for the younger members...

by **kinki** on Thu May 18, 2006 12:19 pm

Following on from the 'What's your age' poll, Im interested in how you younger ones got into Japan initially - I mean, when you think about it, they're 'ancient history' musically in a way....and some of you werent even born when they were together...hehehe!

by **sylvian girl** on Thu May 18, 2006 3:20 pm

well im 17 and i got into Japan through my dad (the one thing i love him for). He was a HUGE fan when he was younger (he did the whole Sylvian-clone thing too

) and a few years ago he played me Adolescent Sex; showed me a few photos of the boys and that was it

my obsession soon took over his :-D

this has now led to me only liking bands from before i was even born - i maybe listen to about 5 bands who are around now :roll:

. I missed all the fun :cry:

by **Poisoned_Apathy** on Thu May 18, 2006 4:07 pm

...I'm 21 rightnow , I was born 2 years after they split up

I was a fan of another 80's bands like Duran Duran or Depeche Mode, and just get introduce to Japan through the Vh1 :lol I remember I watched the video for 'I second that emotion' and just thought :'what's that band????' From that moment I've tried to get anynithg I can from their stuff. They became one my few fetisch bands just in a pair of weeks :smt020

this has now led to me only liking bands from before i was even born - i maybe listen to about 5 bands who are around now . I missed all the fun

Well, I listen a lot of bands who are around now but that happens to me also. Only a pair of current bands I like as much as I like some from the past.

by **sylvian girl** on Thu May 18, 2006 4:14 pm

Poisoned_Apathy wrote:Well, I listen a lot of bands who are around now but that happens to me also. Only a pair of current bands I like as much as I like some from the past.

even the current bands that i like though are mostly still from years before i was born or when i was very young - like Depeche Mode. Its great that they're around now but it would have been amazing to see them back in the beginning.

by **Poisoned_Apathy** on Thu May 18, 2006 4:24 pm

sylvian girl wrote:even the current bands that i like though are mostly still from years before i was born or when i was very young - like Depeche Mode. Its great that they're around now but it would have been amazing to see them back in the beginning.

For sure. I loved when i saw Duran and DM live recently [I told you at myspace^^] but , I agree with you... To see them live in back in 1981 could have been really cool.

by **lastgoldstar** on Thu May 18, 2006 5:50 pm

Well, I'm almost 18, and I found Japan through internet browsing around two years ago. One of my other favourite bands is Duran Duran, and they were one of the first synth bands I really got into (they fueled my obsession, really ;-)

). I really wanted to hear more music like that, and in the "influences/similar artists" section on Duran's bn.com biography page was one band that I had never heard of before- Japan. I did some listening- Quiet Life was their bestseller on bn.com at the time, so I clicked it and randomly chose to listen to Fall In Love With Me. Call it kismet- that 30 second snippet of the song drew me in like nothing else had ever done before, and I instantly bought Quiet Life.

And like sylvian girl, basically everything I listen to now is music from before I was born, or bands that started before I was born and are still together. I stopped listening to the radio altogether years ago (there's really no point anymore).

And on top of their wonderful music, I'm also particularly influenced by the style of the band. Most noticeably, my hair is lightened in the front, like David's for the duration of the QL/GTP era. Not quite as drastic, but it works. :-D

by **kinki** on Fri May 19, 2006 4:50 am

Well it sounds like you were all born in the wrong decade

...and are 80's children in the naughties! I know what you mean about modern bands - without wanting to sound like an old fogey, there's very little that's got a half decent tune these days...*eyes mist over as she drifts into nostalgic haze*...

I gave up on music radio about...um.....1992...

by **Silver Moon** on Fri May 19, 2006 7:13 am

Hey!

Ah... How I got into Japan and David Sylvian? Well, I had been listening to Talk Talk for a long long time, and one night I was thinking "What new songs should I put on my ipod?" And I went to sleep. The next day, for some reason I don't know why, but the song "Gentlemen take polaroids" popped into my head. I remember hearing my parents play it one time a long long time ago and I wanted to hear it again (Since I started liking the 80's) and then I thought... "Hmm... Who made that song? Oh yes- Sone Japanese name... Wang Chung!" So I looked all over for "Gentlemen take Polaroids" By Wang Chung. No luck. So, I googled "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" And found it was by the band Japan! Then I thought... "Hmm... Thats the band that guy my parents like so much was in... What's his name again David Silver... Dane Sylvian?" So, I googled THAT and got the song, the first time I actually listened to it again I loved it! So, I googled "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" On Google images, and just from that one tiny thumbnail from the cover of that album... I was hooked. I felt connected to him or something! (Yes, very strange...) And I think it took me about 2 seconds to develop a small crush on him. Then, I went on a 4 day rampage, and The music, and just everything I ever found out about the guy, I had (Still have, and will forever have) a huge crush on David Sylvian and love Japan all the way!

-Kera-

PS: Sorry that was so long!

by **krausy** on Fri May 19, 2006 8:54 am

Kera, I LOVE your story!!!!!!! "David Silver" lol, a little 90210 slipped in on your memory banks!!! :lol:

I commend all of you young'uns for being here and taking the time to research and appreciate what you have been turned onto. The 80's was a great time for music---MTV really brought a lot of artists to the forefront that radio would have totally passed by, just as it has and always will do.

And now with the internet, one can very easily find something that appeals to them musically.

I like some of the current music, but I am naturally drawn to the 80's on a daily basis. That period is a part of who I am.

by **kinki** on Fri May 19, 2006 10:11 am

Excellent story Kera...so you've only liked them for a short time eh? god it makes me feel old when I hear about people getting into them because their PARENTS liked them...gah! But no matter - whenever I hear them I feel 16 again anyway...

by **sylvian girl** on Fri May 19, 2006 10:24 am

lastgoldstar wrote:And on top of their wonderful music, I'm also particularly influenced by the style of the band.

hehe me too

*is a proud owner of a red leather jacket* :smt060

They all have amazing style and i take a bit from all of them with stuff i wear - like if i ever wear a shirt and tie, i'll wear it like Rich does in the early videos (not in the collar) and i have some small black shoes like Mick has in the Tin Drum era too

and Kera, your story is great :lol:

by **kinki** on Fri May 19, 2006 10:33 am

sylvian girl wrote:
lastgoldstar wrote:And on top of their wonderful music, I'm also particularly influenced by the style of the band.

hehe me too *is a proud owner of a red leather jacket* They all have amazing style and i take a bit from all of them with stuff i wear - like if i ever wear a shirt and tie, i'll wear it like Rich does in the early videos (not in the collar) and i have some small black shoes like Mick has in the Tin Drum era too

Oh me too...I've always dressed what I would call 'differently' and love looking a bit androgynous....I used to go around in a suit and tie in the early/mid 80's, I felt great and much preferred looking like this than dressing 'girly'...

At one point I had the big round glasses that David had in the Tin Drum era and did my hair like his (everyone at school thought I wanted to be a bloke!:D )

Oh, and I too have a pair of the little black Chinese (I think) shoes...they're so sweet arent they?

by **sylvian girl** on Fri May 19, 2006 11:23 am

kinki wrote:
Oh me too...I've always dressed what I would call 'differently' and love looking a bit androgynous....I used to go around in a suit and tie in the early/mid 80's, I felt great and much preferred looking like this than dressing 'girly'...

At one point I had the big round glasses that David had in the Tin Drum era and did my hair like his (everyone at school thought I wanted to be a bloke!:D )

Oh, and I too have a pair of the little black Chinese (I think) shoes...they're so sweet arent they?

yeah i love those shoes

i've looked everywhere for bright red socks to wear with them like mick did but i cant find any for some reason

and its cool you had glasses like davids ones - i love them :-D

especially in the visions of china video!

by **kinki** on Fri May 19, 2006 11:28 am

Ah, bright red socks....hmmm, they're obviously out of favour at the moment - too 80's, you shouldnt have to wait too long before the next 80's revival though! Apparently it's the decade always on the verge of coming back into fashion.....maybe people's memories of huge shoulder pads are just too painfully recent...

by **sonic_chronicler** on Fri May 19, 2006 12:25 pm

Silver Moon, a little off-topic, but what era of Talk Talk do you like? was it the earlier poppier stuff, or the later experimental stuff?

Just wondering

Sonic

for the younger members...

for the younger members...

Who is online