Category: 1983 – Oil on Canvas

Oil on Canvas

‘a moment of inspiration between the painter and the canvas’

On 1 March 1982, an album simply titled Japan was released in the US by the band of the same name. A deal with the Epic label gave the group a tilt at the American market. Japan’s members were on hiatus at the time, taking a break after the tensions of the Visions of China tour in late 1981, a chance to pursue solo and other projects or interests. There was a UK TV appearance for the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test on 4 March, with ‘Ghosts’ and ‘Cantonese Boy’ played live to promote the former’s release as a single (see ‘Ghosts – live’) but this was a brief reunion among other endeavours. Steve Jansen, Mick Karn and David Sylvian contributed to Akiko Yano’s album Ai Ga Nakucha Ne, sessions taking place in London in February ’82 with Ryuichi Sakamoto producing. Then Sylvian and Sakamoto headed into the studio to fulfil a long-held ambition for a joint project, the fruits of which were ‘Bamboo Music’ and ‘Bamboo Houses’.

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The Art of Parties – Methods of Dance – live

‘a new energy’

It seems that Masami Tsuchiya heard the music of Japan before the band discovered his. ‘I was very touched by Japan’s music from the very first album,’ he told Bamboo magazine, ‘and I told everyone about them – what great musicians they were. The word got around and Japan got to know about it’. Tsuchiya was a founder member of Ippu-Do, an outfit with an openness to European influences. Some sessions for their 1980 LP Real even took place at Hansa studios in Berlin, originating titles such as ‘German Road’, ‘Heidelburg Symphony’ and ‘Neu! (Changing the History)’ – tracks that boast a new wave sound with synthesisers, sequencers and vocoder vox accompanying driving guitar, bass and drums.

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Ghosts – live

‘some sense of nostalgia’

Sometimes it’s difficult to remember why you made a particular decision. Especially one that you wish you could change afterwards… It was late 1982 and I was in the final year at school. Important exams were looming the following year which would determine whether I would achieve my ambition of going to university, and if so, which one I might attend. My fascination with Japan had developed in the preceding months as the singles ‘Ghosts’ and ‘Cantonese Boy’ had been lifted from Tin Drum, catching my attention and drawing me to the album. The plethora of Hansa singles had got me exploring the back catalogue, and I was guided through by an enthusiastic friend.

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