Japan were an English new wave band formed in 1974 in Catford,South London by David Sylvian,Steve Jansen (drums) and Mick Karn,joined the following year by Richard Barbieri (keyboards) and Rob Dean. Initially a glam rock-inspired band,Japan developed their sound and androgynous look to incorporate art rock,electronic music and foreign influences.
David Sylvian is an English musician,singer and songwriter who came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan. The band's androgynous look and increasingly electronic sound made them an important influence on the UK's early-1980s new wave scene.
Gone to Earth is the third solo studio album by English singer-songwriter David Sylvian,released on 1 September 1986 on Virgin Records. A double album,Gone to Earth is the follow-up to his debut record,Brilliant Trees,and peaked at No. 24 in the UK Albums Chart.
Secrets of the Beehive is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. The album was released on 19 October 1987 in Europe and the United States. The album peaked at No. 37 in the UK album chart. The album was released in Japan on 21 November 1987.
Brilliant Trees is the debut solo studio album by the English musician David Sylvian,released on 25 June 1984 by Virgin Records. The album peaked at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.
Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album by English band Japan,released in November 1981 by Virgin Records. It peaked at No. 12 on the UK charts,and featured the top 5 single "Ghosts". It has received acclaim as the band's best and most original work.
Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the English band Japan,released in November 1980 by Virgin Records.
Alchemy:An Index of Possibilities is the second solo studio album by David Sylvian,first released in December 1985 on cassette only as a limited edition. Alchemy is an intermediary album,released between his first solo album Brilliant Trees and his next solo album Gone to Earth,made up of two entirely separate projects recorded 1984 and 1985.
Everything and Nothing is a compilation album by David Sylvian. Released in October 2000,the album contains previously released and unreleased,re-recorded,and alternate versions of tracks from Sylvian's twenty years with Virgin Records. The record peaked at no.57 in the UK albums chart.
"Ghosts" is a song by English band Japan. It was released in edited form in March 1982 as the third single from their 1981 album Tin Drum.
Japan is an album by the British band Japan,released in the United States in March 1982 on the Epic Records label. It was the first US release of the band's material recorded for Virgin Records in the UK,and was a combination of most of Tin Drum with three tracks from Gentlemen Take Polaroids. It was released at a time when the band was beginning to break up. Despite the group's popularity in Europe and Asia,and a cult following in the US,the album did not break into the Billboard 200 chart. However,it did peak at number 204 on the Bubbling Under the Top LPs chart.
"Forbidden Colours" is a 1983 song by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The song is the vocal version of the theme from the Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas,Mr. Lawrence. It appears on the film's soundtrack album and was released as a single on Virgin Records in 1983.
"Nightporter" is a song by English new wave band Japan. The song originally featured on the band's fourth album Gentlemen Take Polaroids in 1980. However,it was then remixed by Steve Nye and released as a single in November 1982. The single peaked at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Red Guitar" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. Released in May 1984,it was his debut solo single and taken from his first solo album Brilliant Trees. It peaked at no.17 on the UK Singles Chart.
"The Ink in the Well" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. It was released in August 1984 as the second single from his debut solo album Brilliant Trees. The single peaked at No. 36 on the UK Singles Chart.
Visions of China is a song by English new wave band Japan,released in October 1981 as the second single from their 1981 album Tin Drum,which was released on 13 November. The single reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.
The Art of Parties is a song by the British band Japan.
"Cantonese Boy" is a song by English new wave band Japan,released in May 1982 as the fourth and final single from their 1981 album Tin Drum. The single peaked at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart. The song refers to the enlistment of a Cantonese boy to the Chinese Red Army.
"European Son" is a song by the British band Japan.
"Gentlemen Take Polaroids" is a song by English new wave band Japan,released as a single from the album of the same name in October 1980. It was the band's first charting single in the UK,peaking at number 60.
