Japan
Before Lewisham's Batt brothers reinvented themselves as archly
cosmetic Occidentals with a fascination for the Orient, they
affected New York Dolls-style
sleaze in slummy, vampish make-up and lizard rocker trews.
Japan's early material is fronted by a slurry David Sylvian (a
former Batt) and backed by a pointy-nosed guitarist Rob Dean, who
left when the Roxy Music-isms took
over.
Mick Karn's bass lines are more funky than bendy on The
Unconventional, Suburban Berlin and Adolescent
Sex, songs that made Sylvian squirm the moment he discovered
Scott Walker.
Japan's second phase sits uncomfortably alongside these early
tracks, with the sonorously warbled European Son, Quiet
Life and Alien eclipsing mannered cover versions of
I Second That Emotion and All Tomorrow's Parties.
Skirting on the edge of New
Romanticism but too glam rock for
actual scene membership, Japan gamely slogged against the
prevailing musical tide with a stodgy and unattractive mish-mash
of hijacked funk rhythms, second generation glam and quasi-metal
guitar riffs.
 David Sylvian aped the mannered vocal stylings of Bowie
and Steve Harley, whilst the band
ground out their musical approximations of a showdown between Roxy
Music and The Climax Blues Band.
The name was not incidental, as they figured they could bring
an Eastern poise into pop. Cue: song titles, Canton, Cantonese
Boy, Visions Of China . . .
The danger was that the conceit could seem all too contrived,
or ersatz, and was not helped by the mannered vocals of songwriter
David Sylvian.
At other times, though, as on Ghosts,
their self-importance almost made sense through the simple
strategy of a good song, well performed.
Japan broke up in 1983 after releasing a double live album
recorded on their last tour - Oil On Canvas.
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