JapanSylvian.com

Update from Anthony:
Hi. I've been posting regular updates on the Foreign place Facebook group. Please join if you haven't. Its good. I'm well over the halfway mark of the book now. It's deep fun and in a way I don't want it to stop but of course...there's always volume two to come... I will be taking part in a Live Q&A for the book in London this November. It's at a 'Japan Night' hosted by the Mighty Paul Rymer. Actually, while I'm here I'd like to thank Paul for his help, enthusiasm and feedback during the writing of this book. He has been a true help and positive influence and his site is the ultimate japan resource. If you go to said site you can find a link to the event page for the forthcoming book launch. See you in November.

Too bad this is a facebook-site you have to subsribe to. A lot of these sites are also viewable when you're not a member.

This is the last post on the Facebook group page.
An excerpt from my recent chat with Obscure Alternatives engineer, Chris Tsangarides.
'Japan set me on fire. They saw me messing around with this pure alcohol that you used to clean the tape heads and you could pour it on the desk and set fire to it and it made a pretty flame and went out quickly leaving no trace or damage. But they -Steve and Mick - put half a bottle down my trousers not realizing what they were doing. There was no malice in it. So they set fire to it and I was kind of going along with the joke saying 'God, I'm on fire again..how many times has this happened' you know, treating it like an every day occurrence..but then it wouldn't go out. The flames were getting bigger and we started getting worried and someone had to go and get a fire extinguisher. They put it out and that's when the pain started. I was rushed to hospital and they cut the blisters off my arse and dressed the wounds...it was a whole world of pain. For some time I couldn't sit down normally, I had to use a 'Pile cushion' while wearing dungarees. I still have scars. Ozzy Osborne was working with Black Sabbath in the adjacent studio and when he got to hear about it he seriously offered to petrol bomb Japan for me. I had to convince him it was just a joke that got out of hand but he kept insisting 'I'll do it, I'll petrol bomb them for you'. I said 'I'm sure you would, and I appreciate it Ozzy but really, there's no need'. A bit later on Tony Iommi cornered me and asked me who that beautiful 'bird' I was working with was...I looked around and it was Dave standing there. So I said 'What...her'? And Tony goes 'yeah! Would you introduce me to her, she's gorgeous'. So I said, well, sure, OK, but the trouble is she's probably got a bigger dick than you.'

This was posted 2 days ago:
Did you know? When Japan auditioned for Hansa on Friday 13th May 1977 at London's Morgan studios, the audition was filmed....somewhere in a Skip now, no doubt...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPPrXlXoltU

There's an update from the project, this time a long chapter on the first time Japan went to Japan.

There's another update available for backers of the book, discussing the recording of GTP in 1980.

Some intriguing details about the existence of 4-track recordings of rehearsals of new songs. Anthony has also clearly been able to hear working versions of 'Angels in furs' and the original version of 'Some kind of fool'.

Very interesting what Dean says about David working on the songs with Richard at home before presenting them to the rest of the band.

The book can more or less be pre-ordered from Burning Shed: https://burningshed.com/japan_book/

Burning Shed's debut publishing venture is the first serious book on Japan, one of the most influential and innovative Pop groups of the 1970s and 1980s.

"A Foreign Place" features significant contributions from band members Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Rob Dean, plus a host of other major and minor players.

We have set up a webpage for you to register your interest in this and be kept up to date on publication and pre-order information as soon as we have it

We are hoping to have the book available to order before Christmas 2014.

Did anyone go to the book reading and party? I couldn't make it, so would be very interested to know how it went.

Very much looking forward to this book - be fascinating to hear more about the recording process etc from Steve Nye and co. I love watching the 'Classic Albums' programmes, where they talk through the recording and usually have the band members and producer sat at a mixing desk, listening to the various elements from the original tapes. I can't see that ever happening for Tin Drum, but would be fascinating.

Let's not forget this one's still in the pipeline:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/74 ... -biography

Last update: April 2015.

B.t.w. for backers it's interesting to read the comments. Aparently Anthony changed his mind regarding Japan's "publishing"-issue, while he was willing to help Mick with his book.

Posted by Anthony Reynolds

Burning Shed- the company who are manufacturing and distributing the book- have told me they have a tentative release date for September.

Yip got an e-mail from burningshed as well

Dougie

pre-order
https://www.burningshed.com/store/artro ... /492/6875/

I received my copy this morning and i have too say it is a beautifully presented book. Obviously a lot of hard work and effort went into it, i'm sure it will be a great and informative read.