I cannot believe this is 42 years old and they still sound so damn good. Yes it is live and no hidden vocals etc. Superb! As for Mick Karn .... No words ...
Can you imagine the latest pop rabble trying to play live on the Old Grey Whistle Test? It really was a test of your musician capabilities and this band had talent to the core!
@@larsfillmore4765 OGWT was such a great show. Around the same time (1981-ish) King Crimson came out of hiding and played the OGWT and re-announced themselves to the world with a new line-up of old and new members Fripp-Bruford & Belew-Levin. Mind blowing. So many great performances on that live show. With the Japan performances among them, of course. OGWT was one of the highlights of the week for sure. They really should bring it back (but I guess it would hurt sales and streaming revenue if the top popsters of the day refused or didn't appear on the show or did a bad job of it) Yep, everything is backing tracks and autotuned to death these days (not all bands, but many of the popsters are reliant on those devices now. Makes you wonder how bad the pop stars of today would sound without the auto-tune, vocal fx and pitch correction etc)
Jansen has one of the most inhumanly perfect senses of time, of any drummer alive: and this video goes a long way to showing how he got it. There simply was no place to hide: the music was purposefully sparse - and he had to play super-precisely to a severely hard timed, TR-808 on a backing tape track: not only did he have to stay exactly in time, or else the whole band would suffer a very public train wreck, but in order for his drum's accents to be heard, he had to learn to hit his drums just slightly ahead of the 808 but without speeding up - and fall ever so slightly behind the beat in places where he wanted to lay back, without ever slowing down: and do this to perfection throughout an entire tour, night after night - and eventually, and probably inadvertently, he became the master of the super precise pocket.
I drummed to a click live like that for a period of a few months and I REALLY learned about how my brain does not really know about time. Anyone who thinks playing to a click is cheating has not tried it for real. Every now and then you get a brainfart and could swear it's the click that moved.
Steve Carter Hey Steve, it might be the Haas effect - screws up a lot of people, the click completely disappears to the human ear if you're just a touch ahead, but within a dozen or so milliseconds ( on fast attack sounds - longer on slower attack sounds ). I remember when I started exploring time by tapping with a pencil to a metronome - it'd freak me out whenever my pencil or the metronome suddenly disappeared ( depending on which was just a smidgen behind the other ) - but that just means you're doing it right. If anybody's curious, I strongly recommend checking it out for yourself, just get a pencil, and try tapping along to a metronome … sooner or later: it'll happen.
at a time when bands like Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran were headlining the "New Romantic" charge, Japan were monstrously under-rated. Still one of my favorite bands of all time. R.I.P Mick...
They weren't underrated at all. The absurdly abstract and minimalist Ghosts reached the Top 5 in the UK ffs. The only thing that stopped them exposing the bands you mentioned for being lightweight and second rate in comparison to Japan was the fact Japan split. Simple as. John Taylor of Duran wrote a very touching tribute to Mick when he died.
***** I was listening to Ghosts recently and remembered that it made the top 5 in the UK. Now it would be astonishing that a song like that would chart at all, let alone make the top 5.
@@briancox8518 Yup, Japan blew away everyone for their creativity, depth and technical ability in that period. The fact they split up at the age of 23-24 still makes my mind melt - I was making cups of tea for pop video directors at that age, not kissing goodbye to a body of work that stands proud 40 years later. Sheesh.
And somebody should add a note that Steve Jansen's playing is instantly recognizable and rather than a blare of a million beats, it's ALWAYS the perfect beat in the perfect place with the perfect empty space between to drive the whole thing along. One of the best drummers ever! With Karn, rest him, and Barbieri it was an incredible rhythm section.
Original Japan fan here, from their Arista days. Saw them live and my god, they were seasoned musicians. Shame how Rob Dean was treated but there we are. I still love their music
Mick Karn inspired me to pick up bass, sadly I sold it to cocaine addiction. Came back to this live performance, now sober. Going to pick up the bass again.
He sure was a genius...they all were sorry different,there music was one of a kind,of an era that has gone by..the best era ever I think most people think of that while listening to this
I vividly remember coming home after school one day to find my dad desperately hunting through all of his CDs looking for 'Gentlemen Take Polaroids'. He turned to me, I pulled out my CD player from my school bag and showed him the CD. He could not stop smiling. It is one of those father / son moments I will take to the grave. I wish my generation (I am 30 years old - born in '88) appreciated more music from this era ... sadly almost anything can pass as 'music' now. On a side note, recently I have been listening to a lot of 'Talk Talk' and there are moments when I can hear some similarities to 'Japan'. I can't put my finger on what it is exactly, but there is something. I would be interested to know if anyone else has felt the same. Happy listening all.
Mm I’m not in your generation- I’m 17, and I know some kids my age into this type of music; though that may just be because of the people I choose to associate with.
I grew up listening to Japan because of my dad. 2 years ago I started listening to them properly and David Sylvian as a solo artist. Best thing I’ve done I’m obsessed. Thank you Dad
Don't forget to look up " The Dolphin Brothers " album which was a collaborative effort with Steve Jansen on Drums & Vocals & Richard Barbieri & there's a few numbers he sounds like his brother David Sylvian/incase didn't know they both (as in Steve & David) changed their family surname names that better suited them & sounded better than their birth names, it happens all the time in movie & music industry... Then you owe it to yourself to look out Mick Karn's solo work, as thst man is truly up there with the Bass Gods & how he managed to play those bass lines is still amazing to here to this day whether it's with Japan or his Solo work or collaborative work with Joan Armatrading/More Ure/Kate Bush & many many more... There were only 2 Fearless Bass Player's from the UK that brought the Electric Fretless Bass Guitar forward within a band environment back in the mid 70s & 80s onwards & that was Mick Karn RIP & Pino Palladino... Pino along with Paul Youngs vocals & those amazing fretless bass lines on a MusicMan Stingray Fretless Bass Guutar have entered into the music hall of fame for Pino's ability to Add to a vocalists song... Listen to Paul Young first break through album " No Parlez " with Pino playing on most of those songs & Paul Young has admitted time & time again it was working & collaborating with Pino Palladino & him adding those bass lines which added that special extra ingredient that would then appow Paul Young's career to start as it would never have taken off as Pino was the final piece of the puzzle to build a band around Paul Young with the best of British session/sideman players... As far as David Sylvian going solo there are many who favour certain solo albums & mine are " Gone To Earth " with the tracks # Waves # & # Silver Moon # being just 2 of my go to on that album favourites... My 2nd various solo album would be " Secrets Of The Beehive " & again I love all his work with Japan & his solo albums but those 2 albums just hit me right in the heart... I'd also recommend Sting from his work with " The Police " But again like many singers within a band environment that go on to leave you think WTF!.. But Sting went on to being on of the UKs most celebrated solo artists with sings like " Fragile " & " The Shape Of My Heart & many more & if you thought he was great on bass guitar listen to him playing acoustic & Rythmn & lead guitar along with other instruments... Your Dad surely had good taste but there are many more amazing solo artists or bands that I could name, but I'll leave you with those albums & songs to look into... Enjoy what's left of the Easter Weekend & Holiday Monday but like many you'll most likely be working... All The Best... " Alba Gu Brath " .....
Anyone coming here for the first time please understand, there had been nothing before and there's been nothing, NOTHING since, to compare with the uniqueness of Japan. Do your research and you'll discover for yourself. Mick Karns bass-lines are unique in pop/rock and deserve to be recognised as genius - on the album "Tin Drum" but especially on their seminal work "Gentlemen Take Polaroids". They are, in my opinion, the best band that ever was....
+ASM Rob couldn't agree more mate , but loved early albums , obscure alternatives , and adolescent sex . listening to them again , bring back happy memeries R.I.P mick karn
I've only just seen this comment and you're bang on the money. I've never heard anything like this in my life and I don't think I will, it's exceptional. Mick Karn's musical genius alone is phenomenal, he played soo many intstruments...
ASM Rob They were a good band, particularly in their "mature" and final incarnation "Tin Drum" era. However, they did obviously derive much inspiration from Roxy Music (particularly in regards to Sylvian's vocal style) and Berlin era Bowie and so weren't entirely without precedent. I agree that Mick Karn was a fantastic bass player however, and I'm a big fan of most of Sylvian's solo output.
56 !! I can't believe it! Love this song!! Use to listen to this track when starting a new course or new job.... sitting on the train with my head phones on !!!
OGWT didn't allow lip syncing, I remember watching this live at the time and amazed. Any Japan fan ached to see them on TV which was relatively rare, bar a few crap totp events, they did a couple more appearances on here and both were great also. Saw them live @ leicester, simply superb, a shame they never got back in true form... a loss to music, RIP mick, simply great
The bass lines both hypnotic and savage, like it speaks to the most basic of emotions and the most complex. Just incredible how creative all of this band was.
this is NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! genius then and now ...... Long live Japan ! thanks for the music guys , made my school days liveable
Sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the great, respectful comments from so many loyal and passionate fans of my favorite band. I love knowing you are out there. Thanks...
And Sylvian threw it all away so casually in order to eventually make some of the most supercilious condescending crap ever. With titles which deserve nothing less than a slap. 'Plight and Premonition' while 'loud weather' was 'buffeting' 'Naoshima'?? He's such an idiot.
blackmore4 Well once David Sylvian stole Mick Karn’s girlfriend it was all downhill all the way from there. With the exception of his work with Riuchi Sakamoto
@@blackmore4 lol. He has tons of great solo work. His ambient work might be a particular taste that everyone doesn't like but i have no problem listening to it. But his 3 first solo albums i personally think are just as brilliant as many of the Japan albums. Especially Gone to Earth.
@@DonHaka Different strokes... except for 'Pulling Punches', I thought the first album was brilliant but found 'Gone too Earth' way too digital and prog for my tastes. I loved the third album ('Secrets of the Beehive') but, after that, as far as I'm concerned, he became unbearable.
This is where RU-vid excels. Uncovering this video was such a joy. I was a big fan back in the day and saw them live a couple of times. Their music hasn't dated at all and still sounds great now. I still have some of their albums and listen occasionally. Mick Karn was one of the best bass players ever. Wonderful.
Japan were brilliant live. I had the pleasure to watch them perform and they were all outstanding. I still love this band now as much as I did 34year ago. BRILLIANT
This is one of the rarest of bands... a band that disintegrated at their absolute artistic and creative peak. Not even the Beatles can lay claim to that.
@@Captain_Rhodes I guess it depends... I consider The Beatles' artistic peak to be Revolver thru White Album. Abbey Road is a classic, but I don't think it lives up to the previous three, and Let It Be was a lesser album still. Japan, on the other hand, were indisputably on an upwards trajectory artistically when they split. Just my opinion, of course.
@@DickTruth i know abbey road isnt experimental but IMO its as good as the others because the songs are great. let it be was a film soundtrack that wasnt properly released until after they split so its not their last record. I love Japan and the beatles though. im not one of those argumentative little shits you get on here lol. Also dont forget the last thing japan did was rain tree crow. I like that album quite a bit, but it wasnt as good as tin drum. But then we go down the hole of comeback albums and all that ;-)
Are you kidding me? The Beatles can't hold a candle, compared to Japan. Everybody say it with me now, "The Beatles are just 'iconic,' not talented." Anyone who listens to the Beatles are either just following the crowd, or never heard actual good music. Trust me, as they get wind of actual, good music, they'll drop the Beatles quicker than you can say Yellow Submarine. 😒
My New Career - it just lilts and sways like a dance... it's out of this world and nothing, absolutely nothing touches it... it's way ahead of time even today, I find it mesmerising this was part of the 1980s and yet they're rarely honoured today.
I saw the video for Swing on Much Music in the early 90’s and really liked it. I assumed it came out around 1987. I couldn’t believe it when it said 1980. I was so shocked I believed it was a typo.
Saw them in 1981... Blew my mind, no one like them before or since. still listen too them often and the production is still sounding great and unique Play Loud my friends
Think about it...of all bands of their time and generation, no one has even attempted to imitate them...not even Sylvian or Rain Tree Crow...this sound is pristine and unparalleled...still. All fans of this...you are family. Cheers.
just every now and then a band like japan comes along, beyond compare in every respect. I lived with their music in the 80s. I still listen to it today. RIP Mick Karn.
Listening to the sounds of the of the music and especially David's voice it's really apparent of how big of an influence that this band and other bands of this genre and similar genres influenced japanese music in the 80s in 90s. I could probably listen David's voice all day, its feels like velvet.
saw these guys in Liverpool 1980 , they were amazing totally professional , one of the best "real" bands of the 80's also saw ultravox same venue , saw lots of bands around that time, but these two were the best ....brings back nice memories
Absolutely priceless footage! Mick Karn is a legend amongst us Bass players, he had such a distinctive style and played so effortlessly he made playing the Bass look easy....Such an influential group...Simply sublime!
My favourite Japan song. Scott Walker would have loved it, and Mick Karn was a magnificent bass player. Japan were the true inheritors of early Roxy Music, before they became Mr Ferry's backing band.
What a bassline on My New Career. This takes me back - I was blown away, intrigued and thrilled by this band, it was nothing we had heard before. RIP Mick.
My Girlfriend at the time and her brother introduced me to Japan in 1990. Never looked back since! Mick Karn was legendary. David clearly the icing on the cake........The music is and will always be on point and out there, sexy, raw, super kool and the Look was just amazing!
This original band lineup was just too talented to stay together for a long time. Just way too much talent. Huge influence to so many subsequent groups. RIP Mick Karn. I never could predict what you were going to do on the bass next.
Great to see this .I never get tired of listening to Japan,Went to see them on tin drum tour at D M Hall in Coventry , got the program signed back stage , Then crashed car in heavy snow on way home,oh happy days ,R I P Mik .
I am a definite Mick Karn fan, but Richard and Rob provide sterling performances on synth and guitar respectively. Rob's solos on both tracks are to die for.
Just, WOW. I've listened to this album hundreds of times, know these songs as well as the sound of my own heartbeat, and now I've seen this legendary band perform them live on TV. Japan was one of the most incredible bands of the late 70s/early 80s. I used to play them all the time in my days as a college DJ (1983-9) and the only band who ever came close to their sound was their Japanese counterpart Ippu-do. This is unique, ethereal, just near perfect. My only gripe is that there were too few closeups of Mick Karn (RIP). His bass technique was what lured me to their sound in the first place.
In case anyone is interested in Ippu-do, here is a link. This is from their 1983 album "Night Mirage" and features Jansen/Barbieri so it is "half Japanese"? ;) Anyway, check this out... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_B5X2m40JbM.html
Mick Karn and Barry Adamson were my touchstone bassists during this time period, both instantly recognisable, both unique. There were loads of unique players around at the time, Simple Mind's Derek Forbes, Bauhaus' David J, The Fall's Steve Hanley come to mind. Lots of cool, bass driven music.
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!! 48 in 2 months and was introduced when I was 15 by The Chritiansen Brothers of Houston TX. Great bass players / ARTISTS!!! 1985 were great times.
Had Japan gained American exposer earlier and as often as Duran they would have been my childhood favorite band. For me though it was Duran and MTV that brought them to kids like me in rural NC. Same with Ultravox? So now at 45 I'm really falling in love with these two groups that no longer exist! However Duranies Rock on!
Honestly, I don’t think they would’ve been big in America at all.. ever. America could barely handle Duran Duran’s look. Boy George really flipped people out. (Not me personally but mainstream America) But America is always so behind with music and fashion so I know what you meant. Also, I’m almost 50 and this is the first time (that I can remember) I’ve actually heard Japan’s music after all the years of being a fan of Duran and I think Japan were super creative and interesting but too unique with their rhythms and chord progressions. The bass is intense and amazing and maybe Duran’s first album sounds similarly influenced but their songs were more catchy. I’m sorry but Duran Duran we’re way better as far as good catchy songs are concerned. That’s why they got huge! Not Bc they ripped off Japan. And sorry but they were also wayyy better looking! I’ve listened to this whole show twice and I can’t remember one tune. David Sylvian sounds like he’s doing a Bryan Ferry impression (a good one though). They definitely seemed ahead of their time but to say they were better than Duran Duran.. that’s a pretty broad statement and it’s just not true.
