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John taylor, 80s bass god

#81
tindrum said:
I’ve seen Sylvian live several times (lucky enough to chat with him after a show in 96) but I really regret not seeing Karn live. I’m sure the Polytown show was incredible!

Like you I was somewhat disappointed with the Rain Tree Crow project but it did give birth to the track “Blackwater”, which is my favorite song of all time, regardless of artist.
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The appearance was what is called an ‘instore’, an abbreviated set for promotional purposes. There was no proper venue concert in the area. The store(now long closed)was a large place, and they set up in a wide open area, right in the middle, the enraptured crowd of maybe a hundred or so just sat on the floor. Bozzio’s drum kit took up most of the room.
As they were instrumental, there wasn’t even a PA. Karn’s amp rig consisted of a Trace 1x15 combo, with another Trace 4x10 combo on top of that.
After the performance, Torn and Bozzio were quite approachable, ready to chat, but I really wanted to catch up with Mick, of course, who was very reserved; I spotted him, but got distracted for a moment, and he disappeared.
 
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#84
Michedelic said:
They were always a bit out of step, yet a forerunner because of it. They started out as a sort of few-years-too-late glam/New York Dolls/Ziggy era Bowie-influenced outfit, but then began evolving just as OG punk had run its course, taking on Roxy/Eno flavors. Still retaining some of the earlier visuals, they were in place when the ‘New Romantic’ thing started(which was really kicked off by Bowie on Scary Monsters). Quiet Life was the transitional album, but on Gentlemen Take Polaroids they, and Karn, really came into their own. Impacted by Japanese bands like YMO and traditional Asian music, Tin Drum was their crowning achievement, then it all fell apart, although they reconvened a decade later for the Rain Tree Crow one-off, which I was lukewarm about.

I never thought of Sylvian’s vocals as ‘emo’, I just heard strains of Bowie, Ferry, and Scott Walker. The solo Sylvian stuff was amazing, saw his tour in ‘88(which was an augmented Japan without Karn)and then the project with Robert Fripp(that tour led to a Crimson revitalization). And I caught a rare live set of Karn with Terry Bozzio and David Torn(as Polytown); they set up in the middle of the West LA Virgin Megastore; oh, how I wish I had a cellphone back then. If you’re not familiar with that album, seek it out on YT.
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This sounds like a wikipage. very nice review of Japan.

maybe I used the word emo wrong. As a teen, I wasn't able to listen to an entire album of Japan without getting anxious. I mean, popular modern music all has a "familiarity" and they just did not. they were different. don't get me wrong, popular music doesn't all sound the same, but Japan was on a different page.

it could also be what I was exposed to growing up. we had little by way of alternative music in my neck of the woods until I discovered the local community college station KSYM! Mind blown to alternative 80s music.
 
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#85
txhawaii said:
This sounds like a wikipage. very nice review of Japan.

maybe I used the word emo wrong. As a teen, I wasn't able to listen to an entire album of Japan without getting anxious. I mean, popular modern music all has a "familiarity" and they just did not. they were different. don't get me wrong, popular music doesn't all sound the same, but Japan was on a different page.

it could also be what I was exposed to growing up. we had little by way of alternative music in my neck of the woods until I discovered the local community college station KSYM! Mind blown to alternative 80s music.
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I get a little passionate about bands/artists I’m deeply into, isn’t that what music should be about? Most of them are esoteric or under the radar and I feel they should be better known, but many times should be explained properly.

Admittedly, I vaguely knew about them in their early years, but there was so much going on at the time that I never really checked them out. Which was a good thing, as the first two albums weren’t all that great. But then I auditioned for a band/social circle that was deeply into Bill Nelson(I was a huge Be Bop Deluxe fan), and they happened to be big on Sylvian and company, turning me on to Quiet Life. I could tell where Japan was coming from, and they did an obligatory VU song on the album, indicating that they knew who influenced those who influenced them, and then…that bass player had something different going on.

Nothing came of the try-out with that crew, they really didn’t have it together, but the tip-off was worth it; when I caught up with Gentlemen, mind blown. Then Tin Drum, whew, that was from somewhere else, the sequencers turned into Gamelan percussion(it fit in with what King Crimson was doing in that moment) and Karn was otherworldly. And it’s funny, both Karn and Sylvian went on to work with Nelson, Sylvian with Fripp, Barbieri with Porcupine Tree(a quasi Crimson connection), and so on. I love six degrees stuff like that.
 
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#86
Michedelic said:
I get a little passionate about bands/artists I’m deeply into, isn’t that what music should be about? Most of them are esoteric or under the radar and I feel they should be better known, but many times should be explained properly.

Admittedly, I vaguely knew about them in their early years, but there was so much going on at the time that I never really checked them out. Which was a good thing, as the first two albums weren’t all that great. But then I auditioned for a band/social circle that was deeply into Bill Nelson(I was a huge Be Bop Deluxe fan), and they happened to be big on Sylvian and company, turning me on to Quiet Life. I could tell where Japan was coming from, and they did an obligatory VU song on the album, indicating that they knew who influenced those who influenced them, and then…that bass player had something different going on.

Nothing came of the try-out with that crew, they really didn’t have it together, but the tip-off was worth it; when I caught up with Gentlemen, mind blown. Then Tin Drum, whew, that was from somewhere else, the sequencers turned into Gamelan percussion(it fit in with what King Crimson was doing in that moment) and Karn was otherworldly. And it’s funny, both Karn and Sylvian went on to work with Nelson, Sylvian with Fripp, Barbieri with Porcupine Tree(a quasi Crimson connection), and so on. I love six degrees stuff like that.
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not emo...esoteric. thats the right word. Japan was esoteric.
 
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#87
Michedelic said:
I get a little passionate about bands/artists I’m deeply into, isn’t that what music should be about? Most of them are esoteric or under the radar and I feel they should be better known, but many times should be explained properly.

Admittedly, I vaguely knew about them in their early years, but there was so much going on at the time that I never really checked them out. Which was a good thing, as the first two albums weren’t all that great. But then I auditioned for a band/social circle that was deeply into Bill Nelson(I was a huge Be Bop Deluxe fan), and they happened to be big on Sylvian and company, turning me on to Quiet Life. I could tell where Japan was coming from, and they did an obligatory VU song on the album, indicating that they knew who influenced those who influenced them, and then…that bass player had something different going on.

Nothing came of the try-out with that crew, they really didn’t have it together, but the tip-off was worth it; when I caught up with Gentlemen, mind blown. Then Tin Drum, whew, that was from somewhere else, the sequencers turned into Gamelan percussion(it fit in with what King Crimson was doing in that moment) and Karn was otherworldly. And it’s funny, both Karn and Sylvian went on to work with Nelson, Sylvian with Fripp, Barbieri with Porcupine Tree(a quasi Crimson connection), and so on. I love six degrees stuff like that.
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Well to segue back, David Sylvian auditioned to be Duran Duran's singer. Anyway...back to the topic.
 
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#88
deters said:
Well to segue back, David Sylvian auditioned to be Duran Duran's singer. Anyway...back to the topic.
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Uhh…balderdash. When did that happen? Documentation?
Allegedly he was asked by Duran to produce them. When, I wouldn’t know, but it’s mentioned in this quarter century old profile(which is otherwise pretty much on the money)…

David Sylvian — Sylvie Simmons

DAVID SYLVIAN by Sylvie Simmons MOJO (1999) He was the sensitive soul who fronted south London’s dodgiest glam-rockers, the World’s Most Lovely Man who chose tortured sainthood, pop’s preening popinjay who reinvented himself as a darling of the avant-garde. “I’m damaged goods,” he tel
www.sylviesimmons.com www.sylviesimmons.com
 
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#89
Michedelic said:
Uhh…balderdash. When did that happen? Documentation?
Allegedly he was asked by Duran to produce them. When, I wouldn’t know, but it’s mentioned in this quarter century old profile(which is otherwise pretty much on the money)…

David Sylvian — Sylvie Simmons

DAVID SYLVIAN by Sylvie Simmons MOJO (1999) He was the sensitive soul who fronted south London’s dodgiest glam-rockers, the World’s Most Lovely Man who chose tortured sainthood, pop’s preening popinjay who reinvented himself as a darling of the avant-garde. “I’m damaged goods,” he tel
www.sylviesimmons.com www.sylviesimmons.com
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I cannot find any. This was what I recalled from my youth. Looks like it was urban legend!
 
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#95
zuma said:
You know who was their lead singer before Simon? Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy This guy! -->

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He went on to form The Lilac Time who sound absolutely nothing like his early stuff or Duran but they’re amazing nonetheless. He later had several folky-ish solo albums that are absolutely fantastic. To say I’m a fan would be an understatement. In a tie in to this thread I once spent 10 days in London and saw Stephen Duffy live in a little pub in Camden Town and later on the last day of my trip I saw David Sylvian at Hammersmith. Just freaking incredible!
 
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