teenage girl everytime I visit your site. This is a great opportunity to escape from real life for me. I love this site so much!

All the best, Naoko

[Silver Moon]

ZenV -- No problem! I made this forum to have a place where us isolated New Romantics can all get together and share our love, devotion, and divine intoxication, of course!

I have another to add --

11. You went out to the store and bought Special K, & PG Tips to try for breakfast because it's David's favorites!

-K-

[deadbees]

I feel my obsession is explained by the length of time I have been a fan (25+ years) and the level to which I have followed their solo careers.
So whilst I may not listen to Japan's music every day, I am always listening to related music i.e. solo albums, collaborations.
I don't (and have never) played what I consider to be 'my music' to friends/family. I am quite precious about it and most of David's music I find difficult to listen to in company, such is the importance of it to my life.

[krausy]

I agree with you about "your music" being difficult to share with others. I find it difficult myself with bands that I love or are close to my heart and soul. When I was younger I thought it was because I was not confident enough to believe my tastes mattered to anyone, but now that I am older, it is what separates me from everyone else in the everyday world, and I actually enjoy turning other people onto the music that I love.


and yes, my PC and my cellphone both have Japan/Sylvian wallpaper.

[lastgoldstar]

I have two Japan wallpapers on my phone, ha ha.

8. You can hold quite a long conversation with someone using the song and album titles of the artists...

Like Whose Line Is It Anyway! My best friend and I do that practically every time she comes into town. Except she thinks I'm cheating when I bring up Japan/Sylvian songs, since she's never heard of them.

[arieleleven]

I agree with you about "your music" being difficult to share with others. I find it difficult myself with bands that I love or are close to my heart and soul. When I was younger I thought it was because I was not confident enough to believe my tastes mattered to anyone, but now that I am older, it is what separates me from everyone else in the everyday world, and I actually enjoy turning other people onto the music that I love.

I feel the exact same way.

I am too discombobulated right now to be able to list 10 ways I am obsessed here, but I know the top one would have to be the amount of money I have been spending this past year on Japan and Sylvian, etc. related items....and all of it is worth every cent to me.

[japanfan]

Going by those lists im well and truely obsessed!

[Romance~Kakumei]

4. Strangers often walk into your work place/room and say: "Why do you have pictures of that woman everywhere?"

You have no idea how many times people asked me that...!!!
(Well, not for David...not yet... but for a japanese singer i love... he's quite similar to David in his '79 style...
Btw, I have to buy a new ink cartridge, I wanna cover a wall of my room with David and Japan photos...
But this is OT, sorry... >_<)
Uhm... obsessed...
These are my symptoms... (they can obviously increase and get worse... )
- I start to swing as David when I listen to "Quiet Life".....
- I try to sing with David (For the first time in my life, I'm really happy to have a low-pitched and not-that-feminine voice...) and imitate all the instruments sounds... at least, I try!
- My mother tells me that I'm obsessed because I listen to Japan songs all day long... XD and she's right!!!

I can't reach 10 things yet... but I'm sure, I'll soon have some other symptoms...

[suzannahsylvian]

Hahaha I can relate to about 4 of the top list.

[Pagoda]

I like to try and sing the songs (I don't have an ipod, so I tend to just sing during the day), but my voice isn't strong enough, and the verses tend to end on a croak.

I'd like some posters, don't have one, but I printed out some pictures for my scrapbook. Suit jackets in strange colours are super cool

[Astronaut]

OK, lets see!

1. Correct.
2. Partially - they forget Rob Dean most of the time or maybe that's just because go on about JBK and DS all the time ...
3. Yes. Many, many times, with limited success.
4. Ha! Ha! Ha! Yes! And then the looks on their faces when you explain it's actualy a MAN ... and he doesn't even look like that anymore ...
5. Of course - what else would one wear???
6. When I remember - ooopps!
7. Pass - no, maybe I should try ...???
8. Again no.
9. Obviously!
10. Erm, yeeees, I really should be doing something else right now but ...

So it's OFFICIAL. I'm obsessed. Great. Do I get a certificate now Silvermoon????

[sakurafleur]

- you eat beans on toast with chopsticks.


ok... that was in 1983 when i was a young teen!

[TrangLee]

4. Haha. When a girl in my class look at my screen, where I have an Adolescent Sex era David...

She always said: "This woman look like someone..."
and I said: "Lady Di, I guess?"
"Yeah, but this one is a bit prettier. Lady Di doesn't look this delicate."