ROB DEAN is best known as a member of the classic quintet line-up of JAPAN with David Sylvian, Mick Karn, Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri which acted as the blueprint for DURAN DURAN. After JAPAN, Dean worked with GARY NUMAN, SINÉAD O’CONNOR and ABC. Now resident in Costa Rica, the guitarist kindly chatted to The Electricity Club about his time in JAPAN and his return to music with a brand new project LIGHT OF DAY… Continue Reading ›

Although their recorded output covered just five albums over a four year period, JAPAN are one of the most acclaimed bands from the era which many came to know as New Romantic. JAPAN’s final two studio albums ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’ and ‘Tin Drum’ are being reissued as Abbey Road Half-Speed mastered 2LP gatefold vinyl editions with two tracks per side. Along with the pair’s predecessor 'Quiet Life', they formed the Holy Trinity of JAPAN records. Continue Reading ›

Steve Jansen has been very busy of late over the last 12 months with projects involving both music and photography. In 2015, the one-time drummer of JAPAN published ‘Through A Quiet Window’, a book of his photos taken between 1978-1991. He kindly chatted to The Electricity Club about the genesis of his new album ‘Corridor’ and ‘Through A Quiet Window’ while also shedding light on the perception of JAPAN as a band at the height of their artistic success. Continue Reading ›

LUSTANS LAKEJER are the unga moderna trailblazers who were once described as Sweden’s answer to DURAN DURAN. The band came to international attention when their third long player ‘En Plats I Solen’ was produced by Richard Barbieri of JAPAN. With LUSTANS LAKEJER to tour ‘En Plats I Solen’ later this year, singer Johan Kinde kindly chatted to The Electricity Club about the band’s career… Continue Reading ›

Although their recorded output covered just over four years, JAPAN are one of the most acclaimed bands from the New Romantic era. One of the reasons JAPAN are perhaps still held in high regard is partly due to their artistic legacy not being exploited on the nostalgia circuit. With so much material recorded, what tracks would act as a beginner’s guide to JAPAN and its many offshoots? The Electricity Club brings you its twenty choices to tell a rather complex story. Continue Reading ›