5:12 Love the stark contrast between Mick's dramatic tippy toe floating back into the corner and Dave just casually walking over to the mic like he just got off his break. Just gives me a laugh for some reason.
Super envious. Reminded of this bit from “Top Secret”, tho 😂: Hillary Flammond: My uncle was born in America. Nick Rivers: Oh, really? Hillary Flammond: But he was one of the lucky ones. He managed to escape in a balloon during the Jimmy Carter presidency. Nick Rivers: I’ll bet he’s got a lot of great stories.
Japan was such an incredible group of talented musicians. Each bringing something profoundly different from other groups at that time. Musically and visually stunning. Stills feels current even now. Personally, I can't watch or listen to Mick Karn without thinking what a cool player he was and what a loss his death represented. Underrated doesn't even come close!
I don’t think he was underrated especially by other musos, he played on many different artists albums and performed live with people like Kate Bush. Mick Karn was a legendary fretless player.
Astonishing level of perfectionism from each member. I've gigged complex sets in my time that required constant focus and attention to every note, but this level of rehearsal and performance is something totally exceptional. Thank you, Japan. I miss these days.
He has an unique voice. I love it, his character. His has a lot of class in his own way. He is an artist just I imagine they are. He has something to share spiritually with us. And it is very secret and essential. His group is one with him 🌹🙏🏻🌹😘
Very high aesthetic quality on the music arrangement and they were so distinctive amongst the bands back then. And I find this song even more compelling after being exposed to a lot of music in these many many years.
This is how music sounds: By the handsomest, suave vocalist, most incredible bass player, superb drummer, incorporating Japanese musicians; at a time when everybody else only phocused on African influences!!! Availably sublime !!! Two/Three decades ahead of everyone else!!!
I Absolutely Loved Japan and still do. I still listen to them now, I was a teenager in the 80s,and this is one band that I would have loved to have seen Live. They were Different, stunning vocals, by David Sullivan, and rhe Lyrics were just Superb.
The most amazing talented of the all the bands of the 80,s. They set a precedent- followed by many. They deserve more recognition. Their must is timeless- still sounds amazing & current. Spread the word 😁 plus they were all so gorgeous looking & little did they know it then- tread setters. Really miss them as a band
12-17-20 Watching this helps me feel 14 years old again!!! Sitting at Kieth K.'s( he was a great friend and awesome fretless bass player) house while tripping on acid and watching this on VHS. He had a fantastic stereo and the sound was so good it felt like I was THERE!! Then I would watch DUNE, then put this tape back in for more Oil on Canvas/JAPAN 'JOY'!!!!!!!!! great days!!!!!!!!
December 3rd & 4th, 1982 (Some 39 years ago) Japan were in Hong Kong performing this live. To me, time flies & freezes at the same time... My dearest Sylvie/Vivian Poon, I really DO miss you, no matter what. >
Same. I didn't learn about them until decades later. I heard Silvians name only through a project he did with Robert Fripp. Wish I know about them back in 82.
Better than Duran Duran it makes no sense Duran Duran were absolutely pop monsters provided detonating, impactful, seductive Hungry Like The Wolf or The Reflex. Japan were I mean Japan have strangely prefigured Duran Duran by keeping the course of their productions making uncategorizable, mysterious almost noble, picturesque aesthetic refinement productions ART POP somewhere too
are different bands with their unique essence of making music, you can't compare bowie with japan, or duran duran with japan, japan is something more intense (more than duran duran) for me melodically saying to listen, but it's amazing to know that japan (especially david sylvian) was inspired by bowie and japan certainly influenced duran duran.
Though he's been asked about being a New Romantic & denies it because Japan came along years before the New Romantics, & started out with a different glam look. I see them as the tie between the glam rockers of the 70's & the New Romantics. :)
@@bovinedowie2803 Plus David hates Simon. He (Simon) was too greedy to ever be interested in Japan as a band and just wanted the money. He was the main reason the members felt alienated among themselves around the time of Tin Drum and Japan's ultimate demise; when he couldn't get to David as the latter had banned all presence of him from their creative space towards the end, he started targeting Mick by planting ideas of a more successful - and lucrative - solo career in his head. He knew Mick would be susceptible to such advances, and he unfortunately was. But of course the blame always lies on David, never Simon.
Because most of their music was too melancholic, perhaps? Duran took certain elements of Japan and dropped the moodiness. They delivered danceable pop without too much introspection.
@@markkeogh7235 yeah, Japan are one of my favourites of all time but their relative obscurity is fairly logical. For all their dashing looks and pop sensibilities they were, and are, weird as fuck. It's no coincidence that, unlike most of their peers, their music hasn't aged a day.
@@markkeogh7235 I think the introspection of the music makes it less dated and throwaway, which is one of the best parts of their sound, they have the edge wayyy over Duran Duran
I remember watching this line up of the band playing live at edinburgh playhouse with a group of really good friends. The lead guitarist added a new sound to song of the better known japan hits, mr sylvian was his usual soulful self and mick karn floated across the stage playing those astonishing bass lines. Still sounds great 40yrs later
You are so lucky to have seen them live... I only started to get into them aged 12 in 1984, my 16yr old boyfriend was crazy about them and I was a huge SoftCell fan at time but started listening to Japan because of him. I always loved Quiet Life and Life in Tokyo but I have come back to their music now in the past 5 years and so much of it is still new to me..I am just sad that I missed them when they were still playing.
@@justinebourke2811 do you know the keyboard player ( Richard Barbieri ) for Japan was in a prog supergroup called porcupine tree? If you’re not familiar with them I would definitely check them out because their fantastic music is enhanced by Richards keyboards and you can definitely hear his influence on a lot of their songs.
Am I the only one that thinks this live version is even better than the studio recording on “Gentlemen Take Polaroids”? This particular recording might be my favorite song by the band
