Richard Barbieri

Big Wheels in Shanty Town

‘an epic track’

‘Virgin were ecstatic when they heard the news from an equally ecstatic Richard Chadwick,’ said Mick Karn of the decision for himself and ex-Japan band-mates Sylvian, Jansen & Barbieri to come back together, ‘and within days came up with an amount for recording that made us ecstatic. None of us had ever seen such a large sum for recording before. And what’s more, once lawyers had prepared the contracts and suggested we have accountants carry out an audit on Virgin, they hastily sent us a substantial cheque each for Japan videos…

‘The four of us set forth on a driving holiday through Italy for a week in June 1989, to research some of the available residential studios we’d been considering. The budget would go a long way if we were careful, and the trip enabled us to spend time together bonding, and for me to show off my Italian as band translator. We decided on a studio Steve and Rich had already used, Condulmer, near Venice, and planned to be there for a month in November after starting the project in the south of France in Miraval for five weeks at the beginning of September.’

Still Life in Mobile Homes

‘the importance of individual personality’

The opening track to Side 2 of Japan’s iconic final studio album, Tin Drum, sequenced between the China-influenced ‘Canton’ and ‘Visions of China’, stands alone in the construction of its rhythm track, pointing forward to new ways of working for the band’s drummer, Steve Jansen. ‘Still Life in Mobile Homes’, Steve said, was ‘the only drum track recorded piecemeal on that album.’ (2015)

Weathered Wall

‘native to no one involved’

‘When I recorded Brilliant Trees, I started the album in Berlin, out of necessity, out of a low budget and it being the cheapest studio I could find, but I found that going to a strange place, meeting in a strange place — all these musicians for the first time, some of them I’d never even spoken to prior to meeting them — created a sense of adventure about the whole project,’ recalled David Sylvian. ‘I didn’t just feel it, I noticed it in the other musicians, and that they would give more of themselves in that environment rather than in their natural environment, their home town or whatever.’ (1991)

Burning Bridges

‘our influences on our sleeve’

Richard Barbieri, Mick Karn and David Sylvian were all classmates at Catford Boys school in South London. Karn and Sylvian were friends, their surnames then Michaelides and Batt, the latter’s home being ‘close to the school,’ as Mick recalled, ‘so we would go there together for lunch, with his brother Steven Batt bringing a friend and joining us.

Blackwater

‘the possibility of new life’

The story of the ‘reformation’ of Japan (or to be accurate, of the four members who created the band’s final studio album, Tin Drum) was something that I followed in real time through the pages of the fanzine Bamboo. The first hint of such momentous news was contained in the Summer 1989 edition and almost comically understated, undoubtedly because the situation developed whilst the print publication was being finalised.

Live shows have been announced for Birmingham, UK, and Deurne, The Netherlands in Spring 2027. The latest date to be publicised is at the Birds of Paradise festival in Utrecht, where they will curate a day in an impressive venue.

Details of Utrecht (click image for more):

A small number of tickets are available for the second show in Deurne (click on image below).

Further dates may be added – follow Steve or Richard on social media for announcements.

As mentioned in this recent article, David Sylvian was instrumental in the publication of Harold Budd’s first book of poetry – Colorful Fortune.

A small number of copies are available direct from Keith Lowe (bass player on Nine Horses and on stage with David Sylvian, who published the book), priced at US$35 plus shipping. There are also a handful of copies signed by Harold, priced at US$125 plus shipping. Each book comes with a small promotional card. Contact moonlinermusic@mac.com for more information.

Further information sometimes comes to light after an article is published. The following pieces have recently been updated with new material:

June 2026
The Ink in the Well – added additional quotes from Danny Thompson and Peter Williams.
Nostalgia – added quote from Steve Jansen about the demo of the song.
Brilliant Trees – added date of Jon Hassell’s session from his diaries.
Ancient Evening – Incantation – added date of Jon Hassell’s session from his diaries.
Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II) – added insight from David Sylvian that Bill Frisell’s solo was from a single take.

The recent reissues of David Sylvian’s early solo albums on coloured vinyl sold out quickly.

All were repressed and re-released on 19 December 2025.

Brilliant Trees – burningshed

Alchemy – official store

Gone to Earth – official store

Secrets of the Beehive – official store

Lucrecia’s album A Danger to Ourselves was released in September 2025. All tracks produced by Lucrecia Dalt & David Sylvian, mixed by David Sylvian.

Sylvian also contributes vocal and feedback guitar to ‘Cosa Rara’ and electric guitar solo for ‘Covenstead Blues’:

Second edition repress of ‘Cosa Rara (feat. David Sylvian)’ with alternative artwork. Note that this vinyl also contains an extended mix of the ‘dopamine dub’ by Matias Aguayo, featuring David Sylvian (i.e. a different version from the first single release):